Making My Own Postcards

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davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

I have thought about making my own postcards of my local area, as they seem to be very scarce.
But i seem to be having trouble in getting the right photo paper/card for the job, i have tried ordinary 6X4 photo paper but it really is too flimsy, i have also bought some 6X4 card which is the ideal thickness but it does not go through my new epsom printer.
So the question i ask all of you...
Can anyone recommend any photo paper that would go through a inkjet printer, but would also be stiff enough for use as a postcard ?

Many Thanks In Advance.

MichaelDay
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Posts: 179
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Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by MichaelDay »

I'm pretty sure Ilford still make a b/w photographic paper with postcard back...
http://www.flickr.com/groups/betterblac ... 378208099/
... but I'm sure by 'photo paper' you don't really mean 'photographic'

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Thanks for your reply michael, basically i need paper/card that would make a postcard look good, i have tried some of these 6X4 photographic papers you get in small packets, but they are not thick enough, also went into jessops yesterday and asked the assistant what i was looking for ( i might as well of been an alien) she did not have a clue!
Michael when i say photo paper, i need to be able to print my own photo on the front glossy side, but also do my own postcard back.
I will see if i can find some ilford paper, but really i really need something i can print on the back.
Anyone else got any ideas ??
Does anyone else make their own postcards ??

Colin
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:11 pm

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by Colin »

You may be able to have high quality cards professionally printed at fairly low cost, and at 100% low hassle. I'm in New York and got very good, quick, inexpensive results with a local printer (4over4.com). Google UK shows me UK equivalents (though I would recommend your looking at the 4over4 website because it provides excellent overviews of what's involved in having them print your card). Colin

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Many thanks for your reply colin, but i would never want 250 cards of 1 subject that would be too many for me, 69 dollars does seem a great price for that amount, but thats in the USA, here in the UK im not sure we would get a deal like that.
But that still does not solve my problem of printing my own.
Anyone else have any other ideas ?

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Well I have looked every where for this ilford paper / card, with no luck whats so ever.
Does anyone else know of anymore ideas ?
Has no one else thought of making their own few postcards ?

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Sorry to keep on about this, but i really have an ambition of printing my own postcards for the likes of people years to come a kind of social history of my area, just like they used to do all those years ago.
And the type of postcards that we would all like to get our hands on now, the limited run by the local photograper in the town.

So all i am asking is there anyone who is viewing this now, know of of a good photo card that will go though an inkjet printer that would do the job for me ?

And surely there must be other people out there that have wanted to do this, what a way to make your mark in history, just like they used to in the good old days.

Please Help......

wakadowakado
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Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by wakadowakado »

Hi davyj, Try my friend Karen. She is a very talented enthusuiasts of all crafts and processes my Sudocards. her site is http://www.chalkhillstudio.co.uk Mention Brian suggested it Good luck WAK

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Thanks wak, looks a bit like my local craft shop they have loads of card & suppliers but even they could not suggest anything suitable for a postcard, I even got a few samples from a couple of websites but with no luck there either.

Basically I need a 6 x 4 photo paper which is glossy 1 side & plain on the other so I can print both sides, but it must be thick enough to go through the post & thin enough to go through my printer.

GGGrrrrrrrrrrrrr why am I puting myself through this (Because I want To Succeed). :(

Any other ideas, or suppliers from any other members I would appreciate !!!!!

212kelvin
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:51 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by 212kelvin »

I have a site at http://www.zazzle.com/212kelvin* where I sell postcards of photos I have taken of my local area. You can purchase them one at a time with no minimum required. That might be something to consider when you make your own postcards. They sell for about $1 each. I think that is reasonable considering if you use a printing company you will probably have to print up 100s of each image. If you use your computer to do it, it would probably run you about $1 a card as well. Why not let someone else do it for you, without a minimum or the hassle of finding paper, getting a printer, wear and tear on your computer, gas money to go shopping for the materials you need, etc. Look at my site and see if it's something you might be interested in doing.

davyj
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:24 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by davyj »

Thanks for the reply 212kelvin, that sounds great for you in the USA but nothing like that here in the UK, its just a case of getting an ideal thickness on a 6 x 4 photo paper, or like you have done finding a company that will print in small quantities with a good quality finish, i will keep looking there must be something out there :!:

cookingschool
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:05 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by cookingschool »

Hello from Sydney

I do not know if you have been able to sort out your small run print of postcards problem?

We are a small printing/publishing postcard company located in Sydney... and we can print small run of 100 postcards for you for a cost of AUS $ 35.00 (= about £ 18.00) and this cost include Air Mail delivery of the card to your address in the UK...

You can see some of our work listed on our website here

http://postcard.pics-sydne.com.au

All we need from you to print those postcards (front and back) are digital photos at least 3 megapixel in size...

you can contact me direct via Email here: store@pics-sydney.com.au

Laurent from Australia

Joan
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:39 pm

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by Joan »

Hi davyj

I know just how frustrated you must be feeling. I too have been trying to buy postcard paper, with no success. People make suggestions but they never come to anythinng. Last week someone told me Jessops definitely sell it - but they don't.

MichaelDay
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Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by MichaelDay »

There are a few products out there but the quality / suitability is uncertain.
Main drawbacks seem to be the thickness of the card, postcards would be at least 350gsm, but few products are this weight.
Though you'd probably need a printer with a flat feed (by-passing rollers) to print on anything thick enough.

Photo-cards can be on photographic stock so may not be printable on reverse.

A few examples here:
http://www.on-linepaper.co.uk/acatalog/ ... Cards.html

Avery also seem to do two up sheets of 6"x 4" postcards, but only for US market?

stevlena
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:41 am

Re: Making My Own Postcards

Post by stevlena »

How would you know when ( the year ) an inkjet printer was placed on the market ? There is so many printer models that are on display in computer stores and on manufacturer sites. I want to know when ( the year ) a particular inkjet model was placed on the market so that I can only select from the more recent models.
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Last edited by stevlena on Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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