Reverse Type File Prep Techniques

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

An increasingly common question we are asked, here in the Platemaking Department at Boxcar Press, is “will my reverse type/text/design be readable or look good when I letterpress print it?” Reaching the desired results means exploring what exactly “reverse type/design” is and what to check for to guarantee a great printed piece.

When it comes to printing, reverse type or design refers to white or light text or objects positioned against a solid colored (usually dark) background. This is sometimes also referred to as “knocked out” text.

There are some important aspects to remember when designing for reverse type, especially with regards to using photopolymer plates:

Always take the time to check that your designs meet or exceed the minimum guaranteed line or dot thicknesses. Check out these recommended line and dot thicknesses for your preferred plate type. (We also have a nifty tutorial that offers step-by-step instructions on how to check your dots and line thicknesses – go check it out!).
Next, it’s critical to know the eye will observe your white text as “smaller or thinner” on your printed piece as your eyes are tricked by the optical illusion created by the juxtaposition of a large dark area next to a smaller thinner white area. So, we cheerfully recommend that you add AT LEAST a 0.75pt extra stroke around designs to balance out this optical illusion. This extra stroke is added on top your minimum line/dot thickness. It’s misleading to judge an onscreen or laser printout against what a final printed piece will look like so we usually suggest erring on the side of slightly larger reverse type.
If you are printing in a light ink background, your white text or objects may need to be even larger and thicker because the the contrast between the white text against a light colored background on a white paper can be easily lost. Small text may not have a place in this color situation and needs to be avoided.

Lastly, make note of the dark areas in between your white object. (The highlighted area in cyan shown in the image below illustrates the “dark areas” in between the white objects that should also be checked for line and dot minimums). Are they narrow and thin? Will they meet the line and dot minimums so the plate polymer can support and hold between your white space?

Designs with reverse type can be pretty dramatic, and we hope you’ll consider printing a project like this. With a little planning and forethought about how the design will translate with a larger solid inked area and the detail you want, you can have some very satisfying results. So keep those rollers inked, letterpress lovers, and go reverse!

Letterpress Wisdom of LittleOwl Letterpress

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

There’s nothing small about it; sisters-in-law Gina and Katie Vallecorsa of LittleOwl Lettepress are big on keeping their rollers inked. From helping plan each other’s weddings, to acquiring a 3000 lb Heidelberg affectionately named Berkeley, to the thrills of printing their first 3-color invitation set, the labors of their love show in each detailed printed piece. Gina & Katie took a break to let us in on the whirling world of their custom letterpress home.

A CREATIVE TWIST We are sisters by marriage and have a love affair with stationery design, paper, and pretty much all things wedding related! We’ve both lived in Arizona our entire lives, even attending college at rival schools Arizona State and University of Arizona. Since graduating forever ago, Gina has worked in marketing for a home builder and Katie is a teacher.

IN THE BEGINNING Our letterpress start involved our two husbands and a C&P Pilot. We really had no idea what we were getting into, but luckily Mike O’Connor at Letterpress Central was there to help us on our way. We also follow quite a few people on their blogs and social media that we’ve never met. Looking at the work they post is always inspiring.

GREATNESS IN THE GRAND CANYON STATE You know the saying “you’ve put the cart before the horse”? We’ve lived that one! After spending 35+ hours printing a friend’s entire invitation suite using our tabletop press we decided we needed to make a change if we were going to pursue a letterpress business. And this is where the trouble started! At the time we were printing on our tabletop press that resided in the dining room of Gina and Max’s condo. We went ahead and bought Berkeley, our almost 3000 pound Heidelberg Windmill, and realized he would soon be on his way with nowhere to go. Even if there was room in the condo, there was no way to get him through a doorway!

So began the adventure of finding a home for Gina and Max in a great area with a detached garage or shop. After some searching, the stars aligned and we found a house that satisfied all our needs. The original backyard garage with nothing but studs and some outside paneling has turned into a fabulous semi-girly workspace that Berkeley calls home. If you could see our before and after pictures you would be amazed at the transformation! We are so fortunate to be able to walk out the back door and step right into our custom letterpress studio

THE CREATIVE PROCESS Neither of us went to school for design, but all of our current pieces we feature on our website and Etsy shop are our own creations. We’re self-taught in Illustrator (we have the books to prove it!) and we tend to design things that we’d like to buy. We would definitely be broke if we purchased all the different invites we’ve printed since we started!

