Pressing On: The Letterpress Film - Kickstarter Trailer

Lol's Photobook

I'm a bit behind with my blog entries so let's get up to date.
Pictured is a photobook I finished recently. As a nod to the big red book of "This is Your Life" fame, it is an A3 landscape, printed in full colour on 170gsm silk and case bound. Instead of a leather-effect it's more of a plush. The cover cloth is FT Ratchford's Dainel, the colour is Tomade 16.

The History of Wymondley Baptist Church

The latest short run book I have designed for the author, Nigel Billingham. Printed a couple of months ago at Beacon Printers, it's good to see that niche books are being produced. This one was 180 pages, printed in black and white on 150gsm silk stock. The cover was printed on 350gsm silk and gloss laminated then perfect bound by Abbey Bookbinding.

Where it all started

I came across this photo in the book "Cardiff - Those Were The Days", a collection of photographs compiled by Brian Lee. Brian Lee worked for the Western Mail and Echo, in Cardiff, which had connections to the Tudor Printing Co, the previous occupiers of the building which housed Qualitex Printing. The photograph, I would think, was taken between 1968-1970 judging from the hairstyles and the Cornerstone frames. Although a taken a little while before I started some of the faces circled were still there. (From left to right: Glyn Mayor, Dennis Mayor, Bill Cuthbert (the Father of the Chapel), Ken Jones, Mike Manley and Maurice Nolan (the Comp Room Overseer). For the first three years of my apprenticeship I carried out my work at the frame in front of Ken Jones, who then occupied the frame in the very bottom left, just out of shot. In my time, behind Ken, was another tall bench/frame where the leads for line-spacing were cut. In the top right of the picture you can see the Monotype Keyboard room. When phototypesetting was introduced in the mid-seventies, this room was partitioned and annexed to the very back of the comp room, with a couple of keyboards moving upstairs into a room in the loft - where I took up residency in the last two years of my time.

Shades of Green

"Shades of Green" is a collection of articles originally written for the South Wales Echo by local gardening expert Clive Edwards. Clive had the idea of combining them all into one volume and producing a very limited edition which he would give to his closest friends and family. Clive contacted me, through Abbey Bookbinding, and commissioned me to design and produce the book. Eight editions were produced in perfect bound form and two were case bound.
Both versions were A5 and digitally printed in full colour throughout on 150gsm silk. The perfect bound copies had a gloss laminated 350gsm silk cover while the case bound versions were bound using green cloth in keeping with the theme. The typefaces used were Sabon Roman, Italic and Bold for the text and DIN Light and Black for display.
Sadly, after a very short, sudden illness Clive passed away before he could take the next step and publish a larger quantity. However, his sister, Ann, and brother, Roy, are taking the project on as a lasting memorial.
If you are interested in obtaining a copy please contact Ann Brookman (email: annbrookman2@hotmail.co.uk).

Motorbikes!

As a test for a future photo book I have produced a prototype A4 landscape version. The cover (front and back) has a full image which has been gloss laminated. The inside pages have been printed on 170gsm Printspeed uncoated paper. The book has then been finished with a wiro-bind although this will not be the method used in any future edition which will probably be smaller in size.

Michelle Chick Portfolio

My latest commission to design and produce a portfolio displaying paintings by Michelle Chick. The pages are A3 in size and printed through a Xerox 7002 on 190gsm Perfect Image and the porfolio features a spiral bind so that the images lay perfectly flat. Bound in green cloth it also has a magnetic closure on the right.

Geoff Marsh Number 13

My first commission for a bespoke photo book. It is A3 in size and consists of 56 pages printed full colour through a Xerox 7002 digital press on 170gsm Core Silk at Beacon Printers, Penarth. It was then bound in black cloth with the title block blind embossed on the cover. Bound by Abbey Bookbinders in Cardiff.

Typeface

I have, at last, managed to see this film made by Kartemquin Films. Although it is about a company in Wisconsin it is a poignant piece and illustrates how the computer age has affected businesses which serviced letterpress printing.

The Linotype Film

"Linotype: The Film" is a feature-length documentary centered around the Linotype type casting machine. Called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" by Thomas Edison, it revolutionized printing and society.

The film tells the surprisingly emotional story of the people connected to the Linotype and how it impacted the world.

www.linotypefilm.com

Not a machine I've ever operated, but marvellous none the less.

