Letterpress printed 100+ year old type cut

I needed access to a letterpress machine – without buying one. The best deal in town is to take Contemporary Letterpress with Grendl Löfkvist at City College of San Francisco, so I did that.

Post Card type cut from early 1900s

It was supposed to be meant for people wanting to learn how to translate a design into a photopolymer plate, but I kinda didn’t get the message – and printed woodblocks (see last post) and some 100+ year old type cuts that I’ve had for a while.

I wanted to make postcards that evoked the past, but would be affordable (and useable) today. I chose Fabriano Mediovalis as paper for those that like to use a fountain pen to write with.

Vintage type cut used to make contemporary post card.

I put them up on my BiblioForge Etsy store if you’d like a set. They’re $12.00 for five.

This isn’t earth shattering design, just a bit of fun, so have some!

Last year, I managed to teach a few classes but spent most of the year in a migraine fog; seven months without relief. But near the end of last year, I found a bodywork treatment that has relieved the pain. I didn’t get much done – and no blogging in a year!

Now that I feel better, I’ll be posting again. 😉

While I wasn’t able to do much work last year, I did some and I’ll post up my efforts as I go along.

I have an Etsy store called BiblioForge (tricky branding, right?) and have posted a few calligraphic woodblock prints.

The e.e. cummings quote was cut a couple of years ago and this fall I printed it letterpress.

Woodblock printed letterpress

Be Of Love woodblock handprinted

The alphabet was fun – I used a ruling pen to write out the letters, then cut them in wood. Printing on a Vandercook letterpress is a nice experience and oil based ink is completely different than water based ink.

Freely written alphabet cut in wood and printed letterpress

I’m a printer!

These two prints are available at BiblioForge on Etsy. The new year promises to be productive in terms of making and researching books!