A LABOR OF LOVE We would love to say that we do this full time, but we’re not there quite yet. Both of us have full time jobs, which means correspondence and proofing happens in the evening and printing usually takes place during the weekends. Sometimes those weekends feel very long, but they don’t call it a labor of love for nothing! Running LittleOwl Letterpress full time is definitely one of our goals.

PRINTING FEATS Our first accomplishment has to be that we’re still at it together! It’s been a long road of trial and error and we are still enamored by the items we letterpress print. We think we’re going to be doing this for a good long time! Another accomplishment was when we printed our first 3-color invitation set for a mock wedding shoot. The invite was designed by Purple Nickel Studio and it was amazing; mostly blind impression with a just a couple items, including the Phoenix skyline, in orange and gray ink colors. When we nailed that third run, it was an amazing feeling!

PRESS HISTORY We got married a year apart and had a great time planning our weddings together. It was at this time that each of us fell in love with all things wedding related, including paper products. Gina’s husband, Max, found a 1910 Chandler and Price hand press and purchased it as a gift. We figured we’d found a new craft and set about learning how to use it. Gina took a 3-weekend workshop in Tempe and then came home to show off her new skills. The two of us started out printing some cards here and there for fun and that transitioned into friends asking us to create their wedding stationery!

BOXCAR’S ROLE Boxcar Press has been amazing to work with! We’ve used Boxcar since the beginning with our Boxcar Bases & for our polymer plates and haven’t looked back! One of our most popular invites gets sent in for a plate often and we always wonder if anyone sees it and thinks, “I’ve done a plate like this before. There’s another one for LittleOwl!”

SHOP TIPS Read, read, and re-read your manual! It will become your friend! Also, when frustration levels are running high, having good tunes coming from the speakers can work wonders!

WHAT’S NEXT Most of our business so far has been wedding related stationery and we’re always working on adding more designs for brides. Currently we’re designing greeting cards for the holidays and general occasions. We’ve recently added a corner rounder from the 1890’s that we’ll refurbish. We’re also working on a concept that we’re calling Pen to Plate that will allow us to partner with graphic designers from all over. No rest for the weary!

Two rounds of applause and big thanks to Gina and Katie for letting us a get the big picture of LittleOwl Letterpress.

Printing Powers of Presse Dufour

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

To come full circle as a letterpress printer is a feat that is by no means easy, but it satisfies that creative itch deep down. Karen Dufour, of Presse Dufour, is a printing maven who has connected and entwined progress, adaptability, and design consciousness as showcased in her astounding command over the letterpress art. We sat down with Karen in between ink runs to find that over the years, letterpress will find a way.

CRESCENT CITY CREATIVE I am from New Orleans, Louisiana and I have a degree in Visual Art and Graphic Design from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA. I consider myself a very happy wife, mom, and artist. During my career I’ve worked in Hammond and New Orleans, and in London, England for many years. My husband and I eventually settled back here in New Orleans, only to be forced to relocate a few days after Hurricane Katrina. And after seven years in Austin, we’re back home again! Presse Dufour is run within Bayou St. John, one of my favorite neighborhoods in the Crescent City. We are thrilled to be back home and watch the progress our city has made in so many positive ways since the flood.

IN LOVE WITH LETTERPRESS I’m a graphic designer by trade. My career has come full circle, really. In college, my first design job was working in a 2-color print shop. I loved burning film, collating, designing and taking in the smell of ink and the sounds of the presses. Over the years, I designed wedding invitations and other paper goods for friends and family. I always loved working with my hands best.

A serendipitous introduction to letterpress happened when I was looking to print our daughter’s birth announcement, which was letterpress printed. I researched the art of letterpress for nearly a year, took a workshop, and found my press. From then on, I’m self-taught, like most other letterpress printers I would imagine.

DOWN ON THE BAYOU My shop is inside our 110-year-old “shotgun” style Victorian home…in the living room! When you walk through our front door, my press is the first thing you see. I have an amazing drafting desk, which was custom made from reclaimed wood, and a table to mix my ink. It’s very pared down, as I don’t have a lot of room. I love printing from my home though, in the neighborhood which gives me so much inspiration.

