letterpress work
I took a letterpress course at Miami University from January to May 2017. Letterpress requires precision, patience, and creativity, and I take great pride in my projects.
Our first assignment was to create postcards with a class-defined theme. Our theme was "Shakespearean Song Lyrics." I chose "Stop; Hammer Time," which translates to "Halt! The time of Hammer is upon thee!"
Daredevil typesetting is when a printer sets their type on angles, which tend to be difficult to lock in. They require a different sort of alignment. I took on the challenge for my very first project. It turned out well.
The finished product.
For our pressure printing lesson, I decided to cut out silhouettes of Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford to pay homage to Fisher. It was also close to Valentine's day, so I thought it was fitting.
This is a script ampersand carved out of wood. Our teacher's father is one of the only remaining wood type carvers in the country, and he gave our class a lesson.
I had to do a broadside poster, working with a partner to split one piece of paper. Mine is a quote from Hamilton (so is my partner's, but shh).
(Warning: tall image) I carved the feather pen out of linoleum and had other Hamilton quotes spilling out of the pen like a blot of ink.
I'm very proud that my manicule (also known as a printer's fist) lined up well with the background of the poster.
My first attempt at a split fountain (two or more colors on the press, forming a gradient). It was meant to be rainbow text on a blue background, but I liked how the purple and green came out.
Now THAT'S a rainbow. This split fountain actually worked the way I intended, and it's a great final product.