lodging in North Carolina
Fellow students attending the Penland Letterpress Workshop
P E N L A N D W O R K S H O P
I was fortunate to receive a Barkley Fellowship award. This provided me with an opportunity to expand both my experience and that of my students. While attending a two week intensive workshop at the Penland School of Crafts in the mountains of North Carolina, I was introduced to printing techniques using the Vandercook Letterpress. This gave me an opportunity to craft a special project for all graphic design students combining the antiquated technology of the Vandercook printing press with the newer technologies of the laser cutter, and digital printing
R I N G L I N G C O L L E G E L E T T E R P R E S S + B O O K A R T S C E N TE R
When I returned to Sarasota, with the help of Jill Lerner, I continued experiments that began at Penland. Ideas and techniques were tested and a project was crafted. The Ringling College Letterpress and Book Arts Center recently purchased three Vandercook presses and this project created an opportunity for graphic design juniors to create a project that is a fusion of the old and new technology at Ringling.
B R O A D S I D E B L O G
Thirty-four juniors in the three dimensional problem solving course were divided into two sections. Each section rotated into the broadside project for half of the semester. The examples on this blog to date are from the first section. The second section is working on the project right now and their results will be posted on this blog when they complete the project.
Laser cutter at the Ringling College of Art and Design.
Students are enthusiastic about getting off the computer they love the tactile experience of mixing paint and printing by hand.
P R I N T I N G P R O C E S S
There were two different processes I learned at Penland:
1) polymer plate printing
Involves a photographic process that results in a polymer printing plate. The Book art Center has a polymer plate making machine where students make their own plates rather than sending them out to be made.
polymer plate on the press bed of the Vandercook (Alex Sanchez)
final broadside and meteor viewing specs design by Alex Sanchez
2) pressure printing
Printing plates are made from cut paper. Students can make complex paper plates using the College's laser cutter and intricate cuts can be made that are difficult to cut by hand.
An example of a pressure printing plate made of cut and stacked pieces of paper
TICKS! Test sheet of pressure printing from paper plates and flocked paper (background)
P R O J E C T B R I E F
Students were asked to design a broadside including a template for a three dimensional object that could be cut and assembled. The broadside should communicate a concept and the three-dimensional object needed to tell a part of the story.
P O L Y M E R P L A T E
References traditional typography found on early broadsides of the 1800's
Time Travel Module: Kevin Clough
An example of embracing the happy accident. Kevin accidentally ordered a positive rather than a negative. The result was a stunning blueprint effect. These are the things that happen when working with your hands.
Passive/Aggressive Internal Fight: Stacy Bloodworth
A fusion of old and new technology: letterpress printing combined with digital printing to achieve a second color. The gloves were hand tinted.
Nostalgic Blimp: Ray Vazquez
P R E S S U R E P R I N T I N G
Titanic: Emily Zargan
A broadside demonstrating how the three-dimensional form could stay attached to the background.
Earth Quake: Lisette Fall-Conroy.
An example of the fusion of old and new technology. The laser cutter is used to cut the plate. Four layers of paper create a darker shade, one layer is the lightest shade.
The White Squall: Nathalie Kowalcyzk
The laser cutter was used to create a map of islands. The life jacket is a necessary part of the story about navigating through dangerous waters.
