Indigo Ink

Whether it's Greeting Cards, Business Cards, or even Playing Cards...
You put great effort into the design of your project, don't gamble with the printing.

Our team of production specialists knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em :D

The largest paper-and-print focused design conference – PaperSpecs LIVE – is heading to Chicago, and guess what?! We’ll be there!

Join hundreds of fellow creatives for 1 FULL DAY jam-packed with how-to workshops, inspiring speakers, print samples galore, and more!

This is a one-of-a-kind paper and print event you definitely don't want to miss.
This is the LAST WEEK for Early Bird tickets—so grab yours now!

✔️ Register NOW - Early Bird discount ends THIS Friday, Aug 16th!
✔️ Mark your calendar for September 26th, 2024
✔️ Be there early, so you don’t miss a thing

We can't wait to see you there! 👉 Get your ticket: paperspecs.com/indigo

Team having fun and celebrating a major milestone 🎉🎨 🪓

Thank you 🍕😋❤!

It’s all about the process...

Emily and Kay were two of the best printers in the entire region. They were sent every difficult job that no other printer would dare touch. One day, a designer sent them a file that simply would not print colors correctly. They were stumped. After much deliberation, research, and trial and error, Kay pinpointed the problem. She explained it to Emily by showing her the separations in Adobe Acrobat...

“See, Em!”
“Why, Kay!”
“It all makes sense now!”


In all seriousness, process matters. That is why in most cases, we recommend converting all of your colors to CMYK process for best color output results. Additionally, there are a few other Indigo Ink processes and intricacies that you can specifically set up within your files in order to get the best results possible. To learn more, check out our resources page and our IndigoEdge webinar series on youtube… the next installment will be announced later this summer so stay tuned!

The Serendipity of Indigo

There's a common misconception that our name is "Indigo Ink" because we use HP Indigo Presses. In full transparency, we had no idea what an Indigo Press was when we opened our doors back in 2003. Our name was actually inspired by a fantastic restaurant in San Diego CA called “The Indigo Grill.” Nevertheless, the name "Indigo Ink" had clients and prospects asking us if we had an Indigo Press, prompting us to quickly explore the moniker confusion. After a little research, we were beyond impressed with the emerging digital print capabilities of HP Indigo presses. Our first Indigo press, purchased in 2005, was the best investment we ever made. Almost two decades later, we continue to be amazed by the quality and performance of the Indigo's digital print technology. We are proud to be an HP Indigo shop.

History 101: How HP Indigo launched the digital revolution Since its inception as a small Israeli startup, the HP Indigo brand has set the tone and made the rules for the entire digital print industry. This short, bu...

We are now the proud caretakers of this stormtrooper, created by and in support of This stormtrooper (name currently unknown) will now be helping point the way to safely exit the building.

A friendly reminder... if you want your design elements to go all the way to the edge of the sheet, you'll need to extend them in your file by .0625" beyond the canvas (bleed). You'll also need to output with crop marks. (In other words, Mind ya bleedin' crops!)
More here: https://indigoinkprint.com/resources/

proud sponsor of HyBall 2024: Pyramid Galactic

“If April showers bring May flowers, then Purple Rain brings Paisley Power.”

Printed in Indigo Ink Laughing Stock.

Congratulations to all the talented artists and greeting card makers who took home last week! 👏

Indigo Ink Wins Two 2024 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards!

We’re proud to announce that two specialty print projects we’ve recently produced have won Gold Leaf Awards from the Foil & Specialty Effects Association. Coinciding with the Print Embellishment Conference in Dallas TX on April 9-11, the ceremony celebrated entries that were “judged on design, ex*****on and level of difficulty. The annual Gold Leaf Awards Competition consistently draws entries from around the world... and celebrates the quality, added value, shelf presence, security and brand recognition that these finishing processes lend to the printed sheet.” This was our first year submitting work to be judged, and we are thrilled that the two pieces entered won in their respective categories.

———
“The Kiss”
Gold Winner for “Digital Foil-Toner Adhesive” category

Client/Artist:

——-

“Iridophore”
Bronze Winner for “Transfer Metallization” category

Client/Artist:

Read more about each piece including specs on paper, print technique, and production. Link in bio.

We've won TWO 2024 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards!

