Reference manual project report2

Reference manual project reportPrinting with letterpress

Vidhushri LadhaMasters Book Design 2014University of Reading

This project involved putting together, editing and designing the content for a home reference manual. The main aims were to understand how images and text work together in a reference manual, to experience the systematic approach to content generation and page design and most importantly to design keeping in mind the commercial requirements of the market.A manual was designed on the technique of letterpress printing for beginners and enthusiasts.

The design process for this project has been documented under the following headings —Discovery 2

Transformation 10

Design and making 22

2 Home reference manual / Printing with letterpress Discovery 3

discovery

What is a home reference manual?The discovery phase began with understanding this genre of books. Though I had come across and used these books before, I was not familiar with the term. The term ‘home reference manual’ refers to books aimed at a general market on topics such as cookery, gardening, DIY sports, travel, collecting, rafts or hobbies. Well-known producers of home reference manuals include Time-Life, Reader’s Digest, Dorling Kindersley, and Mitchell Beazley.

Visit to the bookstore During the second week, we visited the local book-store with Bryn and Ole to have a look at the various home reference manuals in the market. We discussed structures, layouts, photography, illustration, the way different topics were approached and the overall feel of each book. At this stage I was yet deciding between two shortlisted topics – letterpress printing and home remedies.

Observing the various ways in which illustrations and photographs have been used to show processes.

Information spreads are very interesting to look at. Every design has its own style of incorporating lot of information on the same spread.

While some books have seperate spreads that tell you about the tools, other books include it within each process spread.

Looking at typographic details – headers, pull out boxes, hierarchy and large titles.

A glance through home reference manuals of various topics.


Online researchAn addition to the visit to the bookshop was to look at examples of manuals online at Amazon and the Dorling Kindersley website, look inside at the examples and develop an understanding of the kind of various layouts and structures used. It was important to understand the market and develop a market appropriate design. I also did a survey of the jacket designs. Since I finally chose to make a manual on letterpress printing, I looked at several books under the art techniques category.

Covers of some of the books under arts and crafts that were referred to on the Dorling Kinderslay website.

Materials/ tools spreadThe various ways of depicting materials – photography/illustrationUse of the spreadExtent of description of each material

Process spreadThe flow of steps and informationUse of images Language and tratment of stepsLayout and composition

Information spreadHow does so much information fit on one pageInformation content for various topicsGraphic elements used for seperating and highlighting information


ToolsTextureImpressionWoodtypeMetaltypeInks

RollerPrintsHistoryTraditionalStyle

A moodboard of images was made during the first week when the topic was selected. These images helped me come up with words, propose a colour palette and also develop an understanding of the kind of photography required.

Choosing the topic - Letterpress printingAfter having a look at various examples of home reference manuals and the variety of topics under which they are avail-able, I thought of choosing a topic relevant to my field and something that has gained popularity in the recent years. I chose to make a manual on the technique of letterpress printing. This was also because of the curiosity in me to learn more about the technique in the process of making the book. The fact that department has a letterpress room and amenities, makes it a useful source for the content and infor-mation. The idea was to bring together a manual that could help students like myself who want to know more about the various processes in the technique and try our hands at letterpress.

Audience The book was targetted to beginners and people getting interested to know more about this printing technique. I believed a major part of the audience for this book would be art school students. I aimed to design the book in a way that it is simple to understand by someone who is not familiar with any terms related to printing and typography.

ReferencesThe research on the topic involved looking at other books on letterpress as well as various websites that promoted and explained the technique. There are several books published on the topic today and several old books in the library as well. Most of these are text heavy and explain the history and the process of the technique. Some of them put together examples of letterpress projects and printed artificacts. Few of them illustrate the process. I studied the content struc-ture of these books, the way the images had been used, the various processes that had been explained and the ways in which letterpress prints were photographed and presented. Ths then helped me to form the content structure.

Two references that I analysed thoroughly were a book called ‘Letterpress Now’ and another one titled ‘Letterpress printing – a manual for beginners’. While the first was rich in imagery and process descriptions, the later gave me the base for a lot of content that I finally wrote and edited.

Some of the books on letterpress which were analysed.


Spreads from a book I found online. A look through the contents page gave me an idea of the kind of topics to be included.

The way in which the typecase was illustrated and explained in this book provided me with the inspiration for my tools spread.

This was an old book shown to me by Martin Andrews. The illustrations in this book are detailed and very inspiring. Though a small format book and not very long, it explains printing processes in an engaging manner.

Interesting spreads from the book, Letter-press Now’. The flow chart explaining how to choose a press was very intersting.

10 Home reference manual / Printing with letterpress Transformation 11

transformation

Putting together the contentOne of the most important tasks for this project was to decide and put together the content for the book. Hence I was functioning as not only the designer but also the author. As this topic was relevant to the department and I had people around who had worked with letterpress, I went ahead to do a thorough research to put together the content. This process went on from week 2 to 4 and the content developed as I designed the pages. To start with, the research helped me identify processes which were discussed in other books on letterpress. Further, I interviewed Martin Andrews, a faculty at the university and Stephen, a former student, where they described several processes and demonstrated them on the press while I recorded the conversation and photographed the various steps. Martin helped me understand what were the important processes to be explained to a beginner, and this helped me structure out the content structure.

