The Idea
When I began my "Tree" series for
the Arts Project (running November 1 - November 12), I decided I wanted to try something different for the show that I hadn't done before which is to do some high-end prints of my work.
I'm really fascinating by printmaking in general and think my line style suits it. I really like the look of Letterpress printing, so I did some research of who in the area could do this for me.
Letterpress printing was for years the normal form of printing text from the mid-15th to the 19th century. It's relief printing using a "type-high bed", in which a reversed, raised surface is inked then pressed onto a sheet of paper to obtain a positive right-reading image. It provides a really beautiful, hand-made quality to things.
I found just who I was looking for with Vincent Perez at
Everlovin' Press in Kingston, Ontario. Letterpress printing is a laborious process that requires someone well-schooled in the technique, and Vincent is a print expert who oversaw the Dawson Printshop at NSCAD University (which has one of the largest collections of moveable type in Canada).
The image I selected to get prints made from is this one below, of a Hackberry tree on Colborne St., which was voted the "
People's Favourite Tree" in the 2010 Amazing Tree Quest contest.
And, since the trees of London provided the inspiration for the series, I thought I could also give back to them a bit by donating some proceeds from the print sales towards
ReForest London, a great non-profit organization that's doing its best to look after the trees of our community.
The Process
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQevrlyceJyGRACvpABQ-8VcMZGjEBRI6_OzFv8P83a7pbdixK0JZTSrwI3TczbGyGJaqxl_BL1IdrP4CobFlJ3-m7HMVXlC_BReulaBmssGRl8kQ3k4y8akuLZ6brIRBRXS4/s640/950Colborne-Raw-OneImage-25.jpg) |
The Original Scanned Image. For the print I thought I would like to make it look a little like a tourism poster to promote London (also known as the Forest City), so hand-lettered some text as a separate file to be dropped in. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5P2kCSw2On9C0uvmbTNTemuBNp0okwxR9-j_ukcDDZeUkeYYnUaKwwuW7fazql6j3vdyb9N-uLhGO9cAj84zucQ259piSglP2CdpmxXOitea-EqYknsHfP1esbRLywYVRdPT/s640/onthepress.jpg) |
I sent a high-rez digital file (1200 DPI) to Vincent, which he then made a plate from. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaQWifFCwU7xaan3LIqBpqmqnX05nou1YZgFeJ6gz6J5QLC6pc-zZ2nAgY56m0m6RT0_HegEdFxhifgXAXtsTkfmqI8Z92U23XkQ_OeuXvEiaPLfNlfAL6Om21rga0cLyut0Z/s640/colourmatching.jpg) |
He then applies ink to the plate, and runs the paper through the press. For the colours, Vincent works from Pantone colours which I supplied. I used Lagoon Blue ( Pantone 16-5418) and Grass Green (Pantone 15-6437). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_9waWU7F1sSJdInGnaGThzBZDzUA81hAXK3EhHDH3mqqAomMEbY-EuhpBz8sc08CgcRPPC__k6CvOSZJbIpBS2AHbwBsLtcVVE9WG7mBVUj0H9T1IVuJpW844AV5a4CL2lkj/s640/1colour.jpg) |
For the 2-colour prints (black and one-colour), the paper must pass through the press twice - one for the colour background, one for the black foreground. Paper is 130 lb Coronado (beautiful heavy stuff). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-UVf-VCnP_JTCod5kP-noKka-h99AHPQUwD4mAP2AQJXUg1bjzRefbQCMRgkM8fl1wu0s54cuYZejK0aZC1CZqI9yneZCgY92dzbqRowsfpdgVehXAY_s7gAoyGN2tpwH2YR/s640/worktable.jpg) |
The paper is then cut to size (12 x 16 in this case). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeGc5O-EwXvRgoyeNbuv4dPtOZBBTIApl7_D40Et-ix6OWlyAN2VkM37buM_f1tPnSYalDA4FnfqlQgjdwKcrIK49wIvhmgaxn3GGCdrOhIrherIKMZxyLQIvoB-fwHizZEQl/s640/2colours.jpg) |
Look at that perfect registration! The prints then just to need to dry, and they're all set. |
The Result
I did a few different variations of the print including one of the tree with no text. Here's what the finished ones look like. I have them all packaged up individually in acid-free sleeves and mat boards. They are $35.00 each with $5.00 going towards ReForest London.