Making Greeting Cards from Artwork

[Artyczar]

Donna, your cards are just stunning! So amazing really.

Kay, I hope your wrist gets better and better. Until then, don't chop any veggies. Instead, unwrap candy!

 

[Hawkmoth]

Hawkmoth how do you print the paintings? Do you do it yourself on a home printer or go to professionals?

I just do it at home on my ancient cheap Epson inkjet printer. You need to use really good paper though (I use Canon matt photo paper or special watercolour paper for inkjet printers), and I also use proper Epson ink cartridges. If the first print looks wrong (usually colour or too dark) I alter the image a bit using photoshop until it prints nicely. (That would be for prints to cut out and mount onto a separate card blank).

If you want to print the image directly onto heavy cardstock (and just fold) it's trickier, as most printers won't accept that thickness of card. I have developed a way to trick my printer into accepting it, but it's a complicated process to explain and probably wouldn't work with other printers.

 

[Artyczar]

I have to trick my printer into doing all kinds of things. We have a complicated relationship!

 

[Triduana]

Kay, I hope your wrist gets better and better. Until then, don't chop any veggies. Instead, unwrap candy!

Thank you . This is good advice!!

 

[Artyczar]

Candy rules!

 

[Jane]

Happy that you started the thread too! All the cards are a joy to see. I’ll be back to view some more.

 

[Jane]

Thought i‘d post a couple of the cards that I made for a trade one year. This is the digital version. I ended up painting them and sending an original.

 

[Artyczar]

Love these Jane.

 

[Donna T]

Beautiful cards, Jane! The recipients must have been thrilled to receive a hand-painted original piece of artwork.

Thanks all for the comments on mine. I hope to see more cards posted here!

 

[Triduana]

Lovely cards Jane, and lucky recipients.

 

[Schuee]

Very pleasing, Jane.

 

[Jane]

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to seeing more cards also.

 

[drizzlewither]

Hey Hawkmoth I stole your aesthetic

I'd call this a "commission" except it was just a family member asked me to do it because she couldn't find one she liked and no I didn't get paid hahahaha. The intended recipient is not my aunt but she is family. Always had dogs (border collies) and was professional trainer, so everyone always looks to get her dog cards. Unfortunately the intersection of "christmas cards" "aunt cards" and "cards with dogs on" is quite a limited area on the venn diagram so commercial choice was poor.

It's not a print it's the original illustration (my printer is bargain-bucket inkjet trash) I am SO GLAD that I did Inktober now. Ink lines with dip pen, ink and watercolor washes over, some white gel pen, some metallic paint markers. I did the whole commission thing where I sent design sketches for approval... "can you make it sparkle?" uh sure I have some sticky glitter gems somewhere "can you write auntie brenda instead of just auntie" ugh fine lemme get the how-to-brush-letter book back out and practice some more

I think I might have potential for doing greeting card design illust!

 

[Triduana]

Drizzlewither - this is brilliant!

 

[Artyczar]

Oh drizzle, this is wonderful! I love it! Looks like my dog Buddy that passed a few years back. He was the best border collie in the universe. The white line on his head was skinnier and shaped like a lightening bolt.

 

[Donna T]

That’s such a great card, drizzlewither! You really went all out to create a personalized keepsake. I’m so impressed with the brush lettering. I tried it once and it’s really hard!

 

[drizzlewither]

Drizzlewither - this is brilliant!

Oh drizzle, this is wonderful! I love it! Looks like my dog Buddy that passed a few years back. He was the best border collie in the universe. The white line on his head was skinnier and shaped like a lightening bolt.

That’s such a great card, drizzlewither! You really went all out to create a personalized keepsake. I’m so impressed with the brush lettering. I tried it once and it’s really hard!

Oh gawrsh you guys I'm gonna get a big head hahahaa

Well I liked doing it and am grateful to my requester for giving me the opportunity to have a go - though it was a surprisingly hefty amount of work for one card, and if I paid myself minimum wage I certainly wouldn't have saved money over buying a 99p Card Factory one!

I'm wondering now about utility of doing card design, getting it printed and attempting to sell packs. They would have to be a bit more professionally put together though, for consistency and labor-saving.

 

[Artyczar]

I had friends that have done that drizzle. Before the internet days, they'd hustle to get them into gift shops, but now you can sell them on Etsy and whatnot. I don't know how they put them together, but I imagine the resources on the web for this are endless these days.