tandemfelixletterpress-blog

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

So happy David enjoyed his visit to Chicago & our studio!  

USA weeks four & five - Chicago, IL

Starshaped Press 24th August - 5th September, 2015

I was excited to arrive in Chicago - even the skyline at dusk as the train pulled in was enough to give me chills.  For me, this city is all about music: Tortoise, Tough & Go Records, June of 44, Thrill Jockey and Electrical Audio and many more.  But, I was even more excited to be spending a fortnight working at Starshaped Press whose work I’ve admired from afar for years now.  Established in 1999 by Jen Farrell, Starshaped works exclusively with metal and wood type - no magnesium or polymer plates to be found here.  The shop is dedicated to preserving and furthering the craft with a focus on quality typography (Jen is more concerned with kerning than anyone I’ve ever met) and in-house design.

Starshaped’s work is typified by intricacy, attention to detail and creative use of ornaments and borders, all of which builds into beautifully cohesive pieces.  The shop strikes a balance between larger art prints, smaller commissioned work (business cards etc) and sets of gift cards, postcards, coasters etc.  This close-up of ‘The Alphabet Machine’, a piece that Jen worked on during a 2014 residency at Wells College, Aurora, NY, is a good example of the former.

It was fitting therefore that after introductions and coffee, the first job Jen set me was to begin dissing a forme that had been standing for over a year.  No wonder - this is ‘The Alphabet Of Sorts’, an impressive piece of work created from thousands of ornaments.  I felt bad even considering taking it to pieces but Jen reassured me its time had come.

We took out all the ornamental pieces first, leaving just the spacing material and the outline of the letters.  That made a fun piece just in itself - the absence of printing, if you like.

Starshaped works closely with other craftspeople related to the trade.  My next job was to proof all the new wood type the shop has acquired over the last few months.  Starshaped works with a couple of studios creating new wood type designs - Moore Wood Type (out of Ohio) and Virgin Wood Type from New York state.  As well as creating nice prints in themselves, proofing helps Jen keep on top of options for new designs - she’ll often scan type and cuts to rough-up designs on computer before starting work putting together a new forme.

I proofed these on the shop’s Vandercook SP15.  This press has a history that completely relates to my journey into letterpress.  Jen herself used to work at Fireproof Press (run by John Upchurch, ex- of the band The Coctails, and Matt McClintock) - check out this Chicago Tribune feature from 20 years ago.  Fireproof printed sleeves for bands like Shellac, Rachels, Stereolab and June of 44.  Jeff Mueller from the latter band also worked at Fireproof and now runs Dexterity Press over in Newhaven, CT.  It was those sleeves that helped get me into the mess I’m now in with ink and presses!  When Fireproof folded in 1998, the SP15 moved home a few times before Jen gave it a home on long-term loan at Starshaped.  And now, full circle, I find myself proofing new type on the same press that was used to proof some of those sleeves 15-20 years ago.

So that’s the Vandercook and its story.  The main daily production presses at Starshaped however are two Chandler & Price platen presses, both motorised - no need for a leg work-out on a treadle here.  Heading into week 2, I feel like I’m doing ok, but the fate of previous interns is a reminder to keep my concentration…

The shop was running low on its stock of tag flyers, so this became the main job I printed on the C&P 10x15.  Jen was happy to leave me to work up my own design, using the house colours but with a brand new type selection and layout.  It was nice to choose from Starshaped’s enviable type collection so I went for a combination of styles that would sit together in advertising the shop’s range.  Think I managed about 800 of these babies before the week was out.

A huge thanks to Jen at Starshaped for hosting me, giving me free rein on the presses and being patient with my incessant questions.  I had a really rewarding time at the shop - it’s especially great to work somewhere that has similar music taste and I enjoyed having Yo La Tengo, Stereolab and obscure 80s indie bands on repeat.  Here’s hoping that Jen’s now enjoying all the Leonard Cohen albums I advised her to try out.

Tandem Felix Letterpress August 31st, 2015 I mentioned that Starshaped was established in 1999 and that Jen worked for Fireproof before that.  Her longevity in the city means she’s well-connected to other printers, so she was happy to hook me up with other studios.  Amongst these was Tandem Felix who are fairly new in town having moved from Detroit a few years ago. 

Run by Liz and Jamiel from a space in Lacuna Artist Loft on the south-west side of town, the studio focuses on teaching and live printing events.  Their bread-and-butter is working 1-2-1 with people who want to try letterpress for the first time - you can hire a day or more to print a project with Liz and Jamiel, which seems like a really nice way to work.  They also take a mobile operation out to events (festivals, shows etc) using a small Showcard proofing press and basic type collection.  Again, like Starshaped, they focus on wood and metal type, but they also throw in hand-worked lino and wood cuts like in the forme below.

