Time for the final field trip of our one-year course, Jaaropleiding Letterzetten 2024–2025. Throughout the year we’ve visited a range of inspiring places—the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library, the Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp, and the remarkable private collection of Patrick Goossens. This time, however, the road led us across the border to the Netherlands, where we were warmly invited by Ruud Huysmans to visit his studio.
Ruud is a graphic designer with a deep fascination for all forms of typography. After launching Nieuwe Hoogte together with colleague Bas Menheere, he has now been working independently for some time in his new studio.
On Friday 17 October, we gathered in Roosendaal and drove together to his neighbourhood. Hidden in the industrial area of the city, Ruud’s studio is a spacious, light-filled place divided into two large rooms: the first with three presses in a row, and the second—a composing room—packed with cabinets of metal type and an impressive set of large-format wood type. And I mustn’t forget the additional cylinder press, an Asbern. I rarely see a workspace as impeccably organised as Ruud’s, and I definitely have never seen ink rollers as clean and well kept.
After a warm welcome, we sat down with coffee and cookies to introduce ourselves. Ruud didn’t yet know everyone and was curious about our backgrounds, and for some of us he was new as well. He shared his story—how he entered the world of letterpress, began collecting equipment, moved presses around (sound familiar?), and started experimenting with different techniques.
Ruud guided us through his space and encouraged us to open drawers and handle the type. The quality of his collection is exceptional. He showed us the pantograph housed in the next room, a setup he plans to use for further wood type experiments. Then he presented a selection of his work printed over recent years—self-initiated projects or pieces created for a small circle of friends, foundations, and museums. No commercial jobs whatsoever. The quality of his printing, his knowledge, and his eye for detail and precision are truly jaw-dropping. His material experiments—with acrylic, cardboard, lino, 3D-printed forms—and his willingness to run endless test sheets to achieve the exact result he wants are deeply inspiring. After taking in all this beauty, we headed next door for lunch.
Back in the studio, Ruud had prepared a small workshop for us. A hands-on afternoon: printing with cut paper & acrylic letters. Several large-format posters were already printed with metal type, and our task was to cut oversized letters from thin paper to layer over the existing prints. These were combined with acrylic letters already positioned on the press. Under Ruud’s expert guidance, we printed, layered, and explored—and everyone left with their own poster.
Our visit to Ruud Huysmans was the perfect closing chapter to this year’s program: generous, inspiring, technically rich, and rooted in a deep respect for the letterpress tradition.
A huge thank-you to Ruud for opening his doors—and for reminding us of the joy found in meticulous craft, organised chaos (or in his case, very organised order), and endless experimentation. The printwork that sets the bar high.
more pictures en videos here
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