Play Your Cards Right…

I have just cleaned up after a brief but therapeutic printing session – some business cards for me at last – and thought I’d post an update on some of the typographic cards I have printed during June.

I have recently purchased a small expanded ampersand (another eBay bargain, but don’t tell Mrs.Lestaret – she thinks I have enough now!) and wanted to try it out. I decided to use the little HS1 (I have been favouring the smoother running 3-5 of late) even though it (the HS1)  is not generally very good at running out block colours.

I mixed a little cadmium yellow to my white (oh I’ve gone colour crazy these days!) and inked up my baby press.

My thumb is included in the shot above to show the scale – I printed a fair few little cards on a variey of coloured cards for overprinting at a later date. I also ran off a few question marks:

These are printed in a rather murky green/grey on a faded green stock.

And the same colour on a rather fetching and sun faded orange stock.

I also inked up the back of an old print block in my trusty Prussian Blue. These will have further layers and type added as and when the mood takes me.

I also used this fantastic little automatic numbering machine. Originally this would have been used to print sequential numbers on invoices, tickets and receipts, and works on a ratchet system: as the block is pressed onto the paper the ‘No’ legend at the foot of the image above  is depressed. It is slightly higher than the rest of the numbers and type and is spring mounted. As the pressure is released (as the print is made) the raised part returns to its original height, pushing on the ratchet that rotates the numbers. The ink rollers do not have enough pressure to depress the mechanism and function just as normal. Each time, the print shows a descending number:

So what was the outcome?

Well, not number six anyway. These are printed on a double panel embossed card – you can just about make out the panels if you enlarge and squint hard…  I’m going to do more of these soon, but a little more elaborately. You’ll get to see them when they are done.

So what was the crown image all about at the start of this post? Well, in the true spirit of typographic exploration and graphic communication I present:

What can I say? It is all in the presentation as the saying goes, and I open the comments section to your opinions on whether swearing can be either big or clever – if the presentation is right. Palace Script seems to be made for this…

Meet the Family #2

IS FOR PALACE SCRIPT

24pt Palace Script to be more precise.

It is in the same condition as all my other metal type; well looked after, but mucky after a long storage. It’s a full fount too, with ligatures and figures, as well as these nifty fractions!

Palace Script is originally from 1923 and appears to be owned by both Monotype, and Stephenson Blake, a Sheffield type foundry who were once a major producer of metal type. Most people will know this as the typeface of choice for invitations and anything that needs to look ‘classy.’  Monotype seem to be responsible for the continuing popularity of this script with their early digital version but there are many versions available on the web to buy or download for free.

Stephenson Blake also produced some very similar copperplate scripts, such as Imperial, Marina & Society Scripts,

I have never been a fan of scripts, especially this one. I have always found it to be a little too fussy for my tastes, and the fact that it is used as a ‘default’ script has stigmatised it for me. Still, there’s no denying that the actual physical cast type looks rather beautiful here.

The ampersand is especially nice though, with an elegant swash descender looping below…

These next images show how kerning with metal type is achieved; by creating overlaps and indents in each block, so that scripts like Palace can be closely and regularly spaced. The image below shows the overhanging part well – if you click on it to enlarge it, you get a better view.

I have also mentioned Stephenson Blake quite a lot in this post, and can identify this fount very easily by the ‘SB&Co.’ on the spacing slugs. This image also shows the indents on the body of the letters and the correspondingly shaped spaces and end pieces at the right and left:

ADDITIONAL

I’ve been digital for so long that I’ve forgotten just how fascinating this stuff is. I have to say, that as a student in the mid 1980′s I didn’t think this was fascinating – just a way for ancient and outdated tutors to exact their perverse revenge upon us for being young! There is so much information that I have forgotten, or didn’t learn in the first place, that all this has become a bit of an issue for me.

Most designers now think of type as purely digital artifacts, things that only exist when the ‘print’  button is employed, or the presses are rolling. Just think about this for a while; it is not so long ago when many, many men were employed to manufacture this stuff, in every standard size from 8pt to 72pt; thousands of tons of metal, precision cast to make beautifully elegant impressions upon paper, were shipped out from dirty, hot and dangerous foundries, to be arranged artfully and expertly by many, many more men (these have always been very masculine trades – unlike printing, where there is a growing history being uncovered of strong and influential female printers – often wives/widows and daughters of established tradesmen), proofed and corrected, and then inked and pressed into paper. And don’t forget the legion of apprentices who had the lovely job of cleaning it all afterwards and returning each piece of type to its compartment in the case - all made redundant and obsolete by phototypesetting and then, digital technology.

