In the midst of Smock paper goods hangs this lovely paper sign. It lives above the door and has been hanging there for countless years in the old converted factory we call home.
Vintage Exit Sign
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Tag Archives: letterpress print shop
Cutting Edge With Keeganmeegan & Co.
Katy Meegan and Keegan Wenkman of Keeganmeegan & Co. have grown a small idea into a large community-empowered printshop over the past six years. The power printing duo houses a love for the yesteryear production model, the smooth whirl of Vandercook, and the inspiring Portland, Oregon resident support . To find out how the vibrant printshop ticks, we rode shotgun with Keegan and it’s been one amazing adventure.
LETTERPRESS BEGINNINGS Keeganmeegan & Co. was founded in 2007. Known for hand-illustrated relief printing, Keeganmeegan has also been recognized for award-winning design and print & packaging solutions for local and global clients.
We live and work in Portland after moving out west from Minneapolis in 2005. Both of us have been printing since our teens — Katy doing Book Arts at MCBA and I did silkscreen most notably at Burlesque Of North America.
Art brought us to print, in order to duplicate our art and be an assistance in our artistic community. We’ve had the shop for 8 years now, and focus on commercial and artistic editions modeled from the job printing shop of yesteryear. We unite illustration and design with printing and die-cutting services all in house.
FOR THE LOVE OF LETTERPRESS Katy worked at MCBA and one day she casually showed me their shop. That was it for me.
BUSY IN THE BEAVER STATE We have a 2,500 square foot shop in SE Portland next to the iconic Burnside Bridge. It’s on the ground floor near the Towne Building and was formerly the warehouse for Blake, Moffitt & Towne Paper Company based out of San Francisco.
We still have the original payroll safe in the shop and we’re coveting seven Vandercook cylinder presses primarily used for art editioning services and experimental projects. The rare 232p, in particular, has one largest print areas of any Vandercook, an absolutely massive 32½ -inch by 30-inch. We also employ 2 Heidelberg windmills and 4 Chandler & Price printing presses for job printing.
PRINTING MENTORS Stumptown Printers mentored us early on, giving us business advice and direction. Midnight Paper Sales was a big inspiration. Also the crew of CC Stern Type Foundry helped with our shop up-keep.
DESIGN + PRINT We are illustrators, designers, print makers, commercial and artistic printers, we are fun loving idiots for art, problem solving, and perfection.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS Old books, pen and paper. If I go online for inspiration I just spin my wheels. I do what people did before computers: think for themselves.
FULL TIME FUN We have supported ourselves for 8 years, each receiving a salary as 50/50 ownership.
PRINTING FEATS We’ve grown a small idea into a large success thus far, through hard work and being kind to people. Hence, our clients are absolutely lovely being that they are makers and thinkers alike. They make us laugh, bring us gifts, and have allowed us to keep this going strong and grow more each year.
Additionally, we’ve been able to work with a lot of artists, touring bands, comedians, and people on the forefront of our current culture.
BOXCAR’S ROLE Boxcar Press makes the biggest poly plates available that I know of. You’ve allowed us to completely max out our Uni III / with 2 13×18 Boxcar based butted up together (take a look).
PRINTING TIPS Ask the right questions to the right people and you can get yourself far in life. It helps to fail a lot too. Otherwise, people always ask me how I cut my linoleum blocks, my answer is black magic and podcasts. Podcasts are a lone printer’s best friend.
WHAT’S NEXT We will just keep going, every day is a new day with new problems to solve and chances to learn. We will also go on vacation, gotta love vacation. We didn’t take one for the first 3 years.
Huge round of thanks out to Keegan over at Keeganmeegan & Co.!
Letterpress, Type, and Bears Eat Berries, Oh My!
There is something that pulls you in when chatting with Laura Wentzel of Bears Eat Berries — it could be the nonstop letterpress itch that started with a printing whim, the minimalistic cool look of her printed pieces, or her zealous determination for ink distribution. We talked with Laura in her studio about the many brilliant moments that define her love of all that is letterpress.
COLORFUL PRINTING VIEW I’m Laura, owner of Bears Eat Berries, a design + letterpress studio in the heart of the southwest in Arizona. When I’m not designing or printing, I prefer to be outdoors in the mountains or sitting by my backyard fireplace in the evenings. I kiss my dog’s head about 50 times a day, I’m crazy about textiles, and I love reading modern Chinese history as well as mountaineering stories.