PRINTING MENTORS My first introduction to letterpress was through Bethany with Thistleberry Press, who printed our birth announcements. Meredith with Punch Press runs workshops in Austin, Texas, where I was able to create my first print. There are many printers who have offered me countless advice, like Casey with Inky Lips, and Barbara with Lunada Bay. Thank you so much!

Oh, and recently I was fortunate enough to have Paul Moxon pay a visit to my studio to instruct me on how to keep my press in top shape and how to make a few repairs.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS I am both a designer & printer, and I find that most of my final designs start out as my first idea. I’ll have an idea, and then have a long think about it over days, weeks, or months. I think about my design ideas almost all day…when I’m walking around the bayou, driving, etc. Once I feel strong enough about the design I move forward. Some designs are hand drawn with ink, and some start out digitally. I prefer to hand draw my designs.

FULL TIME FUN It seems that I run Presse Dufour full time, but realistically it’s a part-time business. My first priority is raising our daughter and making our home a happy place. I’ve managed to balance my day pretty well at this point. Presse Dufour has been official since 2010.

LETTERPRESS VIBES In the short time that I’ve been printing I feel proud to have such positive feedback from my customers. Making my customers happy is most important to me. Whether or not my goods sell, I am most happy during the process of creating artwork, using my hands, or printing on my press. When my goods are selling well, it makes my job even more fun.

PRESS HISTORY The one and only press I have is my 1965 Vandercoook SP15 proof press.

BOXCAR’S ROLE I have used Boxcar exclusively for platemaking. You all make it easy and efficient, and your customer service always exceeds my expectations.

PRINTING FEATS I have a few. I laser print some designs on transparencies to help guide my plates with tight registration and multi-colors. I lay these on top of my base and slip the plates underneath. Also, I discovered that baby wipes clean ink off my inking surface better than any rag. I use them constantly to keep my hands ink-free while printing.

LETTERPRESS COMMUNITY I’ve been blessed to be a part of a very exciting creative project that I’ve been working on diligently for the past month. I’ve partnered with MESA Production Company, here in New Orleans, to design and sell note cards and limited-edition prints related to 33 VARIATIONS, a 5-time Tony Award Nominated play written by Moisés Kaufman. The story is about a modern-day music scholar driven to solve one of classical music’s enduring riddles – the mystery behind Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. A story about familial love, romantic desire, and artistic obsession, this extraordinary play examines what it means to lose the things that define us, and what we end up gaining in their stead. The play will run here in New Orleans September 11-29 at The Contemporary Arts Center.

My Etsy shop will carry the note cards and prints throughout the month of September and proceeds from those sales will go to benefit The ALS Association Louisiana-Mississippi Chapter and Team Gleason in helping to create a world without ALS! Details and tickets for 33 VARIATIONS can be found here.

WHAT’S NEXT I have many designs in the works that express my love of the Gulf South. Watch this space!

A heaping round of thanks out to Karen Dufour for letting us get the skinny on Presse Dufour!

Of & Type and Men

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

Trekking northwestward from the the sprawling Milan palazzos rests the quiet & serene city of Varese, Italy, surrounded by rolling fields of the awe-inspiring Italian countryside. Taking a closer look into the city, you’ll find the vibrant camaraderie that flows from the & Type print shop. Claudio, Gabriele, and Simone, the founders of & Type, opened their doors for us, letting in the passionate and experimental energy that engulfs their letterpress and printing abode.

THE PRESSES We have four machines: 2 presses made by Saroglia (from Torino, Italy) 70×100 cm and 40×60 cm, 1 small manual press 23×32 cm, and 1 Nebiolo Ideale “a battuta” (as we say in Italian for “beat”), but this last one doesn’t work.

SIZE OF PRINT SHOP 70 square meters… almost 750 square feet.

TYPE OF SHOP We are just a laboratory, but often it is enjoyed with friends, interested people, or guests that join us for different purposes like projects, workshops, or just for type love sharing.

THE LOCATION Near the Liberty train station (in Varese, Italy).

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE SHOP Our machines, wood type, typography, lettering books, and our friendship. We are surrounded by several posters, books, and music that are good sources of ideas. Last month, a beautiful puppy arrived, which is such great company!

