Having recently experienced a revival thanks to its tactility, high quality results, and support for craftsmanship, this month we’ve chosen to present a variety of letterpress projects from our Official POP community. From wine labels to notebooks, our members have used this traditional relief printing method to bring their unique ideas and designs to life. Check them out below and see for yourself why letterpress still prevails:
Princetown Press: Joyful
“Surrounded by the chaos of life, there is still joy to be found,” say Princetown Press. This series was created by hand inking, and then hand printing vintage wood type on their 1960s Stephenson Blake galley proofing press. As part of the multi-colour, hand-inking process, the brayer needs to be cleaned before picking up new ink for the next print. In order to clean the brayer, they deposited the ink onto new sheets of paper, creating backgrounds, which then became new prints. There are four variations in total, but each print is original and unique.
Cocorico Letterpress: Letterpress Labels for Champagne
Cocorico recently crafted a limited edition of champagne labels for three special vintages, each featuring handmade paper from a French mill with unique colour variations. The process began with a first cutting of the sheets before applying the adhesive, followed by a second cutting to obtain the correct print format. The labels were then letterpress printed in black according to a common design across all three models. Next, each version was uniquely named by hot foil stamping, using copper or gold foils. Finally, the labels were cut to size, ready for application on over 2000 bottles, enhancing their exclusivity and elegance.
Print & Ephemera: Swap Racists For Refugees
Theo Wang of letterpress studio Print & Ephemera designed, composed, and printed this piece last year just as the anti-immigration rhetoric was reaching a peak. He comments; “I wanted to offer a counter to the hateful headlines that were being churned out every day; to celebrate the long history we have of welcoming those who seek safety, at a time when others seek to demonise them instead.” Theo cut a lino pictureblock to match a printer’s fist he already had, and the type was all original woodblock that was printed by hand on his Jardine treadle platen press onto GFSmith 270gsm Colorplan.
Federico Blu di Prussia: Tipi Strani Letterpress Posters
Since 2020 Federico Blu di Prussia has been working with Tipi Strani; a collective project created by APS S-CIAO dedicated to the recovery and development of letterpress printmaking in the Veneto region. Over the years, together they have hosted workshops and courses for young members and adults, paid homage to historical monuments such as Abbazia di Santa Maria di Pulsano with Officina del Giorno dopo, and created a stamp to support the activities of IHA – Intereuropean Human Aid Association. They have also printed a series of typographical posters with Per Inciso in Genoa for the Festa della Liberazione, and created a project called Ur-Aqua with graphic artists that reflect upon climate change and floods in Italy in 2024.
RACHLLOYDPRESS: Letterpress Fun!
After putting her printmaking on pause last year whilst navigating a full time job, Rach Lloyd is now back and excited to crack open the letterpress drawers and get printing. She tells us; “I am having fun choosing colour palettes and refining my process for making editions.” Rach is now also offering her services for custom letterpress prints which you can learn more about here.
TypeTom: Business As Usual
Tom Boulton is the face behind TypeTom; a letterpress printer and typographic designer based in Bognor Regis. Tom mixes traditional printing techniques with a fresh, modern twist to create letterpress printed typographic art and products. Currently, he is working on a brand-new line of hand printed and hand bound A5 notebooks, inspired by his incredible collection of vintage type and picture blocks. Alongside this, Tom is also diving into a passion project; crafting new wood type and experimenting with 3D-printed printing blocks to keep his craft evolving and future proofed. If you’re looking to get hands-on, Tom runs a variety of workshops from his studio for both groups and unique private sessions.
Browse more work and services offered by our community on our membership directory at members.peopleofprint.com.
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