Developing a structure The interviews with Martin along with my notes from the research helped me pick up topics which would be a part of this manual. The various topics were then grouped to form the sections of the book. At this point it was an estimation about the number of pages that would be dedicated to each topic. The design would affect the pace of the book and hence this decision was taken in the later weeks.

Interviews with Martin Andrews formed the major source of the content for this book. He elaborated on several important points that should be mentioned in a letterpress printing manual targeted at beginners .

To illustrate how pressure and ink were two factors that affected the quality of a letterpress print, Martin printed out variations.

PrintingThe inking process Regulating pressure & ink Proofing Working with cylinder press Working with platen press

Post-printDrying prints Cleaning up Maintenance Press troubleshooting Storage

ProjectsPlanning to printing Custom book covers Event posters Invites Stationary

End matter Glossary of terms Resources Acknowledgements Index

Composing Type terminologies Typesetting tools Setting type by hand Imposition

IntroductionHistory The technique Kinds of presses Choosing a press Inks and paper Variables for a good print

Front matterCoverHalf titleTitleContents

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Sections

A content structure was developed in week 2, after the research phase. As the design evolved, some changes were incorporated into this.


PhotographyOnce I had a rough draft of the text, I needed the images to support the text. I decided to use photography as the medium to capture the steps. Photography done for this book helped me improve my judgment regarding lighting, cropping and angles. In the process I noticed how the colour of the ink chosen makes a difference in the aesthetics of a picture. Stephen, a former student at the department was generous to be my model for the images and also demon-strate each process that I had decided to capture. I also developed several prints myself to explore various design ideas for the book and the jacket. Photography with Stephen.

Recording a processFor the first stage I clicked photographs to record the process. While doing this I tried various angles and stages. I was working with navy coloured ink at this point. The use of these the design of a spread made me realise how the colour of the ink affects the look of the page. I chose to work with red ink for the final photographs. The photographs shown above are the images selected for the process of preparing the ink and inking the plate. These photographs were taken in the printing room at the department with lighting that was installed with the help of Laura. The angle of photography was a very important factor to capture the hand and the action right.

Cropping images While designing the spreads in the later stages, I developed an understanding towards the effect the crop of an image has on a composiiton. The photographs that I had clicked were better highlighted by cropping them to the required amount.

Photographs for section openersWhile recording several processes, I came across this woodtype at the department, which I experimented with and printed several words related to this manual. I used the images of the process for the section openers of this book.

Other photographsApart from the processes, the book also demanded pictures of tools, materials and the working environment. These are two pictures that I used for the tools spread.


Decisions with format and binding I studied several home reference manuals in the market for their format and binding. I wanted this book to be handy and open comfortably when kept on the table. This makes it comfortable for the user to read and try his hands on letter-press at the same time as well. 190mm by 240 mm(portrait) was the format that I finally chose to work with. This worked well with the kind of content I was dealing with. The propor-tions of the margin within were decided based on the style of the running header and the binding. I imagined this book to be section-sewn with every spread opening comfortably such that the photopgraphs used across the section openers are completely visible.

Typeface explorationsWith the text and the structure in place, I had the exact idea of the kind use the typeface would have. I started with a mix bag of typefaces trying to form a combination for the main title of the page and the body text. Within the main text there were levels of hierarchy like the headings, subheads, ques-tions, captions for images. The choice of the typeface for the body needed to be such that it was readable at smaller point sizes as well. One another feature to be used for the process spreads was the numbers. While exploring glypha, I liked the stability of its numbers and hence decided to use that for the step-by-step processes.

I started with a combination of Glypha for the title and Kepler for the body and went on to explore designing a spread with the use of Glypha as the single font. However, a combination of two typefaces seemed to give a better look to the overall spread. Moreover the titles on each spread stood out when treated in a different typeface. I finally chose to work with Glypha for the title and the headings and Scala Sans for the body type. These two provided a good combina-tion. Also, Scala Sans offered great clarity when used for less amount of text and at smaller point sizes as well.

The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pres-sure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some

highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.



The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.




The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pres-sure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.



Scala

Trade Gothic LT Std

Scala Sans

Garamond Premier Pro

Utopia Std

Glypha

Univers LT Std

Kepler Std

Opposite Examples of some of the typefaces considered.

Observing various kinds of bindings in home reference manuals.


The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pres-sure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.



The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pres-sure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.

The techniqueHow does letterpress work?Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pres-sure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots.

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Glypha + Kepler

Trade Gothic + Scala Scala + Scala Sans

Glypha + Scala Sans

Examples of some of the combina-tions of typefaces tried out at various stages of layout explorations.

Figures were important in this book as it explained several step-by-step processes. Hence, every typeface I explored I made it a point to look at the figures.

