Why Work With Letterpress Printers?

There are more reasons to hire a letterpress printer than just the printing. Something to keep in mind when contracting a letterpress printer is that most of the small shops around the country are run by artists with advanced degrees who know how to use heavy machinery. What that combination of sensibility and skill indicates (besides self indulgent over-education and the recklessness to tinker with big heavy toys) is a genuine aptitude for problem solving.

It’s the odd job that comes our way that doesn’t require at least one conversation with the designer to be sure all the possibilities have been explored. Many jobs begin with the sentence “What I’m trying to achieve is… do you think it’s feasible to…” We’ve been stumped a few times, but mostly we’ve been able to help.

The work pictured here started with a conversation about process and timing. 200 photos needed to be glued onto the cover of a pocket folder. The folders had to first be printed in two colors with a debossed panel for the photos to fit within. We’d never tipped photos into anything before. What kind of glue to use? Spray adhesive, double stick tape, a laminating glue (and if so what kind)? Resin coated photo paper doesn’t take any glue all that easily, and then there’s the problem having the paper folder accept the glue without warping, and not least of all the problem of timing and expense. Not to mention that the photos came off of a roll that produced stubbornly curly 12 up sheets that needed to be flattened and accurately trimmed apart.

Flattening and trimming the photos wasn’t as hard as doing similar work with fragile and thin rice paper for an artist’s book years ago, but it required similar technique and attention to detail. Art school paid off!

Tipping the photos in place on the folder’s cover came down to the right laminating glue, and the right amount of the right glue. The rest was about careful and clean hands, and consistent work. Our next door neighbor who just happens to be an amazing oil painter (with an MFA by the way) was able to help us meet our deadline.