Back in the studio

The studio has been pretty quiet over the holidays but we're slowly getting the presses humming for 2014. Let's shake the dust off the type, oil the presses, and get some printing done!

There are new workshops scheduled and we're in the middle of an "advanced" type-setting course. Pictures of the students' work will be posted soon.

Can you spot the typo?

Here's a lock-up of some 24 point Alpha-Blox on one of the Vandercook SP-15's at the studio. Alpha-Blox was a modular system created by American Type Founders that allowed a compositor to create a variety of designs and letterforms with a set of discrete shapes. This is the linear set; there is also a reverse set. Combining the two creates opportunities for some really abstract imagery.

Alpha-Blox are fun to play with mostly because all the sorts are square. So a lot of the headaches that come with setting metal type and locking-up are avoided.

-Al (studio assistant)