We’re extremely proud and excited to announce that two specialty print projects we’ve recently produced have won Gold Leaf Awards from the Foil & Specialty Effects Association. Coinciding with the Print Embellishment Conference in Dallas TX on April 9-11, the ceremony celebrated entries that were “judged on design, ex*****on and level of difficulty. The annual Gold Leaf Awards Competition consistently draws entries from around the world... and celebrates the quality, added value, shelf presence, security and brand recognition that these finishing processes lend to the printed sheet.” This was our first year submitting work to be judged, and we are thrilled that the two pieces entered won in their respective categories.
-----
“The Kiss”
Gold Winner for “Digital Foil-Toner Adhesive” category
Client/Artist: Meg Kirkpatrick
www.megkirkpatrick.com
www.instagram.com/ARTOFMEGK
Substrate: WestRock Tango 18pt C2S Boardstock
Techniques:
Foil Under Laminate: Silver, Gold, Rose Gold. A primer coating has been applied to improve ink adhesion.
Inks: CMYK + 4 layers of UV Reactive Yellow Ink printed on top of Printable Soft Touch Laminate.
Foils Over Laminate: Gold, Matte Gold, Silver, Matte Silver, Rose Gold, Copper, Gloss Black, Clear Laminate has also been applied to the back of the sheet to stabilize the substrate.

The Kiss is a recontextualization of the 1908 Gustav Klimt painting of the same name. Where the original piece is a romantic and intimate portrayal of two lovers, Meg's piece is a protest, showing the power dynamic of the couple in a different light. The original painting used gold, silver, and platinum leaf as part of its design. This print uses foil to reinforce the message of the piece, overwhelming and overbearing the female figure. Under a black light, the dynamic is reversed, and the real power, previously invisible, is revealed. Check out the effects in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt0WYH0hGDE

-----

“Iridophore”
Bronze Winner for “Transfer Metallization” category
Client/Artist: Dailen Odgen
www.dailenogdenillustration.com
www.instagram.com/dailendailen
Substrate: Hazen Paper Company 16pt C2S Rainbow Holojet
Techniques: White Ink, HP Indigo One Shot Technology, UV Gloss Overcoat

Dailen designed this piece with holographic board in mind from the outset. She used photoshop gradient maps to produce the white ink masking for the scales, enabling the subtle texture and translucency visible on the piece. Her intention was to reproduce the iridescence of the White-Lipped Python, which results from tiny structures in the scales, called Iridophores. You can see a detailed look at this file's setup in our IndigoEdge episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=QABJYDc34o748yfT&t=2376&v=s5AgnnFQ7L4&feature=youtu.be


We'd like to thank these two amazing artists for providing the spark of inspiration that ignited our team’s passion for printing these special pieces... with a big shoutout to our very own Alex Donoho for spearheading and producing them with incredible care and attention to detail. And also a note of gratitude to the FSEA for celebrating the excellence in all of the work recognized this year.

Happy Earth Day! Together we've planted 13,232 trees through the PrintReleaf Program. Every project you print with us automatically plants additional trees around the world! Learn more here: https://indigoinkprint.com/company-info/eco-conscious-printing/

Proud sponsor for Noted+Gifted Expo in San Francisco.

Print shops are like gyms…
No pain, no dot gain. Lots of bulk male. Tiresome bench press checks.
We’re here all night folks :)

Printed on Indigo Ink Laughing Stock.

Let’s Put Your Next Project into Motion.
Are your stationery projects starting to feel stationary? Wedding invites not getting any hearts racing? We can get you into a higher gear with our high-performance printing services... including white ink, metallic ink, foil, and die cutting. We do it with speed, meticulous attention to detail, passionate craftsmanship, and the environmental impact always in mind.

Restoring the Forests of Ireland

As many of you are probably now well aware, Indigo Ink plants trees across the world through our partnership with PrintReleaf in an effort to offset our clients’ paper usage (read more about that program on our site). As a geography nerd (and former professional geographer), one aspect of the program that is particularly fun for me is that each month, upon submitting our paper usage information to PrintReleaf, we choose a specific reforestation location to support. We have now planted trees across seven countries spanning four continents. One of these countries is Ireland. Back in 2019, I noticed this reforestation location pop up on PrintReleaf’s list of projects, and to be honest, I didn’t give it much thought or consideration. Besides selecting the location in the month of March, which seemed fitting for St. Patrick’s Day, I rarely contributed to it. When you think about reforestation, images of decimated Amazonian tree trunks and clear-cut hillsides in the Pacific Northwest come to mind. But Ireland? Serenely green Ireland? Read more: https://bit.ly/4ckyRkI

Restoring the Forests of Ireland - Indigo Ink As many of you are probably now well aware, Indigo Ink plants trees across the world through our partnership with PrintReleaf in an effort to offset our clients’ paper usage (read more about that program here). As a geography nerd (and former professional geographer), one aspect of the program tha...

