Do you remember this post about a one-year course on letterpress printing? It was about learning how to set type, print with a proofing press, and so much more. The course was developed by Drukwerkplaats Atelier t in close collaboration with the Museum of Industry in Ghent, Cultural Centre De Borre, and the Arts and Media Academy of Genk.
Well, we are happy to announce that, in the meantime, we have a fantastic group of highly motivated people from different backgrounds gathered for the course with just one aim: to learn as much as possible about the art of printing during this course taught by Thomas Gravemaker (LetterpressAmsterdam), Niels Goovaerts (Drukwerkplaats Atelier t), and yours truly, Armina Ghazaryan (Museum of Industry).
The first three-day course took place in November of 2024 at the Atelier t, a letterpress workshop owned and run by Niels in Bierbeek, near Leuven (BE). Although the space is not that large, it is exceptionally well organized to host a group of 7 people and provide working space to put a lettercase and a galley for each. It is also equipped with 3 proofing presses: FAG, Korrex and Eickhoff and a very fine, high-quality collection of metal type which makes the assignments involving setting large chunks of text even more satisfying.
On Friday morning, after a 'short meet and greet' session and a cup of coffee with biscuits, the group moved to the actual workspace. The first part of the day was solely dedicated to the theory of typesetting: the lay of case, composing stick, setting rules, justification, lifting lines from the stick to the galley, working with furniture and calculating everything in cicero's divided into 12 points. A unit of measure used in typography in
continental European countries. After lunch, everybody was ready to dive into the cases full of metal type. The participants were given short poems, prepared by Niels in advance so everyone got a text to typeset. Armed with composing sticks and a case of metal type the actual work had begun.
Having decided on the length of the text and setting the rule in position the letters could be picked out of the case and transferred to the stick accompanied with the spacing material. When each line had been set it was time for the lifting lines from the composing stick and moving to the galley. Lifting type requires quite a lot of practice but everyone learnt it very fast and soon all 7 poems were transferred to the galleys and placed in the left corner between the metal furniture. After this first stage of composition has been completed, it was bound with a page cord to prevent any of the letters from falling over. Now the proofs could be taken for testing accuracy in spelling. We kept the page cord and moved the compositions one by one to the Korrex proofing press. No chase has been used this time and we made it secure with a couple of magnets. By the time we made a couple of prints, it was time for dinner.
On Saturday morning we continued proofing all 7 poems. Everyone took time to correct a few mistakes and make design adjustments. After lunch, it was time for the imposition of the final layout (forme). Locking type on the 'stone', calculating the position on the page and making the imposition on the galley. The final imposition was based on the proof prints (copies) glued on the paper according to the design decisions of the participants and the assignment they had been given. When the furniture was assembled it was safe to remove the page cord. The forme had been moved to the printing press and secured using quoins which were tightened up gradually. Proofs had been made.
On Sunday more proofs and corrections were made. As well there was time to explain the peculiarity of working with different presses as it would have been a waste of effort if the fine typesetting skills were not followed up by competent printing. Inking, the right height for the inking rollers and at last feeding the paper into the printing press and having it exactly positioned using the grippers. After the final prints were made it was time for distribution (dissing) the type. The process of distribution requires some practice as it is essential to know the lay of the case. Putting the spaces back in the case can also be puzzling as the difference is sometimes rather small.
It was a very intense but very satisfying start to this one-year course. Next time we will meet at the Museum of Industry in Ghent and work in a completely different set-up. Meanwhile, everyone got safely back home and received a short assignment to have it ready in January 2025. But before heading to the three-day course at the museum we will have a one-day trip to Antwerp where we will be allowed to dive into archives kept at the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library, which has been collecting and preserving Flemish cultural heritage for over five centuries. As well as the archives of the Museum Plantin-Moretus, the only museum in the world to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
more pictures of the actual typesetting
to be continued...
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