NUMBER OF PRINTERS IN SPACE We have three printers. We don’t share the place with other people, but anyone is admitted to print with us or just to come enjoy with us. We prefer to be considered as only one mind because & Type is the mixing of the knowledge about letterforms of all of us.

MOST VALUABLE SHOP TOOL Pencil & hands.

FAVORITE INK Well, we always take time to figure out what color is most suitable for our purposes. We like to use typographic ink penetration, or rapid drying, that helps us to see details in our linocut matrix. Currently we enjoy finding and trying particular colors like metallic, fluorescent and glowing ones. In our country, it is not easy to find all the colors we want; some of them are prohibited because of their chemical compositions.

SOLVENT OF CHOICE White spirit (turpentine), self-cleaning mechanisms, old towels and of course elbow grease. If you have some good cotton sheets, it’s not hard work.

PLATE AND BASE OF CHOICE We mostly use furniture linoleum used by gauges, but we also like to work with wood, MDF and different kinds of rubber. If it comes up that we find some interesting texture materials, we love to try it.

OIL OF CHOICE For gearboxes: synthetic oil; for the lubrication of open parts: UV-40 or oil for sewing machines.

WHAT TYPE OF RAG DO YOU CLEAN UP YOUR PRESSES WITH Towels, sheets, pants, T-shirts, shirts – everything that otherwise should be in rubbish.

FLOORING MATERIAL Industrial concrete flooring.

FLOOR PLAN TIPS Work in an illuminated space.

PIED TYPE None.

ORGANIZATION ADVICE Clean up after printing and have a relaxation area with some comfortable chairs.

PRINTING ADVICE To center the matrix, we used to draw the matrixes’ shapes on the print area with transparent paper, so we would know where to put every different color for posters.

Carimbo Press: Innovating Letterpress in Brazil

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

Up until recently, Marcelo of Carimbo Letterpress & Design was known mostly for his prowess in the letterpress circles of Brazil and South America. Now he’s becoming a name to those outside of Brazil, gaining attention for Carimbo Press and spreading the modern letterpress love. Marcelo sat down with us between press runs to talk about the tactile appeal of letterpress and expanding his line of printed goods.

MODERN LETTERPRESS Carimbo Letterpress is the sum of the enthusiasm and efforts from Érico and Marcelo, two graphic designers with a passion for typography, printing and old stuff. We went to college together but had been working on separate jobs for several years. In the beginning of 2009 we began to notice some great letterpress work featured on the web and wondered how people were doing those beautiful things nowadays. Then we came to understand the use of modern letterpress with photopolymer, thick paper, cotton paper, edge painting and all that tactile appeal. At the time there weren’t any printshops in Brazil really doing this kind of work, so we went looking for our first press and began making plans for our letterpress studio. Besides that, we thought it was great that we could do things ourselves and be our own bosses.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS Despite being graphic designers, we had no experience being actual printers. So in the beginning, after some printing for ourselves, we decided to offer letterpress printing to friends. Soon we felt confident with the results we were getting and decided that we could do it professionally and thus began offering our services in our area.

FULL TIME FUN For some time Érico still kept his job working at an agency but now we operate as a full time letterpress printshop. Our current goal is to have a nice balance between commissioned work and our own. We have a lot of custom orders (and that’s the priority), but we are always looking for ways to improve our processes and have more time to print our own designs and projects as well.

PRINTING FEATS We are proud of learning how to print by ourselves and overcoming all the difficulties to start this kind of operation here in Brazil. It was – and still is – hard in so many ways, but we feel that we’re always improving. We never had a mentor of any kind, so to understand how to operate all these machines and also to do maintenance is kind of a big deal for us. We think that we helped develop a Brazilian market as well. At first we noticed we needed to have an educational role too, explaining why letterpress printing was so exciting and how it was different from current and modern printing techniques. We had several clients that were looking for something unusual but did not know exactly what letterpress printing was. After some time, we started to get a lot of requests specifically because we were doing letterpress and people had started to ask for it.

