Making Modern The Revitalization of Letterpress Printing by Colin Mcclenachan

THE REVITALIZATION OF LETTERPRESS PRINTING By Colin McClenachan

© 2022 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. The opinions expressed in this book are those of the author only and not those of York College of Pennsylvania. This book is an experimental class project for purely educational design purposes. Design by Colin J. McClenachan Printed by www.lulu.com

MAKING MODERN THE REVITALIZATION OF LETTERPRESS PRINTING

THE REVITALIZATION OF LETTERPRESS PRINTING By Colin McClenachan

“What gunpowder did for war the printing press has done for the mind.” –Wendell Phillips

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1

What to know about letterpress Printing & History

Chapter 2

A New Age Technology

Chapter 3

The Decline of Letterpress Printing

Chapter 4

Letterpress Printing in the 21st Century

Chapter 5

Collectors And Curators

Chapter 6

The Impact on Modern Time

Chapter 7

Preserving The Letterpress art form for the future

INTRODUCTION Preserving history is an important part of knowing our past as a society. If we did not know our history, it would be difficult to learn how we evolved and what trials we have been through. One aspect of history that has played a significant role in our concept of knowing our history is the cataloging and preservation of events, people, and items from the past that give us an insight into what was occurring during a certain time. While it can be argued that these three parts of history can not always be completely preserved, a large sum of them have been well documented and maintained throughout history. There are also individuals, both in history and in modern times, that strive to keep these aspects of history documented, but additionally, there are some that attempt to reintroduce certain ideas and practices into the modern culture to pass on some form of knowledge to the next generation. This can range--drastically in focus, but the primary objective is always the same--an effort to educate about and preserve history. One prominent and interesting aspect of history was the use of an invention that changed the way we produced information and news: THE PRINTING PRESS MACHINE This was not only a piece of history but was also a significant upgrade to the work of printing and creating anything that required typed characters. The concept of being able to mass-produce large volumes of text was something that, at the time of its creation, was unheard of, as most text-based materials were created by individual people and would take a significant amount of time to do. Before the printing press, for example, if a church wished to obtain more copies of a bible it would require the church to seek out a monastery that would be able to produce the copies necessary; this process of creating a bible or scripture was an incredibly long and arduous task, which could take years to complete. This invention revolutionized the world and gave us a new and more efficient way of printing text. These presses were used significantly by a variety of different companies and organizations until the late 20th century, with the upgrade to

more digital and modern technology; however, the printing press is still an invention that is used by some individuals that give the concept a new and interesting twist. The craft of letterpress printing can be an arduous process, whether that is through setting type, measuring your cuts and type, inking up your work, etc., but it is a-craft-that does create a new and interesting form of design--one that doesn’t require a computer or laptop. Additionally, for people who collect and use letterpress technology, it is quite an expensive hobby to maintain, with many old presses and tools ranging in price, it is also important to note that, since many of these machines are older, they are more likely to break down or require parts to fix them. While the press is not significantly used as much by modern-day companies, people such as Brad Vetter keep the craft alive by producing works of design and art that, in some form, implement different types and cut prints into his work. People, such as Mr. Vetter, are individuals who strive to use printing and letterpress in a more modern way and are seen as preserving a craft of history, one that has a significant amount of historical importance connected to it. Though the printing press is not used commercially as it once was to print news and information, there are still individuals who are using these tools to bring the idea of letterpress printing back into the modern-day era and make it a relevant topic of interest again. These individuals may use the idea of printing for different purposes, but the techniques and processes they all use remain the same as those who were using these presses years earlier. With this in mind, the discussion described in this book will be on how the technique of letterpress printing is returning to more modern-day practice it and will go into depth about the history, practice, collectors, impact, and importance of this topic.

THE HISTORY OF

LETTERPRESS PRINTING

The creation of the letter printing press machine occured in Europe, in 1498, by German Blacksmith, Johannes Gutenburg, but it originated in China in the eleventh century with the creation of movable type. Before Gutenburg even knew about printing, the Chinese had learned how to create and print type and text; usually, the type being used was cut and crafted out of clay and would be dipped in ink and put on paper. The creator of movable type was a man named Bi Sheng, and this technique that he created paved the way for European printing, as in China, whole block printing was not a common practice. When this concept reached Europe in the fifteenth century, it became popular quickly and revolutionized the communication of ideas in news; but one issue remained: how could this technique be used more efficiently? That is where we see Gutenberg’s legacy begin. Gutenburg built the printing press to speed up the process of printing manuscripts and books for a more affordable price; during this time most books or scriptures were handmade and took a considerable amount of time to produce, so creating this press allowed for a quicker product. The press uses “movable type”, a form of type in which a single letter or set of letters can be arranged freely and comes in either wood or metal form. To allow others to use his movable type, Gutenberg created a technique that would allow for someone to easily be able to copy the shape and size of type font; by using wax to create an implant of the font, it could be filled with hot lead and be used frequently without any issue. This allowed Gutenberg to give other people an opportunity to print their text-based work more easily and productively. After building the press, Gutenberg opened up his first printing press company and produced the “Gutenberg Bible”, a type of bible that was mass-produced by Gutenberg, containing up to 50,000 words and being 1,300 pages in length, all having used the printing press to be produced. As mentioned before, this was something that seemed impossible to create, and without Gutenberg’s creation of the printing press, society

