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.
Tag Archives: presses
Boxcar Talk With Jazyrain
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.
Heart!
Hooray for inky fingers!
So Wonderful
Here is a plate mounted on our Boxcar base. Lou’s letterpress is singing in pool ink today, a lovely deep blue. Hearing the press run never gets old.
Another Splendid Press!
Just in case you thought we only had Heidelberg presses, here is a teeny one that lives on the reception desk. It is a miniature wooden handpress, ancestor to the Heidelbergs.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 12:29 p.m.
A slew of letterpress printers
Chris, Stan, Dave & Jim are a mighty force running their Heidelberg Windmill letterpress machines.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 12:55 p.m.
mighty cutter!
This is the cutter that Becky uses to trim large parent sheets into smaller pieces that the printing presses will run.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 2:22 p.m.
the heidelberg windmill
Heidelberg Windmill,
You are a glorious workhorse!
With you, so many wonderful things can be letterpressed & die cut & scored.
I love you, windmill! And all of the other presses too!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 11:18 a.m.
Boxcar Baby #1 helps out in company headquarters
Since the Boxcar Baby #1 just reached his 2-1/2 year milestone, we thought it was time he started pulling his weight around the office a little more. Luckily, energized by a peanut butter sandwich, he was more than willing to help out with our ink jet printer upstairs and try his hand at answering the phones. We’re looking forward to more contributions from Boxcar Baby #2 (due July 30, 2009)!
Crazy press moving story countdown
Two more days to submit your Craziest Press Moving story ever. If you don’t have a story of your own…don’t despair. You have 48 hours to hunt down a letterpress, bring a camera, take a few deep breaths, and go wild. (Submit your story, or read the adventures of other press movers, here).