As we tested this and that and had a few goes at things with different papers and the like at the letterpress workshop on the weekend, one of the things we trialled was the use of the metal type with a tabletop press, but with no ink.
Always a fan of white on white, I knew embossed lettering looked gorgeous and so we had a quick play with some Arches Velin and with some beermat bored.
Delicious - and now Barry and I each have a coaster by our computer with Kindness on it - a lovely daily reminder.
And the Arches came up softly and gently.
As we pottered along we came across moments of broken type. Even tho lead type seems indestructible; it is fact quite fragile and relatively easily damaged. As evidenced here...
This beautiful 'h' just wasn't picking up the ink like other letters, so we had a good look at it and discovered that the surface was really pitted. Not sure why, but there you go. So we changed it over.
There was a nibble out of this 't' as well
And one of the leading edges of this 'v' had also been munched.
I have now set aside a special place for broken type - and will continue to use it to demonstrate the fragility of type in future workshops.
And to finish the day we watched a massive storm below us in the valley. We dashed back from the studio anticipating that we were about to get drenched and then the sun burst through and we were offered these rainbows for reward at the end of a big couple of days!
I really do love a rainbow...
Always a fan of white on white, I knew embossed lettering looked gorgeous and so we had a quick play with some Arches Velin and with some beermat bored.
Delicious - and now Barry and I each have a coaster by our computer with Kindness on it - a lovely daily reminder.
The beermat board really does love the pressure...
And the Arches came up softly and gently.
As we pottered along we came across moments of broken type. Even tho lead type seems indestructible; it is fact quite fragile and relatively easily damaged. As evidenced here...
This beautiful 'h' just wasn't picking up the ink like other letters, so we had a good look at it and discovered that the surface was really pitted. Not sure why, but there you go. So we changed it over.
There was a nibble out of this 't' as well
And one of the leading edges of this 'v' had also been munched.
I have now set aside a special place for broken type - and will continue to use it to demonstrate the fragility of type in future workshops.
And to finish the day we watched a massive storm below us in the valley. We dashed back from the studio anticipating that we were about to get drenched and then the sun burst through and we were offered these rainbows for reward at the end of a big couple of days!
I really do love a rainbow...
'My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky' - one of my favourite Wordsworth lines.
ReplyDeleteSuch an apt way to describe a rainbow - perfect words from Wordsworth, Thanks Louise!
Deletefiona, when my printer friend mark printed on a couple of shifu squares he scratched first wood type and even metal type, much to his horror. i, however, have nifty samples!
ReplyDeleteI was amazed that shifu could mark your type - my damage seems to mostly come from dropping or accidentally thumping...but its a good lesson to take care!
DeleteI'm imagining how one might gather damaged letters together to print the ultimate anagram ...
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you ... there can never be too many rainbows to behold
It would be a fun alphabet to print even wouldn't it? And yes there can never be too many rainbows!!
Deletemagic days!
ReplyDeleteToday the wind!
Delete