Tuesday Tips - Letterpress

In an attempt to make my blog slightly more interesting, I thought I'd start a section called "Tuesday Tips". I can't promise they'll be good, and of course may be taken with a grain of salt since they are entirely my opinion. If people react well, then I'll keep it up, if not, I'll probably get bored of it and stop.

So with out further adeiu: here is installment number one: Letterpress

For the last four months or so I've been working at Hammerpress, letterpress and design studio. After pestering Brady, leaning over Matt's shoulder while he designs, and digging through everything I can get my hands on without being too intrusive, this is some of what I've found:

* Be creative with your type. Think of it in new ways. Turn wood type upside down and use the grain for an interesting background (do this only with wood type or previously damaged lead type, since lead is easily marred and wood can stand the strain). A row of lower case i's can quickly become a border placed end to end. Just because you don't have a lot of type, doesn't mean you don't have a lot of possibilities.
* Layer. First of all, all letterpress inks are more or less transparent with the exception of metallic. Use this to your advantage. Think about how shapes will look with another layer of ink on top of them, or how a layer of white underneath might make another color more dramatic.
Also, layer in the terms of your type. Reprinting the same layer in a different color, slightly off, will make a "shadow" that causes the second color to pop. For that matter, if you print the same layer right over the previous color, you might find the first color peeking through (especially with older type) and create a great sense of depth.
* Keep your hand on your paper until you can't anymore. Not too firm, but firm enough the paper is pressed against the timpin. This will help with registration - particularly larger pieces and fine details.
* When you pull your paper out - pull it straight up instead of at an angle. This will help avoid catching ink on the tail end.
* Color not dark enough? Add more ink (a little at a time of course), you don't necessarily need more packing. Too much packing could hurt the type, too much ink is just messy.
* Always print more than you need - up to one fourth of your total at least, you'll be happy you did.
* If you love something - print each layer in black on white paper, that way you can make a plate of it and reprints will be easy.
* Look everywhere for imagery. Old book title pages, vintage magazines, clipart books. Remember when you see a clipart book called "1200 images and ornaments", they aren't talking about christmas tree ornaments. Once upon a time, most of those things were actual type.
* Use the presses at school. This is my most important tip. Don't let the time you have on them go to waste. Finding an open press and type is incredibly hard when you're not at art school.