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A letterpress should be flat on the back after the technique. Also it works by debossing (not necessarily that deep) an impression and yes you need "soft" paper so if you letter press you probably aren't going to use other techniques on the same project.
And the ink is "printing" or "printers" ink - as I said this is how I was taught to "stamp" - I even carved the stamps out of linoleum
I watched a couple of tutorials and read the review and I need a little help understanding the difference using the letterpress. I already ink my embossing plates and brass stencils and run them through my BS. The result is the paper is inked and the raised (embossed) area is not inked. What is the difference for what the letterpress can do? What am I missing? Is it the thickness of the ink? the paper? Help please...
RiverIsis already answered, Pauline, but I did want to also add that authentic Letterpress is often done on that beautiful paper milled in Italy, i.e. Fabriano.
The difference in texture and weight, to the touch is very distinctive. And due to the nature of the technique, Letterpress images are debossed (recessed) as opposed to embossed (raised).
HTH!
I must confess Letterpress is my favorite form of stationery, but I've got no place for one of the bonafide presses. Well, and unless I was going to produce greeting cards and custom print works professionally, I'd have a hard time justifying the expense of an authetic press. So, I'm waaaaay excited to see a personal system available now! YAY!!!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
RiverIsis already answered, Pauline, but I did want to also add that authentic Letterpress is often done on that beautiful paper milled in Italy, i.e. Fabriano.
The difference in texture and weight, to the touch is very distinctive. And due to the nature of the technique, Letterpress images are debossed (recessed) as opposed to embossed (raised).
HTH!
I must confess Letterpress is my favorite form of stationery, but I've got no place for one of the bonafide presses. Well, and unless I was going to produce greeting cards and custom print works professionally, I'd have a hard time justifying the expense of an authetic press. So, I'm waaaaay excited to see a personal system available now! YAY!!!
Thanks! I knew there was special paper but I couldn't think of the name!...
Oh yeah, what Cathy C said! Why get another machine and more stuff when what you have will give you great results? I use the Spellbinders Impressabilities in my Wizard and/or my Cuttlebug, all the various inks I already have and get great results! Nothing more to buy, except of course more Spellbinders Impressabilities! hee hee hee
So, what's the secret to the Impressabilities? I have the Big Shot which is very similar to the CB and get consistently lousy results with those things. I can do brass stencils better than those even! Help!
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Originally Posted by ShortWizard
So, what's the secret to the Impressabilities? I have the Big Shot which is very similar to the CB and get consistently lousy results with those things. I can do brass stencils better than those even! Help!
Do you use the tan embossing mat with them? I always get great results.
I just got the letterpress yesterday at Archiver's, and I love it! I thought if was easy to use and the results were fantastic. I agree that the paper you use will make all the difference in the world. I did buy some of the letterpress paper, it it a thick cotton paper and holds the ink and debosses beautifully. I made this card with the very first practice piece I tried. CAS40 Merry Christmas by ctorina at Splitcoaststampers
My M's did not have it. ACMoore did. I was at Hobby Lobby today for something else and checked to see if they had it--they did not. But mine is a new store and a lot of the shelves are still bare so I'm not sure if they plan on carrying it.
Do you use the tan embossing mat with them? I always get great results.
I tried it today with the tan mat and did get better results. It's not ever going to leave as deep impression as the CB folders, though, and I may as well give up that idea.
I tried it today with the tan mat and did get better results. It's not ever going to leave as deep impression as the CB folders, though, and I may as well give up that idea.
Had to chime in here...Impressabilities have a lower profile than those CB folders and brass stencils. You get better results with the Wizard because it gives about 3000 lbs of pressure unlike other machines.
I suggest this to my students who have other machines or who want a deeper impression: lightly mist your papers with something like Paper Glide or water to loosen the fibers. Hopefully that will help you too! Good luck
Does anyone know of a picture/tutorial of the results of someone who has used the Wizard/Fabriano paper and impressabilities -
Also with Letterpressing I always thought the "intent" was just to have a slight indentation (rather than a complete debossed look) to show the "quality" of the paper. Ironically I think this is why modern methods were developed to get rid of the indentation to the papers!!! Full circle or what??!?!?! :lol:
RiverIsis already answered, Pauline, but I did want to also add that authentic Letterpress is often done on that beautiful paper milled in Italy, i.e. Fabriano.
The difference in texture and weight, to the touch is very distinctive. And due to the nature of the technique, Letterpress images are debossed (recessed) as opposed to embossed (raised).
HTH!
I must confess Letterpress is my favorite form of stationery, but I've got no place for one of the bonafide presses. Well, and unless I was going to produce greeting cards and custom print works professionally, I'd have a hard time justifying the expense of an authetic press. So, I'm waaaaay excited to see a personal system available now! YAY!!!
Hey Julie - thanks that helps - lord help me but I think I want one --- arggghh!!
Who has the best online prices for Fabriano paper - so far it looks like Dick Blick since we only have a Mike's in our area.
I LOVE doing the letterpress technique with my Impressabilities!!! (might have a slight addiction, actually )
I have a video on you tube that shows exactly how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNu6MtXl-FM
hope it helps you out!
Thanks Kim - I have a few impressabilities and after watching your great video I finally "get" it!!!!
