It Begins!

Last week I made negatives for my first signature of the book.  This week I went to Gordo, AL to  Studio 150 to begin the madness.  There is an apt. there that I'm able to stay at during the week. I was able to print 3 folios.

I had to go back to school during the week and remake a few negatives. Although they proofed well on newsprint, when I printed on the real paper, I found that I had words that had blown out.  That means that for whatever reason, when the negative was exposed in the platemaker, that part of the negative did not fully make contact with the plate material and it get's fat.

Printing take a lot of patience.  You need to be watchful of everything. It can take a very long time for the make ready before you print on the actual paper.  Sometimes I think I should have stock in a newsprint company.  Everything must be perfect. Items that you are looking for are the base line of the words lining up front to back page, and margins - both the left and right.  Sometimes tweaking both with the plates and the machine is seemingly endless and other times, everything lines up perfectly.  I'll have to take a movie about this process and post it.

So this is what it is beginning to look like  Two pics.  First is a close up of one half of a folio I printed and then the three completed folios stacked up.  That means I have 13 more folios to go!  Going back next week to print more.  Happy New Year everyone!

Background

Studio 150

To make paper more visually interesting printer's use a variety of  methods.  I decided that my paper needed a subtle background on it.  So I created a collograph based on the digital design on military uniforms. I used a piece of 3/4 inch plywood for the base, bristol paper cut into square shapes and matte medium to seal it on the board.

Yesterday, I went to Studio 150 in Gordo, AL to begin printing it.  I printed for a little over 4 hours and I can tell that I did. Today my right arm and shoulder is very tired and sore from cranking the rollers down the bed of the press.

Press I am printing on - a Vandercook 4.  See the block in the bed of the press?

Can you see the printing?  It's hardly visible.  Just what I want.

Designing is done!!!

Today I finished designing the thesis.  All of the text and pictures are in and ready to be sent to the guy who will make negatives for me.  Yeah!  Above is an example of one of the spreads.  

Designing and paper making

I've been very neglectful in not posting in the last month.  That does not mean I have not been busy with the thesis.  In early November I started to design the book and also get material for making the purple paper for the covers and end sheets.  I went to the Maxwell AFB Thrift Shop and found a variety of purple shirts and one child size jean dress.  It made a great paper.  I beat and pulled a small batch to make the cover material.  I've posted a short clip of what it's like to beat fiber.  Then the result of the pulp after the paper dried.

I thought you also might like to see a screen shot of how I'm designing.  I'm using InDesign to create the document that will then be sent to be made into negatives.  Next will be making the images to go into the book.