PRESS HISTORY We have a small tabletop press from Japan (still on maintenance work), a Heidelberg Windmill (1974), a Vandercook SP-15 (1968), and a Catu (which is a platen press made in Brazil). We have a working Linotype Model 8 (1929), but it still needs to be plugged in. We also have a manual Krause paper cutter, one corner rounding machine and one stapler machine. Our first press was the Windmill and it still gets most of the jobs. When we were looking for presses I remember asking what would happen if by any chance my hand got stuck on the platen. A mechanic that was showing us the machines answered that my fingers would be like a sheet of paper – and so we decided to go with the automatic feeding on the Heidelberg. Now that we have more experience we are confident with our hand fed Catu. We try to equip ourselves with different presses for different types of jobs. We mix our inks by hand according to the Pantone formulas / guide and we are always improving our edge painting technique.

BOXCAR’S ROLE Boxcar helps us in so many ways. First, by providing the press manual for our Windmill (later we would find an original and physical copy in Portuguese, but at the beginning we were always reading the Boxcar PDF). We find a lot of information on the site very useful too, like the instructional videos by Harold. It is hard to find good supplies here in Brazil, so things like the Boxcar Base, swing away lay gauge, roller setting gauge, gauge pins, etc. are excellent additions to our printing gear.

SHOP TIPS Always try to go by the book: adjust the press thoroughly and try to learn and understand all of its moves. Then it’s easier to figure what isn’t working properly and to think on ways to solve the problems. We also find that baby powder is useful in so many ways as it helps cleaning the rails, preventing the plates from over sticking to the base, drying the printed tympan after a missed sheet, etc, etc.

WHAT’S NEXT This year we are trying to get everything in place around here: we are improving our shop and presses so things can be done more efficiently. We also have a lot of ideas that we want to put out and we expect to finally make it through with our line of printed goodies. Our website is in a desperate need of a revamp and we are trying to tie this loose end, too. We have some other nice projects coming along as well.

Big round of thanks out to Marcelo of Carimbo Letterpress & Design for giving us a closer look at the shop!

Pursuit of Happiness with Papypress

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

In the hustle and bustle of the rapidly changing Singaporean landscape, Corby of Papypress is methodically calibrating her Windmills and Adanas. Outside of her shop, one might see technology blurring faster than oil-based ink dries on rollers, but inside, Corby muses over reviving letterpress in a sea of mass printing and fast-paced technological pursuit while discussing the future of letterpress.

(photo: Corby’s printing partner, Ian, and fun letterpress goodies)

THE PRESSES We have six presses for letterpress; two 8×5 Adana’s, two 10×15 Heidelberg Windmills, one 8×5 Kelsey Excelsior, and one 10×7 Floor Model Platen. We also have one 2-color GTO and one 1-color RYOBI for offset.

SIZE OF PRINT SHOP It’s 1600 square feet, which is awfully small as it needs to house all the above machines, our stacks of papers, as well as 10 people!

TYPE OF SHOP It’s an industrial building that we own a unit in on the 5th level. We have been in this location for 13 years and it’s still serving us well.

THE LOCATION It’s in an old flatted factory located 10 mins from town. The area that we are in has some of the best local food, so we never really have to go hungry even when working till the wee hours of the morning. It’s many Singaporeans’ favorite supper haunt.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE SHOP I love the smell of inks and paper! The production room has always been my favorite, and the whole space is what we call an organized mess. Our prized possessions are obviously all of our letterpress machines and lead type, as they are almost impossible to find locally. All of our overseas trips are spent sourcing for more type and machines ever since we started reviving letterpress in Singapore.

NUMBER OF PRINTERS IN SPACE 10

MOST VALUABLE SHOP TOOL It’s undoubtedly the Heidelberg Windmill. It can do practically anything! Even after so many decades, the windmill can still create beautiful prints that elicit feelings of intrigue and awe in people. It never fails to amaze me each time I discover something new I can do with it.

FAVORITE INK We use oil based inks. We usually hand mix colors ourselves hence the collection of little boxes of pre-mixed pantone colors. Papypress loves bright colors. Pantone 806 in particular.

SOLVENT OF CHOICE If it’s the Adana a little squirt of kerosene and 2 sheets from my phone directory will do the trick! It’s the fastest and cleanest way I have been taught.

PLATE AND BASE OF CHOICE Handed down from an old print shop, it’s a solid piece of aluminum block with self-made grid lines. I know it’s a far cry from the Boxcar base, but it’s what we have been using since we got the press. I have wood blocks lying around too, but use them only if I want more “Retro” prints. Most times we just stick to polymer plates.

