News – For Immediate Release
Secrets of the Itinerant Printer: Essential Letterpress Tips
April 4, 2019
2 PM Eastern (11 AM Pacific)
Registration Link: www.paperspecs.com/webinar
Palo Alto, Calif. – March 15, 2019 – As much as designers rely on standards and predictability to ensure faithful production of their work, when they really want to cut loose to create unexpected pieces, they turn to one of the last remaining print art forms: letterpress.
Many letterpress operators today are self-taught, resulting in a vast cornucopia of varying techniques. Chris Fritton, the self-styled “Itinerant Printer,” has spent the last four years picking up letterpress tips, and sharing his own, by visiting more than 160 shops around the country. “The only thing that I bring on the road is paper and ink,” he explains. “So I work exclusively with what those letterpress shops have in their collections: antique wood and metal type, borders & ornaments, cuts & images – whatever is available.”
In a free, exclusive PaperSpecs webinar, Chris reveals some of the many letterpress styles and techniques he’s picked up from the more than 20,000 prints he’s made in print shops throughout the nation.
“As much as we all love and depend on the versatility of the modern offset and digital presses, there’s something kind of wild and truly inspiring about letterpress’ grit and unpredictability,” observes PaperSpecs Founder Sabine Lenz. “And let’s face it: The ‘Itinerant Printer’ life that Chris has dedicated himself to – this image of a 21st century cowboy riding into town – is a pretty romantic one for any designer.”
Secrets of the Itinerant Printer: Essential Letterpress Tips
April 4, 2019
2:00 p.m. Eastern (11:00 a.m. Pacific)
Registration Link: www.paperspecs.com/webinar
In this free PaperSpecs webinar, The Itinerant Printer himself, Chris Fritton, will draw on his 60,000-plus mile journey to share with attendees:
- His secrets for producing sharp, bright letterpress prints
- Which letterpress rules you need to learn before you can break them
- How incorporating modern technologies into the letterpress process offers new creative possibilities.
PaperSpecs webinars are developed to include inspiring real-world examples, highly useful and easily implemented tips, and cutting-edge perspectives from industry thought leaders.
Thanks to the generous support of Mohawk, “Secrets of the Itinerant Printer: Essential Letterpress Tips” is free for attendees. Space is limited, though, so be sure to reserve your seat today for this special event at www.paperspecs.com/webinar.
About Chris Fritton
A former studio director at the Western New York Book Arts Center in Buffalo, Chris got his start in letterpress printing as a writer and book artist, before moving into crafting concert and event posters. In 2015 he launched The Itinerant Printer project initially as a way to fund his “journeyman time” as a letterpress artist. Since then, it’s taken him to more than 45 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and it’s even resulted in “The Itinerant Printer Coffee Table Book,” a 320-page tome featuring 1,500 photos illustrating his tales about all the people, places and prints that he’s encountered along the way. More at: ItinerantPrinter.com
About Mohawk
Behind every great company is a story. The Mohawk story begins in 1931, during the turbulence of the Great Depression, when George O’Connor took a chance and bought a bankrupt paper mill in Upstate New York. Convinced that the mill and the craftspeople who worked there were worth saving, he strove to make paper that was as enduring and unique as it was well-crafted and beautiful. This purposeful foresight became a philosophy understood by four generations of the O’Connor family as they have led Mohawk forward. Today, that papermaking legacy encompasses the manufacturing of fine paper and envelopes including signature brands Mohawk Superfine® and Strathmore® as well as proprietary treatments Inxwell® and i-Tone®. Mohawk has also assembled a comprehensive portfolio of specialty digital substrates, including wide format and sheet fed materials which are best in class for all types of digital printing. And because Mohawk cares about the environment, they do all this with future generations in mind, by sourcing pulps responsibly, conserving water, and harnessing wind power for their mills. At their core, Mohawk is a company of makers. Making real things that make a real impact. Making connections between people and ideas. What Mohawk makes helps print go from simply good to truly great. Find out more at mohawkconnects.com.
About PaperSpecs
PaperSpecs.com is an innovative online hub for graphic designers who are in love with the tactile experience provided by paper and print. Through their acclaimed Paper Inspiration video series, webinars, blog posts and more, PaperSpecs provides inspiration. Through their PRO membership they also offer insights and access to crucial, hands-on tools and resources to help creatives craft printed pieces that WOW.
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