The sun shining, the beaches overflowing, and the yummy smell of barbecue season lets us know that summer is (finally!) in full swing, printing aficionados! Catch a memory with our free summer themed vector set. which includes beautifully ornate borders, a fun summertime text set, and a pair of beached-themed shells for your letterpress designs. All are free for use and in both EPS and PDF format.
There’s a vibrancy when Annika Buxman of De Milo Design Studio & Letterpress speaks about braiding her foci of letterpress, responsible printing, faraway homelands, and her support of Fair Trade paper. Deftly she passes from one story to another, entrancing us, while her C&P mirrors her movements. Paper to ink. Printed piece to hand. Annika paused the press so we could ease in a few curious questions into the extraordinary printing tapestry around us.
THE CREATIVE CASE OF ANNIKA BUXMAN Machinery is in my blood. I mostly grew up in Bakersfield, California in the 1970’s. At that time the landscape, even in town, was covered with functioning oil wells. The “head” on a long “neck” was constantly moving up and down like a gargantuan horse leaning down to drink. I named dozens of them and felt a special kinship with these “creatures”. The oil wells combined with the farm equipment in my grandparents’ barn made me feel at home with wrought iron and rust. I didn’t learn how to use a computer until college in 1988, so mechanical rather than digital functionality is imprinted in my brain. A completely different childhood experience from Bakersfield was being born in Africa (Kinchasa, Zaire) and having those images and stories around the house. My family also lived in Manila, The Philippines, right after the revolution in 1987 and traveled around that part of the world for a year. Those experiences gave me a strong sense of poverty in developing countries. But it seemed like too big of a problem to solve. When I learned about how small businesses can make a difference through the practice of fair trade it was the perfect fit for De Milo Design.
Locally, I enjoy teaching the art of letterpress to people in my studio and working on custom invitations, business cards and personal stationery. Globally, I’m committed to promoting cross cultural business relationships with women in developing countries through the development and sale of their handmade paper via my fair trade and eco paper line “Sustain & Heal.”
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT I first saw letterpress printing in the gallery at Art Center College of Design where I was a student in 1993 and was fascinated. I took their Archetype Press class. I thought it was just a fun elective. I never thought I would do it for a living so I didn’t pay very close attention. When I started up my shop I had to go back and take the class again.
STAYING COOL IN CALIFORNIA South Pasadena, California is a small town about 10 miles northeast of downtown LA. The entertainment industry does a lot of filming here when they need the “quaint-cute-midwestern-small-town” look. The front of my street level studio has huge windows that look out onto the main boutique shopping and gallery section of town. The Goldline light rail station and weekly farmers market is just down the street and the chamber of commerce organizes art walks 4 times a year so there’s a lot of foot traffic. I treadle my C&P in front of the windows every chance I get. Working the press with the backdrop of lovely marbled fair trade papers always attracts attention.
PRINTING MENTORS My first printing mentor was Regis Graden. I met him just in time because he died a few years later. But in those few years my skills improved by leaps and bounds largely due to his input. When I called him with a question often he would say “I could tell you but it would be easier to show you. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” Here is a bit more about him on my blog. Today my mentors are other printers like me who are each doing their own thing with letterpress. Close to my studio there are at least a dozen printers — Maude Press, Lala Press, Anenome Press, Fugu Fugu Press, and Papermum Press, just to name a few. And we all rely on local printing legend Gerald Lange. The International Printing Museum puts on an annual printers fair and it’s fun getting together with other local printers to talk shop and exchange advice. The Ladies of Letterpress conference this past August provided me with a host of contacts and I love their discussion board.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS The unexpected juxtaposition of materials is the most fun way for me to design. At Art Center I learned the basics of a good layout (first, second, third read, and dynamic “white” space) and picked up an appreciation for meticulous typography. Applying those skills to combining different materials is my favorite way to design. Most of my work ends up being a collage of some sort. I could get a PhD in adhesives!
FULL TIME FUN I am both a designer and printer, and I’ve been printing full time since 1998.
PRESS HISTORY I bought a 8×12 C&P Old Style Treadle Press from the International Printing Museum in Carson and drove it to Pasadena on Los Angeles freeways on a little trailer that was only rated to carry 500 pounds. Dumb.
PRINTING FEATS In 2007 I designed and launched a line of fair trade and eco friendly papers called “Sustain & Heal.” It primarily features handmade & handmarbled papers and a specially made for letterpress Jute sheet. Later I traveled to Bangladesh to meet with many of the artisans who make the paper and see what a huge difference it makes in people’s lives when we buy fair trade. Taking “Sustain & Heal” to the National Stationery Show and bringing the message of fair trade to people there for the last six years has been a huge undertaking. I’m terrible at marketing and showing my work. I dread public speaking and talking to strangers, especially when they stare at me blankly after my passionate little speech about fair trade. Doing this show has been an area of personal growth and I’m proud that I rise to the challenge year after year.
BOXCAR’S ROLE When I first launched my website in 1999 there were not many other letterpress websites out there. Boxcar made me feel like I wasn’t alone, or crazy, to be doing what I was doing. They also gave me a laugh with the “What is Harold wearing” section. They continue to be ahead of the curve and leaders in this industry. Their habit of eco-friendly practices inspire me to do the same.
