Rainbow Rolls, Split Fountains, and Flats, Oh My!

Well, hello again! You may think that we here at Ladyfingers Letterpress love repetition – because well, we’re printmakers and we are in the business of making multiples, after all, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love a good challenge! We started our business because we love to make unique, one-of-a-kind things, so we continue to – pardon the pun – push the envelope and experiment with ways to make awesome things… AWESOMER. –Arley-Rose and Morgan of Ladyfingers Letterpress

We’re huge fans of color and are always looking for ways to bring in more pop into our designs. We like to pull a good book off the shelf sometimes for technical ideas and design inspiration. One of the most historic printing techniques is called Bokashi, which was employed by Japanese woodblock printers and features large flats of more than one color, mixed by hand and applied by hand to woodblocks.

Bokashi and Rainbow Roll Examples
A resurgence of this idea can be seen in 1970s screenprinted and letterpressed rock posters, which feature a colorful technique that is known as a “Rainbow Roll” or “Split Fountain.” This method is achieved by inking the roller on a press with multiple colors and as the roller spins, the colors naturally blend together. Note that this can only be done on cylinder presses like a Vandercook or Heidelberg.

Split Fountain by Ladyfingers Letterpress

Below are some of our most recent forays into printing flats of Rainbow Rolls! Also, see yesterday’s post with Jeremy and Joe’s fabulous Mexican Broadside invitation!

Jessie and Alex’s Southwest Cloudburst:

Jessie and Alex

Jessie and Alex

Jessie and Alex

Mary and Chris’s Colorful Wine Country Invitation:

Mary and Chris

Mary and Chris

Mary and Chris

Colton Almquist’s Vibrant Sunscape Birth Announcement:

Colton Almquist

Colton Almquist

Colton Almquist

Colton Almquist

Ladyfingers Letterpress is a member of the Designer Rolodex – check out more of their beautiful work right here or visit the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Ladyfingers Letterpress