Rotary PressLetterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image ele-ments in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Videnihit am fugit mos etur, consed quostiis earunti volum re seque prae conet ut eaquas si nulparum idest explige nditini hillupt

Cylinder PressLetterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate de-pendent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Videnihit am fugit mos etur, consed quostiis earunti volum re seque prae conet ut eaquas si nulparum idest explige nditini hillupt

KINDS OF PRESSES The process of inking involves first preparing the ink and then ap-plying it, either to the plate or the roller. Substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pres-

THE TECHNIQUE The process of inking involves first preparing the ink and then applying it, either to the plate or the roller. Substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of

Platen PressLetterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate de-pendent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Videnihit am fugit mos etur, consed quostiis earunti volum re seque prae conet ut eaquas si nulparum idest explige nditini hillupt

00 Introduction Printing with Letterpress 00

How to identify letterpress prints?Fici blatess iminctate nis magnis di iderferumqui officium quia debitae pores derit estia num reptae volorpos rectem doluptas ab ipsa ime susa nonsed qui di cus sumquossit dolorro vidempo reptataqui quae quia venimus, conse nulparum quia nobitatur, ipiet velloriam quiasperum fugia coriore scitat ducia prem quatur modi qui dolupitem etur sandelenis dita arum nam, ipictemped quisto volut odignim agnihicit volore deliam apis re sant Aximpos abo. Et mo modia voluptat volut vollacc usdaecae prae eum ut officto exceserio. Fugiti bearchit que comniet molore conserumque voluptat inctotat ad quo dis dolori voluptatur, sinimusam explit dem aut labo

How does the letterpress process work?Fici blatess iminctate nis magnis di iderferumqui officium quia debitae pores derit estia num reptae volorpos rectem doluptas ab ipsa ime susa nonsed qui di cus sumquossit dolorro vidempo reptataqui quae quia venimus, conse nulparum quia nobitatur, ipiet velloriam quiasperum fu-gia coriore scitat ducia prem quatur modi qui dolupitem etur sandelenis dita arum nam, ipictemped quisto volut odignim agnihicit volore deliam apis re sant Aximpos abo. Et mo modia voluptat volut vollacc usdaecae prae eum ut

INKING The process of inking involves first preparing the ink and then ap-plying it, either to the plate or the roller. Substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pres-sure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Int aperiossunt que cum nimolut

Old ink often has a dried layer of skin settled on the top



This layer needs to be scraped off carefully



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00 Inking

Getting the ink ready

Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image ele-ments in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Bora nonsed quia esequibera vel eos ve

Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image ele-ments in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Bora nonsed quia esequibera vel eos ve

Inking the plate Inking the roller

What has to be inked?

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Printing with Letterpress 00

1 Furniture Erum eictus magnis volestem quae. Nam volectempore nonseniati dolo es rem im quos ea aut qui aut alitiis quo conse solenti iscitam num.

2 Reglet rectatu saectorpor sequia cusdand ipic-iendebis por a ipsunt, que la dolorit omni conet undi volore nihit quis eaquate nimus re conecae.

3 Leading voloriatur, in rescia sunture dolupta tqua-mus molorum que nullaci berfers pelessi nusaperit volo te corporem idis num quam et dem eumquame

4 Chase quae. Mil maxim re sit audions eribus do-lupti dolorerere prepers pellabor molorepudi volorib usandam quam ea il ilit pa quatiat.

5 Quoin Dae restius apellab idionet ut pore endis-quo officium eatius, quo blam qui aut eostrum solorerum rem velitae ceprae ea atiis eaquiatur

6 Qouin key simodit, vendignat lic tene latiate et quos earcias eratia periantis molorae evenimo el modit quamend ucimporem doluptatur, occum vel

7 Galley mos aut repreius eum, cusam ad explab im-inus sum dolor re nonsequunt fugias et ex expliqui comnit inci ium volorec ulparunt apit, volores

8 Line Guage truptas num ipis deliassunt, sequunt ibusciet, con et modi officipsam, que mos dolut la volum alit re pliquidel el eos eture pos dus exerro

9 Form String eario. Nem quodit enis alignia epe-lend igenem venimil inciend iorrum qui dipsa sed ea cum qui debit aut endiste dit, cullecu saeris as repra

10 Brayer lorei undendus sinusda quiame aut erum litatii scitatq uidunt, seque lam fugia alicia vernam ex eum a qui rehende litatum ratem fugiaspIhici

11 Gauge Pins molest, volorep eliquos apid que volore re excepeliquo quo con cus vent a sitaest re officil ipsandaes debitatquae plabores del eum, cor

12 Linoleum Block sitatis enditi dolumqui officip idebissed quatur, ut aut facepero qui utatio qui-busam lit, aliquaspedi sitat ommossimi, nonsenis

13 Furniture Erum eictus magnis volestem quae. Nam volectempore nonseniati dolo es rem im quos ea aut qui aut alitiis quo conse solenti iscitam

14 Reglet rectatu saectorpor sequia cusdand ip-iciendebis por a ipsunt, que la dolorit omni conet undi volore nihit quis eaquate nimus re conecae.

15 Leading voloriatur, in rescia sunture dolupta tquamus molorum que nullaci berfers pelessi nusa-perit volo te corporem idis num quam et dem eu

16 Chase quae. Mil maxim re sit audions eribus do-lupti dolorerere prepers pellabor molorepudi volorib usandam quam ea il ilit pa quatiat.

