What does the letterpress process look like?

STUDIO

Printing any poster requires a studio space with specific letterpress machines and tools that take you back an entire century. All of the type, tools, and machines required for printing are extremely old and no longer in production. This is part of what adds to letterpress’s unique quality and value as an art form.

  • Composing Stick

  • Ink & knife

  • Quoin & Quoin key

  • Planer

  • Reglets

  • Pica stick

  • Furniture

  • Leading

  • Spacing material

  • Type Gauge

  • California job cases

Ideation

The first step in any design process is ideation. For me, this includes researching the client or the cause I’m designing for. This helps me build a clear direction. Then I move into physical sketches, using them to explore layout, type, and composition so I know what I am typesetting.

Typesetting

Typesetting involves arranging wood and metal type by hand, using a composing stick to build each line of text. I carefully space and align everything to create a clean, balanced composition. If my design uses multiple colors, I separate the layout into different layers, setting up each one individually so they can be printed in the correct order. Once each layer is set, I take a proof of the type to check for spelling and alignment between layers.

Ink Mixing

I mix ink by hand using a Pantone swatch book as a guide, so I know the exact percentages of each color to combine. I carefully adjust the ratios and consistency until the ink matches my target color, making sure it’s fully mixed and will print evenly on the press.

Press Set up

I set up the press by locking my type into the bed and taking initial proofs to see how everything prints. During make-ready, I adjust the type by adding thin sheets of paper underneath areas that need more contact, making sure all elements pick up ink evenly and leave a consistent kiss impression. If anything looks off, I swap out letters or adjust spacing until the print is ready.

Printing

Once all my type is ready to print and I have my paper cut down and ready, I begin printing. Ensuring that with every print, I am checking the ink saturation and adding more to the press when needed. I am also making sure that if things are shifting in the press bed, I am adjusting as I go to ensure print quality remains the same across all of my prints.

Printing my first layer of Kidz Bop at Hatch Show Print

Photography
Photography
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