Typophile

Ink & Paper

Neil Caldwell

Awesome video of a groovy letterpress company (first time a saw one of those machines in operation!), located next door to a shop that sells nothing but custom paper from around the world...

http://vimeo.com/33359230

I think it's an awesome video because it's a real hard look at life refusing to quit.

:)

Doesn't look like the "awesome" type -- more like "Aw, shucks"

I looked at the thread's title and found myself missing Sinclair BASIC for the persquillionth time.

FYI, FWIW — The machine used for the film’s titles is the Linotype. Those are the mats being assembled for casting, and the letters you see are the references stamped on the back so you can confirm your work as you key it in. (These reference letters are basically generic and not representative of the face and style being set.)

There’s also a passing shot, early on, of an operator at the Linotype keyboard.

On the other hand, the machine demonstrated at length — the one used for casting “George Lucas” — is a Ludlow, I’m pretty sure.

Those machine are crazy, must have been bitch to maintain tho.

Hopefully when I get to L.A. those shops will still be there for me to enjoy.

If you want to see real letterpress action in LA let me know.

hhp

I looked at the thread's title and found myself missing Sinclair BASIC for the persquillionth time.

ink and paper were functions?

This is a great video by the way, very enjoyable. I laughed very hard when the guy said he couldnt afford to pay the electric bill. Ah HA HA HA HA! Ah HA HA HA HA!

;-p

No I really did think it was well done though.

INK and PAPER were statements and PRINT modifiers. As statements, they set fg/bg for all following screen-affecting statements. As modifiers, they changed the colours temporarily. Look for a Sinclair ZX Spectrum emulator if you want to play with this stuff.

The machine is a Ludlow.

In my home town the Hobbycraft chain has recently succeeded in closing down the last of the two independent artists' materials shops. Our only choice now is their range of pre-packaged crap. And if they don't have what you want they won't get it for you the next day.

As the guys in the video said (more or less), they just don't fit in our modern world.

SHAME ON YOU WORLD. You are a sadder place without them.

I feel fortunate to live in Edmonton, Alberta - we have several stores that sell artists' materials, and I believe that most of them are independents, although at least one chain has a presence.

Does letterpress = independents?

Could very well be!

Captured from web.archive.org on 9 May 2012. view this capture