17 Quoin Dae restius apellab idionet ut pore endisquo officium eatius, quo blam qui aut eostrum solorerum rem velitae ceprae ea atiis eaquiatur

18 Qouin key simodit, vendignat lic tene latiate et quos earcias eratia periantis molorae evenimo el modit quamend ucimporem doluptatur, occum vel

19 Galley mos aut repreius eum, cusam ad explab iminus sum dolor re nonsequunt fugias et ex ex-pliqui comnit inci ium volorec ulparunt apit, volores

20 Line Guage truptas num ipis deliassunt, sequunt ibusciet, con et modi officipsam, que mos dolut la volum alit re pliquidel el eos eture pos dus exerro

21 Form String eario. Nem quodit enis alignia epe-lend igenem venimil inciend iorrum qui dipsa sed ea cum qui debit aut endiste dit, cullecu saeris as repra

22 Brayer lorei undendus sinusda quiame aut erum litatii scitatq uidunt, seque lam fugia alicia vernam ex eum a qui rehende litatum ratem fugiaspIhici

23 Gauge Pins molest, volorep eliquos apid que volore re excepeliquo quo con cus vent a sitaest re officil ipsandaes debitatquae plabores del eum, cor

24 Linoleum Block sitatis enditi dolumqui officip idebissed quatur, ut aut facepero qui utatio qui-busam lit, aliquaspedi sitat ommossimi, nonsenis

TOOLS AND MATERIALSThe process of inking involves first preparing the ink and then applying it, either to the plate or the roller. Substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing.

00 Tools and Materials

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FurnitureRegletLeadingChaseQuoinQuoin key

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GalleyLine Gauge Form StringBrayerGauge pinsLinoleum Block

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Metal typeWood typePalette knife InkInking palette Painter’s tape

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Composing stickCraft KnifeTweezersSpacers

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PRESSURE

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Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image ele-ments in the printing. The amount of

VARIABLES THAT AFFECT

A PRINT

Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image ele-ments in the printing. The amount of pressure per square inch or “squeeze” is greater on some highlight dots than it is on larger shadow dots. Is, vercere adducoentius iaequidiem det vissidi-tOculiam tebus clegit, dicut publi scit, vis, tus ad ferios comaion intem missa quam, ta, que ala moracite mod me aucerte clesid conduce ribunte, cus? Olis sina re, qui sessimpotam ego viverni hillem morbi pripsenati, cerio vem facte publiist consultoret antium. Ihilintri pat. Perordintem intio, CatraeIbuntem quon-sum enimul hala iam imulibunum

1. PRESSURE2. INK3. PAPER

00 Variables that affect a print


Letterpress printing exerts variable amounts of pressure on the substrate dependent on the size and image elements in the printing. The amount of pressure per





INK PAPER


Stage 1My intitial design had rigidness in the structure and approach. I was yet trying to handle the content and visualise the extent of images required. For the first feed-back session I had explored a few spreads. I was working with dummy text and images at this stage and exploring typefaces simultaneously. The design lacked structure and details. However the feedback at this stage helped to understand what was lacking and hence improve these to a great extent.

Information spread explaining the technique of letterpress printing and the kinds of presses.

Spread putting together the various tools and materials used in this technique.

Information spread explaining the three variables that affect a letterpress print.

Process spread explaining the process of preparing the ink and inking a plate.


Variables for a good print

What factors need to be taken care of for producing good prints?

Apart from the press used itself, there are three main factors that affect the quality of a letterpress print. Exploring and adjusting these results in different types and qualities of prints.

Examples of varying the pressure while printing

Examples of prints with varying quantities of ink

Examples of prints on papers with different qualities

PRESSUREThe correct amount of pressure makes all the difference in a letterpress print. Since the feel of letterpress is because of the pressure applied, this becomes a very important characteristic to take care of.

INKThe correct amount of pressure makes all the difference in a letterpress print. Since the feel of letterpress is because of the pressure applied, this becomes a very important characteristic to take care of.

PAPERThe correct amount of pressure makes all the difference in a letterpress print. Since the feel of letterpress is because of the pressure applied, this becomes a very important characteristic to take care of.

Excess pressure


Apart from the press used itself, there are three main factors that affect the quality of a letterpress print. Exploring and adjusting these, results in different types and qualities of prints.

pressureThe amount of pressure makes all the difference in a letterpress print. The beauty of letterpress prints is enhanced due to the indented effect that pressure creates.

inkInk is another variable that along with pressure affects the quality of a letterpress print. Here, two factors are important, the quality and the quantity of ink used.

paperThe amount of ink and pressure required differs with the type of paper. The thickness and the texture of a paper determines the kind of print produced on it.

Effect of ink and pressure on type

underink, less pressureWhen the ink or pressure is less than required, the print is pale and the details of letters get lost.

appropriate ink and pressureWhen the quantity of ink and pressure is adjusted correctly, you receive a print where the type is clear, details are not lost and the inking is even throughout.

overink, more pressure When ink or pressure is in excess, the strokes of the letters become thicker, counters become smaller and the over-all texture of the print is uneven. The extent of the embossing into the paper helps judge the amount of pressure.

Ink and pressure together affect the characteristics of printed type. The stroke width, contours, details, colour, texture of type, all depend upon the balance between the ink and pressure. If even one of them is too much in excess or too little, the effect on the printed type is clearly visible.

14 • Introduction

Understanding the variables through images

underink, less pressureIn the case of images, details get more lost when the ink is more rather than less. However the print is not very clear and the contrast is very low hence the beauty of the image is compromised.

overink, more pressure With too much pressure or ink the details in the image are getting lost. Notice the tree on the right side, it has marged into the background.

on textured thick paperThe texture of the paper affects how the final print looks. In this case the texture is interfering with the smoothness of the print and making it look more scattered.

on glossy smooth paper In the case of uncoated paper, it soaks the ink well, whearas here since it is coated glossy paper, the ink sits on and does not sink in. Due to this details are lost and the impression is heavy.