PRINTING ADVICE Regis [Graden], my first letterpress mentor, used to say “You know the only sure way to not make a mistake? Don’t ever do anything!” He also once consoled me when I called him with my latest printing woe, “You made a mistake? I can’t believe it. The last time I made a mistake was…let me think…ten o’clock this morning.”
WHAT’S NEXT So many “high on talent, low on bank account” folks walk into my studio each week with their wonderful designs that they want printed. Often they leave disappointed because they had no idea letterpress requires so much effort and is on the higher end of the price scale. So I’ve set up a “letterpress lab” program for people to come into the studio and print their own designs for a small equipment rental fee. So far it’s worked well with the few people who have tried it. I’m looking forward to expanding this program next year.
Again, a big round of thanks out to Annika for letting us catch a glimpse of the spectacular work of De Milo Design Studio & Letterpress!
Leaves crunching under your feet, the glittering twinkle of a first snowfall, and the yummy smell of homemade cooking lets us know winter is on its way, dear letterpress lovers! So to kick off the cozy holiday season, we’re spreading the joy with a free winter themed vector set! This set includes joyful winter wishes, a determined hockey player, a festive Thanksgiving tom, and a delicious cup of cocoa to warm up your letterpress designs! All are free for use and in both EPS and PDF format. Cheers!
Our friends at Smudge Ink are teaming up with Boston area vendors again this year for another Holiday Sip & Shop event! If you’re in the Boston area, visit Smudge on Thursday, November 1st from 4-8pm in their Charlestown shop for an evening of pre-holiday shopping, sipping and socializing. You’ll get the opportunity to purchase products from some great local companies, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank. We donated the photopolymer plates for the letterpress posters used to promote the event, and were so impressed with the final outcome!
Check out the photos below from the 2011 Smudge Sip & Shop event and don’t miss out on the fun!
Wandering the displays at the Printers Fair at the recent 2012 Ladies of Letterpress Conference reminded me of a nifty pocket book written a few years ago filled with one liners about productively living our lives. This great instructional guide gave little gems of wisdom and witty truisms such as “be courteous to everyone” or “remember people’s names”. All good, sound advice.
Lo and behold, I started to notice a few good suggestions and observations at the printers Fair that we can probably all smile over, agree with or be improved by. So here in a nutshell are interesting life reminders for all of us from our fellow letterpress printers, in beautiful form.
(photo credits: clockwise from top left – Chris Charles – Fly Rabbit Press; Amos Kennedy – Kennedy Prints; Rachel Hetzel – Pistachio Press)
(photo credits: clockwise from top left – Chris Charles – Fly Rabbit Press; Kathryn Hunter – Blackbird Press; Margot Ecke – Smokey Road Press; Jessica Peterson – Paper Souvenir.com)
(photo credit: above – Margot Ecke – Smokey Road Press)
Though the popular USA Network series “White Collar” is now in it’s 4th season, a nostalgic look back at the series pilot shows a Heidelberg windmill going full tilt in the final minutes of action. The press is supposedly printing counterfeit, multi-color Spanish Victory Bonds.
( image credit: USA Networks © 2009 )
The bad guys are trying to finish printing and box up the bonds before the FBI breaks down the doors. It’s often a game of “Spot the Mistakes” when a printing press is used in a movie or television. However, it’s also a source of pride to see and say “hey, it’s a (fill in the blank) press” when you come across one. You’ll probably admit that, when possible, you back up the action to take a second and even third look at the press (it’s okay, so do we). Just remember — this Heidelberg windmill was forced to do these illegal deeds.
Also spotted recently (with some very careful sleuthing) is a cameo appearance of another Heidelberg Windmill tucked away in the corner of print shop in the Academy Award-nominated 2002 film, “Catch Me If You Can”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.
( image credit: Dreamworks Pictures © 2002 )
The scene in question opens up with Tom Hanks’ character, Carl Hanratty, doing some of his own detective work with a few ink-in-the-blood printers while trying to locate where the crafty con-man, Frank William Abignale, might be next. In the far right, a sneaky Heidelberg graces the scene for a few seconds, but steals our heart for the rest of the film.
As summer is starting to sizzle up, letterpress lovers, we thought you’d enjoy a free summer themed vector set! This sunny set includes a sensational seashell, a bountiful flower pattern (notecards anyone?), a sweet trio of sheep, and a sandy beach starfish. All are free for use and in both EPS and PDF format. Cheers!
While in New York City recently for the National Stationery Show, we found that not everything inspiring was happening just inside the Javits Center. With a sharp eye, there was some appealing typography in signage that was spotted during our travels. We all can appreciate a well turned font and a clever capital that gets the message across. Shown here are just four images we snapped, but we also recommend checking out the artful NYC Type, a site that reveals some of the classic lettering hidden high and low along the streets of New Y0rk City. Click on each picture on the NYC Type website for the location of each photo.
Clockwise from the top: Harrington’s Bar & Grill on 7th Avenue | Classic serifs on 42nd Street with Madame Tussauds | Houndstooth Pub on 8th Avenue | More serifs grace the Regal Theatre marquee.
It seems like spring has finally settled in and what a better way to celebrate the sunny spring season, letterpress lovers, with a spiritedly Spring vector set! The festive set includes two Mother’s Day Greetings, a beautiful engraving of a lop-eared rabbit, an adorable pair of puddle splashing children, a clever note card header, and a delectable set of strawberries & raspberries for the gardener within us all. All are free for use and in both EPS and PDF format. Enjoy!