would likely still be hand-printing books and texts to this day. This showed many people that it would be dramatically easier if this use of the printing press was more commonly used to create these forms of art and text-filled literature. With this invention alone, Gutenberg changed the world, allowing for quick and efficient use of type and design tools to create a very interesting and structured print. As time went on, it became more and more clear that the printing press would become a prominently and widely used invaluable tool to print items in large quantities and at an expedient rate. The printing press was, and still is, a significant invention in history with its abundant use throughout history with its intended uses all being different in some form, but all equally requiring the use of these presses. There were many issues, however, that began to stem for Gutenberg. A major one being that after producing two hundred copies of his bible in Latin, he had no way of selling them or distributing them to anyone; at the time a large percentage of individuals could not read, let alone any form of Latin, so as a result, Gutenberg only sold a few of his copies. The blacksmith and printer ended up without any money and his presses and shop were repossessed by his creditors. While Gutenberg passed away in 1468, he would never know of what his invention did, for not only his reputation but what it has done to help the world and allowed for the world to accomplish. Without this component of printing, we would still be relying on the use of handmade designs for books and it would take a very long time to complete and produce them for the world.

As history continued, around the late fourteenth century, we saw the Italian Renaissance in full force, and with that came a lust for knowledge and literature. A historian and researcher Ada Palmer, who discussed the printing press in the History channel article, 7 Ways the Printing Press Changed The World, described how the printing press didn’t start the Italian renaissance but it paved the way for the mass production of printed texts as a whole; “by the 1490s when Venice was the book-printing capital of Europe, a printed copy of a great work by Cicero only cost a month’s salary for a school teacher. The printing press didn’t launch the Renaissance, but it vastly accelerated the rediscovery and sharing of knowledge” (Roos). Continuing, the printing press continued to be used and, with assistance from a printer named William Caxton, by 1476 the Gutenberg press made its way to England with Caxton being the first individual to use this printing press model in England, additionally, in 1495 the first paper mill that used printing press was opened in England. With the printing press, we see how such an innovative item can create texts in a fast and efficient way, but in history, there are eras in which the use of the printing press became a considerable benefactor to that era, shaping that time into something revolutionary. The scientific revolution was an era of history in which there was a drastic change in scientific thinking with developments in math, science, philosophy, astronomy, biology, etc. With this era, the printing press became an invention that was crucial in the printing of science-based text and literature, as now people could more easily print and publish scientific research and information without any issue.

Philosopher Francis Bacon wrote in 1620 that the three inventions that changed the world were “gunpowder, the nautical compass, and the printing press” (Bacon), showing the impact that the press had on this era of history. Throughout the scientific revolution, the press was a continually used item, and was also credited as not only being quick to print with but being very accurate and easily able to transfer information from scientific writings to printing books with type. As history keeps moving forward, we see other printed pieces that stemmed from the printing press, such as the King James Bible in 1611--an English translation of the Greek and Hebrew text that was requested by King James the 1st. Additionally, in 1690, the printing press made landfall in Philadelphia, being a part of the first paper mill to be established in the early United States, which allowed for the printing of newspapers to begin within the colonies. As mentioned previously, the press allowed for the ability to more easily distribute news and information, and a key example of that was the newspaper; the paper was the best and most efficient way for people to learn about events and information that were going on in the world and was a major part of the American Revolution with the freedom of speech and press. A particular individual who became a prominent member of the printing press world was Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin; at age twenty-two, he opened his printing shop in Philadelphia and printed his very well-known publication: “The Pennsylvania Gazette”, which was widely read by colonists throughout early America.

Franklin also began his work on the “Poor Richard’s Almanac”, which was a popular text to read for colonists at the time and sold 10,000 copies, Franklin was also given the title of an official printer of Pennsylvania, and was tasked to print official government documents, money, laws, etc. All of Ben Franklin’s work would be unable to be created without the use of the printing press and this shows how much of an importance it had in the growing world. Not much is mentioned about the printing press onward from the revolutionary period, but it is known that it was still continuously used throughout the later centuries.

Many groups such as the bibliographical society of America, Printing Historical Society, and the American printing history association focused on studying and researching all forms of printing and printing-based material, allowing for further preservation of the practice of printing. As a whole, it can be said that the use of the printing press phased out after the introduction of more advanced printing and digital tools but to say this would be incredibly inaccurate, even though the printing industry and society as a whole have advanced in technology we still are using the tools and practices of past generations who used the printing press and similar technologies to create prints and designs.

In 1880, however, we see a major change in the use of printing and movable type with the creation of the linotype (meaning line of type) machine by German watchmaker Ottmar Mergenthaler, this machine used a hot metal typesetting system (a form of setting type in place) that was more efficient and productive than the printing press. With this new invention, newspaper companies could use more than the eight pages they were given to put text and stories on and could produce newspapers even faster than ever previously imagined. This was a massive turning point for the printing industry and allowed printers to experiment with a new form of printing technology. However, the linotype machine still had many issues with its distribution and production such as Mergenthaler’s wishes to continually work on the device before shipment time which stirred problems with business owners and companies that needed the linotype machine to operate. Moving forward from the creation of the linotype machine, the use of the printing press and the idea of printing continued to evolve with innovations made to speed up the production of printed products and continued as time moved, additionally there was a considerable increase in organizations and groups that centrally focused on printing and the use of printing press materials.

Many of the terms, techniques, tools, programs, and interfaces we use all originate from the printing press and fellow technologies and as a result, it can be said the individuals who use these aspects of printing whether they are graphic designers or printing professionals can be labeled as people who understand the process and work of a printing press.

