A Birth of a Book – Pointe Shoes from Alon Hetzroni on Vimeo.
Category: letterpress
Fall, Almost
I have been retired from teaching for four years, but I still find myself thinking of September (or late August) as the beginning of a new year, a time to reflect and then move forward. I loved starting each fall with a new class, sometimes a new room, and new plans.
These days, I’m not headed into a classroom, but I still find myself looking forward and thinking of this time as a beginning. Finding a new press in Lyme, Connecticut a few weeks ago has given me something to focus on. As soon as the rollers arrive, I’ll be experimenting with it, seeing what I can do beyond my current proof press.
But more than that, I am trying to envision what I want to do with these presses and my studio. I love having students, especially those squirmy and enthusiastic elementary and middle schoolers. I enjoy helping them figure out how to organize their ideas and put their thoughts on paper (or keyboards). And when I’m not with them, I turn to my type and ink. I had originally thought I’d limit myself to printing my own writing, creating broadsheets of my poetry. But I’ve had fun creating cards to sell in our studio, too. And with my partners now working on bookbinding, the possibilities are endless.
So here’s to starting again, a topic that I’ve revisited many times on this blog! I’ve changed the name of the blog to get things rolling.
Faster, Better, Stronger
Hmmm, no, I”m not the Six Million Dollar Man, but my printing process is improving. This week I was able to lock up some 14 pt Caslon for Lynette, who is making a book. She wanted a peek-a-boo window with some letterpress type showing through. I also created a quick card for one of my students using my wood type. And then I printed several cards to share with my Rhode Island friends.
A few months ago, all this would have taken me weeks. Now I have system.
But I know something else. I think I need a bigger press. Mine has been a great starter press, but I’m ready for more. I’m limited by what I can actually carry up the stairs to our second floor studio, and I’m limited by not knowing where to find one. You know these presses are vintage? I spend hours watching ebay, craigslist, and Etsy. I have feelers out in Colorado and Massachusetts. I know when the right press comes along, I’ll be ready for it.
Ready and broke!
It’s a Funny Thing About Hair
I cut my hair last year. This spring, I cut it even shorter. But I am not happy with it.
When this happens, I get out a pair of scissors, thinking I can do a better job than my hairdresser. Which is laughable. Now I’m lopsided and asymmetrical.
Symmetry has always been important to me. I love teaching the “magic three” to emerging writers. “Isn’t it cool how you can include three parallel words, phrases, or sentences to give your writing rhythm?” I ask. They don’t usually share my enthusiasm.
I like the art on my walls to line up. And I hate my eyebrows, which don’t.
So this letterpress printing pushes me out of my comfort zone. Nothing is symmetrical, perfect, or even. The whole idea of this fascinates me since overall I’m not a detail person. I lose notes, don’t follow recipes, hate to clean, and often read over mistakes. But in a handful of ways, being even and perfect matters to me.
Recently, though, I’ve begun to enjoy the process of printing much more than the product. The rhythm of placing lines and lines of metal type back in the appropriate sections of the type case, letter by letter, size by size, becomes meditative work. Using tweezers to remove and replace an errant letter challenges me to breathe deeply and focus. Then, after all the tedious toiling, I ink card after card, waiting for the right mixture of ink and pressure from the roller. This is a small, tabletop proof press that produces one page at a time.
These days, I am delighted when I hold a finished product in my hand that shows the age of the type, the failings of the printer, and the love of the work. Imperfections in all its glory.
Now if I could only leave my hair alone.
Stimulating new neural pathways?
I’m hoping all this learning, studying, discovering will give me some advantage in old age.
Today I’m reading about ATF type vs monotype. And then there’s Ludlow, which I bought accidentally. I now know that News Gothic made by one foundry won’t necessarily work with one made at another. I’m wishing I hadn’t tried to pinch pennies by buying a limited type set. I bought a set of News Gothic, but with only one letter of each, they are not much use. I also should have kept to a few type sizes so I wouldn’t have to buy spacing for so many sizes.
However, despite feeling like I’ve emptied my bank account and lost my mind, I am really moving forward. And even with my basic proof press I am better at inking, setting type, and printing. One day I’ll look back on all this and laugh.
#letterpress