Rodney Smith is a photographer with a very particular style who I discovered while doing a little bit of research for a class last semester.
Archive for April, 2010
Although self promotion is an activity often ignored by designer and freelancers (myself included), I made the effort to get my act together and get some business cards printed. Not just digitally printed, but letterpressed by a talented MICA student and friend, Carolyn Williams.
Description
As soon as I learned I was going to SXSW I realized I needed to kick this site and other self promotional efforts into high gear. I was originally going to design some simple cards and have them digitally printed and sent to me very cheaply.
Ever the lover of physical and analog processes, Andy Mangold convinced my to get the cards letterpressed if I could swing it. The additional prodding from a few friends on Twitter prompted me to hit up my local facebook network for anyone who would have time to letterpress some cards of my design for me before spring break.
To my surprise, my query was answered by Carolyn Williams a talented print maker, designer, and friend here at MICA.
Carolyn and Ellen help wrap up my cards after printing and cutting.
Goals
One of the clearest goals was to get these cards letterpressed before I took off for Austin and 5 days of SXSW in Austin. My goals for the cards was for them to accurately represent my new branding, contain all the information necessary for someone to get in touch with my about a design job, and to stand out from the stacks of digitally printed glossy cards with a logo slapped on the front.
Having an infinitely more tactile card would give me an edge especially among the design community and be a conversation piece for everyone who received one.
The press my cards were printed on and the die used to cut them out 4 at a time.
Solution
The final product is wonderfully engaging and beautifully printed and can only be fully appreciated when touched. I went in for a press check and got to mix up the blue color that was then put on the press. Never having had something letterpressed before I was hoping the impression the card left on the people who got it was worth the complicated process. In the end I took them on the road to Austin and got great responses throughout SXSW about them and I’m very glad I had them. Thank you again to Carolyn for helping me out in the week before spring break.