Transfer the ink to the paper, with a kissWhen you are able to get just the right amount of pressure and ink on the paper, the print is as if tranferred with a kiss. This can be achieved by practice and trail and error.

Variables • 15

The inking processOnce the artwork has been composed and the imposition is done, the next step is that of inking. For this we need to first prepare the ink and then meticulously apply it, either to the plate or to the roller, depending upon the kind of press and print run.

PREPARING THE INK

INKING BROAD PLATES

INKING LONG PLATES It is better to start with less ink than end up with excess

Be sure to cover the corners of the block

Be careful not to get ink on the furnitures and the areas around the main block

Use scrap cloth or tissue along to get rid of the excess ink

1 Using the palette knife, remove the layer of dried skin and then scoop out some amount of fresh ink onto the knife.

3Roll out the ink Pull the ink downwards and roll it out in one direction, using a brayer.

4 Roll in another direction Be sure you lift the brayer before you roll the ink in another direction, in order to attain even concsistency.

2Apply on inking plate Apply the ink in the forms of dabs on the inking plate

A HELPFUL EXTRA STEP

While rolling out the ink, wriggle the roller in both directions to attain better consistency in the ink

A texture like this will be formed. Further repeat steps 4 & 5 over it.

Why should we remove the layer of dried skin of the ink?

As a tin of ink gets old and comes in contact with air, it forms a a layer of dried skin on the top, which thickens with time. It is important to get rid of this layer completely before you scoop out the required ink or it may cause blemishes in the final prints.

INKING TOOLKIT

• Brayer

• Inks

• Inking plate

• Palette knife

• Tissue

• Solvent

• Scrap paper


INKING BROAD PLATES

GETTING THE INK READY

A HELPFUL EXTRA STEP

INKING LONG PLATES

• It is better to start with less ink than end up with excess

• Be sure to cover the corners of the block

• Be careful not to get ink on the furnitures and the areas around the main block

• Use scrap cloth or tissue along to get rid of the excess ink

1 Using the palette knife, remove the layer of dried skin as it may cause blemishes in the prints

2 Next, scoop out some amount of fresh ink onto the knife. Roll the knife to avoid the ink from dripping.

3 Apply dabs of ink in a row on the inking plate by pressing the palette knife onto it.

1 Begin inking a plate by gently rolling the ink on it in one direction.

1 While inking long, ink a part of the artwork until the brayer is covered with the impression from it.

2 Then, reink the brayer before inking the remaining part of the artwork.

2 While inking broad plates, it is important to lift the brayer and ink in the opposite direction as well, in order to make sure all corners and edges are inked.

4Use the brayer to roll out the ink, starting in one direction. Roll out only some of the ink at a time from the amount on the inking plate.

5It is important to lift the brayer before rolling in the ohter direction. Roll out in two directions till you get a good consistency

While rolling out the ink, wriggle the roller in both directions to attain better consistency in the ink

A texture like this will be formed. Further repeat steps 4 & 5 over it.

INKING TOOLKIT

• Brayer

• Inks

• Inking plate

• Palette knife

• Tissue

• Solvent

• Scrap paper

ESSENTIAL TIPS

the inking process 00

Once the artwork has been composed and the imposition is done, the next step is that of inking. For this we need to first prepare the ink and then meticulously apply it, either to the plate or to the roller, depending upon the kind of press and print run. The art of inking requires practice and perfection.


The inking process

Ink • Inking plate • Brayer • Palette knife

Tools checklist How to judge the amount of ink?

00 • Printing

00

• The inking process

1 Using the palette knife, remove the layer of dried skin as it may cause blemishes in the prints.

2 Next, scoop out some amount of fresh ink and roll the knife to avoid the ink from dripping.


4 Use the brayer to roll out the ink, starting in one direction. Roll out only some of the ink at a time from the amount on the inking plate.

5 It is important to lift the brayer before rolling in the ohter direction. Roll out in two directions till you get a good consistency

1 While inking long artworks, ink a part of it until the brayer is covered with the impression from it.

2 Then, re-ink the brayer before inking the remaining part of the artwork.

1 Begin inking a plate by gently rolling the ink on it in one direction. Try your best to ink the plate in one go.

2 While inking broad plates, sometimes you need to lift the brayer and ink in the opposite direction as well, in order to make sure all corners and edges are inked.


Inking the plate

Inking long plates

Stage 2The following weeks I decided to work on a particular type of spread and then adapt the design to the others. I started with the process spread and then went on to the information and the tool spread. At every stage the designed evolved in hierarchy, layout and the content.

The struggle and feedback in the initial weeks shaped up the design and concept to make it look visually strong and appealing. I had now developed a colour palette for the spreads, photographed the final images and finalised the use of typefaces. What followed were several detail decisions at every step.

Information spreadThis spread describes three variables that are important and affect the quality of a letterpress print. I decided to take actual prints and scan them to demonstrate what the content was highlighting. The information to go on this spread was a lot and I went through several explorations to finally come to a structure that categorized the information well, offering it the required hierarchy. Bryn’s feedback on this spread was that it had the required look and structure but somewhere needed further grouping of the information. The reader should be able to follow the information in the order as planned by the designer.

Process spreadThis spread explains the step by step processes of getting the ink ready and inking the plates before taking prints. The image-text balance needs to be worked out efficiently for this spread. There are several details to be taken care of as there are different levels of information. In addition to that, I had to develop a structure in a way that all process spreads could be treated that same way and it should also fall into sync with the visual look of the other spreads.

