Here's something I'd love to go to if I could, a printing masterclass offered by Faber & Faber:
"This Masterclass is perfect for people with no prior experience to learn how to prepare work, and print on a press from start to finish. You will learn hand typesetting in both lead and wooden type, how to lock up your work into a forme, selecting paper stock, choosing and mixing inks and how to set up the presses. At the end of the day, you’ll take home your own unique poetry print."
That sounds tremendous fun!
Details here.
In this increasingly technical and ebook reader age how lovely to see the old "hands on" methods are still being used. Reminds me of Virginia Woolf's journal where she writes about the press she and Leonard set up at the start of the Hogarth Press. What a sense of achievement to see your work through from beginning to end.
Posted by: Fran | 04 June 2015 at 09:20 AM
I was going to say much the same as Fran. I, too, would love to sign up just to have that Virginia Woolf moment.
Posted by: Claire | 04 June 2015 at 10:04 AM
When I was in college I took a hand made book class and actually made a book of poems (Robert Frost) and tipped in my own little B&W photos. It was a hand set type class and I loved it and have ever since wanted to try my hand at it again! I would love this, too! I hope you might be able to do it someday!
Posted by: Danielle | 05 June 2015 at 05:32 PM
Perhaps I should restart the Dowally Press? If you fancy being my Printer's Devil let me know. P x
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 June 2015 at 02:04 PM
You should definitely restart the Press, and I'd love to try devilling!
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 June 2015 at 03:16 PM
That sounds wonderful, Danielle!
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 June 2015 at 03:16 PM
Perhaps Dark Puss will offer classes in Perthshire (see below).
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 June 2015 at 03:18 PM
I so agree, Fran.
Posted by: Cornflower | 06 June 2015 at 03:18 PM
Let me see what state things are in. Nothing has been touched since about 1980.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 June 2015 at 05:45 PM
I hope you have also read Richard Kennedy's version of life at the Hogarth Press too!
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 June 2015 at 05:48 PM
For those of you who have expressed an interest in hand letter-press printing, I used to run a small private press (The Dowally Press) as a teenager in Scotland. This was the press I used and still own.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 06 June 2015 at 06:03 PM