Friday, 15th January 2010

WHAT IS LETTERPRESS?

I am asked by clients and fellow designers so often to explain the letterpress printing process that I decided why not create a blog post, so here goes…

Letterpress is a very old printing method which has seen a huge revival in the US and UK in recent years, fine artists and designers like myself  have embraced this old technique to create unique, luxuriously tactile stationery. At Farrell & Chase we are introducing this beautiful printing technique to a new generation in Ireland. When it comes to stationery, there’s simply nothing that compares to the unique, luxurious quality of letterpress.

Letterpress is a historic printing method dating from the mid 1400’s. Today, after centuries of change and technological advances in printing methods, the processes and craft of letterpress printing have remained virtually unchanged…

Each Farrell & Chase letterpress stationery cards begin with a spark of creativity. Once complete the design is then made into printing plates, one for each colour. The printing plate is the essence of the letterpress. A letterpress plate has a raised surface that presses into the paper, leaving behind a slight indentation. The plate is mounted onto the platen of the printing press, next we ink the press with our water-soluble rubber-based inks which come in a rainbow of colours.

We print all of our designs on 100% cotton paper. Chosen for it’s pillowy texture and thickness, our cotton paper has the added benefit of being eco-friendly. We hand feed the luxurious cotton paper through our vintage Adana press impressing the artwork into the soft cotton paper, one colour at a time. The result, stationery of incredible tactile beauty.

Finally, we inspect and count each piece before packaging in brown paper tied up with string ready for delivery or collection. Your stationery is a unique work of art, the culmination of hours of craft and creativity.

Because our printing is done on an antique printing press, each piece that we print will be subtly unique. Small variations in inking, color, impression and position are to be expected. These small variations are part of what makes letterpress beautiful.

Labels: Design + Interiors, Letterpress Stationery, Wedding Stationery