Two stages of the information spread explaining the three variables that affect a letterpress print.

Setting metal type is process that demands precision. Type is set or arranged in a composing stick. One has to be familiar with the various tools used for setting and the layout of the typecase, in order to be efficient in the process.

Tools for setting type

composing stickA handheld tool that is used for setting metal type . It should be held in this way, with the thumb holding the type against the side for stability.

spacing materialThese are small pieces of metal added while setting type to create space between words, to add white space to the end of a line or to tighten up a line of text.

leading Strips of metal in varying thicknesses and lengths used as spacing between lines of text.

metal type

type height

feet

nick

face

counter

body

point size

You will also need:Galley: A metal tray that is used for temporarily storing set type.

Tweezers: Handy for changing out letters while setting type

Form string: Used to tie up type after it is set and before it is locked up on the press.

Em quad

2 En quads

3-to-the-em spaces

4-to-the-em spaces

5-to-the-em spaces

00 • Composition

The type case

SpacesWhere spaces are side by side they are arranged with the smaller of the two spaces to the left

Frequently used lettersThe most frequently used letters are grouped around the center of the lower case arrangement

Patterns to memorise Four patterns, when memorised, help to locate many other letters

Uppercase guidepostsKnowing the first, middle and the last letters in each row is a very good way to orient oneself in this part of the case

Tools for setting type • 00

Tools spreadI started working on this spread in the later stages of the project. After discussing some alternatives, this was the spread I presented. Bryn and Ole liked the overall look and structure but however suggested that the images could be made bigger and the headings should be reconsidered.


Exploring cover and section openersWhen I looked at home reference manuals in the bookstore, I realised that the covers say a lot more than just the title of the book. The cover needs to communicate that it is a step-by-step guide and will help the reader through the process. Like any other cover, it also needs to be attractive enough to stand out on the shelf along with its competitors. Bright covers, with strong imagery and bold type is what attracted me towards them while I was browsing through bookshelves of reference manuals

After exploring some covers, the idea that I wanted to go ahead with was using large characters of type on the cover and following the same through the section openers. I aimed to print the letters using woodtype on letterpress and scan-ning and creating an effective image. However, in the process I was not able to create the desired effect. I wanted the deboss created due to the pressure to be visible on the cover. This was not being achieved to perfection. I moved on to trying several other covers using textures, images of various letterpress materials and type.

PLPRINTING WITH LETTERPRESSA beginner’s manual IINTRODUCTION

Letterpress printing The techniqueKinds of presses Presses used In this book Tools & materials


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PRINTING WITH LETTERPRESS


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A beginner’s manual

A beginner’s manual I

L E T T E RPRINTING WITH

PRESSA beginner’s manaul

Vidhushri Ladha

PRINTING WITH LETTERPRESSA beginner’s manual


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A beginner’s manual

Printing with Letterpress

Letterpress printing is an old printing technique which has been revived and has regained importance in the recent years. This manual is a sourcebook for beginners and printers wanting to explore this technique. Using clear explanations of technical terms, this manual describes presses, tools, inks, processes and type. Also discussed is how to plan and print a project with some examples of projects like posters, book covers and invites. This up-to-date manual is ideal for students and letterpress enthusiasts.

A guide for beginners

printing with

Vidhushri Ladha



PRINTING WITH

a complete guide for beginners

VIDHUSHRI LADHA

PRINTING WITH

a complete guide for beginners

VIDHUSHRI LADHA



printing

Letterpress printing 02

The technique 04

Kinds of presses 06

Presses used In this book 08

Tools & materials 10

Variables for a good print 12

Cover ideas and their corresponding section openers.

Exploring some more covers using typography and photographs.

This cover along with the section opener to the right was what led to the final design. This was submitted for the end of term asses-ment. The final design includes some changes with typography and colour application.

22 Home reference manual / Printing with letterpress Design and making 23

design and making

The bladI submitted a blad for this project. This consisted of a process spread, tools spread, information spread, along with the cover, section openers, title page and contents page. This provided the design structure for the rest of the book.

Developing a visual structureWhile working on the design I was constantly thinking about what would be the visual element that I would use to bring this book together. Would it be the colour palette, some graphic element or something else? While I was doing the photography for this book I came across this particular woodtype in the collection of the department at the Univer-sity of Reading, that I used to compose and print words for the section openers. Taking the idea forward I used the same type for the cover and the contents page as well. This type shall be used constantly throughout the book and imparts a strong visual connect.

Colour correctionWhen I started placing the photographs into the layout, I realised that the colour of the ink used affects the look of the page to a great extent. I decided to use red ink for all the process images. I had to make sure that the red used is constant throughout the book. Hence some amount of colour correction was required in order to make sure the ink colour appeared the same in all photographs. Also the scans of the prints that like the one used for the contents page needed to be of the same red.

Colour palette Bars of colour are used in the header and the footer to help in navigation through the various sections and also impart a different colour to each section. These were chosen in relation with each other and the content of the section. For example, for the section which involves inking and printing, because I was using red ink for the photographs I chose a shade of violet to add contrast to the look on the page.

PaperThe photographs were the most important element in this book. While looking at paper samples, I wanted to chose one that prints the text clearly but also has a colour and texture that highlights the images the best. Also, the way the red was printing on the paper was important as it was the primary colour used in the book.

Examples of how prints from a particular woodtype led to the development of a visual style in the book.

