Kittys Drawings

I really really do!

I was soooooo nervous! Though that is normal for me…I get pretty spacko when in social situations that I did not instigate. If you get what I mean? Like, I’m okay meeting new people if it’s a ‘level playing field’ but things like interviews, public speaking or even some parties where I don’t know a lot of people I get really really nervous. And this especially, because there is so much to gain from doing well.

I hope I stressed my versatility enough. As you know, it was the Lithographic Institute of Australia, and the only place I have learnt about litho is through school and my small dealings with getting business cards done for my parents. At work we print flexography and rotogravure. Two quite different methods of printing with each their own special considerations to do with the material you are printing on and the inks etc.

They asked me a lot of technical questions about file formats, resolution and screen angles. Some of the hairy questions which I don’t know if I answered in the best way were about whether the printing terminology is adaptable across the formats. I also not sure I answered what my job description is very accurately. Of course, I know all the answers to these questions! Just the situation you see. Doh! There was discussion about what I’d do with the money and the state of letterpress at the moment. They were of the impression that I might be taking on too much too fast but I’m pretty confident in my ability to figure stuff out – which I am not sure I stressed enough.

When I get nervous, I find it very difficult to keep a train of thought going as my mind gets blank and I forget what I was meant to be saying. I hope they could see through my nerves and I hope I haven’t let myself down. I’m pretty sure I came across more as an artist because that is really my intent with the letterpress stuff. I do love the printing industry in all its forms and while letterpress is not a competitive part of it any longer, it still holds its value as an artform. It’s up to the judges to decide whether they want to support me starting a business in such an antiquated part of the industry. It’s very much alive today but not in the way that litho is.

And I hope I’m not coming off too negative – more I am thinking of the things I could have said better. Don’t we all do that?  The positive notes – I think I past the technical stuff with flying colours. Work is not a problem for me and I can make decisions about what I think will print well. They were also very encouraging of me finding suppliers for the letterpress stuff. One of the judges suggested I look into intaglio printing as he knows someone who is doing it on the same scale as letterpress. Intaglio is similar to gravure in that the plate is etched with the image and then filled with ink, with the excess ink being wiped off the plate. Then the paper is pressed against the plate with pressure from a roller, which transfers the ink to paper with a slightly raised, tactile effect. Pretty much the inverse of letterpress actually, where the plate pushes into the paper.

There will be a dinner next month to announce the winner which should be fun. Now that the interview is over with, and while I would LOVE to win more than anything…I certainly won’t be a sooky sore loser if I don’t get it It’s not going to halt my career that’s for sure. Hehe.

…. That needs a little love – but the few things I have to fix won’t be too troublesome I hope!

In all her glory. Whatever shall I name him/her??

The rollers that need replacing. See the big grooves in them? That’s not meant to be there.

Where the ink gets deposited onto the forme rollers – From the tray in the left there, across a bunch of metal and rubber rollers and then finally onto the plate.

I am missing a bolt that holds this oscillating roller in place. At least I think this is where it’s meant to go!

The press from the side on. So many levers and wheels and bits that move!

More of the ink system – there should be another metal roller and 2 rubber ones in there somewhere.

The paper feed – I removed the yucky green card shortly after taking these photos. It served no purpose.

The other side of the ink system. Hope I’m not missing any bits here!

I think this is the serial number and model number.
It says:
Type – H222
Nr – 34635

If this is the real serial number, then according to a list I was given on BriarPress, this press was made before 1950. Much older than the mid 60′s I thought it was going to be!

I would be especially happy if someone knowledgeable in letterpress reading this blog would be able to point out any glaring problems which I don’t already know about!?

I’ll be heading down to Tassie again in early June – only weeks away – so I will see if I can get some rollers by then and get this baby running. Though I’m not liking the look of the timeframe I have to get these things.

Update on the new blog – I now know what it will look like….but it involves a bit of CSS knowledge which I dont have. If anyone would offer their awesome web coding services I would happily draw them something original and unique in return
Until then, I will play with the local version of WordPress I’ve got running on my work computer and see if I can suss something out.

Well – I promised my boyfriend to add some more to the Cult-of-Pop skull so I’m off for tonight!