PaperSpecs Presents: Animated Greetings Cards from Sabai Sabai

While most of us spent the COVID lockdown baking bread, brushing up on old skills or missing the nights we once spent going out, my good friend Dganit Dahan of Sabai Sabai Design (http://sabaisabaidesign.com/) took that unexpected downtime to experiment with printing and finishing techniques. The result: 9 different greeting cards that spring to animated life with the turn of a paper dial!

The first thing you notice about these colorful cards, digitally printed CMYK by Ilan Printing (https://www.ilanprint.co.il/), is the smooth feel they have when you pick them up. This is thanks to the American Bristol paper’s coating on the outside.

Each card features 1 of 9 different designs on the outside cover, boasting positive, uplifting sentiments like “Shine On” or “Hello Sunshine.” Digital spot varnish further enhances the artwork, such as the appealing shine added to a streaking comet on one, and twinkling stars on another. “Surely you didn’t gather us here to admire twinkling stars, Sabine,” I hear you say. How right you are 🙂

Opening the card you discover a blank, uncoated space on the left (the back of the American Bristol Sheet) where you can write your greeting. On the right are dozens of laser-cut rays spoking out from a single large design element at the center, be it a smiling sun, a Red heart or a happy star.

This, it turns out, is the exterior of a pocket fold. Tucked inside it is a paper wheel featuring contrasting artwork that peeks through the laser cuts. Using a notch on the side of the wheel you can turn it slightly up and down, bringing the cards to life with a clever animation effect. By doing this you can make the sunshine, the star twinkle – you get the idea.

Developing these cards, the Dganit says, reminded her just how important it is for designers to make time to try new things and to let their imaginations soar. Considering this is coming from one of the designers who brought us The Junglendar Calendar (https://www.paperspecs.com/gallery/we...) and more (https://www.paperspecs.com/?s=sabai), that’s saying something.