How to print a photo birth announcement on cardstock/postcard/thicker paper?

[jda312]

Hi everyone,

First off...I must praise all you Moms (especially Rashmi) who take the time to answer questions/give tutorials on this board. Everyone's kindness and helpfulness is amazing. So...after teaching myself Photoshop Elements from reading posts on this board, I produced a photo announcement that I really love.

However, I am having trouble printing it the way I want to. I printed it great using Walmart.com photo center, but REALLY wanted to print it on a thicker paper to make it more card like. I KNOW that I could simply mount it on a card, but I am being really stubborn and still searching for a way to print on smooth cover cardstock. So far...I tried Kinkos and the local printer and neither could get the colors to come out right...they were WAY off. I've also tried color copying, but there seem to be imperfections and streaks that way.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas/experience about printing photos on heavy weight matte paper like cardstock, i.e. NOT photo paper. Do you print on a home photo printer? I'm being silly, but just kind of have a vision I'm trying to capture.

TIA,
Jennifer
Mom to Noah 5/5/2003
& Sabrina 4/26/2005

[jamsmu]

At Staples they sell postcard paper that I've used on my photo printer. Its kind of a cross between photo paper and cardstock. They also sell envelopes that match in size. Of course, they probably sell fold-overs, too, but I haven't looked into this. While printing photos like this eats up your ink, it looks just like you want it to!

[jda312]

Wow...thanks for the reply Julie! I'm a bit clueless when it comes to printers. I just bought a Canon PIXMA ip4000 photo printer, which I assume can use any paper made for an inkjet printer. However, the user's guide says not to print on excessively thick paper (more than 28 lb) including picture postcards. So I'm just wondering if a photo printer is different than a typical inkjet in that it can't take thicker paper. I'm perfectly willing to try it regardless :)

[bostonsmama]

Wow, I've been wondering the same thing. I have an older model (2001) Canon Bubblejet Photo printer (it prints Kodak-quality 4x6s of pictures I've taken), but I was never able to get anything too thick in there.

Well, in 2002, when I got married, I had my wedding invitation engraved by Crane & Co. They cost me 1/8th my entire wedding budget! So, when I went to do my ceremony programs, reception menus, and RSVP cards for the reception, I bought cardstock and 8x10 sheet of Crane's 100% cotton watermarked paper, then matched the font on my computer and designed and printed my own. When it came time to print on the cardstock and tiny cards/envelopes, I taped each one to a thin 8-1/2"x11" standard sheet of computer paper (in the middle) with clear scotch tape, then lined up the text to print in that area, did a test run, and just traced lines for where I had to tape the others. This was the only way my printer would "feed" the heavy card stock and tiny envelopes (I even computer printed each person's name on a placecard this way in gorgeous script). It took about 3 hours to print 45 envelopes (a couple days to do placecards). Well worth it IMHO...everyone loved them, and it saved me gobs of money, and it was just what I wanted.

It's not as hard as it sounds. I could post some pics of how I did it. The tape clung to 1/8 inch of the actual card along the entire side of the card that first fed into the printer (I didn't tape the exiting side). It printed beautifully. Once the rolling feeders have the paper, it's so much easier for it to keep rolling and pushing the "document" out. Does this make sense?

I hope you find a solution, no matter what. Perhaps getting a newer, cooler printer would help, but I find that mine works fine if I subvert its initial flaws.

L

[jda312]

What a coincidence! I also had my wedding (1999) invitations done by Crane (thermographed I think) and did my own programs, menus, & place cards on Crane paper/products. However, I wasn't clever enough back then to find beautiful scripts and use my printer, so I learned to do copperplate calligraphy for addressing envelopes, place cards, & menus. I also matched up the font (a very basic title case) for my programs and printed those at kinkos. I still consider all that one of my greatest life accomplishments :)

Anyhoo...I think I understand what you mean bostonsmama about taping the cardstock to thin paper. Sounds like your older model Bubblejet does the job. I'm just wondering if Julie's printer accepts thicker cardstock and if it's a "photo" printer or a regular color inkjet or laserjet. Perhaps a regular NON photo printer takes thicker paper.

Well...I will have to set up my printer and give it a try. Thanks for the help and advice!

[jamsmu]

Its an hp deskjet. But I would go to staples/office max...whatever and ask them. I think it should say on the back of the packaging if it will work on your printer. And you can always ask someone in printers/computers to test it out on their model before you buy it (no harm in asking, right?)

I had Crane's invites, too. And I also matched the font and took my programs, etc to Kinkos and my mom calligraphed the placecards, etc. What a PITA!! Why can't these things be cheaper?!

And if you have an HP, maybe look for HP paper... same goes for Canon. That way, you can call the company and after holding for hours complain if there is a problem.