visualchemist

Just finished printing up the final bits and pieces for the Anda wedding. This print run included their program, table numbers, thank you card, response envelopes, and giveaway envelopes. I was very happy with how these turned out.

One thing I’ve learned throughout my adventures with letterpress is that I am in great company. It seems everyone that I cross paths with is helping to shape my foundation in this awesome craft, right before my very eyes. It’s amazing how tight this community is and how helpful everyone is at giving advice or pointing you in the right direction. Without getting all mushy, in honor of those that have helped me along the way, I decided it was time I give back to the letterpress community as my way of saying Thank You. On the first Saturday of this month (and hopefully many more), I joined the International Print Museum’s Leather Apron Guild.

Rachelle Chuang, the museum’s Book Arts Institute Director, (that’s her in red) put out a call for volunteers to be part of the Letterpress Printing Team, to print keepsakes to send out to donors, schools, etc. For the Thank You card project, I got to poke through and explore the museum’s collection of wood type. Once my design was all set up and I got the thumbs up from museum director, Mark Barbour, I was off to work with Rich Tautenhahn, the local windmill expert.

Rich worked with myself and Marjorie, (a docent and letterpress printer), helping us print each of our cards. Rich gave me a quick lesson on how to operate a Heidelberg Windmill, similar to the press seen in the movie Seven Pounds (with Will Smith). In fact, he was the expert on the movie set and he also taught Rosario Dawson how to confidently grab, push and twist the clutch arm of “the Beast.” I admit that my attempt at running a windmill was a bit uncoordinated, so I may have to try it a few more times to get it right. It was a pretty darn cool day.

I was itching to use my vintage wood type so I printed up three sets of valentine’s day cards over the weekend. I hope to build up a line of typography driven cards for now, then branch out and do the fancy stuff later. I’ll add to the collection soon, so keep checking back. These guys are now on sale through my etsy shop.

I got a call from my good friends over at Roxy. They were in need of 750 holiday cards printed up: 2/1 + envelopes and needed them out asap. I was in the middle of printing up Maeden and Derwyn’s wedding invitations, but I was happy to accept the job. Once things got going and I did the math, I realized I was in for a rough week. For these holiday cards alone, I was about to crank my left arm and pull my trusty little Pilot’s lever over 3,000 times in the span of several days. Lucky for me, Lieutenant Price had decent rollers and was up for printing the job.

On a dark and stormy evening, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with friends awaiting my arrival at home, I made the trek out to Vernon, where I ordered and picked up the lot of parent sheets of Crane Lettra. 100% cotton. The good stuff.

This is what Lt. Price looks like all covered up in metallic gold ink and ready to go. After printing up 750 of the gold on the front panel, then the red tracks, and finally the inside text, it was then time to get these bad boys to the bindery for one last step… scoring on a Heidelberg.

3,000+ cranks later…

I would have scored these myself, but this run was a bit large for me. I got help with scoring from Ed, over at Afana Printing, up in Signal Hill. In case you were curious, here’s what scoring on a Heidi looks and sounds like.

Holiday card artwork provided by Roxy.