Upside Down, Left To Right: A Letterpress Film from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.
I recently came across this sweet film about how traditional letterpresses are seeing a resurgence.
Hard to believe that a few years ago you could probably pick these type trays and presses up for their ‘junk’ status, but now designers are once again discovering the unique way that the traditional compositing methods lend to a piece of work.
Apart from the olfactory delights of the ink and the oil from the presses themselves, there are the tactile treats too.
The mixing of the ink and prepping the galley.
The way the press actually ‘presses’ into the paper giving you that embossed depth that no digital medium can match.
The slight imperfections in the inking and the subsequent texture of the type – especially noticeable on the wood block characters.
Not to mention the texture and feel of a sheet of handmade paper.
And to top it all, the sheer joyous SLOWNESS of it all.
OK, I remember using all this equipment and learning the art from way before Macs appeared, and part of the joy of this film is seeing an almost forgotten art again. And I bet I could pick it up again pretty quickly.
But of course, more important is the way a new generation of designers are discovering the joys of letterpress for themselves.
Thanks to JB for the link and Danny Cooke and Plymouth University.
