We have been busy here on the mountain hosting Christmas and visitors and attending events; and the associated cleaning, cooking and washing that accompanies it all. Today we had no commitments to anybody but ourselves and decided this was the time to do two things - begin our New Year's cards, and see if we could have a play with the beautiful letterpress we bought a few months ago.
So we got to combine the two, working out as we went along whether or not we could letterpress print our NY cards this year.
So far so good!
First things first, we changed over the paper that the former owner had used for his registration of work. It was a work of art in its own right, but I wanted a fresh start.
The new paper in place.
Barry and I worked out how to set the small wooden type pieces we had discovered in Paris last month in the chase. I don't have a great deal of understanding of the language to describe all the parts, so forgive any blunders...
First impressions...we needed to check what might print before we actually inked the plate up fully. The poor old 1 was hardly there at all, the 0 was great and the 2 and the 5 both needed a little bit of assistance.
So we popped the chase out again and taped some paper to the back of the type to lift them forward ever so slightly.
And then the inking began! I laid on some bright red ink...
And then the press went work. It is the most magnificent design - the rollers go up and down and the plate turns until you have covered the entire plate with an even coating of ink. Just beautiful to behold a machine being so clever.
And the first print! Barry designed a neat way of registering the card - two strips of greyboard with a light covering of paper - and the card slips into it. He turned the wheel and I took the card out and slipped the next one in - a great team.
Here's a bundle beginning to dry.
And here's where I went a little bit crazy with overprinting... not a great look, but it got the brain ticking over about future options...
All in all a delightful way to spend a morning and now I am even keener to sit down and read some of the letterpress books I got for Christmas to get my head totally into letterpress!!
So we got to combine the two, working out as we went along whether or not we could letterpress print our NY cards this year.
So far so good!
First things first, we changed over the paper that the former owner had used for his registration of work. It was a work of art in its own right, but I wanted a fresh start.
The new paper in place.
Barry and I worked out how to set the small wooden type pieces we had discovered in Paris last month in the chase. I don't have a great deal of understanding of the language to describe all the parts, so forgive any blunders...
First impressions...we needed to check what might print before we actually inked the plate up fully. The poor old 1 was hardly there at all, the 0 was great and the 2 and the 5 both needed a little bit of assistance.
So we popped the chase out again and taped some paper to the back of the type to lift them forward ever so slightly.
And then the inking began! I laid on some bright red ink...
And then the press went work. It is the most magnificent design - the rollers go up and down and the plate turns until you have covered the entire plate with an even coating of ink. Just beautiful to behold a machine being so clever.
And the first print! Barry designed a neat way of registering the card - two strips of greyboard with a light covering of paper - and the card slips into it. He turned the wheel and I took the card out and slipped the next one in - a great team.
Here's a bundle beginning to dry.
And here's where I went a little bit crazy with overprinting... not a great look, but it got the brain ticking over about future options...
All in all a delightful way to spend a morning and now I am even keener to sit down and read some of the letterpress books I got for Christmas to get my head totally into letterpress!!
LOVELY post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue - the red is great isn't it?
DeleteAbsolutely fantastic! I wish I could come and play! I'd put my head into letterpress too. I got to use a massive old one a few years ago, and could have printed all day! I'd love to get one of those miniature ones.
ReplyDeleteA lot of joy awaits here I think Louise! You can get some good deal son desktop Adanas I think...they do our size/scale of work really well, and you have lots of letterpress-heads to help out over your way!
Deleteahhh if we were closer - imagine all the sorts of exchange of letterpress information we could have....
ReplyDeleteSo true Ronnie - we'd learn heaps and a bit faster than my usual trial and error approach! It was sooooo much fun!
DeleteWhat fun this is ... Very appealing and clean and striking ... A great way to welcome 2015!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Charlton(Margagert) - I was amazed at how crisp it was; a truly delightful discovery. Very happy to have this to play with and explore - now I just need more type!
DeleteOh, this looks exciting, Fiona! You are going to have a good time with more of the same during 2015, aren't you?!
ReplyDeleteWe are indeed Lisa - it is a great piece of machinery, but I need to have a few set sod type to really get stuck in...go well.
Delete