As a self-taught letterpress printer I am continually learning. There must be better and faster and easier ways to do things, but I stumble along and discover things for myself.
At times, I would love to be in a shared print shop and watch others and ask and listen and all of that; but instead I just have to figure things out for myself and I laugh a lot along the way as I realise I could have been sooooo much more efficient!
Case in point. Preparing to print the first 'verse' of the 'poem' that will accompany the images of standing stones, I first of all worked out the size of the print area and tried to place my small pieces of type within it just to get a sense of how it might look.
Of course several fell over.
But I thought I was onto something size-wise and positionally, so I grabbed a few spaces to see how they worked. All looked OK.
Then I locked the type up in a chase and carbon paper proofed it. Told myself I wanted to move things this way and that, so went back in and changed the spaces and and hoped for a better look.
I di this several times...
I think maybe eight times?
And then thought - why don't I just cut the words out and lay them out how I want to see them printed, and then see if I can pop the type in to match my preferred layout?
And look at that - it worked! I could have saved an hour or two I reckon if I had used my brain a wee bit earlier in the process. Laugh.
Locked and ready to test print.
Interesting. Not something I would have thought of.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny - I just wish I had though of it sooner!
Deletewell, you figured it out. that's really all that matters.
ReplyDeleteSo true V - and it gets embedded that way doesn't it? You remember the things you learnt the hard way...
DeleteBrilliant insight! All the more memorable for 1. having sussed it out by trial and error, and 2. having documented it here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz - I think it will hold for sure this one -I did have a giggle at myself as I looked at all those proofs and how I went this way a bit too far, then back, then no, not like that...so funny.
Deletelove seeing how you get there!
ReplyDeleteSometimes it s a very circuitous route Mo! But good for a laugh along the way. Go well.
DeleteIt may have saved you hours of work but witnessing your thought processes was worth it for the understanding of just how difficult and time consuming the whole process is. The result is going to be amazing. You are so much further along than I am F.
ReplyDeleteIt is areal jigsaw puzzle of sorts Susan - and trying to set it backwards when you wan too read it forwards adds another dimension Iam still grappling with. Still - its a fun time. I am doing wee bits - one verse set out of six, but the weather is making em think maybe no printing for a few days...glad you enjoyed the wander!
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