Erik Spiekermann at his Spiekermann’s Precision Table in his P98a Studio in Berlin (Screenshot from his presentation)
Sat., Nov. 7 | Type designer and printer Erik Spiekermann joined us from the entrance of p98a, his letterpress workshop in Berlin, Germany. He’s wearing a neat white lab coat, like that of a German engineer—or, as he deadpans, of a mad scientist—and invites us in for a tour. [Read more]
Jim Moran printing “Halloween Nights” on a Showcard Press. (Michael Ditmer)
Thur., Nov. 5 | During this 45-minute demonstration, Jim Moran, the Master Printer at the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum, printed the second color on a 26″ × 40″ advertising poster using a 41″ × 60″ proofing press. The blocks for this two-color Halloween poster, featuring lettering and a witch riding a broom, promoted paper hats, favors, and noisemakers are part of the museum’s Enquirer Collection. The first color, orange, had already been printed from the first block, and Jim’s demonstration focused on how to set up and print the second block. Copies of the completed poster will be available to purchase in the museum’s store. [Read more]
From a pre-recorded printing demo produced specifically for this workshop. (Joanne Price)
Thurs. Oct. 29–Nov. 4 | This workshop was well-organized, with the material list sent well in advance and some materials were sent to participants directly from Joanne Price, including one 1″ × 3″ practice and one 2″ × 3″ wood engraving block, a small amount of rubber-based ink wrapped in tin foil, thin print paper, and transfer paper. [Read more]
Letterpress Cranky: The Devil’s 9 Questions. This is a typographic interpretation of the Texas Gladden ballad: “The Devil’s 9 Questions.”
Fri, Nov. 6 | Catherine Schrenker’s irresistibly-titled talk involved “crankies” (or “krankies”)—either way, I was hooked from the start. Her work in the Burke Print Shop at The Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts in Marion, Virginia is where she teaches, paints, and prints. It’s what led her to make crankies. [Read more]
Details from “Through This Lens: Composing The Source” [top] and “UNI Combining Form” [bottom], 2018. A mutually dependent 460-page introductory student project by first-semester graphic design students, developed and led by Chioffi and McMahon, at the School of Art, University of Arkansas.
Sun, Nov. 8 | This Sunday-afternoon panel discussion focused on two student projects involving experimental typography, the role of collaboration in artist books, and the work of the artist Lesley Dill. [Read more]
Georgianne Liesch and Jennifer Anne at the Pantograph with finished type. (Michael Ditmer)
Fri., Nov. 6 | George, Jennifer, and David gave an in-depth overview of the process of making wood type at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum. George, whose father ran the type shop at Hamilton and owned his own printing business, now works with apprentice Jennifer to keep the traditional techniques alive. [Read more]
Stephanie Carpenter at the Press (Stephanie Carpenter/David Carpenter)
Sun, Nov. 8 | Stephanie Carpenter, the Program Officer at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum, and one of the hosts of the Awayzgoose presented a variety of techniques for printing during a 45-minute demonstration. Stephanie began her demo by sharing her process for working with wood type by creating a poster with the museum’s slogan of “Visit, Learn, Print, Repeat.” [Read more]
Modus System, character proof (Cooper + Hutchinson)
Thurs. Oct. 29 | Alexander Cooper and Tim Hutchinson introduced participants to Understanding Molecular Typography, a textbook that explores the atomic composition of letterforms. The book is a prank, an “elaborate work of non-narrative fiction” by the book artist Woody Leslie, but the conceit, letters as organic molecules, is worth some thought, and it inspired Alex and Tim to create the MODUS Type System. [Read more]
Bruce Licher (Bruce Willey Photography)
Sun, Nov. 8 | Bruce Licher is a deservedly-revered and influential printer/designer/artist/
RIT Cary Graphic Arts Hebrew Wood Type Collection. (Amelia Hugill-Fontanel)
Sat., Nov. 7 | Shani Avni’s talk on Hebrew wood type was filled with so much interesting information that I realized while going through my many pages of notes that there is no way to recap everything. Avni is currently undertaking the cataloging of around 40 fonts of Hebrew wood type in the Cary Graphic Arts Collection at R.I.T. These fonts were acquired in 2014 from the artist Richard Rockford. [Read more]