A New Age Technology

When innovation or technological marvel is created, many people will rush in an attempt to be one of the first to obtain and use some form of new technology. This can range from a new high definition television set to a new camera model that can render three-dimensional images, it’s all different. As a society, we have gone through time wanting to have the next best thing or the newest technology to feel modern and new. This aspect of society has been a significant component of our technological evolutionary process due to the idea that as we evolve, our tools and technologies being used will evolve with the benefit of new technology allowing us to get more done efficiently. However, with the noted history of some innovations, some people either cannot afford the luxuries of new technology or had no interest in obtaining something that didn’t serve their needs. This is still seen in the modern-day, for example, if someone has a functioning television or camera a person is happy using, comfortable with, and still working then why would you want to swap it for something that would be either more complex to use or something unnecessary to have. This is seen throughout history with the technology in question ranging ineffectiveness, general use, and benefit to humanity. All these components play into the use of innovations throughout time and how their creation has impacted humanity. These aspects can be seen in the start of the printing press and throughout its timeline as an innovation. When

Gutenberg built the printing press he did so to more efficiently and effectively mass produce printed books and materials, specifically the bible. As mentioned previously, the creation of bible’s relied heavily on the partnership between monasteries and churches, these monasteries would task scribes and monks to work on these bibles for extensive periods “copying texts required great skill and tons of training on the behalf of the scribe, and finishing a single copy could take weeks, even with long hours devoted only to writing” (Corwin). Once these bibles were completed they would be sent out to be used for religious purposes but it was difficult to determine when a church would receive these copies due to the extensive time it took to complete these books. However, with the creation of the printing press Gutenberg was able to mass-produce these bibles within a framework of time and not have to worry about copying and converting a Bible each time a new one needed to be created. With the printing press, The Gutenberg bible (named primarily after Johannes Gutenberg and the techniques used) was created and had 180 copies printed, with 145 of them printed on paper and the remaining thirty-five printed on vellum (a form of parchment paper created from animal skin membrane). Even though this bible was created with a new form of technology, it did not make the impact for Gutenberg that could have been expected, the Bible was sold but did not gain Gutenberg vast

wealth and fame which caused him to become bankrupt later in his life. Gutenberg did continue his work as a printer until his presses and studio were repossessed by his investors. On February 3rd, 1468 Gutenberg passed away from unknown causes. As a result of Gutenberg’s death, it would be expected that his tradition and creation of the printing press would not carry on but in reality, his work and practices continued to be used by printers and bookmakers for a considerable amount of time afterward. We see the impact of this technology in Venice, Italy as it became both a major component of the printing movement and additionally became the printing capital of Europe in the 14th century. As time continued on the Gutenberg press became more widely used for printing books and different types of text-based products, as a result, many companies, print organizations, and people who took interest in printing desired to obtain a Gutenberg press showing the eventual lust and desire people had for this type of technology.

Additionally, though the idea of printing and using this technology was a foreign concept to many people of Gutenberg’s time, the technology and techniques that were used by other printers allowed for people to truly see the effectiveness of using a printing press rather than relying on monasteries to produce work. As a result of this, the use of these presses became a practice and widely popular concept to many driving people to attempt to procure this technology and start their print shops or newspaper groups. This is where we see the popularity aspect of using new technology come into play in the print world and it shows how when a new concept or idea is introduced to people it nudges them to take interest in it and experiment with new ideas.

The Decline of Letterpress Printing

Throughout the extensive era of the printing press and the idea of traditional letterpress printing, we had seen how a single piece of technology can make such a significant impact on the history of both the world and the topic it was created for. The press had been such a major part of printing and printmaking over a millennium as it had so much potential and purpose over that time, but eventually, the printing press began to phase out of use commercially and officially was put to rest in the late 1900s. “By the 1960s and 1970s, the letterpress machine became increasingly obsolete. Chandler & Price, one of the most iconic letterpress makers, stopped producing machines by 1964.” (Hawley). The use of the printing press had a rapid decline as a result of evolving technologies and advancements in more efficient printing techniques, and with the production of these presses being stopped, it would become more difficult to be able to obtain printing press tools and technology. The printing press is an example of how a pinnacle technological advancement used for over a millennium can be slowly phased out and replaced with the evolution of new and easier forms of printing created to fit the needs of whatever company they are used in. With further advancements in printing technology more companies that had been using press technology began to transition into automated or digital press technology to be able to more effectively produce prints and text on a larger scale.

Additionally, with presses and the tools used in printing it was expensive to maintain and buy the needed material required to print anything, the inks and print plates needed to produce text and images become harder to obtain and maintain overtime with some cuts and inks on websites like eBay or Etsy ranging from upwards of fifty to one hundred dollars for just one print. The other issue that came with the preservation of these cuts and types was the cleaning and proper storage of these metal cuttings, over time the metal and wood that made up a print or text would begin to wear out and deteriorate which could cause these cuts to fall apart or be unusable entirely. When it came to the storage and proper preservation of these cuts and type fonts it was best to keep them in a dry and tempered place to prevent any rusting or possible mold growth during storage, it was also important to properly clean the cuts and type to prevent the printing chemicals from soaking into them and ruining the metal or wood. In many cases, print shops or places that used significant printing forms in the past either closed down with many of the tools, cut, prints, and typefaces left inside, donated everything to print preservation groups or museums or kept them to be used for either continued printing usage.

