Letterpress Daily

WTF Letterpress

Catchphrase No. 3

The third print in this series was the most difficult. I don’t consider myself a skilled draftsperson, and in case you hadn’t noticed, there are no straight lines in this style of letterform. As with the other two, the letterforms were drawn by hand onto tracing paper using a soft-lead pencil. The image was transferred to a linoleum block by placing the drawing face down (the graphite was placed against the face of the block) and rubbed with a teflon folder.

After the block was cut, the lighter color (green) was printed first. The block was then moved slightly on the press and overprinted for the offset. To create a sense of unity in the series, I used a dark, chocolate brown for the top layer of the letters.

WTF lino block locked up on the press for the first run

WTF prints, first run

I don’t have a drying rack in my studio so I overlap the prints on a big table to dry. I gauge the difficulty of registering successive runs and add an estimated number of proof sheets (the white prints in the picture above), in this case I added about ten.

Three color letterpress on Mohawk Via Smooth, Light Pink, 80lb. cover.

LOL Letterpress

Catchphrase No. 2

The second print in a series examining the correlation between technology and language. The lettering is a hand-drawn version of Hellenic Wide. Linoleum cuts and foundry type letterpress printed onto 9 x 9 inch sheets of Mohawk Via Smooth, Light Gray, 80lb. cover.

OMG Letterpress

Catchphrase No. 1

The image above is from a series of three prints I made last summer. The lettering is a customized Grecian. It was hand-drawn, then cut from a linoleum block and letterpress printed in two colors onto 9 x 9 inch sheets of Mohawk Via Vellum, Willow, 80lb. cover. The encircled numerals were printed in metallic copper from foundry metal type. Send me an email to inquire about pricing.

The lino block on press

Over the next few days, I will be posting some prints I’ve made in the last couple years – I have to take a break from posting wood type while I finish up some prints that I will be installing at Alchemy on Sunday, June 13. The show will be called Hyperbole For Sale. More details and pics next week.

We’ve Been Framed!

A couple of weeks ago, Lauren flew to Minneapolis for a friend’s wedding. As her gift to the couple, she had designed the announcement package, but she didn’t want to show up empty handed for the bachelorette party. What to do? How about a custom letterpress/wood type print in a hand stained frame? We can do that. And we did. It turned out well enough that I made one using our initials. The type is 6 (letters) and 3 (ampersand) line Gothic Extended from Vanderburgh, Wells & Co. Decorative Linotype rules add a little extra charm.

Into the White, Pt. 2

Into the White: second run lockup

This run of black utilized four 1-point rules and four sizes of Alternate Gothic , 36 and 18 for the artist’s names, and 24 and 14 for the gallery and location. Despite having set up this run before leaving the studio last night, I encountered very similar issues during printing today. In addition to the type being extremely worn and requiring copious makeready, I suspect the paper I used, French Smart White, was not playing nice with the ink. Maybe there’s a sizing in it that some of the other French papers don’t have? I’ve printed countless projects on Speckletone and Frostone (RIP), and never experienced any trouble with ink transfer. Just like yesterday, I had way more ink on the press than I normally would, I had to use a heavier impression than I feel comfortable with, I had to trip twice, going very slowly, and print in what felt like slow motion for the entire run. But in the end the prints turned out pretty well and Mary seemed quite pleased.

Into the White: finished prints

Into the White

I spent twelve hours in the Book Arts Studio yesterday working on a showcard for an upcoming art show by my very talented friend and coworker, Mary Toscano. The last three hours I worked in the dark because the lights to the fourth floor of the library were shut off. Take my word for it, letterspacing handset type in the dark is not easy. Fortunately, I took some photos of the first of two runs before the lights went out. I’ll be returning at noon today to print the second run.

Into the White: first run lockup

The title of the show, “Into the White,” is set in 72 and 36 point Alternate Gothic No. 1, the dates are set in Franklin Gothic, with a 1 point thick by 6 pica wide brass rule for the dash.

Into the White: first run on the drying rack

The first run was printed with metallic silver from Gans Ink. I’ve printed dozens of projects using metallic silver, but before moving to Salt Lake City, I had always used Van Son inks. I never encountered problems with Van Son metallic inks like I experienced last night with the Gans. It was almost like the ink was allergic to the type; it did not want to stick. I found that I had to add significantly more ink to the press than I felt prudent, and I had to trip (ink the form) and print at half-speed. After deducing the solution – printing with antique wood and metal type is about 90 percent problem solving – the first run went pretty well, though very slowly.

Product Placement

8 x 8 inch Sketch/Blank book (Fig. 1)

Yesterday I posted sneak peek pics of a soon to be released product. I’m pleased as punch to share the results of the binding tests. These 8 x 8 inch, perfect-bound sketch/blank books have 100 pages (50 leaves), handsomely wrapped with a sampling of 20 line Tuscan Eqyptian letters (Fig. 1) and numbers (Fig. 2), punctuated with brass rules, wood and metal stars.

8 x 8 inch Sketch/Blank book (Fig. 2)

Pre-order information available upon request.

A Little Perspective

Nothing like a weekend of printing and listening to good music to put things in perspective. Here’s a sneak peek at the first run of a soon to be released product!

Here’s a picture of the form being constructed before being put on the press:

I Will Print a Poster for You, part 2

Second form locked up
After printing the first color (PMS 7474 U) yesterday, I placed the type for the second color into the form, removed the type from the first run, and locked it up. So all I had to do this morning was mix the red (PMS 186 U), put it on the press and go. Except it didn’t quite work out that way. The first proof onto newsprint revealed a problem… a significant wound mysteriously showed up on the six line triangle I placed near the head of the press (see image below).

I’ve used this triangle numerous times and that gaping wound was definitely not there. But as I looked over the type, the bed of the press, the cylinder, feed board, etc., I could find no cause and quite frankly I was distraught. This is the only six line triangle I have and now it’s scarred for life.

Fallen Soldier
Despite my distress, I had to finish the poster so I replaced the damaged block with an eight line triangle. As I tripped to ink the form, I noticed a lump under the mylar drawsheet. To my horror I discovered that a piece of metal spacing material was trapped under the tympan. Fortunately, I made this discovery before ruining yet another block.

With the spacing material removed from under the draw sheet, and after triple-checking the rest of the cylinder packing, I finished the run without further problems.

Lightening Strikes Twice
A detail photo so you can see the sweet lighting bolt dividers.

Why Yes, I Will Print a Poster for You

Crazy lockup
A local musician, Glade Sowards, commissioned me to print posters for an upcoming concert (April 1st at Urban Lounge, SLC). The design I decided on required the type to be printed in two colors at a ten degree angle. So I cut some scrap binder’s board to create an “angle chase” on the bed of the immaculate Vandercook SP20 at the Book Arts Studio. In addition to the ad hoc chase, I wedged furniture to ensure the form was tight and wouldn’t move.

Color match
The first match color on the slab.

First run on the drying racks
Check back tomorrow to see the completed poster.