Embossed Copper Invitation

Created in partnership with Southern Fried Paper of Dallas

This was created by engraving a mated pair of Corian dies. The dies were then put into a shop press and used to emboss the copper sheet. To create an aged look, and enhance readability, the copper sheet was then wiped down with alcohol ink, and buffed clean with a dry cloth, leaving the ink deposited in the embossed elements of the sheet and in small surface imperfections.

In an alternate version, we used a jewelers torch to apply a flame patina for a different effect (shown below).

The Corian was used as an alternative to traditional milled or chemical etched metal embossing dies on the theory that it may be a suitable substitute for jobs requiring a small number of impressions. On the plus side, the Corian is able to carry a remarkable level of fine detail, it is also somewhat less expensive than metal, and since we can create the dies in house, lead times are significantly shorter. On the down side, the positive die is quite brittle, so any misalignment can easily lead to a damaged or degraded die. While it is still an interesting avenue to explore, the test was ultimately inconclusive.