Many of these old prints shops or printing houses can be found scattered around certain parts of the world such as the U.S, the UK, Italy, Rome, etc as well as in museums dedicated to the preservation of either letterpress tech or that have a focus on preserving a specific era of time. While printing and the use of letterpress technology are still widely preserved or used in some capacity throughout the world, the rapid decline of the subject that occurred during the 1960s onward left a significant scar on the practice of printing and resulted in the loss of many different printing technologies, print cuts, type fonts, printed pieces, and so much more that could have been preserved and used to educate a new generation about the importance of printing in early human history. As a result of advancements in technology we have to an extent thrown away a large portion of early printing and as expected caused the practice of printing on old presses to become an obsolete art form and printing technique. However as stated previously, the use of printing press technology has begun to make a resurgence in different parts of the world as a result of independent groups, organizations, and people trying to bring the practice of letterpress printing back to its glory as well as use it in different ways such as graphic design and printmaking. Additionally, with the pricing and buying of letterpress pieces and technology, the estimated price can rise drastically “Today letterpress is in the throes of a full-blown revival. In 2000, a flatbed proof press, often used in teaching and for posters, cost Boxcar Press founder Harold Kyle about $100. By 2005, the price rose to a few thousand. Today, if you could persuade someone to part with it, you might pay $15,000.” (Fleishman).

This form of pricing is primarily based on the age of the cut or printing tech needed for a particular print job, if someone is a collector of printing technology then it also matters that the pieces you are buying are in good condition and can be reused frequently. As a result of the pricing of certain printing items, we see that for many it is difficult to start a letterpress profession and also shows how valuable these machines and technologies are to certain people, with aspects such as pricing and quality coming into play it becomes difficult to maintain this type of art style and while some can maintain it many collectors will not pay upwards of twenty thousand dollars for a single machine. With these ideas and concepts in mind, we now move into the 21st century and see the revival of letterpress printing and printmaking as a whole.

“The printing press is the greatest weapon in the armoury of the modern commander” –T.E Lawrence

Letterpress Printing in the 21st century

With the evolution of technology, we have seen how the tools and techniques of the past that have been forgotten can be integrated into a new modern digital format. We see this in photography with how in the early years you had to use light and chemicals to create a clear image, we see this in illustrations through the evolution of logo and prints designs such as Pepsi or NASA, we even see this bookmaking where it would take years to create a Bible by hand. Now all these different aspects of the design can be quickly created and fixed through digital programs and media. Each of the aspects has been affected by the digital upgrade for their respective topics and as a result, it has become easier and simpler to perform these tasks, however, there is also the ability to blend old and new techniques which can create something completely new. Let’s take an example, say you are a photographer in New York City taking photos of the skyline and the monuments around you. A photographer who uses older techniques might use an old film camera and darkroom to develop and create their photos, while a new age photographer will use their phone or digital camera to take the photo, drop it into a digital program, make the edits needed, and print on a professional printer. We see a broad difference between these two types of photographers, but what if the techniques used were combined? We could see a new age photographer take the photo in a digital format, edit it in a program, but print using a chemical-based paper that requires chemicals to create the photo or an older photographer using film but digitally inputting it into a program and editing it from there. This combination of techniques can create a new form of design and can completely change the ideas and concepts previously known about a topic. With the concept of letterpress printing and design, it is a subject that can easily be transformed into a combination of physical and digital formats.

In a WIRED article written by Glenn Fleishman, he states that “Some think hardware like the Glowforge and the many inexpensive 3D printers already shipping will have a strong impact on the hoary craft of letterpress. They bring speed and flexibility to an art approaching its 600th year, while also making it possible for printers to use the latest gear alongside their oldest. By hitching itself to a digital star, a craft that time had seemed ready to leave behind is now reborn” (Fleishman). Fleishman explains through his articles how new innovators in the letterpress and print world are using new and up-to-date technology and programs to reconstruct old letterpress print and type that was lost or destroyed. New technologies such as 3D printing, woodcutting, and digital carving allowing individuals to be able to rebuild old type forms or create new type forms that have been created over the past sixty years, and with these tools, many people who own letterpress equipment can use these technologies to create a type or cut they need for a specific print or job that needs to be done.

Another example of media combination is the use of old techniques with new printing technology, Topflight a company based in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania uses new advanced printmaking tools and technology but integrates the many basic concepts and techniques from previous generations of printers to show the next generation how to properly set and print either text or a cut while using digital forms to make it easier to understand. Topflight uses a variety of different printing tools and techniques to print whatever is requested of them by outside customers whether that be a beauty care group or a construction company they have the skills and technology to quickly and efficiently produce any type of print needed. When discussing why these techniques were so important to maintain in modern time lead graphic designer Sue Rennoll stated that “print and printmaking are an essential part of many different industries whether that is graphic design or advertising, it all has an essential reliance on the use of printing technology, without print and letterpress in the world today it would be incredibly difficult and time-consuming to get anything done at all” (Rennell). Even though letterpress printing and design went through a point in time where it was considered obsolete and out of date, it never truly did die out but had been upgraded and built upon to improve the practice and update any issues that had been counterproductive in the past. A major aspect of this revival and upgrading to printing is the abundance of printing materials and tools to be used for new purposes, it will be much easier to create and store type on a digital logging system, scanning, and processing prints and cuts for a client will be easier to produce, and with this new system it is easily available to produce and print on a larger, faster, and more efficient scale than ever seen before. Additionally, it can be stated that there are individuals who use these printing tools and techniques for education purposes, to teach younger generations about the importance of using types of technologies and an example of this form of printing education is Howard Hatch.

