New Blog, New Location!
SNEAK PEAKS FROM THE PRESSES
It’s been busy in the Scribble Sketch Press studio. So busy, in fact, that I’ve been hard pressed for time to photograph the results. Hopefully in the next weeks or so I can photograph these projects properly, but here are a few sneak peaks I snapped before my camera battery ran out tonight.
This is the main image for a wedding suite I just delivered. I love doing letterpress from hand-drawn images.
beach fence
This is the top corner of a baby shower invitation. It was such an adventure to find the exact right typeface…
batter up
And finally, this is a custom wedding suite that has already been mailed out to the guests, but I’ll wait a little longer to show the whole suite online. Their theme is talavera tiles… love love love…
tiles
I’ll be back next week with more…
ALONG FOR THE RIDE
Awesome news! Scribble Sketch Press was featured in a treasury on Etsy. Check out all the bicycle fun here.
I love to ride my bike ~ etsy treasury
LET’S ROLL
Bicycle Magnesium Block
I was lucky enough to inherit a mixed bag collection of wood type when I got my big press. Wood type is rare and extremely sought after by letterpress enthusiasts, causing ebay bidding wars. None of my sets are complete fonts, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying them.
My wood type collection
I spent some quality studio time this weekend with my wood type and the Nolan proof press. The wonderful thing about wood type is that it is naturally unpredictable. It has little irregularities, scratches, and varied surface textures. It prints with a lovely velvety and vintage looking impression instead of a deep imprint. Printing more than two or three letters is difficult to pull off on the pilot press, but the Nolan is a proof press that applies pressure at one point at a time instead of all at once.
Type locked up on the Nolan
That's how we roll
The results: a funky print of a bicycle built for two. For now, it’s a limited run (only five available) with two different color schemes. Perfect for the bike-riding enthusiast, or wood type appreciator!
Final print- orange
Final print- blue
Interested? Check out my Etsy store here.
SNAIL MAIL LOVE
Don’t you love getting things in the mail? I do. It’s a departure from the certainty and immediacy of email. You’re not quite sure when something will arrive, or if something you send will really ever reach it’s destination. You just hope.
How wonderful is this street art in Denver? (photo by Adam Holloway)
In 2011, I’m making a point to send more snail mail. I don’t even need a reason, just a blank card, a black pen, a stamp, and an address. I even printed up some of my very own personal stationery for the studio. I love this typewriter key font.
Hey There
Hey There
Hey There
NEW (OLD) IN THE STUDIO
What else is going on at Scribble Sketch Press besides lots of designing and printing? Well, lots! I can rarely drive by a second hand shop without stopping in. Sometimes (oftentimes) I walk out empty handed, but once in a while there are treasures that I cannot pass up. Here are a few of my favorite finds from the last few months.
Some items are useful in my studio:
This is an old LP rack!
My cat likes it too I guess. He picked this moment to investigate what I was doing... I couldn't resist.
It doubles as a print drying rack, separating cards with fresh ink. Plus it counts them for me... up to 50 spots.
This type sorting tray has tiny angled shelves where I store type that still needs to be put away in various cases.
Showcard also made tabletop presses
The angled design keeps the little pieces of type in place
Other items are not as much useful or necessary as they are wonderful:
What's this? A strange plastic case?
It's a lovely baby blue Remington typewriter in perfect working condition!
tiny letters
Why don’t people mount photographs on wood plaques and dip them in resin anymore? This is a trend that could possibly make a comeback. Case in point below:
"Sir, you are no gentleman." ~ "And you Miss, are no lady."
CUSTOM BUSINESS CARDS
I got a rush order for some custom letterpress business cards a few weeks ago. She just needed a small amount, only 25 to start out with, for her contracting business that she just started. We looked around the studio together and I put something together for her using just handset type I have here in the shop. Her business name, Dama, is set in 48 point Coronet with the remaining text in 12 point San Serif Light (my favorite!). To add a little bit more to the otherwise simple design, she chose a pale blue card instead of white.
Dama handset type
25 business cards
Dama Construction Services
Results
I really like how they turned out. With letterpress, sometimes less is more…
