Inspiring...

Nigel is happy for me to have full access to anything I need, and though the library is only open 3 days a week, I can come in any time which is great.




Been researching what others have done with letterpress online, and its just getting me excited thinking about what I could do...though the examples are inspiring I think a lot more can be done with letterpress other than wedding invitations and stationary. Letterpress has been solely resigned to this for far too long...I think after all this degree business i might have to get my hands on my own press as I have so many ideas that I want to try out.

More thoughts...

Been thinking about the function of this book, the time I have to produce it and its form...have come up with a 'Pantone' book to display examples of the fontcases in the library's collection. This would be cheap and easy (hopefully) to bind and it would have the following functions:

- As a way of generating a modest sum of money through the 'adopt-a-case' scheme.

- As a resource for design research, showing what the library has to offer.

- Promotional piece for the Library, for those who know little about it or its situation.

- A highly finished object, very tactile, that is a nice thing to own in itself.

Research into equipment (Paper/inks), binding etc is the next step. If possible this could be leather bound (leather covers) and embossed with edged plating around the corners. For this to work I need to create a beautiful object. Must speak to Nigel if I can have full access to the workshops and letterpress equipment.




This is an example of the kind of object I have in mind to produce:(with fonts not colours!)

Potential...

After my meeting with Nigel, he seemed really keen on the 'adopt-a-case' idea. After all, if the library doesn't get it's funds the collection could ultimately be spilt up and sold. The library is mostly used by 1) Students 2)Designers doing research 3) Historians interested in the library (though 'mostly' doesn't mean lots, and that's something I aim to help with).

The main problems with this idea are resources, time and money (as usual!) I still like the idea of creating something totally away from the computer using the libraries resources and imagery only. Therefore have been thinking about letter pressing the entire thing. This means it would be cheap and easy to resource but time consuming, so I will have to cut down on the idea of a 'pack' with lots of pieces inside and more of a small book displaying type from the type cases...needs more thought...

Tests

Started to think about the ways in which I might use the imagery I find: (Image is my own lino cut, text font: Mesquite Std Medium) Below are some tests on newsprint (takes to it well, but doesn't show off colours to full potential...praps not use newsprint only?) Also tests using roller only, interesting effect may use for borders/backdrop for fonts? Possibly use TRANSPARENT nature of newprint somehow?

Moving on...

Booked meeting with Nigel to speak about this on Fri 10.30.

Thoughts:

- How many packs? 50?

- What information to be contained in them? Speak with Nigel about this.

- Who aimed at? Nigel, again, the best to ask for addresses.

- Size/cost? Remember posting here!

- Materials? Paper/inks to consider (colour, amount, types, cost, binding) Praps use newspaper (phone West Ferry Printers for off-cuts) as its integral to the history of the Library plus portrays fragility of its current situation plus cheap! PLUS, lightweight for posting!

- Freebies (Badges, posters, tactile thing to keep itself)

- ALL imagery/fonts to come from Library displaying variety of resources for research.

Below are notes on binding that maybe useful later:

Another U-turn

...AND hopefully the last! After speaking with Geoff and the group about my plans, tiny holes in my thinking (which seemed over-comm able at the time) have arisen. Foremost mentioned was the fact that putting up MY posters in other colleges they probably wouldn't allow, least not near summer exhibition time. (I'd thought all about advertising the event, but forgot it was also advertising my own work!) Plus, I fumbled my presentation with nervous waffling which didn't help generally. This plus the change in situation at the library, called for a re-think.

Being thinking along the lines now of Adopt-a-Typeface. Hopefully not as corny as it sounds! See the library has many cases of type lying around that (if the worst happened and the library closed) would otherwise be sold and shipped off to foreign lands most likely. If I could create an adoption pack (beautifully made of course!) that included information on the library, it's current situation, the typefaces up for adoption and where your money goes....to be mailed out to people with a sympathy for the cause (designers, historians etc), that this would be a more direct way of raising awareness and funds for St bride's?