Howard is a member of the Old Sacramento History Museum society an organization based in Sacramento, California and his focus is on the use of the old printing equipment in the museum. Each week Howard and the head of the Museum Jared Jones set up a recording software called TikTok and show the process of using and preparing older prints. Howard throughout the videos will give information about the cut or talk about some tools and techniques that are used by printers both from the past and currently. As of right now, the Sacramento History Museum TikTok page has over two million followers and Howard’s videos on printing press technology can range from one million to over seventeen million views. Howard Hatch is not only a printer but a teacher of printing and letterpress design, he gives advice and information about his practice and techniques to his viewers and explains everything in short but understanding detail making sure he goes into depth about every detail on printing properly. The revival of letterpress printing didn’t just occur out of nowhere, it took people who had been trained and educated to teach a new generation about the significance printing has, it took new technology to be able to produce and reconstruct old and lost types as well as creating easier forms of printing production and design, and it took printers and designers in large amounts alot of time and practice to be able to use these techniques and technologies to create new and interesting forms of printing and design. The revival of letterpress is due in part to groups and individuals who didn’t wish to see a practice such as a letterpress design disappear from the world and with that goal in mind, the revival of these letterpress techniques and use of technology began again creating a new art form to be used.

With this in mind, it still is difficult to process that much of the old letterpress and printing technologies of the past have either disappeared or were scrapped over time but it is a comforting feeling to know that the subject of printmaking and letterpress design will continue to thrive in a new and different format overall. It is also a comfort to know that there are people and groups whose mission is to protect, preserve, and educate others who are interested in these old technologies and techniques. Continuing, with the idea of curators and preservation on the mind, it is important to discuss the many groups of people and individuals that strive to protect the practice of letterpress printing and design as well as how their role in this topic plays an important impact in the preservation of certain topics and idea’s.

Curators And Collectors

When an idea or new technology is created the general idea is to write down either the idea or create schematics of the technology for both personal use and for future generations to be able to follow the needed steps to rebuild these concepts and tools. Though there are some inventions or ideas that have been lost to the folds of history we are still able to pass on the knowledge and understanding of these ideas through various individuals or groups that are dedicated to preserving and curating a particular idea or concept. These people are dedicated to their work and make sure to educate and pass on the knowledge and understandings of these different ideas and technologies, additionally, there are those who attempt to recreate a practice using more modern technology continuing with the idea of blending old and new techniques coming into play. In printing and letterpress design, this idea of blending ideas is not unheard of and is very common amongst new age printers, some people like previously mentioned printers and designer Brad Vetter use this blending technique to create new and interesting prints. Mr.Vetter uses a digital CNC Router to cut and design his woodtype cuts and prints which allows him to get creative and open with the designs he makes while continually using older technologies and tools to carry out his work on his posters and prints. Mr.Vetter has worked with companies such as Nike, Lost Highway Records, Chili’s, Chevy, and many more to create and design letterpress works that focus on the topic given to him by the said company. This new age letterpress printer is just one example of an individual who can blend old and new techniques to create a design framework that completely changes the previous understandings of printing and letterpress design, Mr. Vetter is someone who is well experienced in both print and digital media and having an understanding of both topics can allow for not only a better product but a wall of confidence in the work produced. This use of digital and physical media allows for an endless possibility of ideas to come to fruition amongst printers and designers creating interesting new forms of design.

An interesting aspect of this digital/physical print design is that this idea does not stem from just one place in the world but is a topic of interest in a variety of countries such as Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Italy, and beyond. This practice is being used by other countries, it shows a sense of idealistic unity among designers and printers from around the world which can assist in creating some beautiful designs and prints from both groups. Mr.Vetter is an example of a person who can blend new and old techniques but also he is a curator in his way. He still uses old-fashioned rolling presses and printing press materials to produce his work and designs, this allows for him to produce his works but also shows people who know little to none about letterpress or printing that it can be easy, simple, and fun to do.

While Mr. Vetter is a great example of an innovative curator of letterpress, many groups and organizations strive to preserve the idea of letterpresses, such as the previously mentioned Sacramento history museum or even Martha Stewart who promoted the use of letterpress materials for wedding cards and other such printed materials. The focus of any curator is to be able to preserve and protect the knowledge and technologies of the past either to teach the next generation about their significance in human history or to show the step-by-step process of how to properly use any older and more delicate letterpress equipment. Additionally, it can be said that when younger individuals learn about the topic such as letterpress printing it allows them to experiment and find new ways to be able to use it in more modern ways whether that be through the use of digital printing technology or a blending of old and new technology. Aspects like these allow curators to do their job, whether that is educating, developing, or inspiring new and creative ideas amongst individuals who find interest in a topic such as a letterpress design. Many individuals have been inspired by the practice or teaching of letterpress such as previously mentioned Brad Vetter or Amelia Hugill-Fontanel a printmaker and letterpress designer based out of New York. Fontanel for example uses her teachings to educate others on printing and letterpress design, Fontanel is the curator of the Carey Graphic Arts Collection at the Rochester Institute of Technology and uses her extensive collection of prints, graphics, and letterpress cuts to design beautiful pieces of lettepress design and prints.

On the other hand, Brad Vetter teaches letterpress workshops across the country to show his technique of letterpress printing to others, Mr. Vetter will create different designs with his engraving machine to fit the needs of his client but additionally, he will use these designs as an example of the efficiency of engraving cuts and designs onto woodcuts but also inspire others to try the same thing. As mentioned previously, the Sacramento History Museum in Sacramento California uses cuts and type from the Winters collections of printmaking and letterpress design, but also shows in the videos the importance of specific concepts and principles to printmaking such as organizing type backward to print forwards or how to properly ink a set of type of cuts to get the clearest design possible. These simple yet important techniques can create designs and prints that are just as interesting and design-savvy as many of the curators and designers create using these tools, it’s important to note that without these sorts of information and techniques being discussed by printmaking involved individuals it would be impossible or incredibly difficult to be able to preserve and educate about the significance affiliated with this topic. Overall, the focus of a curator or preserver of a topic is to be able to make sure the topic or subject being discussed will be protected, but additionally, it is important to note that many curators and historians can educate, develop, and redesign new forms of a topic in different and alternative ways that can make a big impact on the research of a topic.

