From Painting to Printing

From Painting to Printing
The Step-by-Step Process for Creating Flower Girl Greetings Art Cards

Create
The art for Flower Girl Greetings cards was created from 1976 to the present day. To read each art card story, please visit ShaleFragments.com. Not all the art was originally created to be reproduced onto an art card. In 2012, I gathered previous art to use for the cards and then created new art as well.

Spot-check
The art was scanned at a high-resolution to place into computer programs necessary for the printer to access them. Each piece was scrutinized to remove specs, such as dust. This time-consuming step ensures that unwanted marks will not appear when the cards are printed on quality cardstock.

Construct
The art was placed in a digital program that includes the front and back of each card. These files give the printer information for color, cutting, and folding. The back of each card includes a title that was originally painted with watercolor in large strokes with a pointed brush. Scripture, hymns, or devotional thoughts are often found on the back of the card. This writing may take longer than the artwork (especially for The Hebrew Names of God and other Collections that have become teaching tools. To see the back of each card, please click on the thumbnails of the cards in our Shop at FlowerGirlGreetings.com.

Proof
Proofing is a detailed, fun, collaborative process that happens in three steps.

A diverse, expert proofing team of believers reviewed each card for composition and color, as well as for the content on the back of the card to ensure good grammar, transition, Biblical accuracy, and the conveyance of grace and hope.
Edits are made, and the cards are proofed one more time before being sent to the printer. Then, printer delivers the high-resolution proofs.
These proofs show errors not visible on the computer monitor or in the prints used for proofing. Each design is thoroughly reviewed, changes are made, and the final files are sent to the printer.

Press Check
After printing, the first large sheets of the actual cards are reviewed at the press. Minor color adjustments are made to ensure the images reflect the original art.
(Our first press check in 2012)

Finishing
The cards are printed, scored, folded, and cut by skilled bindery operators.

We value the skill of each person involved in the process! From painting to printing, our goal is to deliver an excellent product that brings the power and hope of God’s Word to those who receive them! To see more photos, please continue...

Our huge project in November 2017 for Discovering the Jewish Jesus

A sheet of cards at the January 2017 press check

The blue ink on the huge offset press.

The red ink on the huge offset press.

The yellow ink on the huge offset press.

One of the most fun times we ever had was the card-packaging party in the fall of 2014 at the Gingerich home! We packaged 115,500 Hebrew Names of God Collections in two weeks! (Each Collection had 12 cards.) We accomplished the task with many amazing workers and lots of fun!:

1. A pallette of the card sheets

2. Many pallettes of card sheets!

3. The daytime workers at the packaging party

4. A dancing break

5. A delivery

6. A collage of the packing weeks for the Hebrew Names of God Collection