Notecards

Carol Norton · 12-08-2005, 10:12 PM

OK folks, I am still so ephoric from the last two phone call/requests this week for portraits that I can hardly write, but in spite of the euphoria, I I ask... does anyone have a company that they deal with that produces beautiful color on notecards???? I want to give a dozen notecards, with my name, etc. on the back, as a gift to these new clients along with their portrait. I'm looking for great paper and color reproduction.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Michele Rushworth · 12-09-2005, 12:45 AM

I do two different things. I print (on an Epson R300 using Costco photo paper) six notecards for every client, with gold lined envelopes that I get at Staples, as a thank you. If you pay someone else to produce them they typically want to print hundreds at a time to make their setup costs worthwhile. You could go to Kinko's and get color copies done on card stock that you could fold into cards, but I don't like their color and can get much better results myself.

I also use www.modernpostcard.com to print 500 or 1000 folded notecards with one or two of my best portraits on them to use as notecards the rest of the time.

Carol Norton · 12-09-2005, 01:08 AM

Thank you so much, Michelle. That is exactly the kind of information that I wanted. The envelopes will lend an elegant touch and I really like that idea. I have an Epson Photo R800 and that should do just fine.

Alexandra Tyng · 12-09-2005, 10:52 AM

Yes, thanks, Michele, for the information. I've been thinking of printing up notecards myself for a while. One question: can you tell me more specific information about your printer; i.e., is it a laser or inkjet? Mine is an hp photosmart, several years old, and it prints pretty good color photos but the ink runs if you drop water on it. When I get things done at a printer, the ink doesn't run.

And thank you, too, Carol, for bringing up this subject.

Alex

Michele Rushworth · 12-09-2005, 12:52 PM

It's an inkjet but the ink doesn't run when it gets wet.

Debra Jones · 12-09-2005, 06:31 PM

Since you are in town, if you want to make them look like nice watercolor, go to the Kelly Paper company, right next door to AZ Art Supply and scout around in the wedding section. I use Brilliant, white felt, plain Deckle #302 for really classy looking cards. They are like the Strathmore watercolor cards but much cheaper. I set them up to size on my color printer and with a bit of fidgeting, make a really nice and classy looking faux watercolor.

I used them for some of my first theater things....

...OR you could print photos on good photo paper and glue them into a panel card. The trick is to go to Kelly and see what they have. The self printing is just so much more cost effective for the small run "thank you gift" sort of card.

IF you have a lot of problem with smudging, there is a product I found at like Michaels, that they sell with the scrap booking in matte and gloss that can be sprayed on inkjet prints to decrease finger smudging.

dj*

Carol Norton · 12-09-2005, 08:24 PM

What a fountain of knowledge this Forum is! Thank you Debra. I'll try all of those things. It's easy to get involved in things that are not cost effective and eat away at the profits. Don't want to do that!