It can also be said that curators of a topic such as letterpress design or printmaking can continue to learn and educate themselves about specific sections of these topics and disperse that information out to people who have an interest in the ideas of letterpress and printmaking design. Without these curators, we would be unable to learn more about the significance of letterpress and printmaking in our history and different sections of design but also we would lose all the history and importance that comes with a subject matter like printmaking, being unable to know anything about the many different collections of type and cuts, unable to properly set and adjust specific aspects of printing such as type, and even just the general understanding of why this topic is so important to know. With that in mind, we move into the aspects of letterpress printing that make such an impact on our understanding of the subject, but also we see how the idea of printmaking and letterpress design has made such an impact on the modern world overall. Whether this is through aspects of designs like graphic design, advertising, printmaking, newspaper design, etc we see the use of letterpress and printing in some way either through digital means or advanced technologies made to specifically work on this particular topic. Let us look into the impact of printing on the modern world.

The Impact of Letterpress on the Modern Time’s

In any major city, town, country, or place where people may roam we see design all around us whether it’s an advert for a new toothpaste line or a recurring talk show billboard we see design everywhere we go. It’s important to know this as before people could mass-produce these forms of advertising design we used printmaking tools and processes to create adverts, graphics, newspapers, and most to all printed material. The use of these tools and designs was the first layer for building up what would become the advertising and design worlds and with that in mind, it shows how much of an impact these forms of printing had both at their time and in the modern era. Even today, in certain advertisements and designs we will use type font or design techniques that were used previously by other designers and printers to make the designs we see flow properly and fit the theme of what’s being advertised. We see the significant impact that letterpress printing has had in both history and the modern-day and is without question an incredibly important component of the topics of design, advertising, and printmaking without this fundamental building block of the print design world we would be unable to truly experience these particular topics in their current forms, additionally from the topics and the use of printed design we can see how aspects like attention to detail can assist in creating a deeper impact to a design making something so simple look so interesting. Additionally, with the use of digital technologies, we can transition certain components of printmaking and letterpress to a more easily understood and accessible format that can allow for better designs and a more detailed view of a print. In this new era of time, we can create designs and print that look as if they were hand-printed but also we can directly see how printmaking and letterpress have allowed us to build new prints or designs that cater to the need of a client and make a clear impact to anyone who sees it.

There are some issues with the understanding of this impact though starting with the central idea, In the modern era, many would believe that the technologies of printing and design were always around, but truly that isn’t the case as we see in the use of printmaking in the advertising and design world.

Before the use of digital technology, much of what was printed was done by hand and set in a printing press which would allow for quicker production of printed material In the process of printing, there is a considerable amount of care and detail that goes into creating a design or print that is satisfying to view but also can get the meaning across in a simpler way. With this in mind, it shows us how the transition from hands on to digital format has played such a significant role in our evolution as a society and how the impact of printmaking on the twenty-first century allows for us to see what it was like to have a more hands-on approach to a subject. We see with companies such as Topflight how the blending of both hands-on and digital technology aspects can make a considerable impact on the desired outcome of a design and while this process can be long and tedious to go through the result is a design or advert that will connect to a viewer or passerby and make them stop and think about the process and effot put in to make it. Another major note on the impact that printmaking has had on the twenty-first-century advertising industry and design world is the use of aspects like type and how it can be transitioned into a more digital format or setting in which it is easier to manipulate or fix. In letterpress, there is alot of proper placement and adjustment connected to making a good design, if you don’t set your type right, ink your cuts correct, or even smudge your printing paper there will be mistakes and issues with the end product resulting in poor craft. However, in the digital format, much of these issues can be fixed and edited to look correct as an end product but as a result, looses that human touch and degrades the impact of a good design. This is how modern design has been significantly impacted by the use of letterpress technology and printmaking with many of the base concepts seen in the previously mentioned topics and beyond. The main impact that can be related to these topics is the use of aspects like typography, font design, image setup, and general appeal to whoever is interested in the design. While type and typography have been a practice for a long time when combined with the

practice of letterpress design there is a considerable difference in detail and value seen within printed materials versus handwritten and designed works. All of the previously mentioned aspects that have had some role in the impact of printmaking in the twenty-first century all directly lead back to one major component, that printmaking and letterpress design no matter if it is in a digital format or hands-on format can create an impactful and interesting type of design but also build on one another to allow for new and interesting creative design choices in lettepress media.

Preserving The Letterpress Art form for the future

Throughout this discussion of printmaking and letterpress printing, there has been a considerable portion dedicated to the topic of the future generations of printers, individuals, or groups of people who want to learn more about the study of letterpress and how it plays such a significant role in both the design world and the history of print. With a subject matter such as this, it is difficult to teach new generations about all the skills, tools, techniques, and practices that are connected to printmaking design. it can be said that many designers in the future would wish to shy away from a practice such as this when in reality, it’s a subject of study and design that should be further looked into that can assist new generations to learn about what came before technological advancements and the impact this had on modern-day society. Knowing the impact that printmaking and letterpress have had on both the printing world and history will allow people to appreciate the process of printing using these older technologies and techniques, this will also give people a window into the past of how the world evolved with new and innovative technologies that during their creations could be compared to the supercomputer of that time.

