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?