Amanda’s Cartography-Inspired Letterpress Business Cards

Miami-based designer Sarah Rusin sent over these fabulous business cards that she designed for photographer Amanda Reynolds, and I’m just completely smitten with the beautiful travel-inspired details that Sarah managed to incorporate so well into such a tiny space!  Since Amanda is a travel and lifestyle photographer, Sarah incorporated antique cartography design elements into both Amanda’s website and her business cards, working with Travis from Bon à Tirer on the letterpress printing.  Gorgeous!

Letterpress-Map-Business-Card-Front

From Sarah:  I designed these business cards for travel and lifestyle photographer Amanda Reynolds.  Amanda is a total sweetheart and is a self-described urban hippy with wanderlust.  I wanted to capture her love of travel (and especially Italy) with a piece of a map printed on the back with a blind deboss with a slight varnish.  I used various antique cartography details to design the cards, which suited Amanda’s style perfectly.  My favorite bit is the small compass rose hidden in the fleuron in her logo.  I also love the positioning of her website on the back, right where you should see the words Tyrrhenian Sea. The printing of the cards was tricky because of all the tiny details but I’m thrilled with how they turned out!

Letterpress-Map-Business-Card-Back

Letterpress-Map-Business-Card-Detail

Letterpress-Map-Business-Card-Detail

Thanks Sarah!  For more of Sarah’s work, check out her portfolio right here!

Design: Sarah Rusin
Letterpress Printing: Travis Staton / Bon à Tirer

Photo Credits: Sarah Rusin

  1. I like the effect, too. But, craftsmen letterpress printers of the past went to a lot of trouble to avoid making indentions in their paper stock. It was considered very poor quality work.

  2. @Jack – thank you for your comment! Yes, letterpress printers using wood type tried to make only a slight impression to avoid any damage to the fragile type – we actually covered that in a post about antique letterpress printing right here: http://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/2011/04/the-printing-process-letterpress-printing-with-antique-type/ While some printers continue to use wood type, photopolymer plates and stronger metal plates have enabled modern letterpress printers to make a deeper impression as part of the overall design process. I’m a big fan of both!

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