Ahh. I am enjoying the recollection of long forgotten facts and experience, but also the feeling of being a novice again. I have often said that “the moment that you stop learning is when someone else will get your job” but I am also enjoying the feeling of being an old empty vessel, newly repaired and filling up again…

The Future’s Bright; The Future’s Pastry

Each year, a group of students or an individual presents me with a gift as they complete their studies and progress on to bigger and better things. I’ve had a good variety of them over the years and not only to say thanks; when my first daughter (Uppercase) was born, one of my students learned to knit and made some very dainty scratch mits (too precious to use but now in the ‘Box of Treasures’ for later life) and on the birth of my second daughter (lowercase) I recieved a hand-made waistcoat (for the baby!) made from WW2 parachute silk (as before, but in ‘Box of Treasures 2′). I’ve had engraved pewter tankards (sat on a shelf above me as write this, filled with used scalpel blades!), a MUJI CD player (awaiting a permanent place, but used frequently). Wines, beers and spirits enough to keep a staffroom of lecturers happy for at least a couple of hours, music compilation CD’s as well as cards, keepsakes, messages and images, both handmade and digital. I have posters, manuscripts, books and a plethora of beautiful and interesting printed ephemera. And, of course,  handshakes, bearhugs and the occasional kiss too (no tongues).

I could be forgiven for entertaining a certain amount of expectation as the academic year builds to its anti-climax, but I don’t. That’s because I am genuinely pleased when I can submit each student for their qualifcation, whatever their grades may be. I assume a great deal of responsibility for their success, and perversley, for their failures also, even when students have made the choice not to succeed. From these I have also received a fair share of unpleasant chariacatures, defaced photographs and other inventive farewells (my favourite was on a specially cleaned whiteboard in the studio a few years ago that simply said “Skinner is a w***er”  and it still makes me smile!)

I don’t ever expect gifts from students however, and perhaps don’t deserve them, but it is always very moving when I receive a gift, no matter how small. This year has been no exception. Following a comment I made to a student a couple of weeks ago that does not bear repeating here (I’ve tried – it just isn’t funny anymore – trust me!) I was presented with a parcel wrapped in tinfoil. Within, a very elegantly crafted ampersand made from pastry! I take back that comment Aaron – you dohave a bright future in pastry!

(PS - a message to any student whose individual gift was not singled out here and who may feel personally slighted. I just thought this one followed other entries on the blog. A heartfelt thankyou to all students, past and present – may the force be with you…

Update on Many Subjects

Arms Length Self-Portrait Update

Well’ after much deliberation and several bottles of wine, I have decided to award Pippa the prize for my favourite arms length self portrait:

 I chose this one as it a) seemed very uncharacteristic of her (she’s an ex-student) and b) it made me smile. Well done Pip, I’ll be intouch via email in order to send you your prize. It is this specially made hardback sketchbook, which I know you probably won’t ever use:

Ampersand Update

The ampersand is now glazed and fired and is currently sitting on my dining room table. I will be photographing it properly this time, and I’ve a mind to shoot on location at the beach (when the weather picks up again!) It is a very satisfying object to look at (even Mrs. Lestaret likes it) and even more satisfying to hold;  it’s quite heavy and very highly textured, with sharp edges and smooth lines. I have plans to make a series of these – watch this space!

Letterforming Update

No new ‘a’s have been made since the Raku firing, but I’m still planning to make a glass and metal version before too long. There will be another post on this project when these have been done. I have made moulds of some odd peices of wood type though and made a couple of plaster casts, but I’m not quite sure how to progress with these yet. I may play with the plaster casts and see what evolves…

CD Design Update

On Friday, Jon Lawrence proudly handed me the first copy of ‘The Inbetween Worlds’. I intend to write an evaluation on the design for Jon to respond to now that all is complete.

Other stuff

The etching of my Dad (see projects) was exhibited at this years College Exhibition as part of the Evening Printmaking Workshop I did in September-December. I am very proud to exhibit my work alongside such creative and experimental colleagues. Many thanks to Nick for his excellent teaching and all his work in setting up the exhibition.

I’ve been trawling the car boot sales for old books with embossed covers and made some rubber moulds. So far I have cast a couple of plaster ones: (here’s one I broke earlier!)

 and a couple of slip (liquid clay). I intend to use them as book covers using a technique called Belgian Secret Binding which allows for separate spines to be attached. Heres a sampler made from regular book materials:

I shall be exploring some glazing and firing techniques and hope to have some books made before the end of July.

Letterforming #1

I was shown some rather nice small samples of slip casting earlier in the year which got me to thinking about some possibilities for future student typography projects and have decided to try it out with the guiding hand of expert sculptor, 3D guru and all round good egg, Ben. I started this towards the end of March and have been experimenting ever since (the ampersand was a direct result of these early explorations). I have tried to photograph each stage as well as I could, but sometimes didn’t get good enough images, or forgot to take the camera, or was just so filthy I couldn’t even bring myself to touch the camera!

