I was excited to get back in the letterpress studio a couple weeks ago. This time, I was working on a calendar page for the annual Pyramid Atlantic Letterpress Calendar fundraiser. I was assigned my first choice month, which was June.
Ahh, June. Summertime at it’s freshest. Eliot was born on the first day of summer this year, which was June 21st. That inspired this design of a whole menagerie of hand-drawn summertime illustrations.
I initially drew the designs in black ink on printer paper. Then I scanned the page into photoshop and moved each illustration until I was happy with the arrangement. Then I taught myself to separate the design into layers so I could order two different plates for the two-color design. I’m sure it would have taken someone else far less time than it took me, but I feel so much better equipped to create new designs in the future!
I went to Pyramid armed with my plates, and then had to finalize my color choices. I have traditionally not been great at mixing ink to specific colors, but for this design I was really hoping for nice, bold yellow. I was so pleased when it printed just right.
A hundred and fifty pages later, I was ready to clean the press and mix my second color.
Last month a fellow printer showed me how she uses the Pantone formula guide for ink colors, even without a scale. I’ve followed in her footsteps and have been amazed by the accuracy! My dark navy blue took two colors of blue and a touch of black to come out right. And the colors always look so very different when on the press. It’s always a little bit of an adventure to see how they really print!
Here’s a look at the process of printing my second color:
The paper feeds into the press, is rolled around and over the inked polymer plate, and comes out perfectly! I was so happy with the dimension that the second color added to my hand-drawn images.
Done and done.
My June page is in some great company in this year’s calendar. Every month was designed and hand printed by one or two certified letterpress printer(s) from Pyramid Atlantic. The calendar features several different styles of printing, including hand set type, carved linoleum block, pressure printing, rainbow roll inking and even some handmade paper embellishment. It is a limited edition art calendar, and the proceeds from all of the sales go to further support Pyramid and it’s many programs.
For my work as a volunteer printer, I was given two copies of this year’s calendar.
I am going to keep and use one, and give one away.
And YOU my friend, may be the lucky recipient of that gift:)
To enter the 2012 letterpress calendar giveaway do the following:
1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Share which is your favorite month and why
3. Leave an email if your profile is private
For additional entries (leave separate comments for each):
1. Become a new follower or subscribe to One Little Minute
2. Like One Little Minute Blog on Facebook
(didn’t know there was one? Well, it’s new. I was getting around to sharing it:)
3. Follow me on Twitter
(didn’t know I tweeted? Well, I do. Sometimes. But not so much to be annoying.)
4. Share this giveaway (or another favorite One Little Minute post) on YOUR Facebook page.
The letterpress calendar giveaway closes this Friday and the winner will be announced Monday, the 14th. Good luck!
I wish you all could win, but lucky for those of you who don’t the calendar is available for purchase HERE. It sold out super fast last year, so if you want one, don’t hesitate!
53 Comments
I love November – the perfect weather, and my birthday month!
I also already subscribe to your posts.
August is my fave.
Great work! this giveaway is sooooo cool.
So pretty! Hoping they ship to the great white north…
kirenmoore@yahoo.com
I love September and October, it is a toss up. I love the cool air of the fall, the crisp leaves.
lainacampbell@gmail.com
I love the month of September because of the weather and it's my birthday!
mallory.sue.smith@gmail.com
I am following you on twitter! @plan_it_mallory
I 'liked' you on facebook
I already subscribe to your blog!
missmallorysue.blogspot.com
So… this is you slowing down huh? hehe:)
October NO doubt. Halloween, fall leaves, apple cider, sweaters, football season…. I could go on and on.
Do I have to pick a favorite? There's something to love about all of them!
I liked your Facebook page!
I follow you on Twitter!
I think October I LOVE FALL and HALLOWEEN!!
I love February, because it's my birthday month. And I love Valentine's Day!
Oh, and I am subscribed to your posts.
And I just started following you on Facebook!
Love the calendars. June is my favorite, and not just because it's my birthday. Not so hot as to be annoying, but a whole summer of fun to look forward to
I'm adding an extra comment, as we are twitter friends and all. welcome home, by the way.
My favorite is November, simple, understated and beautiful!
I am definitely a lover of the fall months, being a New Englander. This calendar looks gorgeous and I have a serious addiction to beautiful calendars. My mom buys me a Catherine Greer calendar every year and I enjoy her gorgeous artwork from month to month. But I would love to make a space on my wall for this beauty of calendar, too
I love yours of course! and April, Sept.and Oct.I'm partial to yellow orange and bold.
I love July because it's the middle of Summer and my birthday month, but there's something about September that's always exciting!
I liked your facebook page
I'm following your blog!
meg.liv2@gmail.com
July is my favorite month! Summer, my birthday and the 4th of July how does the year get much better than that?
I'm following you on twitter! Tweet :d
and…..I like you on FB! 3 entries, fingers crossed.
April is my favorite because well… it's my BIRTHDAY month! Also, it means that winter is ending and summer is on it's way. How can one NOT love April??? But I do love your June creation… great job friend! Now, let the lottery pick be me!
I also shared the link on facebook…I really want that calendar
meg.liv2@gmail.com
I like the April, bold simple and seems like a celebration of spring!
Oh I also followed your blog.
I follow your tweets…i am private though cfg1011
Oh and I liked your facebook. You seem to have all the energy I don't.
April is my fave! Everything is coming back to life after the long winter, AND it's my birthday month.
I liked you on facebook, and I follow you on twitter
That is an awesome calendar! My favorite month is January- a new start, and my birthday month!
themorganclan @ gmail . com
May. It is the month things come to life. It is also the month I became a mommy.
hdohrn77@hotmail.com
I liked your facebook.
hdohrn77@hotmail.com
Your june is lovely
My favorite month is May, because here in Utah it finally starts to warm up, plus everything is in bloom, the whole world is new and fresh and this year it will mean graduating from college!
Gorg! Hard to choose — your June is super inviting and fun but I also love the schooliness of September!
Side note: as per your suggestion, I visited the Alameda Antique Faire this past Sunday — so fun! Wrote a little post about it — thanks so much! Also, turns out I live 9..yes 9 blocks from Ribbonerie and will be visiting asap!
http://abrightbite.blogspot.com/2011/11/alameda-antique-fair.html
~Corinne
I liked you on facebook
I became a subscriber of your post.
I love June the best. It is the best weather, and my birthday month!!
I follow you on twitter!!
So I'm going to enter even though I never win. Favorite month? So hard to say but I love spring so I'll go with April — I love going on walks and enjoying the fresh blossoms and new leaves.
Your June page turned out great!
I've always loved October — the change of seasons, the fall colors, and making Halloween costumes!
I "like" you on facebook!
November is my favorite month. It's perfect fall weather with the occasional snow, the holidays are approaching and it's my birthday month! How much better can it get?
I already subscribe to your posts!
I think it's a tie- I love October with the fall weather and colors and the excitement of all the upcoming holidays. But, I also love May. my boy's birthdays and the warm weather and new flowers after a long winter is so exciting.
My favorite month is October. Beautiful weather and beautiful trees!
oops my email is esf328 at gmail
May. My husband and two kids have their birthdays in may. It's a family celebration!
Hey Miranda!! Thanks for the little link to my etsy. Glad that little trick helped! Been perusing your blog and love it and love the calender- total perfection! Saw it the other day when I went in and June was my fav- didn't look to see it was yours! Great job. Hope to see you soon at pyramid