It was a little surreal to see a full working studio, and talk to people who actually DO letterpress - not just blog about it, have informative websites, or run print businesses and supply stores. Sounds weird, but it's true. I can also understand how it would be so much easier and faster to learn from a course or workshop, rather than picking up information from the web. I've heard a lot of people say that letterpress is just something you can't learn from reading websites and books. I guess it's true to an extent, but if you're determined, you'll find the information you need, it may just take longer.
After quickly seeing &Duck's copies of these two books, I've decided I need copies too! I've now ordered Letterpress: New applications for traditional skills from Paperchain and will order Letterpress Printing: A manual for modern fine press printers from Oak Knoll Press next payday.
After exploring a couple of possible places that could make photopolymer plates for me, &Duck's going to help me by casting my plates from film I'll get made by Monaro Printing in Hume (just around the corner from where I live!). So good to know that I can get it all done locally!
Also, I've been using Yupo paper for tympan paper, for lack of something better. It's been working pretty well, but now thanks to &Duck, I've got some of the real stuff to play with. A good thing about the eight-five: you can use other printer's cutoffs because it's so small. This is a pic of some of the tympan paper with &Duck's student handout packed full of great info.
So it's been a good letterpressing day for me today, even though I haven't touched the Adana. I'm so grateful that there's someone like &Duck in my city! Woot! :)
(Ok, so this post ended up being a mini fanclub tribute to &Duck... sorry! hehe)
1 comment:
Next we'll be starting up a Canberra letterpress society! We'd have to hire a pretty big hall, heh.
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