They like to work fast and have a love of improvising on-press, so their work has a really pleasing immediacy and vibrancy.  Plus, like me, they also keep all their rejects and proofs, using them to overprint and create new designs.

Next time I’m in town I hope to get back there and work on a collaborative piece.  I certainly plan to return to Chicago - I loved the place.  This view of the downtown skyline at dusk from the top of Liz and Jamiel’s building seems an appropriate way to end this post.

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Check out our latest Print Shop Session with Detroit artist, Loretta Lucas!  Recorded live on 2-track reel to reel tape in our Chicago letterpress shop at dusk, the day after Pitchfork Fest 2015.  

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Join us in the studio next Friday for the debut of our FIRST BOOK! We'll be releasing "Shadows Were Hardly Painted On," the new album & companion booklet from music collective The INterior Project. Entirely letterpress printed with vintage movable type & hand bound in an edition of 150, the booklet includes a digital download of the complete album. #shadowswerehardlypaintedon #theinteriorproject #tandemfelix #letterpress #chicago #detroit #music #book #handmade #printsnotdead

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Etsy store still on sale! Search TandemFelixPrintShop & get in on a discount - enter FIRESALE2015 at checkout!!

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Book Day #6!!!! #tandemfelix #letterpress #theinteriorproject #shadowswerehardlypaintedon #printsnotdead (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Tandem Felix is back on Etsy! We're having a fire sale to celebrate! Just shop our store & enter the code FIRESALE2015 at checkout. Offer stands til May 22! 💝

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Hey @wildjesusband - your posters are ready!!! #printshopsessions #tandemfelix #letterpress #printsnotdead #chicago (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Print Shop Session #6.5.  Goodwolf.  Tractor Rape Chain.

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

An Alphabet of Sorts

Last year letterpress printer, Jennifer Farrell, designed and printed a beautiful decorative M constructed from almost 100 metal printers’ ornaments. 

After hesitating to break-up the forme, she had the idea of producing a whole alphabet using the same method. Eventually this thought galvanised into producing a limited edition book which she has printed at her Starshaped Press, in Chicago, and has bound at Wells College Press.

The process has resulted in some stunning imagery, especially of the metal forms which have been photographed after printing, still with silver ink clinging to the ornaments. 

The edition is almost sold out, but there are a handful of copies still left. Most will be ready to ship in mid-May. Get one here.

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Letterpress Legacy

World-renowned typographer and letterpress printer Alan Kitching has released a book documenting his extensive wood-type collection. 

Each page was carefully designed and printed by Alan in collaboration with Angus Hyland and have been reproduced at actual size

Alan Kitching’s A-Z of Letterpress: Founts from The Typographic Workshop is published by Laurence King 

“Presented as an A to Z, the individual letters are divided by full alphabets, giving the reader access to a large range of founts to reference in their own work.”

Letterpress Workshop 2015

Dates have just been announced for the 2015 letterpress workshop with Alan. The two day, hands-on course is suited to those with a keen interest in typography rather than complete beginners. 

Details here: http://thetypographyworkshop.com/ 

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Print Shop Session #7.  Wild Jesus.  Simmer.

Recorded live at Tandem Felix Letterpress on 2 track reel to reel.

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Prepping for our in-store demo at Shinola Bucktown this weekend! We'll be live printing Mother's Day Cards, available hot off the press. #letterpress #mothersday #chicago #tandemfelix #shinola @shinola (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Check out our print shop sessions, live recordings & videos from our Chicago letterpress studio! Poster coming soon! On YouTube & tandemfelixletterpress.com #madewithstudio #tandemfelix #wildjesus #printshopsessions #chicago @wildjesusband (at Lacuna Artist Loft Studios)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

We have entered into the next phase- printing books! Here's the sneak peak of The INterior Project limited edition letterpress artist book, which will house a digital copy of their album!! #theinteriorproject #letterpress #tandemfelix #typetuesday #silver (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

We filled our print shop with a band called Wild Jesus tonight for Print Shop Session #7!!! Vids & prints coming soon. #tandemfelix #printshopsessions #letterpress #rocknroll #wildjesus #devilslettuce @wildjesusband (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Practical use of printmaking tools #lithostone #printshopsessions #tandemfelix #lithography #bfa (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)

[tandemfelixletterpress-blog]

Secret project in the works! The press playing some sweet music in fluorescent orange! (at Tandem Felix Letterpress)