Letterpress Weekend
Posted by trev | Filed under Odds & Ends
Last weekend, I went to a two day Letterpress workshop at the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. Previously, I had no experience with letterpress (and not much experience with printmaking, in general) so I was not quite sure what to expect. I had a fantastic time. I have been setting type digitally for about 15 years now, but handling beautifully crafted lead and wood blocks of type really makes you realize how sterile their digital counterparts are.
The first day of the workshop was spent going over the basics, setting our first lines of type and learning the printing process. The second day of the workshop was open for us to work on our own project. I chose to create a mini-poster of sorts for the Alfred Hitchcock film, The 39 Steps. I chose this film more for the aesthetic possibilities of the title than anything else (even though I recommend it — it is a very fun flick).
I decided pretty early on to keep my design simple. It was really easy to get lost in the myriad of choices of type found in the various drawers and cabinets. Still, even though the Montserrat print shop had an impressive type to choose from, one of the biggest challenges that the project presented was learning to work with limitations. In the digital world, you almost have no limitations. Looking for a 24 point font rather than an 18 point one? No problem. In the movable type world, you can only work with what you have. Is that 30 point Clarendon a bit too small? Too bad, there is no 32 point available. Make it work, or make another selection.
I found these limitations oddly exhilarating. There is an old saying that limits breed creativity. While this doesn’t always apply, I do think there is a lot of truth in that statement. It was really fun to explore creative solutions under the tight deadline we were working with. That, combined with the tactile nature of making the print really was exciting. A print is much more gratifying when you play a more integral part in its creation than just hitting “print.”
I have already signed up for the second part of the workshop occurring next month. I can’t wait. I already miss the smell of the ink.
Tags: letterpress, Montserrat College of Art, poster, printing, prints, The 39 Steps, workshop
One Response to “Letterpress Weekend”
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Grand Allusions » Blog Archive » Letterpress Redux Says:
November 15th, 2010 at 5:56 am[...] attended the second Letterpress workshop at the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. Where the first workshop went over the basics of the art of letterpress, this workshop was more free form, allowing us a [...]