We live halfway across the globe in Asia, where the rapid pursuit of technology and mass printing has meant that there is now a death of letterpress related equipment and accessories here. I probably only know of one other active letterpress printer in Singapore. Supplies are a pain to get here and I usually get them shipped in from the US or UK.

OIL OF CHOICE We’ve been using SDM-801, seems to work well for us. Takes some time before it starts dripping.

WHAT TYPE OF RAGS DO YOU CLEAN UP YOUR PRESSES WITH Definitely old tees. Once in a while a Spiderman or Superman shirt comes along, Pokemons are really common!

FLOORING MATERIAL Concrete. It’s the best in my opinion. It’s easy to clean and mop. Some ink blotches here and there, but inevitable in any print shop I guess.

FLOOR PLAN TIPS I like to have everything around me. Within reach. Always make sure there is enough space to push a little trolley on which you can place your papers around.

PIED TYPE Plenty, especially since we buy bags of types from overseas since the circulation of type in Singapore is almost zero.

ORGANIZATION ADVICE Whenever you take something, just make sure you put it back in the same place! Somehow the human brain is able to build a map of where everything is after a while…

PRINTING ADVICE Post-It notes/pads! I have lots of them around. Whenever you need to increase the packing in a certain area, just slap one of these on the draw sheet for a quick fix! It’s removable and can be easily moved around. Tape and paper tend to damage the drawsheet.

Many thanks to Corby at Papypress for giving us a behind the scenes look at their Singapore letterpress shop!

Bridging the Gap: The Aesthetic Union

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

Just shy of three years ago, James Tucker created The Aesthetic Union, a San Francisco press shop that is built to fill the gap between designers & production — and his career has only mushroomed since. With the blossoming business, Tucker has found that he’ll now have more time to enjoy sailing in addition to teaching & printing the finer details of letterpress.

LETTERPRESS LINKS The Aesthetic Union was created about 3 years ago as a need to fill a gap I saw between designers and production. Usually designers would be designing for web or digitally printing and wanted to explore letterpress and more traditional ways of printing. Their designs weren’t translating well with traditional methods and the final product showed a lack thereof. Through a direct collaboration with a team and making sure designers know how the method of printing is done and what the limitations are of letterpress and how to better to push the boundaries, I immediately saw an improvement in the finished products.

HOOKED BY HATCH My first exposure to letterpress was back in college. I was studying printmaking at Maryland Institute College of Art when I saw some work by Jim Sheridan at Hatch Show Print. I was immediately hooked and found myself there that summer as an intern to study with him and Brad Vetter. I continued to work as a pressman after I graduated and moved to San Francisco.

I was first introduced to Heidelberg Windmills and Boxcar plates at a five year stint working as the lead pressman for Hello Lucky and fell in love with those machines and the simplicity of the process of platemaking.

SAN FRAN FUN I’m currently looking for a new space in San Francisco to house my shop, as for now I’m carrying the venerable torch of a tramp printer. I print for many places in San Francisco and in exchange I use their shops as my own. I also teach a number of classes at SF Center for the Book, which just moved into a new space and obtained some great equipment.

FULL TIME FUN Up until recently I was printing full time, but since I started my own business I have had more time to pursue my love of sailing and working on tall ships. So when I’m not in the pressroom, I’m out on the San Francisco Bay chartering large schooners.

PRESS HISTORY My first press was a 10×15 Old Style C&P. I pulled it out of a woman’s basement in upstate NJ in pieces and rebuilt it. I’m currently selling it to pay for my new investment, a late Heidelberg Windmill with lock ups and a rare Asbern proof press.

BOXCAR’S ROLE Boxcar has made registration extremely efficient with the help of the gridded base and transparent photopolymer plates. This decreases makeready and saves time and money.

SHOP TIPS If I could pass along some advice to my fellow printers I want to convey that working smart, clean and efficiently will save time and your sanity.

WHAT’S NEXT The rest of 2013 will be eventful for The Aesthetic Union. We are on the search for the perfect space and once we have it, we’d like to ramp up production and tackle some in house projects I’ve had on the plate for a while. We will also be teaching more at SF Center for the Book, The Arm in Brooklyn, at Skill Exchange and will be giving some more lectures.

