loving letterpress

even for someone like me, who eschews tradition and covets all things fresh, vibrant and modern, there is something tactile and wondrous about the 19th century art of letterpress. what is letterpress, you ask?

letterpress is a term for printing text with movable type, in which the raised surface of the type is inked and then pressed against a smooth substance to obtain an image in reverse. the result is something remarkable — timeless, vintage, and rich-looking to say the least.

what i love is using this old-world craft with contemporary designs, because the result is eye-catching and often surprisingly beautiful. i have a ton of designs with delicate lines and details that would look wonderful pressed, so i've been wanting to offer some of my current designs in letterpress form.


the tricky thing is, because letterpress is such an antique of a craft, there aren't many machines around to work with, and those that do exist are heavy, inky, oily beasts. so, it has taken me quite a while to find a good solution for my needs — but now that i have, i'm really exicted.

over the next few months, i will be adding a new collection to my website, completely dedicated to the art of letterpress. the papers, colors and designs will all be original and created specifically for this artistic medium, taking full advantage of the palpable process. i can't wait.

honestly, the more i do this, the more i dream up to do, and the less i sleep. is that a bad thing?

mmm, maybe. but a better habit than booze or chocolate, i suppose. speaking of which, i need a martini. :o)