Typecases

The Brief / background : So that you can start learning the basics of letter press printin, produce a set of labels for the typecases which hold the movable type on your placement at the Print Project, Shipley. The labels have to be made using the wood block type from within that specific case.

Each label should also showacase the letter A as it makes it quick and easy to identify the different typefaces from this letterform. This letterform is often on its side to to make sure the full character can be seen making the typecase easier to identify.

Each label should contain: + The name of the typeface eg. GROTESQUE + The typeface size eg, 20 + The letter A showing full size of typeface.

Concept / Proposition To create labels for each of the cases within one typecase at The Print project. using black in kand the type within that specific case.

Deliverables: Set of labelled typecases

Andy Foster

Type Case Labels

May 2014

Locking up To create these labels I used the proofing press. Using a proofing press means you don’t need to use a forme as gravity holds the type in place. To make sure that no type slips, some locking is needed to keep the type from moving during printing. This is done by using stong magnets which attach to the base of the press. The labels needed to include the size of the type within the labels to make it easy to find the typeface you are looking for. You can also see that I have used the same lead type for the numbers to help keep the labels uniform.

The images on this board show some of the magnetic lockups I used to create the labels. Many of the labels printed went through stages of development to make sure they were legible once cut down to case size.

Andy Foster

Type Case Labels

May 2014

Printing on the press Once I had locked up the type I could then begin to print using the proofing press.

The proofing press was used in the past to allow printers to create a proof of a job before printing the entire job on a larger press. The proofing press uses a similar pull and push technique to screen printing but uses a rubber roller to push the paper down on to the inked up type creating a print.

This page shows some of the printed labels which were later cut down to the size of the case. All of the labels were printed in black to keep the labels uniform.

Andy Foster

Type Case Labels

May 2014

Application The labels were cut down to the right size and applied to the cases using doible sided tape.

During this brief I have learnt the basics of setting type, began to use furnature and lead spacing and learnt how to lock up type on a proofing press.

Here are some images of the typecases with the labels applied. The typcases can now be easiliy identified by looking at the labels which tell you the typeface inside as wel las the type size.

Andy Foster

Type Case Labels

May 2014