THE LETTERPRESS ITCH I’m a graphic designer who, a few years ago, was itching to work with my hands a bit more than stare at computers all day. My sister wanted letterpress printed wedding invitations at the time and, though I only abstractly knew the concept of letterpress printing, I just told her, “I’ll do it!.” At that point, I had never touched a press before.
I highly recommend taking a class on printing because I did it the hard way and taught myself. It took countless hours, tears, sweat and blood before I had it down. Crying at 2am because your ink distribution isn’t right and you have no idea why is not fun. But when I finally pulled a perfectly printed piece off the press, I was in love.
BRIGHT IDEAS IN THE COPPER STATE I now print on my 100-year-old Chandler & Price 8×12 floor press of which I am only the third owner! It came with the original motor but a 100-year-old motor is a bit scary. I prefer to use the foot pedal where I have more control.
I live in Arizona so my press is in my garage because it never gets too cold here in the Valley of the Sun. My husband and I just moved into our house a few months ago, so I am still working on setting everything up. But if anyone needs advice on moving a printing press across the country, I’m your gal!
PRINTING MENTORS I am constantly in awe of Studio on Fire. They aren’t afraid (and must have great clients) to use the best quality materials and push the boundaries of letterpress.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS I’m a designer and printer. I went to school for graphic design and even at a young age, I was always drawing and creating. I have a love for visual simplicity, nature and animals. I also love a little twist of humor. I pull inspiration from children’s picture books, Japanese design, and any great use of negative space and clean design.
I start each design by sketching it out on paper. Then I’ll recreate it on the computer. I love the process of designing by hand, manipulating the design digitally, and then turning it back into a tangible object. But it’s not an easy process for me. There’s a lot of erasing, crumpled paper, and ctrl+z going on.
FULL TIME FUN With a very supportive husband, I launched Bears Eat Berries two years ago and it is what I do full-time. In addition to my product line, I do some freelance design work and custom projects.
PRINTING FEATS I am extremely proud that I learned how to letterpress print on my own. Again, it wasn’t the easiest route, in fact, it was one of the hardest things I’ve done. But I surprised myself at how determined and patient I was in the process. It’s that age-old adage of “if you put your mind to it, you can do it” and my business is proof of that. By learning myself, I gained a deep knowledge of techniques and of my own press’s quirks.
It may sound strange, but I’m also extremely proud of each sale. When a stranger buys one of my products it reminds me that there are people out there that share my aesthetic and value independent designers/artisans… and that’s a very rewarding experience.
PRESS HISTORY I was living in Pennsylvania at the time and was on the hunt for a press to start my brave/foolish new adventure into printing. On a random google search I came across Dolce Press, a print shop in New York. The owner was selling her 5×8 Sigwalt tabletop. I drove up one day with my father and picked it up. I then spent the next few months figuring out how to use the darn thing!
BOXCAR’S ROLE Because of Boxcar Press’ professionalism and high quality work, I am always confident in ordering plates and supplies through them and never have to worry about it. They’re also just really nice people to work with. They are flexible and as a small business themselves, they understands the needs of an independent business like mine.
Boxcar also has brilliantly morphed the concept of letterpress printing with their Boxcar Base and polymer plates and allow us designers to design freely and not be constricted by handset type or expensive materials.
SHOP TIPS My advice for letterpress printing is to not be afraid… there’s no one “right way” to print. Today’s printers are applying new techniques to this age-old craft and these new approaches are exciting. Develop a workflow and technique what works for you. It’s the end result that matters. Also, believe in your style. Though it’s always helpful to find design inspiration from others, it’s important to find your own voice.
WHAT’S NEXT Bears Eat Berries is a constantly evolving venture. I’m experimenting with new materials and I’m planning on releasing more limited edition prints and series. You’ll see more than greeting cards from my shop in the coming year. I also love to hear the wants and needs from my customers… so if anyone reading this has an idea they want to see, let’s talk!
Big round of thanks out to Laura for letting us take a sweet look at Bears Eat Berries!
Coasters in progress
A giant slew of coasters have just been letterpressed and are now going to be foil stamped. After that, they will be diecut into circles – the final step before being ready to accommodate a refreshing beverage.
Handful of Eye Candy
A handful of delicious Smock bar mitzvah cards makes the eye wobble with delight.
