Day 14

Checking registration before print run– a little off in this proof.

TODAY'S HAPPENINGS

• Printed Grand Ole Opry restrikes
• I've got Vandercook blisters on my fingers!
• Bryce from Isle of Printing stopped in to show some recent work. It was very interesting to see how he integrates new media (digital artwork via mag and polymer plates) with classic letterpress.  (Also very cool to see what a good relationship Hatch keeps with other printers in town.)

WHAT I LEARNED

• The press rollers should always be in motion– this prevents them from getting any flat spots.
• To check registration, you can fold your poster in half and align it with the previous color for reference.
• It pays to set a few multiple smaller pieces of furniture rather than only large ones– this makes it easier to shuffle them around when your registration is a pica or two off.

SOME VOCABULARY

• A workup is when a piece of furniture 'works' its way up to type high and begins to print.
• Impression is the emboss type makes when it is pressed with a lot of force into your paper. It's what many people crave in letterpress printmaking, but it's classically (and for the sake of your type) not desirable.

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING PRINTING


Taming down all of variables I worry about while printing:

• Is everything registered properly?
• Is the color correct?
• Are there workups?
• Is the type inked evenly?
• Do I have too much ink?
• Do any of my characters/blocks need to be raised so they print better?
• Are any of my characters/blocks causing too much impression?
• Is dirt/dry ink/foreign matter getting onto (or crushing into!) my type?

This nonsense is above the handwashing sink (and spawned this show flyer today)