It’s worth noting that with that in mind that if a person from a new generation has no understanding of printmaking or letterpress they would be either afraid to damage the tools or due to a lack of understanding about the tools would not be keen to use such old technologies, though it can be argued that if this new generation of printers were to use the previously mentioned blending of old and new technologies it could be the new printing revolution for a next generation. In today’s world were limited by the technology of our time and as a result, cannot truly expand upon an idea or concept that could benefit us currently, but if a new generation were to focus on expanding the past teachings and knowledge of the particular subject either using the blending technique or something greater than truly it can be said that the next generation will be able to resurrect this old practice. There is one issue with a new generation using these technologies and techniques, the speed at which this process takes place is considerable due to setting up and locking type, inking your type, choosing your paper, measuring correctly, making sure the paper is straight, and drying your inked paper.

“Before printing was discovered, a century was equal to a thousand years.” –Henry David Thoreau

In today’s world were limited by the technology of our time and as a result, cannot truly expand upon an idea or concept that could benefit us currently, but if a new generation were to focus on expanding the past teachings and knowledge of the particular subject either using the blending technique or something greater than truly it can be said that the next generation will be able to resurrect this old practice. There is one issue with a new generation using these technologies and techniques, the speed at which this process takes place is considerable due to setting up and locking type, inking your type, choosing your paper, measuring correctly, making sure the paper is straight, etc. But with a study like this it takes alot of time and patience to go through and complete which may impact the learning process of these new-age printers. Newer generations always desire to have the next best thing whether that it is a faster phone or a quicker computer and with printmaking, it is a process that could bore or even disinterest some new individuals. However, if the next generations can find new and interesting ways to implement the technology of their time into the process of printmaking and letterpress then it would allow people to experiment and become creative with letterpress as well as being able to create new letterpress forms or techniques not seen before. This can be seen even in today’s world with individuals who are adapting the ideas and concepts of letterpress to best fit their needs and skills, such as Brad Vetter using a laser cutter to create new cuts and types or groups like Topflight who use highly advanced printing presses and tech to produce their work.

The article goes on to state that “With letterpress, everything is carefully considered. There is no highlighting text or “command z” option; you can’t rush. Every letter, space, punctuation, form, everything, is handset and put there with intention. Sometimes, when working digitally, we may add something to a design just because we think it looks nice, not because we truly thought about why it should go there. The amount of effort someone puts in to add a few lines or shapes digitally is minimal compared to letterpress or most analog printing methods. This does not mean that analog printers are not guilty of adding things to their designs on a whim, it simply means they generally consider where and why things are placed into a design more carefully. This extra thought process helps a designer learn and grow.” (Snyderel). The critical component here is how people can learn the basics of letterpress but additionally be able to expand upon the process and practice that’s connected to this form of print and art. Additionally, the writer speaks truthfully about both the process and time consumption that this practice takes and how someone who is incredibly tech savvy with products and programs from groups like Adobe could be able to learn this but there would be a considerable learning curve to this kind of practice. With this in mind, it still is important for the future of letterpress design to be shown to either people who take interest in a subject such as print or old-fashioned design but also to those who are interested in expanding their knowledge of design and printing. By teaching and educating individuals on the subject matter of printmaking design and using both digital tools and hands-on techniques it will allow for the practice and idea of printmaking to continue through the future and be a topic that will make a considerable impact and resurgence in the art world, advertising world, and design world as a whole. Overall the significance that printmaking and letterpress have on these particular practices is important to be aware

of as well as how the evolution of these topics have created not only the building blocks for printmakers and letterpress designers to work off of but also allows for new ideas and concepts surrounding these practices to be developed by a new generation of printers. Knowing the impact that printmaking and letterpress have had on both the printing world and history will allow people to appreciate the process of printing using these older technologies and techniques, this will also give people a window into the past of how the world evolved over time with new and innovative technologies that during their creations could be compared to the supercomputer of that time. It’s worth noting that with that in mind that if a person from a new generation has no understanding of printmaking or letterpress they would be either afraid to damage the tools or due to a lack of understanding about the tools would not be keen to use such old technologies, though it can be argued that if this new generation of printers were to use the previously mentioned blending of old and new technologies it could be the new printing revolution for a next generation. As designers, those who strive to expand there design skills and learn more about creative design and structure should look into letterpress design as an alternative to digital or fine art media as it allows for a different form of design to be created, something that stands out in any portfolio or online media portfolio. This artform while being one that is difficult to maintain both finanically and historically can clearly be something seen as an experimental design type that experimental designers wish to use.

Conclusion

As shown throughout this book, letterpress and printmaking design have both played a considerable role in the history of both printing and design but have paved the path for other new and interesting design ideas to be produced throughout history, this has also created different paths of interest for some people interested in printmaking and letterpress but has vastly made a major impact on the development of new and interesting modern-day print designs. It has been mentioned time and time again that the idea and process of print are either dead or dying, a topic in which much of its history, tools, techniques, and equipment have been lost or destroyed over the past years and with technology dependency on the rise in the world it is difficult to say where printmaking and letterpress will be in the next few years. However, it is difficult to claim as bold as this since there is still an abundance of individuals and organizations that strive to preserve and use these printing technologies to create new and interesting designs made using old wood or metal type and the techniques of past printers. With this in mind, there have been many examples of people, organizations, groups, and curators who focus on both the preservation and advancement of printing and as a result of these people, they will allow for the topics to grow and evolve in the future generations and will allow for printmaking and letterpress to keep moving forward. With printmaking and letterpress, there is a different feeling to the craft, the hands-on commitment, the use