Vandercooking
Jake is printing bellybands on the Vandercook press. Notice the tape registration system he’s got set up – black straps that hold the sheet against cylinder for returning sheet to operator instead of having to collect it from the end of press bed.
Ghost in the machine
Tim the printer discovered a friend looking back at him as he cleaned his press.
Flash from the past
When we made an epic shop move a few years ago from one side of the building to the other, this was one of the most astounding sights ever : a gigantic cutter gliding across a sea of freshly epoxied floor. It was beautiful to see this great machine docked at its current post!
Two Printshops, Only One James Jareb
Situated in the roaming, wild hills of Wyoming, lie not one, but two meticulously kept letterpress print shops of the cheerful and ever-ready James Jareb. From his personal Laramie, Wyoming studio to his printing abode at the Truman State Univerity, master craftsmanship and creative know-how flow effortlessly through both. Taking a short break from his print runs, James sat down with us to give us a tour of his gorgeous collection of presses and printed goodies.
THE PRESSES Ettan etching press (bed size 18 x 36), Fuchs and Lang litho press (bed size 28 x 40), Three copy presses, Daughaday Card press, Improved 3 x 5, Kelsey Model X (6 x 10), C&P old style (8 x 12), and a R. Hoe hand press, bed size (22 x 30).
TYPE OF SHOP The Laramie shop is shared with three artist friends; that space houses the Ettan, the Fuchs and Lang, and the R. Hoe. The other is a small section of the printmaking facility at Truman State University, where I teach courses in all kinds of techniques.
THE LOCATION The shop at Truman State is a converted classroom, on the second floor. Sure hope the presses don’t fall through! My real home is in a shop located in Laramie, Wyoming, and is housed in what used to be the town’s high school, c. 1930. Both areas have good natural lighting, and adequate artificial lights.
SIZE OF PRINT SHOP 16 x 20 feet (for the letterpress action each at both the Truman State University and Laramie locations).
FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE SHOP Probably the C&P. I have had it the longest; she’s my girlfriend. Well, either that press is my favorite piece of equipment, or it is the little paperback dictionary that I keep close by.
FAVORITE INK Because I was first trained in traditional printmaking techniques (and continue to make lithos, woodcuts, etc.) my ink knowledge is somewhat narrow in focus, using oil-based relief inks from Daniel Smith and Graphic Chemical Ink Co.
SOLVENT OF CHOICE For clean up of metal and wood type, I use regular mineral spirits and a red rag (we have a contract with the local linen service — they pick up our dirty rags for recycling). For the press and ink slab and photopolymer plates I use vegetable oil […] followed by 409 to degrease. Stubborn ink or grease? Out comes the Everclear! Wow! That stuff will strip anything.
PLATE AND BASE OF CHOICE When I print with photopolymer plates, I use the Boxcar Deep Relief plate system, first trying them about three years ago. I am still amazed at the great range of elements that can be brought out of the process: Print print print !!!
OIL OF CHOICE I lube the presses with 20w-50 oil, or multipurpose red grease where needed.
WHAT TYPE OF RAG DO YOU CLEAN UP YOUR PRESSES WITH Red rag for metal and wood type. Scott brand Blue Shop towels for the press and ink slab.
FLOORING MATERIAL Concrete
FLOOR PLAN TIPS I have planned and implemented and assisted in the layout of many shops across the U.S. In general, keep spaces tight where you need to do repetitious movement, but also have easy access to some open, clean, “breathing room”. That’s where I hang the motorized mirror ball from the ceiling: you never know when a person might need a spontaneous disco party.
PIED TYPE Oh, I did have, a couple years back, a large amount of pied type in the shop, as I was able to get a good deal on the remnants of type from the Columbia Journal in Missouri. Unfortunately, it had been dumped into black plastic trash bags. It took almost a year and a half to sort the usable from the rest. I finally got that accomplished, and still have some really nice, though a bit worn, selections. The rest — all 672 pounds — went to the foundry of Sky Shipley, before he moved to Arizona.
ORGANIZATION ADVICE A clean shop is a happy shop. Many years ago I read about Henry Ford and the notion of time and motion studies, which I apply to any shop I am asked to have a hand in designing.
PRINTING ADVICE Everything has its place and needs to be put back in its place. Machines, just like the human body, will perform only as well as they are taken care of. Go Print!
Tim, the Headless Pressman
Tim is completing makeready on his Heidelberg Windmill.