I have always wanted to work in letterpress printing and enjoyed the workshop. Clearly, it was a laborious and slow process but with practice, the preparation of print would eventually ease into a relatively rapid work flow. Unfortunately, letterpress requires a large amount of equipment including the metal type itself making it an unviable part of my practice.
Much of the terminology used in letterpress has an etymology in the equipment and practice. This has carried on into the digital design arena, at time confusingly. Words such as points and leadings are still used.
The following is a list of some of these terms illustrated in the images that follow:
- Pica
- Points
- Leadings
- Furniture
- Forme
- Chase (frame)
- Metal type
- Block
- 0.918 inches
- Proofing presses
- Offset printing
- Typecase
- Upper case
- Lower case
- Galley
- Galley proof
- Composing stick
- Quoins
- Lock-up
- Knocking down
- newsprint