Big round of thanks to James Tucker at The Aesthetic Union for letting us catch up with him!

Shop Tour With La Trasteria

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

In the sunny warmth of Barcelona, Spain holds a letterpress shop with a cheerful flavor and festive personality. Mònica and Germán, of La Trasteria (“Trastero” is Spanish for “lumber rooms” as the original space was intended for cut timber) are the power duo of printer & designer for the company, and you can find their work gracing worldwide art galleries and shows. The playful pair took a break from printing their dazzlingly detailed letterpress pieces to tour us around their shop. Olé!

THE PRESSES Just one, a beautiful Heidelberg Windmill lovingly named “La Pecosa” because it came to us fully splattered of ink after 54 years of service. We are looking for a proof press to make the family bigger.

SIZE OF PRINT SHOP We have a 322 sq ft workshop and 129 sq ft studio.

TYPE OF SHOP Our workspace is located in a town near to Barcelona. We have restored two old storage rooms surrounding our house’s garden to set up “La Trastería”.

THE LOCATION One of our favorite thing about the shop is that you can find a lot of things full of history in every corner. We found a lot of useful stuff while we arranged the workshop.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE SHOP Choosing one could be difficult, but maybe the most atypical thing could be an old book called “Hints for the pressman”. The fact that we live far from the city keeps us creative and comfortable, we feel more comfy with a quiet life style.

NUMBER OF PRINTERS IN SPACE As we are working in our own house, it is a private space. I am the printer (Mònica) but Germán helps me whenever I need him!

MOST VALUABLE SHOP TOOL A flathead screwdriver, a depth ruler and an apron.

FAVORITE INK We print with Martinez Ayala inks, they are made here in Spain. We have no favorite color, we love all of them, but it seems that a big range of turquoise is in its wave.

SOLVENT OF CHOICE With just one press we have a tiny workshop, so clean up is not a big problem if you keep your workspace arranged after using it. Besides cleaning our Windmill is not hard to do. We use Varn’s Primula Wash.

PLATE AND BASE OF CHOICE During the first year of La Trastería we have been using a 9×12 inch boxcar base with Jet plates.

OIL OF CHOICE 30 weight non-detergent oil. Works awesome!

WHAT TYPE OF RAGS DO YOU CLEAN UP YOUR PRESSES WITH We use recycled cotton rags. They work well and keep away dust and particles from our rollers.

FLOORING MATERIAL A dark grey poreless tilling floor, it’s very easy to clean!

FLOOR PLAN TIPS The main thing for us is to have all machines in a small perimeter, it helps us to clean faster. When the day is over, we just have to sweep and mop the floor. 10 minutes and ready!

PIED TYPE We don’t have any type because we don’t use it. We would like have some big old wood type but it’s hard to find!

ORGANIZATION ADVICE Keep it clean and clear. Clean and put back to their place every tool once it has been used.

PRINTING ADVICE It’s not a secret, in the beginning, when we were learning, we wished to have an experienced person telling us: “Don’t be discouraged, come on, it’s just that the press you have must be perfectly adjusted”. If something doesn’t work, take a deep breath and look for the solution in the simplest things. Once everything is in place, the press will run perfectly.

National Stationery Show Tips for Newcomers

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

Less than two weeks and counting until the Big Apple hosts the National Stationery Show in the heart of midtown Manhattan. If you’re new to the show (either as an exhibitor or first time attendee), you’re in for a treat: the show hosts the latest and greatest in stationery & letterpress goods. Today we’re sharing some helpful tips & hints direct from NSS veterans themselves. If you have a tip you’d like to share, join in on the conversation and post it in our comments section!

Thomas & Brown: Covered In Ink

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Rebecca Miller

A final printed letterpress piece or custom made artist’s book is kinetic. Mark Moroney, the printer behind Thomas & Brown, is just that — a kinetic engine full of creativity, intuitive know-how, and ambition. Mark deftly weaves the idea to the rough sketches, to the possible digital manipulation, and to the whirling of the press that produces it. We sat down with the printing aficionado to capture that dynamism.

