“Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.”
~A.J. Liebling
Welcome to Flywheel Press. This site is intended to provide introductory information on the art and craft of letterpress printing through a pictorial guide through some aspects of printing, a collection of sample letterpressed materials, and an annotated list of resources on printing, typography, and book arts.
Letterpress printing is a method of relief printing from raised metal type, originating with Johannes Gutenberg’s first printing press for moveable type, which was invented around 1439. Letterpress was the main method of printing until the mid-twentieth century. The process involves the use of metal or wood type hand set and placed in a printing press that uses pressure and ink to create an inked image onto paper and create a subtle but noticeable texture to the impression.
The development of phototypography and offset lithography printing techniques in the 1950’s completely changed the world of printing, and since that time, various groups have heralded letterpress printing as an artistic and commercial art form that is an alternative to mass-market, industrial print production. The 1960’s and 1970’s saw a resurgence of letterpress printing in the US and England and the start of many small presses, often printing poetry and artists' books. This movement harkened back to the small press movement of the early twentieth century in England and the US with such presses as William Morris’ Kelmscott Press and Elbert Hubbard’s Roycroft Press. The small press movement was an important factor in the rise of modernist literature, as small presses often published the work of writer friends who had difficulty getting published by traditional publishing companies due to the experimental or controversial nature of their work.
Since the 1990’s, letterpress is again experiencing a resurgence, and has gained popularity as a boutique art form often used for printing wedding invitations, greeting cards, and business cards. But it is also a method being used by artists producing books and broadsides and posters. Letterpress printing takes care and time, requiring that the printer literally hold every letter and every space in their hand before committing it to paper. The deliberation and time required make letterpress printers of this time often print smaller print runs which give the individual pieces value in their rareness and the artistry and skill that go into the production. Letterpress particularly lends itself to the printing of poetry, cards, or text along with illustration due to the time consuming nature of the process.
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