I can not tell you how excited we were to receive these amazing submissions of 3 color letter press sent it from Boston’s Christine Meahan! I mean these invitations are absolutely gorgeous! We asked Christine to discuss a little bit about the design for each of the invitations, and what the process for letter press is like! {BH}
PTW: How did you come up with the design for these invitations?
CM: Lauren and Pete got married in December and wanted to embrace the holiday and winter feel. We stuck to red and black since those were her main colors. The graphic at the top was inspired by their wedding venue, a beautiful hall with gorgeous old architecture. She liked the idea of it having “In the spirit of peace and joy this holiday season” incorporated into the invitation somewhere, so instead of having the wording of the invitation be interrupted by the seasons greeting, I tied it in with the graphic. It worked out great throughout as a way to name each piece, including menus, wine bottles, etc.
PTW: Where did your inspiration for these invitations come from?
CM: Nousheh was a bride that came to me looking for a “sexy” invitation with a Persian flare and bling. She described to me a bit about her wedding and how much gold was used in her culture. We went with the gold for the “bling” along with black to keep it simple and sexy. The birds were a piece sketch she had been given, so I redrew it for her as a simple piece in the design. The letterpress was perfect for such a simple design and line art.
PTW: Can you explain to us about some of the process that goes into letter press?
I always try and recommend letter-pressing to a client. I think it is THE most beautiful printing process out there. Not only is the printing result gorgeous and unique, but the process is too. Creating the artwork for the invitation is just the beginning. After that, the printer orders metal plates reflecting the artwork for the invitation. When the printing process begins, each plate is inked and then pressed into the paper with the use of a letterpress. I always love a thick paper, so it shows a really deep impression creating really beautiful work.
I value the work of a letterpress printer, simply because it isn’t the cheapest or widely used printing method anymore; It is the most classic and historical process. Someone isn’t just hitting a “print” button and letting the machine do the work here. They get their hands dirty and know the process. It’s always great to meet a printing company who really values the craft, and I always use Hitchcock Press for my letterpress printing. They are located in Holyoke, MA and never disappoint. Their work speaks for itself!
Thanks again Christine for this fabulous submission 
*previously posted on 3.17.11