Some papers looked at included Amber graphic, Munken polar, Munken print white and Perfect image.

Developing a colour palette for the sections, to be used as the header and the footer.

Comparing the intensity of the red colour and look of the images on different papers.


Step number

The treatment for heading and introduction text on every spread

A tools checklist for every process

Template at 70 percent scale.


1 Using the palette knife, remove the layer of dried skin as it may cause blemishes in the prints.

2 Next, scoop out some amount of fresh ink and roll the knife to avoid the ink from dripping.



4 Use the brayer to roll out the ink, starting in one direction. Roll out only some of the ink at a time from the amount on the inking plate.

5 It is important to lift the brayer before rolling in the other direction. Roll out in two directions to get an even consistency.

inking plate • ink • brayer • palette knife

Tools checklist

38 · Printing

Inking the plate

5 It is important to lift the brayer before rolling in the ohter direction. Roll out in two directions till you get a good consistency.

1 Begin inking a plate by gently rolling the ink on it in one direction. Try your best to ink the plate in one go.

2 While inking broad plates, lift the brayer and ink in the opposite direction as well, in order to make sure all corners and edges are inked.

Inking long artworks

2 Then, re-ink the brayer before inking the remaining part of the artwork.

1 While inking long artworks, ink a part of it until the brayer is covered with the impression from it.

How to judge the amount of ink?

Though practice will help you make observations on how to judge the quantity of ink, the two factors that help make this decision –1. Texture of ink on the brayers Excess amount of ink creates an uneven texture whereas less ink leaves a smooth texture.2. Sound produced while rolling the ink.

Brayer with excess ink Brayer with less ink

The inking process · 39

Tips are pulled out into boxes

Overlap of photographs is a style which is to be applied throught where required.

The process spreadThis is the layout for a typical process spread. The page has been composed in a way that it can be applied to other simi-lar spreads in the book. Elements like the heading, introduc-tion text, tools checklist, the treatment of the step numbers and some overlap of images shall remain constant for the other processes as well. Important tips are pulled out into boxes wherever essential in the narrative of the book.

MarginsTop: 18mmBottom: 12mmOutside: 16mmInside: 12mm

190mm

240mm

Section-wise colour coded headers for better navigation

Section colour for the footer


Section-wise colour coded headers for better navigation

Treatment of the title and the introduction text remains the same throughout the book.

Using cut-outs of photographs

Dropping the initial uppercase

Typesetting tools Setting metal type is a process that demands precision. Type is set or arranged in a composing stick. One has to be familiar with the various tools used for setting and the layout of the typecase, in order to be efficient in this process.

composing stickA handheld tool that is used for setting metal type. It should be held in this way, with the thumb holding the type against the side for stability.

metal type

leading Strips of metal in varying thicknesses and lengths used as spacing between lines of text.

You will also needgalley A metal tray that is used for temporarily storing set type.

tweezers Handy for changing out letters while setting type

form string Used to tie up type after it is set and before it is locked up on the press.

spacing materialThese are small pieces of metal added while setting type to create space between words, to add white space to the end of a line or to tighten up a line of text.

Em quad

2 En quads

3-to-the-em spaces

4-to-the-em spaces

5-to-the-em spaces

28 · Composing

spacesWhere spaces are side by side they are arranged with the smaller of the two spaces to the left

frequently used lettersThe most frequently used letters are grouped around the center of the lower case arrangement

patterns to memorise Four patterns, when memorised, help to locate many other letters

uppercase guidepostsKnowing the first, middle and the last letters in each row is very helpful for the uppercase letters

The typecase is a wooden tray divided into compartments that keep type organised. Each case consists of one font of a typeface, meaning one size and style of a particular typeface. Although they come in variety of layouts, the California Job Case is one of the most common. This is designed to hold a full font of type. A two-thirds case is about 22 inches wide and intended for small amounts of type. A split case or news case has one case for the uppercase type and the other for the lowercase.

The typecase

Typesetting tools · 29

type height

feet

nick

face

counter

body

point size

Some images are allowed to bleed where required

Treatment of text when it is overlapping on image

The tools spread Though this spread is one of its kind, several elements used here give an idea of the visual structure of the book. The use of cut-outs and large photographs help depict the surround-ings of letterpress printing better. Moreover decisions regard-ing type, treatment of sub-headings, the use of colour and the dropping of the first uppercase, all form the style guide for the book.

Section colour for the footer



Information spread This spread is an example of one which gives informa-tion on topics related to letterpress before you get on to reading about the various processes. Like the other two kinds of spreads, the treatment of the title and the intro-duction text along with the header and the footer, remain constant. However, large quantity of information is composed in these spreads.

paper

Examples of overink and too much pressure

Examples of underink and less pressure

Example of appropriate ink and pressure

Examples of prints on two different papers

Variables for a good printApart from the press used, there are three main factors that affect the quality of a letterpress print. Exploring and adjusting these results in prints of different qualities.

pressureThe amount of pressure makes all the difference in a letterpress print. The beauty of letterpress prints is enhanced due to the indented effect that pressure creates.

inkInk is another variable that along with pressure affects the quality of a letterpress print. Here, two factors are important, the quality and the quantity of ink used.

The amount of ink and pressure required differs with the type of paper. The thickness and the texture of a paper determines the kind of print produced on it.

