After being absent from printshop for more than 2 months due to 'we all know what’ I'm happy to be back! As many of you might know my printshop 'Letterpress Corner' is currently closed for the public and I'm back at work at the printing department of the Museum of industry. Actively involved in the life of the printing department, as well as designing and typesetting posters from wood and metal type using a rich collection of the museum. For those who never been to the museum yet, it is strongly recommended to visit it anytime soon. It has a wide range of printing presses, many of which remain in working condition as they are maintained by a team of enthusiastic volunteers. And of course, a marvellous collection of the wood and metal type that will make any printmaking enthusiast's creativity go wild.
In autumn of 2020, the museum had renewed its textile department, but the official opening had to be postponed due to the 'unexpected' lockdown in November. It was decided to design a few posters to celebrate the opening and to sale them in the museum shop. But although the designs and the lock-ups for the posters were ready, I had to wait till February before starting proofing and printing.
The first poster, with a quote 'een ijzeren hand in een fluwelen handschoen' (An iron hand in a velvet glove) was set in wood and metal type and printed in 2 colours on FAG Control 405 proof press.
For the second poster, I decided to work with a pattern and play with a beautiful wood type available at the museum. I thought to use just one lock-up for 3 colours to reach the pattern effect. First, the colour yellow was printed. Then I took away the first and the last row of the wood type, so the words 'museum of industry' can be read and printed in magenta. Then I put back the wood type, the paper was rotated and it was printed in cyan. It feels great to be back in the printshop, mixing ink, playing with wood type and getting into printing with colleague printmakers. More of it, please!
Both posters are now available for sale at the Museum of Industry. The size is 30x40cm, so it fits perfectly in a frame sold in most of the shops.
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