This is the most glamorous sign I’ve seen in a while! Letterpress printed on the Vandercook press because of it’s large size (11 x 17), great texture is achieved with impression depth and super thick plush paper. Such an elegant way to maintain privacy.
Mike is mixing up a batch of custom light purple ink. Each component of the color is weighed out on the scale to get just the right proportions. The blobs are then vigorously blended, pushed and pulled into a nice smooth large blob of ink that is ready to go on the press.
Ever the adventurer, Kevin Cox takes letterpress to the edge with his beautifully crafted work for Jazyrain Letterpress. An entrepreneur and pioneer in every sense, Kevin works in his letterpress print shop against the breathtaking backdrop of Portland, Oregon. We’ve been able to wrangle him away from his presses to get a few words.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m 39 years old. Mostly a self-taught graphic designer and a completely self-taught letterpress printer. I’m a recently divorced father of two wonderful daughters and very nearly lost my life due to a heart condition during the summer of 2010. Life has dealt me some hard blows recently but I’ve gained a new perspective and I do my best to live by a new mantra “Rule 32: enjoy the little things” (lifted from Zombieland). Running Jazyrain gives me two things; a sense of pride in myself and my work that I’ve never felt before and the freedom to make time for my two girls.
Hooray for inky fingers!
Shannon is wrapping up the last of an invitation suite for Leah and Todd. Letterpress printed in charcoal ink, the Bella Figura design “Deveril” is a classy look to set their wedding. The couple will be receiving the package very shortly!
I am still on a letterpress high after attending the Ladies of Letterpress Conference in Asheville, North Carolina during the first weekend of August. Â It was a well-done first attempt to bring together a group of people who had one thing in common – they love putting ink to beautiful paper. Â Some do it with lead or wood type, others with polymer or linoleum, a few screen print – but we all felt an immediate kinship with each other.
The presentations and demonstrations only served to bond us more. Events were either at the conference center of the hotel, or at Asheville Bookworks. Â It was all energizing. Some highlights for me included a handmade paper making overview with Frank Brannon, Â and the making of the Dead Feminists Broadsides with Jessica Spring and Chandler O’Leary. Â And I was delighted to watch Kelly McMahon give a ton of instruction during ‘Getting to Know Your Table Top Press’. Â It was concise, thorough and loaded with great information so bravo to Kelly. Â People were writing down notes feverishly.
The panel discussions were all applicable and interesting. Â They covered topics such as Letterpress as a Business, Using Social Media to Promote Your Business, Community Print Shops, and the Future of Letterpress. Â Long after the discussions ended, people gathered to talk over what they heard or ask more questions. We were immersed in letterpress the whole time and it never got dull. Â And the personal interactions were the best part.
Thank you to all of our Boxcar customers who introduced themselves to me.  It was a treat to greet you all, friends old and new. We’ll always have Asheville!
Take a look below at some of my favorite photos from the trip!
The colors of handmade paper are splendidly beautiful to the eye as they “hang out”
First look at a Hollander beater:
Raw materials in the handmade paper process
Everything you need for printing on a table top press:
A community print shop – Asheville Bookworks
Boxcar Press represented at the Printers Fair
Amy Rau of Greengirl Press and Chris Charles of Fly Rabbit Press stopped by!
As delicious as it sounds lollipop is only a nickname for the roller gauge. This handy device is placed under inky rollers where the form (or artwork) would be. The round part is exactly type-high (.918) so a narrow stripe of ink will show whether the rollers are set to the correct height. Please do not be tempted to eat this lollipop.
Look, look at these fine hangtags that Bill just finished up. Here is the die that cuts out each tag and drills the hole in same pass. Letterpress printed in papaya ink on our Smock bamboo paper, these are a special way to say thanks!
Majestic, glorious towers of Smock. These items are the “contain multiples” that one may use to have a collection of stylish whatevers. Available through fine shops or Etsy.
Joe works on printing outer envelopes in silver ink with beautiful filigree artwork.
