02/12/10

And from the Firecracker Press, here are some long-overdue pictures of the holiday cards that I made.

Here is the Nolan press that I used to make my cards. We received training on using this press, which is hand-operated (you can see my relief block sitting in the printbed; you lay your paper on top of it, add "packing" (extra sheets of scrap paper) so that you get the right amount of pressure for the image and relief impression that you want, and you pull the press so it rolls overtop) as well as a more automated letterpress known as the Vandercook which operates by turning a handle. These are amazing machines. They are all decades old now but lovingly kept and run in good working order. They weigh a ton and were built to last until the end of time.

I would have liked to use the Vandercook instead of the Nolan -- it's easier to produce a smooth, uniform image -- but class congestion meant that it wasn't in the cards. Our instructor did mention another place on Cherokee where we can rent time on a letterpress -- All Along Press. They're in the process of moving and looks like they won't be open again till March, but I'm hoping to have time to go back there and keep using the skills that I learned in the class. Printmaking was a lot of fun.

Oh, and here's my Christmas cards: