Mar 20, 2019
And this is me! Ken decided to video me making the print instead which was really sweet, he said it was my work and I should get behind the press and do it for myself.
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And this is me! Ken decided to video me making the print instead which was really sweet, he said it was my work and I should get behind the press and do it for myself.
This is Ken, testing our first print using his wealth of knowledge.
So today was fantastic! We completed the design for the poster/flyer. I am so happy with the way it turned out.
I started the day in such a foul mood, and nearly didn’t go to the studio. I am so glad I did, mainly because the process of setting type is actually so therapeutic and relaxing! Ken went home and found a different number 7 for me in one of his kits at home, and it’s perfect! It fits in perfectly with the typeface we chose.
I typeset the rest of the text, and had a play around with the positioning of it all. We were then ready to set the text onto the Albion. This piece of equipment is 146 years old! Ken showed me all of the tricks needed to get the best print. Setting the paper in place, centring the type block and securing everything in place. We had a few issues on the first few prints, with the pressure not being quite right. The impression wasn’t strong enough on one half of the print. Ken had to tighten and loosen the press about 6 times to get it just right! He knows the Albion so well, so knew exactly what to do.
The process of using 2 inks was interesting, and quite intricate. It took two of us to get it just right, holding paper over certain sections whilst we inked it up.
I am so happy with the outcome, and I have actually sold one to a friend from uni already which was a shock!
These are my first test prints. We weren’t happy with spacing between the AT THE and the smaller Pinter. So we changed the font, and changed the spacing. What’s quite nice, is that the 7 is completely different, this wasn’t due to choice, it was down to what was available in the type kits. That’s one of the qualities of letterpress, there isn’t always going to be exactly what you want, or expect, because it isn’t a computer with 10,000 fonts. This creates a completely different quality, and authenticity to the work.
First Letterpress Session
So today was fantastic! Really great to get back at it, and it all started to come back to me.
It’s such a personal and rewarding experience. Choosing the fonts, and the size. Then typesetting each individual letter and spacing has such fine detail. Ken is a fantastic teacher and talked me through everything, he is so knowledgable. I wanted to test the equipment today, and try out different lettering and spacing, and I got to do all of those things! I chose to typeset a poster I had seen from a play I saw last month. The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter, during the pinter season at the Harold Pinter theatre.
Here are some pictures from today!
Progress
Here is an update of the progress I have made so far with my collaborative practice. I am meeting with Ken today at Juniper press to start a practice poster made on his letterpress beds, and I’m really excited!
I have had Rachel from the YEP producers at the Everyman get back in touch with me about volunteering for their event ‘Drag Lab’ at this years Liverpool Light Night on the 17th May. I have invited her to the work in progress show this Friday to have a look at my work, perfect opportunity to network so hopefully she will come along!
I will add some pictures soon of some of the work I am doing today with Ken at Juniper Press.
Juniper Press Liverpool
So I just had a really interesting meeting with Ken from Juniper Press, the only letterpress studio in Liverpool, and it couldn’t have gone better. I am honestly buzzing with excitement. He seems really keen in collaborating with me, and allowing me to use his vast collection of presses and kits. He runs on a non profit basis, and just asks for donations depending on the volume of resources you use.
I am excited that I now have an option to use the letterpress beds, and these types of kits, as I didn’t know it was actually going to be possible!
I took a load of photographs which I’ll share too. I am going to meet with him next week, and take some work that I want to create with him. I will first build a poster on my computer, print it and take a copy. He can help me arrange some text and build the poster on the beds, and then I can see the comparison from traditional print to inkjet.
I am so excited to start this process, and he seemed even more excited that I want to collaborate with local theatre companies, to offer my facilities in designing possible props for stage, or posters for advertising, but using his facilities.
What a fantastic collaboration that would be, between local creative businesses, and one I would be enthralled to be involved with.