Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Play and discovery

 A wee while back I posted about my excitement about purchasing some old letraset. About a month ago, another friend who knew of my search, discovered some and sent me another whole stash. Be still my beating heart!

Life has been busy and has not allowed me the option of just playing and testing and trying things; but on Sunday I took the latest stash down to the studio and hoped I could have a bit of a play, after finishing all the chores on the list. And I did. Yay.

It has been decades since I did this, maybe back in the late 70s or early 80s was the last time?

Here I had been rubbing that first S for a while and though I was done.  But when I checked - the letraset said no.


I then recalled that this was what I was supposed to see - that faded look as it was being transferred or had transferred.


The traditional lift and check...



And we have lift off. Or rub off?


I was working with some Japanese paper - both sides. One is slightly shinier than the other.  I also wanted to test it on some book paper I had. I like how the fibres of the paper are drifting into the lettering.



I am also quite fond of the broken bits, the cracked bits and the bits that just never make it across.  


I think the tests and trials and play were successful.  I used Chesterfield 36pt, and there is still a fair bit of it left!

So, BIG thanks to my friend Caren who shared her stash with me - women friends.

6 comments:

  1. long ago and faraway, a colleague attended a seminar on conserving works of art on paper ... for some reason, her description of learning how to peel off adhered paper stuck with me (ha!) ... as I recall she said, "you can never go too slow"

    and though it's been a looooong time since I used anything like letraset, your description of "that faded look" absolutely rang a bell ...

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    1. Truly excellent advice - you can NEVER go too slow! It's funny how memories come back and what was learnt resurfaces in the right place at the right time. That transformation from dark to faded was just such a moment. Go well.

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  2. nice ! I also have some of these sheets. bought them in a thrift shop last year !Brings bacj memories ....

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    1. ooooh I hope you enjoy playing with them as much as I do! As you say, many memories...

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  3. Isn’t it great? Enjoy the imperfections (see your later post :))

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.