Understanding the variables through examples

When ink or pressure is in excess, the strokes of the letters become thicker, counters become smaller and the overall texture of the print is uneven.

With too much pressure or ink the details in the image are getting lost. Notice the tree on the right side, it has marged into the background.

22 · Introduction Variables · 23

Transfer the ink to the paper, with a kissWhen you are able to get just the right amount of pressure and ink on the paper, the print is as if tranferred with a kiss. This can be achieved by practice.When the quantity of ink and pressure is adjusted correctly, you receive a print where the type is clear, details are not lost and the inking is even throughout. The beauty of a print depends on the balance that a printer strikes between the pressure and ink, on a particular paper.

When the ink or pressure is less than required, the print is pale and the details of letters get lost, especially the thin strokes.

In the case of images, details get more lost when the ink is more rather than less. However the print is not very clear and the contrast is very low hence the beauty of the image is compromised.

on textured thick paperThe texture of the paper affects how the final print looks. In this case the texture is interfering with the smoothness of the print and making it look more scattered.

on glossy smooth paper Uncotaed paper soaks the ink well, whearas in the case of coated glossy paper, the ink sits on and does not sink in, hence fine details are lost.

Ink and pressure together affect the character-istics of printed type and images. The stroke width, contours, details, colour, texture of type, all depend upon the balance between the ink and pressure. If even one of them is not in the right quantity, the effect on the print is clearly visible. A look at the examples on the opposite page will you help understand these variables better and in turn help you in making decisions while printing.


Use of ellipses to highlight


MAKE AN IMPRESSION

Perhaps you just received a card with a unique indented surface and fell in love with it, or you bought some woodtype at the flea market. May be you got your hands on a handpress. Whatever be the reason, you just want to learn more about the letterpress printing technique. Letterpress printing is an old printing tech-nique which has been revived and has regained impor-tance in the recent years. This manual is a sourcebook for beginners and printers wanting to explore this tech-nique. Using clear explanations of technical terms, this manual describes presses, tools, inks, processes and type. Also discussed is how to plan and print a project with some examples of projects like posters, book covers and invites. This up-to-date manual is ideal for students and letterpress enthusiasts. Let’s start printing with letterpress!

‘A manual that will make you fall in love with letterpress and face no fear of experimenting.’

– Letterpress society

£ 16.99

www.bloomsbury.com

A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

PRINTING WITH

Vidhushri Ladha

PR

INTIN

G W

ITH LE

TTER

PR

ESS

Layout of the coverThe final cover makes use of texture made from rolling letterpress ink on paper, as the background. The letters from the same woodtype are used in reversed. I chose to use Bloomsbury as the publishers for this book as I came across some similar letterpress manuals by them. The typography on the cover is kept simple and centred.


History 8

The technique 12

Kinds of presses 14

Choosing a press 16

Inks and paper 18

Variables for a good print 22

Introduction

Projects

Printing

The inking process 38

Regulating pressure & ink 42

Proofing 44

Working with cylinder press 46

Working with platen press 48

Planning to printing 66

Custom book covers 70

Event posters 74

Invites 80

Stationary 84

Composing

Post-print

Further information

Drying prints 52

Cleaning up 54

Maintenance 58

Press troubleshooting 60

Storage 62

Type terminologies 26

Typesetting tools 28

Setting type by hand 30

Imposition 34

Glossary of terms 90

Resources 94

Acknowledgements 96

Index 98

PRINTING WITH

LETTERPRESS

A complete guide for beginners

Vidhushri Ladha

The title page

Contents page using the same woodtype and highlithing the colour for each section.

These are examples of the section openers. The idea is to form the name of the section through photographs of the letterpress printing process itself.


Print SpecificationTrim size: 190mm W x 240mm HNumber of pages: 120 Binding: Section sewn, softcover, paperbackCover stock : Perfect image 250gsmPages stock: Perfect image 120gsmPrinting: 4-colour litho

ConclusionThis project had several aspects of learning attached to it. From the point where I got exposed to reference manuals, observed the market and chose a topic to the evolution of the design, each stage had its own challenges. When I chose to work with Letterpress printing, I was a bit sceptical as many people in the department had knowledge about it, it was a topic close to our profession and hence an added responsi-bility to be correct in what I put together. Moreover, the topic is vast, there are several books on it, and hence to decide on the content structure was a challenge. This book was aimed at a particular audience and I had to design keeping the audience and the market in mind. This was different from the other projects that I had worked on during this year. While designing I had to constantly remind myself of the usabil-ity of the book and the fact that it needed to be sold off the shelves to a particular audience.

Typography was a very integral part of this project. Since I used a combination of two typefaces, a serif and a sans serif, the choice and the usage needed several stages of explora-

tion. Hierarchy is very important to instructional text and hence I discovered several ways of highlighting information and helping the reader flow through the text in the required direction.

The fact that I was not only designing this book but also writing the content and doing the photography myself, made this design process intensive and challenging. I experienced what being an art-director feels like. Editing was something that took up a lot of time during this project. To be able to fit text where required and say the required things in short captions needed both practice and attention. A strong visual structure needed to be set up for the book in a way that every spread looked different and yet a part of the same book. I developed definite guidelines for the treatment and place-ment of headings, images, body text and captions.

Overall, when I look back at the evolution of the design, I believe this project strengthened my understanding of integrating text and image, communicating instructions and most importantly being the author along with the designer.

Documents

Reference manual project report2