Bad news for St Bride's

Speaking with Nigel the other day brought on some bad news for the Library's re-development. The HLF (to donate half the £7mil total) has rejected as the HLF's resources have been diverted to the 2012 Olympics. A new threee year plan has been drawn up to re apply for the money after the Olympics... a three 3-year plan is being talked about culminating in the rebuild in 2016. The only thing to do is raise enough money to fund the library till then. This is a terrible set back but they are now considering opening more rooms for rentable use, placing more resources in storage and possibly even charging for the library use in general.

Whie this doesn't directly effect my project it will have reprocussions so it is vital that I bear this in mind.

Old V.S New

Today, by chance actually, I was given the chance to poke my nose into both the type workshop at St Bride's and the modern Westferry Printers. St Bride's an amazing resource that I didn't even know was there till recently. Saying it was like stepping back 50years maybe rather corny but accurate all the same. Below are some pictures of both locations...guess i needn't tell which is which!

Inspiration

Coming up with the image I will eventually produce has not been easy, a few lino prints I made a few weeks ago were quite striking, using colour is something I'd like to try...

Article raises question...

Researching in the St Bride's Library uncovered this article in Typograhica 65. David Wakefield talks of letterpress's limitations and strengths for use in modern day advertising. Though very much a letterpress fan, " The Letterpress Process is not quaint. It can be vigorous with honest association offering not only an alternative but something with added value. And added value is it's strength.." David is sensible of its practicalities, " Letterpress...remains a considered option presenting a unqiue process with a unique solution. It shows no sign of dissappearing yet. If we could harrness the speed of digital expectancy, we woild clear some space to work with it."

Yet the article goes on to describe his efforts in producing two recent commissions via letterpress...no mean feat either, which means I will have to get a move on if I want to achieve my aim. Advice in talking to someone familiar with typeseting maybe a good idea here.

DIY

To expirement with the practicalities of such a project I've decided to do a small scale reproduction by making my own prints. Below are some photos of the type I made for printing and the results.







I've scanned in the print (background is in orange so that you can pick out the individual elements) however the tacile quality has already been somewhat lost...least the final object will not be reduced to pixels!






Here are a few quick mock-ups with locations (though i'm thinking that outside locations are impractical due to unpredictable weather!) Art colleges however with be best as they have huge white wall space I can commondere, scouting for locations will take place as soon as term starts. I understand the image I create will have to be alot more impressive than the one shown.

Testing...

Spent the morning working out how the printer does this but managed to print out the sketchy idea posted the other day. This won't be the final image, this will be dictated somewhat by the practicalities of what can be achieved by the press, but gives you a glimpse of what I'm trying to achieve...



Below are some images I've located using type in different ways, amongst them some of Alan Kitching's work which is a great display of what can be achieved.

Better Idea...

I'd just finished typing out an email to Catherine as follows:

Hi there Catherine!

It's kim, the student you met at the Alan Kitching lecture and we talked about me putting on an exhibition about how historical print processes relate to modern design and how relevant it is for educating typography/design students. You talked about conference will be taking place next year following a similar theme and I started thinking about what you said about getting more student involved and using the library.

My idea is to build up publicity (or hype for want of a better word) in the months leading up to the event. I have always been very keen on generating a discussion around this issue, and fostering an online resource complete with relevant journalism, articles, interviews, image library, forums (in short creating an online community) maybe be the most appropriate way to promote such discussion, with also the potential - for reaching more students than any exhibition alone could.

Alas, despite the clear advantages of an online presence, is too removed from the tactile nature of print. While doing my best to convey this with the chosen imagery within the website, more physical events could take place...such as 6 foot letter installations around the university or anything else that excites a strong visual interest/excitement which promotes the online archive/discussion platform..after all i will need to tell people/students that such a thing exists if I want to create interest.

This maybe ambitious in some respects, but I think the main core of the idea (to generate conversation about the conference before it is held, particurly with students in mind) is possible. Through promoting ticket sales for the conference this will indirectly support the Library (which is something I'm really concerned in doing!)

First, I would just like to ask would this be something yourself and others involved with the conference would be happy for me to do?

