theGraveyard

Q:how did you get into letter press? thoughts or suggestions for those of us who'd like to tinker with it.

Let’s see how short I can make this long story…

Went to Endicott College (Beverly, MA) for Graphic Design
A professor of mine recognized my draw to woodblock-esque typography and all things created by hand and mentioned letterpress once or twice
Finally found out during my senior year that I could take a course in letterpress at Montserrat College of Art (also in Beverly)
Focused my senior thesis on letterpress
After 6-9 months of searching for agency gigs post-graduation, I realized I wasn’t cut out for that environment and started hitting up any printer that would talk to me
Got in touch with Mike Dacey over at Repeat Press (of Fringe Union fame) and he pointed me toward the internship at the shop I’m working at now.
After a year of job searching with no luck, I ended up with the gig at The Mandate Press (SLC) in a matter of weeks.

So thoughts/suggestions for people looking to get into it?

Get to know the people involved with it and prove your interest isn’t something temporary
Find workshops local to you (a lot of places do Saturday workshops and stuff like that) or take a class- I don’t know what it’s like but I believe MassArt has a program
Be willing to work for experience. I hate unpaid internships as much as the next guy but little one or two man shops (any shop really) would be foolish to pass up anyone eager to be an extra pair of hands around the shop in the evenings or during weekend hours, expecting only a few tips and some advice in return. If you can find someone willing for that relationship, I have a hard time not seeing them throwing you an hour or two on a press here and there eventually. In a situation like that where you have so much to learn, that’s where I consider a little to no compensation sort of deal to actually be worth it.

For you personally? Hit up your connections through geekhouse. On the surface, bikes and letterpress seem entirely unrelated but there are some very similar principles that are driving independent frame builders, letterpress printers, chocolate makers, craft brewers, and barbers.

Wow, sorry for the ranting, tangent-driven answer but I’m pumped you asked. Best of luck pursuing this, man! Definitely be in touch.