Anybody try using the Letterpress "dies" without the fancy setup? I think the setup has some great plus' - the paper placers & guide etc..... but curious if anyone has started tinkering & used dies with regular ink and without the setup... ie. buy the die set (~$25 it looks like) & not the Letterpress kit - just use an ink pad.....
can someone tell me if I can use the starter kit with my Big Shot? what would be the difference between the Epic 6 and the BS? I don't want to invest in another machine if it is unnecessary kwim?
Yes you can use the letterpress starter kit (platform, inks, and printing plates) in the Big Shot. I have been using it that way since I bought it. If you do a search on my blog for "letterpress" I have some tips and examples.
Yes you can use the letterpress starter kit (platform, inks, and printing plates) in the Big Shot. I have been using it that way since I bought it. If you do a search on my blog for "letterpress" I have some tips and examples.
Hope that helps!
thank you Lisa, I really want this system, and now I am ready to ask Santa for it!
Yes you can use the letterpress starter kit (platform, inks, and printing plates) in the Big Shot. I have been using it that way since I bought it. If you do a search on my blog for "letterpress" I have some tips and examples.
Hope that helps!
Lisa - have you tried (or does it seem like you could) to use the printing plate minus the platform?
I'm not sure what you mean--Do you mean using the printing plates in the Big Shot without the letterpress platform and instead use the Big Shot platform?
The letterpress platform is a gray plastic base with a hinged clear top. You stick the printing plate to the clear part and place your paper on the bottom part. Sandwich, then roll through the machine.
Without the hinged platform, I would think you could use the Big Shot platform but switch the placement around. Place the printing plate down on the platform first, then put your letterpress paper on top, then put the acrylic plate down and roll it through the Big Shot.
Obviously, you would have to play with the stack to make sure you had enough thickness to make an impression.
Lisa - have you tried (or does it seem like you could) to use the printing plate minus the platform?
I think this is the basis of how Impressabilities by Spellbinders work if you want to check out some tutorials on them that might answer your question.
Lisa - that's what I am asking! I like some of the LP plates but am still not sure I want to shell out the $$ for the platform until I know I am gonna use it a fair amount. I have a few other tools laying around I never use (QK squeeze... used it like 3 times for instance).
RiverIsis - the Impressabilities posts were what made me wonder! I'd seen the L in action but couldn't quite remember what the plates looked like.
I purchased the Starter Kit for the Letterpress. I wanted the grid area on the platform. I don't use the brayer, ink or the sticky sheets. I put a piece of Scor-Tape down on the underside of the grid to attach the plates. I inked the plates with ColorBox ink instead. I also tried the Ranger paints in the little bottles with the dauber on the top. Each worked very well, just a matter of being careful putting on the ink. It worked for me. I did use the Letterpress paper, I like that.
Actually, you could do the Letterpress plates with either the platform for the BIGkick or BigShot and just the cutting pads. Would just be a matter of being careful to lay things down properly.
I used a 50% coupon for the Letterpress Starter Kit or I would never have purchased it.
If you don't want to ink the plates, just lay them down on the paper and run through either the BIGkick or BigShot with the plateform and both cutting pads. Will work the same way.
Enablers!!!!!!!!!! lol.................j/k................this sounds and looks awesome so just bought the starter kit, 2 plate sets, some of their paper, and a couple tubes of paint......... :rolleyes: let the games begin................sheesh...........
I'm thinking about purchasing the Letterpress combo kit. I have the Wizard, but not any other die cutting systems. I've tried the Big Shot and like it, but the footprint is huge. I don't have a ton of space.
What are the pros and cons of the Epic Six vs the Big Shot?
So I have had a little trouble with the plates cracking when I use them. I am using a brand new Epic 6. I am loving the Letterpress so I was a little bummed. I called Quickutz and they have agreed to send me replacement plate for the ones I used in the Letterpress. Hopefully these will not crack. They told me to try the others sets I purchased and if they crack they will replace them. I have lots of testing to do. Anyway Kudos to Quickutz for standing behind their product.
So I have had a little trouble with the plates cracking when I use them. I am using a brand new Epic 6. I am loving the Letterpress so I was a little bummed. I called Quickutz and they have agreed to send me replacement plate for the ones I used in the Letterpress. Hopefully these will not crack. They told me to try the others sets I purchased and if they crack they will replace them. I have lots of testing to do. Anyway Kudos to Quickutz for standing behind their product.
I think the Epic is your problem not the plates..... I don't have one but my local store stopped carrying Epic because they had to have so many replaced for customers.... many of the first manufactured were defective! I'd call QK back & ask for a new machine!
I'm thinking about purchasing the Letterpress combo kit. I have the Wizard, but not any other die cutting systems. I've tried the Big Shot and like it, but the footprint is huge. I don't have a ton of space.
What are the pros and cons of the Epic Six vs the Big Shot?
Are you sure you can't use the Wizard? I'm not super familiar with it, but I know you can use the BigShot with the Letterpress..... I'd guess you can use multiple platforms just like much of the other die-cutting stuff.
I'm thinking about purchasing the Letterpress combo kit. I have the Wizard, but not any other die cutting systems. I've tried the Big Shot and like it, but the footprint is huge. I don't have a ton of space.
What are the pros and cons of the Epic Six vs the Big Shot?
you may want to look at Wizard's Impressibilities and how they are done. I'm more impressed with the Wizard product that the Quickutz one at this point.
I'm having a hard time with this product too...from the looks of the magazine ads I've seen, I'd say it looks just like a stamped image, so where's the excitement in that???
