About – PANTHERA PRESS

PANTHERA PRESS

Panthera Press began offering custom print design, branding, illustrations, books, and stationery in 2012. Currently, the focus has switched to laser cutting and teaching.

The STUDIO

OUR STORY

Panthera Press began in 2010 as a passion project for Danielle Wethington during an internship in Massachusetts with book illustrator and pressman Barry Moser. After completing her internship and a subsequent Master’s with a focus on Graphic Design/Book Arts, Danielle moved back to her hometown in Virginia and started up a proper printshop. Panthera Press began taking commercial work in 2012.

About the Printer

Danielle Wethington has always had a passion for books. It was this love of narrative that prompted her to pursue a BFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Still, illustration alone wasn’t enough to get the full sense of the book and so she expanded her focus to include many other book arts including paper marbling, gilding, binding, and typography. Although the 7×11″ press size doesn’t allow for as much in the way of creating robust fine press books, the work that Panthera Press allows Danielle to maintain a connection to her passion for the book arts and draw together her many disparate skills. To learn more about Danielle or to see more of her personal work including book design, printmaking, illustration and graphic design visit: DanielleWethington.com

SERVICES

PRINTING | Panthera Press is a small letterpress shop featuring a 7×11″ Chandler and Price platen press.

DESIGN | Even if you aren’t looking for printing, we offer a wide range of design solutions. Danielle has an MFA in design and is prepared to create just about anything you need, including branding, publication design, and advertising graphics.

ILLUSTRATION | Working in watercolor, ink, graphite, and various digital media, illustration is another service Danielle can provide for you. To see more of her illustration work visit: DanielleWethington.co

Product Offerings

The Printing Process

THE PRINTING PROCESS | If you’re interested in learning about the letterpress process, check out our blog.

How It Works

1. DESIGN | The first step involves an in-depth discussion with the client. At this stage, we discuss quantity, color, materials, graphics, and typography. Clients are involved at every step of the design process as the work evolves to their vision.

2. MATERIALS | After final designs are approved, materials are ordered, and printing plates are made.

3. TRIMMING + INK MIXING | Materials are quality checked and paper cut down to specified sizes. Additionally, any custom ink colors are hand mixed to match client-provided swatches, envelopes, or Pantone numbers. If included, edge painting occurs at this stage as well.

4. MAKEREADY | This is the most technical part of the printing process, and the one that we feel requires the most skill. Care is taken to align each color printing plate with hairline accuracy. For each plate, pressure and ink are adjusted to create top-quality, consistent prints.

5. PRINTING | As each print is hand pulled, a sharp eye ensures that any misprints are removed from the stack.

6. QUALITY CONTROL + PACKING | After the prints have dried, they are checked for alignment and ink coverage. The prints are then packed and shipped to the client.

7. SUITE ASSEMBLY & ARCHIVING | Any extra touches are added during the suite assembly, such as ribbons, enclosures, envelope liners, and wax seals. Prints are then photographed and displayed online in our portfolio.