"The Spirit of Penarth"

After more than 300 hours "The Spirit of Penarth" has finally been finished and printed. It is a comprehensive history of 131 years of Penarth Rugby Football Club extensively researched and written by Chris Thau and printed by Beacon Printers.
The book is over 360 pages in black and white, printed on 150gsm silk and case bound with a colour dust cover. Retail price is £49.95.

The Town Wall of Cardiff

Recently completed, this volume is an illustrated guide to the history and component constructions of the original Cardiff town wall. It was set using Concorde and Helvetica fonts, printed on 150gsm silk paper and perfect bound.

Top Ten Typefaces used by Book Design Winners 2008 …

The American Association of University Presses (AAUP) holds an annual Book, Jacket & Journal Show which catalogs the best in book design and exhibits it around the USA.

1. Minion - Robert Slimbach, 1990/2000

2. ITC New Baskerville - John Baskerville and John Quaranda, 1706-1775/1974

3. FF Scala - Martin Majoor, 1999

4. FF Scala Sans - Martin Majoor, 1999

5. Adobe Garamond - Claude Garamond and Robert Slimbach, 1989

6. Trade Gothic - Jackson Burke, 1948

7. Electra - William Addison Dwiggins and Linotype staff, 1935/1994

8. Fournier - Pierre Simon Fournier and Monotype staff, 1742/1924

9. Dante - Giovanni Mardersteig and Ron Carpenter, 1957/1993

10. DIN - Albert-Jan Pool, 1995

Acknowledgement: fontfeed.com

Yogurt on My Boots by Oscar John Jones

The second volume of Oscar Jones' autobiographical trilogy. The cover continuing the theme.

Aquarius Arising by Oscar John Jones

The first volume of an autobiographical trilogy by Oscar Jones. The cover was designed to give the feel of the old Penquin paperbacks. The text was supplied as Word pages by the author.

Favourite Typeface: Gill Sans

Originally designed by Eric Gill for the London & North Eastern Railway for all their signage, advertising and timetables.

Eric Gill (1882-1940)

Gill was born in Brighton, the son of non-conformist minister. While apprenticed to an architect in London, he became smitten with the world of calligraphy, which he entered by attending classes given by Edward Johnston. He was profoundly influenced by Johnston's dedicated approach to work and decided to join the world of the Arts and Crafts.

During his lifetime he set up three self-sufficient religious communities where, surrounded by his retinue, he worked as sculptor, wood-engraver, and type designer. He also wrote constantly and prodigiously on his favourite topics: social reform; the integration of the body and spirit; the evils of industrialisation; and the importance of the working man. He converted to Catholicism in 1913 and this influenced his sculpture and writings. He designed his first typeface, Perpetua, for Stanley Morison who had badgered him for years on this matter. Of all the 11 typefaces that he designed, Gill Sans is his most famous; it is a clear modern type and became the letter of the railways - appearing on their signs, engine plates, and timetables.

Gill described himself on his gravestone as a stone carver.

Reference: www.identifont.com

Favourite Typefaces - Spectrum

Designed by Jan van Krimpen. A lovely, crisp font which makes an excellent display font for invitations and book text. Originally designed for a new bible being planned by Spectrum, a publishing house based in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Jan van Krimpen (1892-1958)

Born in Gouda, van Krimpen was a calligrapher, book designer, and type designer. His typefaces are regarded as restrained, beautiful, and classical. His designs are very influential, though they are not widely used. His most famous typeface is Lutetia, which is based on his own handwriting. Jan van Krimpen spent nearly all his working life at the great Haarlem printing house of Joh. Enschedé. He had been working as a designer of lettering on stamps when he was noticed by the head of Enschedé. Enschedé commissioned a new typeface from him in 1923 and thus Lutetia was born. According to Beatrice Warde, van Krimpen was the most difficult designer the Monotype Printing Works had ever had the misfortune to deal with. In his work, as in his temperament, he inclined towards reticence and severity, with fastidious attention to detail.

Reference: www.identifont.com

All for Norway by Gerald Harris

Cover design for a biography. The inside pages already being laid out in Microsoft Word. Printed by Beacon Printers Ltd and perfect bound by Abbey Bookbinding Ltd.

My Other Mother by Suzanne Greenslade . . .

Another square format design. This time for a catalogue for an exhibition of photographs during Black History Month 2009. The book was designed to display the photographs along with a short description. Text in Gill Light, headings in Gill Medium. Printed digitally by Beacon Printers Ltd and perfect bound by Abbey Bookbinding Ltd.

The Golden Section . . .

The Golden Section is widely regarded as the most aesthetically pleasing layout of a page. There are many variants but the proportions are fundamentally similar.