First I needed to create an extruding die first to fit in the extruder, which is just like the PlayDoh barbershop tool! I selected the lowercase ‘a’ from Helvetica 95 Black (and why not?) and enlarged it to fit within a 90x90mm square. The print was trimmed and spraymounted onto a block of MDF. After drilling a pilot hole, I carefully cut out the letter on the band saw, and used files and sanding belts to refine the edges. The counter was positioned with two metal rods, drilled through the outer frame and superglued in place. The clay would eventually be pushed through this die, and reform after passing through the rods. That’s the theory anyway, we’ll see tomorrow! The die was then compared to a second copy of the original printed character to check the position – and it was pretty much on the spot too!

 

 The finished template has a certain charm I think, and the two supporting rods add a kind of Heath-Robinson quality to the thing!

… Back to the 3D workshop today for an extrusion! Firstly, the die needs firmly securing in the extruder before forcing in a huge block of clay (1). The press section is put into the top of the extruder and with some steady pressure pull the lever down (2 + 4).

 The extruded clay oozes out (with some good farty noises!) of the bottom and removed with a wire (3). The first attempts were not too good as the clay didn’t ‘repair’ after passing through the two supporting rods.

We decided to modify the die to try and encourage the clay to flow around the rods better, by milling a recessed area on either side leading to the rods.

This improved the extrusion, but not by much, so a further modification was made to the recesses, milling the rounded edge to more of a point.  Again, this improved the extrusion, but again, not by much.

Ben advised me to make another die, slightly smaller this time, and position the counter space of the letter in the centre, so we could use another form of securing it rather than using rods. So its back to square one. Disappointing, but having seen the next solution working perfectly, it’s definitely worth it. Plus, I think I’ll improve on the curves the next time around…

The next die was slightly smaller, allowing the counter to be positioned centrally, allowing a thin angled bracket to be secured to it, allowing the clay to ‘heal’ as it passes through. The grooves are where the bracket sits to allow the main die and the counter to line up.

I went through the extrusion process again (forgot to take a camera but the process is just the same as before) and got three long well formed ‘a’ logs:

These were transferred to a jig where I sliced each one with a wire, starting off with the rougher parts for practice. I cut some thin slices first, and went on to cut a variety of thicknesses, wedges and angles, finishing with a few mad slices to explore the technique further.

I doubt I’ll use these last ones, but I’ll see how they go. These were then left overnight in the damp cupboard to slowly harden to ‘leather hard.’

Once sliced, these were left to air dry in the workshop for a few hours, allowing them to become a little firmer to the touch and not mark so easily. I needed to trim and clean them a little further with some splendid and mysterious hand tools like this thin metal strip called a kidney:

and these double ended square and rounded hoops:

I’ll finish tidying these up tomorrow:

Well, the majority of the letterforms were left to air dry over the Easter break, and then fired in the kiln. At 100° every hour, for six hours, reaching 600°! The one destined for making into a mould was left in the damp cupboard.

This is what the kiln fired one looks like next to the hard clay. The ones from the kiln here very hard now, and no longer workable, whereas the hard clay one could still be worked on, if only in a limited way.:

And the collection of those fired…

There is quite a lot to follow on from this so I’ll post more in a week or so on the glazing and mould making stages…

Ampersand!

I’ve been getting my hands dirty! I’ve made a large ampersand from clay which is in the process of air drying. I’m so pleased with it I wanted to share it with you. Eventually, it will be fired and white glazed, which will allow the quality of the clay (krank clay – it’s very gritty) to come through, giving it a sort of toasted appearance.

It stands about 300mm high, and is around 55mm thick but will shrink by about 20% when dried and fired. It weighs quite a bit, but is hollow, having been formed out of slabs around 15mm thick. It is as neat on the inside as it is on the outside too – it looked nice in consruction, so I photographed it then:

And here’s a closer view. The holes and gaps are there to allow air to circulate and prevent empty enclosures which could crack when firing.

I’ll add more when it’s complete…

Hmmm. Graphic designers are known for their trainspotterish habits of identifying typefaces (just ask Mrs. Lestaret!) so go on then; what typeface is it?  First person to answer correctly wins this unique handmade letterform (H50mm, W55mm, D25mm) which will feature in a new series of upcoming entries.

Yes, it is a bit hairy.

ADDITIONAL  Just to clarify that it’s the ampersand’s typeface I want you to identify, and not the ‘a’ which is Helvetica Black, obviously…

EVEN MORE ADDITIONAL! This has just been linked to from NOTCOT -  ( number #21734) …thanks Jake…