First lot of prints.

So, I started to attempt my first lot of prints on Saturday.
After I'd taken all the necessary screws out for a de-rusting and grease up, I was ready to go.

It was all really exciting. My chase was set up, as best as it could be for my first ever attempt and my ink was at hand. Until I realised that I didn't have a hand ink roller. It took a while to spread the ink with the rollers on my Adana and manually turning the ink plate.
I got there eventually.

I lifted the handle up too see my wood type inked up for the first time, slid in my paper and pushed the handle down.

Not too good.....!! I wasn't expecting miracles but I wasn't prepared for how frustrating it is to keep adjusting the impression screws!


This was the best impression I got. Considering that it was also on textured paper. I was basically just wanting to try it out. I had a better impression on this stock than I did on a plain stock.
The design is for my girlfriend, a thank you for buying me the letterpress and letting me carry out my dream/passion.
Of course, she gets the first print!!

I've got it!!

My amazing girlfriend bought me my my first letterpress last night. An Adana 8x5.
Here it is, to the left!!

Thanks to Jeremy for selling it to me!! What a guy. So helpful
and just a generally nice person. He supplied me with the press, quoins, keys, wood type, fancy borders and blocks and some ink!!
I am very grateful!!

Not only was I lucky enough to find one of these sought after machines, I was lucky to get a good amount of wooden type and borders to be starting off with. There is an image of just one set.
All of this for just 210 Queens!! A bargain I think! The Typeface unknown at this moment in time, but I will find out. It all needs a good clean up so that is my plan for Saturday, before I get started with any of it!!

Its all really exciting.
My new venture does actually start out here!!

Here we go.....

This is the start of my new venture. Right here, right now............

Sat at my works computer!!!

Over the last year, I have been procrastinating over buying an Adana 5x8 table top letterpress
and I have finally come to the conclusion, with help from other occurrences, that I AM GOING TO GET ONE!! I have sourced a guy who sells them and I am just going to go for it.

I haven't actually used one of these yet, so it's a new venture for me. But it's end result is something I have always had a passion for. Because it's that much of a passion, I am willing to learn how to use it. I want to take design back to the basics..........away from digital (the irony, is that I work on a Xerox digital printer for a job!!).

I'm always doodling and drawing but I want to take these ideas further. Turn them into prints, birthday cards, postcards..........anything.

I just want to have fun!