Secondly, is there is any information about the conference, its particular themes, direction of conversation, speakers etc that you could could send me so that I could get as clear a picture as possible about the focus of the conference (I understand that certain issues are always subject to change however!)

Thank you Catherine for your time in this respect as I appreicate your a busy woman! But any quick initial thoughts/advice would be invaluable.

Thanks again,

Kim

The idea of using an online archive, while perfect as a discussion platform, still bypassed the the tactile physicality of letterpress...the quality that is most appealing and in constrast to digital,(thanks for pointing this out too Jo!). But what if I was to still promote the conference in a physcial way, but limit myself to letterpress techniques? In other words, aim for the same impact and excitement of modern advertising by using the letterpress in a whole new way... (this part was inpired by Mr Kitching!)



This is my first concept, creating a large/HUGE scale poster/instillation from smaller A1 parts that could be printed separtely on a press. The image would be made up from large wooden type carefully placed to corospond to each other and create a larger image. Partciular inks and paper are choosen to best show off the press's tactile qualities close-up.

This happily ticks the following boxes:

- Cheap to produce (Cheaper than digital printing im thinking?)
- If placed around art colleges I will have free large areas of exhibtion space (nice white walls!) and will also reach fellow students (Catherine would be happy!)
- Plus, I get the possible oppotunity to work in several differnt workshops to showcase their type resources...something i've longed to find an excuse for to be nosey!

Plan of action...

- Re-email new direction to Catherine
- Will have to go around colleges looking for good locations
- Contact people (Alan/Nigel/Nigel etc) for possible workshop availablity.
- Determine what type and what overall image i wish to use
- Research inks/paper
- Any other ways of re-purposing the Letterpress?

Turn around...

Well, I think an update here is well past its due...Apart from general research surrounding letterpress and St Brides, since an exhibition has been out of the question the research as been a bit aim less so to speak. But in a desperate quest for outside observation I've had a long discussion with my brother (always have great discussions with him even if we don't always agree!) and we've come up with some possible directions. Just talking to someone like-minded clears all the crap from your head that was clouding the issue. Guess this is something I half knew already and could have done it sooner but that's not always the way things pan out.

Catherine spoke about the conference next year...although I can't do my own exhibition why not work with them? Not so much to do design for it (posters, leaflets etc) as create some "hype" (for want of a better word) surrounding what the conference stands for, provoke interest, get people talking (which was the focus of the my exhibition anyway).

This way I can still indirectly raise money for the Library since this will encourage people to attend the conference and (when the library does re-open) perhaps inspire them to use it. Catherine was also interested in me reaching the students in particular...maybe this can be directed with them in mind.

How to ago about this? A website/database seem the most practical for reaching students (more so than an exhibition could) This would involve video and soundbites of interviews with relevant people, links, selected articles for and against the importance of letterpress informing future design (that I've found), image library? (Take pictures at St Bride?) A forum for discussion...i suppose what I'm talking about is creating a community, not just of letterpress lovers but anyone who cares about type and its future.

This would involve creating a website however and in this I'm quite the novice...but as this is not purely a website focused brief, maybe there are ways to get around this...can't disregard it on that count alone.

The only thing I worry about is whether this is too detached from the essence of tactile print...can't communicate that over a website. However this is the best way to disseminate information that is also attainable (not least financially). But in balance I think there has to be a 'real' not just virtual element to this. In thinking i realised that I would need to advertise the website/community anyway..praps I can stage events (ie. place 50ft type sculptures somewhere!) That will get people thinking, something attention grabbing... praps to promote the launch of the site? (Giving me time to make it of course too!)

This community will be the lead up to the conference, so the actual project might last a year in total.

Must send an email to Catherine for more information on the conference and to see what she thinks of the idea, linking the project to something real can only be a good thing.

Will this work? Well i haven't any better ideas so it's either this or continue twiddling thumbs..and I'm sick to death of that. Covering ground is what I need to d for the two weeks as I've a presentation to prepare for...so here goes nothing!