Letterpress Printer Mark Moroney of Thomas & Brown

All photography courtesy of Amanda Sudimack | Artisan Events

THE INS & OUTS OF PRINTING I am the owner and operator of Thomas & Brown in Oak Park, Illinois. I have been doing that for a little over a year. A couple years before that I worked at Rohner Letterpress in Chicago. Over there, Sam Wilder and Matthew Cordell taught me all the ins and outs of running a Heidelberg windmill. And in the years between I spent time being a dad for two little boys.

IN THE BEGINNING The story kind of starts when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa. With a lot of solitude and free time I became obsessed with writing and lettering. Lots of bookmaking and letter writing. Upon returning to the US, I thought I would work my skills into the graphic design thing. After a time of working in front of the computer I found that the translation didn’t always work for me. I sort of have a difficult relationship with technology. What I truly enjoyed was crafting with the hand, touching the material, etc. But fortunately for me, Chicago has the allure of letterpress built right into the city. Heck, I lived in a neighborhood called Printer’s Row. I found myself frequenting places like the Newberry Library and Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Arts. At the time, Bill Drendel was working at CCCBPA and I was always amazed at the work he was bringing in to exhibit. It was exactly what I wanted to be doing as an artist and designer. He, along with Suzanne Cohen-Lange, encouraged me to apply to the program there. So I did and that is where I finally got my hands covered in ink.

PARADISE IN THE PRAIRIE STATE My shop is small but capable. I have a Heidelberg windmill, a Challenge paper cutter, and a platemaker. I have lots of letterpress gadgets and I also have a bunch of drawers of type and cuts. It is not terribly exciting but it gets the job done.

DESIGNED FOR PRINT I am a designer/printer and also a jobber. I will do design for anyone who needs it, but I also think it is great working with designers and other creatives who have such wonderful visions. I enjoy helping designers make good choices, understand the medium, and ultimately realizing the project in a physical form. And I think my background in graphic design makes this a lot easier for me.

ROOM TO GROW At this point we do not have enough work to consider myself full time, however with our design and printing we keep busy but of course there is always room for growth. But yes, that would be a goal for the future. And I am working with that in mind.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS My process can go one of two ways depending on the project. If I am designing for a client with a specific goal and and a clear vision, I usually start with a sketch. From there I park myself in front of the computer and assemble the parts. I work on choosing typefaces, take care of leading and kerning. Also, any imagery or graphic elements that need to be included are positioned and refined on the computer. The other way I work is more intuitive. This involves putting together cuts and type together on my stone. I do any color mixing on press, working from light to dark with lots of trans white. I end up with a lot of make ready. Usually designing this way I get some stationery or business cards for a friend. If I am really ambitious it can lead to the creation of an artist book.

PRINTING FEATS Well, I have exhibited in juried shows and done artist in residence programs but, in all honesty, I am always most proud when I get a phone call or an email from a customer who was so happy with their project. People can fake enthusiasm when they are looking at an open gallery but it doesn’t happen when they have spent their hard earned money.

PRESS HISTORY The first press I worked on was a Vandercook Universal. The press that I own is a Heidelberg windmill. I’m sure it has been passed around Chicago the past few decades. At one point – maybe originally – it belonged to Bloom High School in suburban Chicago Heights, Illinois.

BOXCAR’S ROLE I have a platemaker but I do not have an imagesetter. My biggest problem was finding a local reliable film source. With Boxcar, I can just do the whole process online. And the new online order form makes it really easy. I can instantly transfer files and even hold them there until my project is ready. I know exactly what I am sending and how much it is going to cost me. The time I used to spend making plates is now spent on other parts of the business. Also, I was not particularly great at making plates and with the cost of polymer I was always worried about losing money on that part of the process. I know that Boxcar guarantees their plates and I will have what I need for my jobs.

SHOP TIPS Of course I have tricks, dozens and dozens of them. You can’t do this kind of printing without them. The press does not have a computer with alarms and lights monitoring color and alignment and whatnot. Every job is a different set of challenges with a different set of solutions. My best advice would be to find some salty veterans who are passionate about printing & sit down with them and listen to what they have to say.

WHAT’S NEXT My plan for 2013 is to get the word out there that we are here. I would like to find some more designers who still care about the end product. And maybe if I acquire an additional press I would like to open up the studio to artists and offer a hands on experience for the local community.

A large round of thanks out to Mark Moroney of Thomas & Brown for letting us take a peek at his shop!

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