of old-fashioned technologies, the dedicated time to the craft, etc and these all play a major role in the creation of a well-made and creative design. Printmaking is not a topic that cannot be rushed it takes alot of time and dedication to practice, if a person does not dedicate their time to printmaking or letterpress it can result in a design that looks and feels unfinished or even wrong in perspective. Letterpress and printmaking are not just practices as simple as using digital media on a computer or painting a piece but are the quintessential component to help to learn about the major aspects of the design world. These topics have allowed graphic designers and printmakers alike to experiment with old-fashioned and historic tools that were used for over a millennium and as a result, you see the craftsmanship and beauty that can be born from these. Additionally, topics such as these are elements to further study on and completely recreate for any generation of society, with many individuals or groups paving new pathways of possibility for printmakers and designers alike. We see how many people in the world from curators to designers strive to maintain these practices to not only educate people who have an interest in the forms of printing but also to create new and interesting ways to develop designs using either new forms of technology or using more intricate ways of creating designs.

Because these singular subjects do require a lot of time and effort to learn about all the basics and advanced techniques it can take a considerable amount of practice and process to understand the basics of printing, but once these methods and practices have been properly mastered those who dedicated themselves to studying these topics will be able to create print designs that are new and interesting to look at as well as create new methods to produce more easily accessible print tools and techniques. People and groups like Brad Vetter, Sacramento history museum, Topflight, and even Gutenberg were built up using the practice of printing and it allowed for them to experiment with new and different techniques of printing which helped in achieving new and interesting prints. If Gutenberg didn’t build the printing press and create his Gutenberg bibles there would be a considerable change in the history of printmaking and letterpress as his creation played such a significant role in how we use printmaking both over time and in the modern-day as we see it used in multiple printing revolutions, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the book printing era in Venice, the civil war, and so many more parts of history. Though Gutenberg did not become rich or well known in his time for the creation of the printing press, he did set the path for the future of printmaking and letterpress designers and allowed for those individuals to create their designs and prints as well as allow people to be further educated on the topics of letterpress and printmaking as a whole.

With all these aspects that are known about printmaking and letterpress and all the noted historical significance, upgrades and advancements, and new designs that came with these practices it can be said that printmaking and letterpress design are not dead as practices but in reality are still thriving in new and advanced ways as well as being preserved by people and groups who collectively wish to curate these topics and all the tools and techniques connected with them. While many aspects could lead to the idea that printing is dying there positive aspects of these topics outway this idea and help to set printmaking and letterpress in stone as a practice that truly could live on in some form in the coming generations. Overall throughout this book, many different aspects of letterpress and printmaking have been discussed and reviewed from the history to the future impact these topics will have on society, it can be shown the printmaking and letterpress will still play a significant role in the history of design and with the different topics of printmaking and letterpress discussed in the book it will allow for someone who has a minimal understanding of the topics to have a better idea of what components of printmaking and letterpress are important to know and how the history, people, impact, and future are aspects to look into about these topics. With that in mind, printmaking and letterpress design will continue to be a part of the design world and will advance in many different ways such as other media formats.

References Bowman, Emma, and Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. “'Howard the Printer' Makes an Impression on TikTok with Mini History Lessons.” NPR, NPR, 25 Mar. 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/03/25/980815611/ howard-the-printer-makes-an-impression-on-tiktok-with-mini-history-lessons.

“The Invention and History of the Printing Press.” PsPrint, https://www. psprint.com/resources/printing-press/.

Corwin, Author Victoria. “Matthew Arnold.” Dartmouth Ancient Books Lab, Dartmouth Ancient Books Lab Historical Background and "How-To" Projects in Paleography, Papyrology, and Codicology, 24 May 2016, https://sites.dartmouth.edu/ancientbooks/2016/05/24/medieval-book-production-and-monastic-life/.

“New Impressions.” Hamilton Wood Type Museum, https://woodtype. org/pages/new-impressions. Roos, Dave. “7 Ways the Printing Press Changed the World.” History. com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Aug. 2019, https://www.history. com/news/printing-press-renaissance.

Fleishman, Glenn. “How Letterpress Printing Came Back from the Dead | Backchannel.” Wired, Conde Nast, 21 June 2017, https://www.wired. com/story/how-letterpress-printing-came-back-from-the-dead/.

Snyderel, Snyderel. “Why Is Letterpress Relevant in the Digital Age?” Erin, 2 Apr. 2016, https://rampages.us/snyderel/2016/04/02/why-isletterpress-relevant-in-the-digital-age/.

Hawley, Kyle. “History of the Letterpress.” Letterpress Play, Letterpress Play, 9 July 2020, https://letterpressplay.com/blogs/blog/history-of-the-letterpress.

“Typography: Sacramento History Museum.” Sacramento History Museum |, 5 Jan. 2021, http://sachistorymuseum.org/events/typography/.

“The History of Letterpress Printing.” Elation Press, 13 June 2020, http://elationpress.com/resources/the-history-of-letterpress-printing/. “History of the Printing Press Timeline.” Timetoast Timelines, 1 Jan. 1440, https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/history-of-the-printing-press. History.com Editors. “Printing Press.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 7 May 2018, https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/ printing-press.

“Letterpress Printing History Archives.” Letterpress Commons, https:// letterpresscommons.com/section/letterpress-printing-history/.

“Printing Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, https://www.brainyquote.com/ topics/printing-quotes.

LETTERPRESS PRINTING

The key aspects of a practices or processes are knowing the history, practice, impact, and importance. These basic principles make up the foundation of letterpress printing and design, find your way into the world of printing, learn about the all the history and need to know knowledge on this topic, and discover how letterpress and print still are playing a role in the modern world.