Proud print sponsor of this year's
Cover printed with Gold Metallic Ink for a classic look. This was super fun to produce.
Congratulations to all of this year's Addy award winners! 👏

A recording of last week's IndigoEdge webinar on Die Cutting is now up on our youtube channel.
In this episode, we offer an overview of the die cutting process, tips on how to set up your files, and some fun creative examples.

Check it out and reach out to us with any questions!

IndigoEdge Series: Die Cutting IndigoEdge Series is an ongoing webinar for sharing Indigo Ink production knowledge. In this episode, we focus on die cutting with an in depth look at best p...

Hope to see you this Thursday at our IndigoEdge webinare series...this episode featuring tips and tricks for setting up files for digital die cutting, including kiss cuts and small format packages and 3 dimensional pieces.
If you haven't already registered, email [email protected] to receive a link for the webinare on 2/22 at noon EST.

On these long winter nights, some people count sheep as they drift off to sleep. Us? We let our minds wander the full spectrum of color as we imagine new hues that no one else has seen…

Courtesy of Indigo Ink Laughing Stock

We’re giving away FREE overstock Paper and Envelopes for Valentine’s Day!

Indigo Ink Valentine’s Day Paper Giveaway
Wednesday, February 14
11am–4pm
In-Person at Indigo Ink
9221 Rumsey Road Suite S-6
Columbia, MD 21045

Over the years, we’ve stockpiled quite the stash of papers and envelopes… some are left over from custom client orders, others are just obsolete stocks we are no longer able to use. We have dutifully kept these resources around to use where we can – as they say, waste not want not. However, we are starting to overflow with an abundance of paper that we believe many of you could put to good use. That’s why we are celebrating Valentine’s Day this year by opening our doors to all Papyrophiliacs (paper lovers) and anyone who might like to take a bit of our overflow stock. We’ll also be providing shop tours to anyone who wants to see how we produce all of the amazing print projects that you send our way.

Walk-ins welcome, but an RSVP is encouraged (so we have enough snacks). Comment or email us at order(at)indigoinkprint(dot)com

Check out our latest window graphic installation at Sweet Cascades' newest location. Lucky for us, it's right around the corner from our shop.
open Tues-Sun 10-6
9170 Route 108 and Bendix Road Columbia Md
Great place for shopping 😋❤

Join Us for Our Next IndigoEdge Webinar on Die Cutting!

IndigoEdge: Die Cutting
Thursday, February 22
Noon–1pm EST
via Zoom
To register, send an email to order (at) indigoinkprint.com expressing your interest.

Register by Thursday 2/15 to receive a sample packet in the mail in advance of the class.

We’ll be virtually sharing how to set up your files for die cutting and also showing off some truly inspiring shapes, folds, and packaging. See how we utilize scores and folds for 3 dimensional pieces, kiss cuts for stickers, and unique shapes for memorable invites and collateral. Our capabilities have expanded well beyond the limitations of traditional die cutting, and we offer these production techniques even in small quantities. This is your chance to pick up a few tips on what’s possible and what to avoid when designing your project.

Join Us for Our Next IndigoEdge Webinar on Die Cutting!

IndigoEdge: Die Cutting
Thursday, February 22
Noon–1pm EST
via Zoom
To register, send an email to order (at) indigoinkprint.com expressing your interest.

Register by Thursday 2/15 to receive a sample packet
in the mail in advance of the class.

We'll be virtually sharing how to set up your files for die cutting and also showing off some truly inspiring shapes, folds, and packaging. See how we utilize scores and folds for 3 dimensional pieces, kiss cuts for stickers, and unique shapes for memorable invites and collateral. Our capabilities have expanded well beyond the limitations of traditional die cutting, and we offer these production techniques even in small quantities. This is your chance to pick up a few tips on what's possible and what to avoid when designing your project.

While we certainly don’t take COVID lightly and we heed CDC guidance, a little levity can go a long way.

If laughter is the best medicine, here’s a little dose of print design humor. Stay safe out there.

Printed on Indigo Ink Laughing Stock.

Here’s another chuckle in our ongoing “Printed on Laughing Stock” series.

Don’t worry. We won’t quit our day jobs.