All Hail Humble Chipboard

One might say my love of letterpress started with chipboard. I recently chuckled over a delivery of this recycled wonder in the shop as it made me pause to marvel at its humble magnificence. This batch was two-tone… two very different shades on each side, as shown by this month’s Print Club postcard.

Chipboard is a 100% recycled material designed for multiple utilitarian uses. And we definitely use it this way as evidenced by a look around the studio. Nearly every cutoff is saved for padding paper in the guillotine, collecting unwanted ink, packing orders, bulking up prints, etc.

Back in the 90’s, I took breaks from university studies by visiting record stores, which ultimately meant stumbling over new ideas in music packaging. At the time, CDs were king and this meant a considerable amount of plastic. Those that bucked the system immediately stood out; they were printed on chipboard packages! This magic immediately caught my eye and to my delight, I discovered many were made here in Chicago at Fireproof Press. Fast forward a few months and I got a job there while continuing to build a collection of unique packaging. Below are a few projects we printed at Fireproof and one CD by John Upchurch (the man behind Fireproof) that was printed at Starshaped.

These are a few records and CDs printed by Independent Project Press using chipboard as well.

Many of these packages were pre-fab and ideal for the versatility of a platen press. They came from Calumet Carton, not far from Chicago. They no longer offer CDs but I still purchase all of the mailers for the studio from them.
Below are a few of the music packages printed at Starshaped. You can see how even with similar packages, the chip itself shifts in color and sometimes texture.

Chipboard has shown up for a number of studio projects over the years, including this silent film-inspired poster for an annual open house. This particular stock had a grayish cast and was perfect for the job.

Chipboard is also the first choice for CHIRP Radio projects! These are a few of the invitations and cards we’ve done together over the years.

I’ve also used chipboard for a number of prints in the studio, including both of these below. The ampersand uses the back sides of wood type blocks to print translucent rectangles that allow the chipboard texture to show through. The snowy barn demonstrates how the color of chip can work for printing both light and dark colors.

The Dollhouse Gig Posters project in 2016 was an opportunity to combine all of these loves together. Each month of the year, I produced a tiny, 2x3” ‘poster’ of a musical genre and subscribers received them in the mail. The tiny posters were mounted onto 7” square chipboard showing what genre it was, with a nod to 60s-style ‘collect them all!’ design sensibilities.

And here’s a recent job for Mark Lerner, a longtime fan of the almighty chipboard and letterpress combo!

Chipboard features heavily in the Print Club. Not only is the postcard used to share info about the Club printed on it, but the monthly postcards are as well. You can see by the collection of postcards here that the chip itself changes over time with each delivery, even as the spirit of each design remains the same. It’s my favorite piece to create for the Club each month.

I get chipboard from Andrews Paperboard, the same place that supplied Fireproof back in the day. Again, I like to keep it local, and my delivery driver pal, Steve, always brings a laugh when he shows up with a pallet of fresh, newly recycled chipboard. It’s not the fanciest paper, it’s not high class, it’s often inconsistent in appearance and wasn’t designed necessarily for ‘lofty’ letterpress. But chipboard is the great equalizer and when it moves on from my shop, either in the recycle bin or for finished projects, it has every opportunity to become a fresh, new project for another lover of the mighty, humble chipboard.

All Types Are Welcome Here - Extra! Extra! No. 2

Thanks for checking in with the Second edition of Extra! Extra!

Two recent prints collectively address the idea of documenting life. The first features a quote from Dan Sinker, a pal from way back when he was leading the charge with Punk Planet magazine. I love the approachability of his blog writing and asked to print this recent piece. I often say that I’m in therapy every day I work with my hands; the hand-to-brain connection is a powerful antidote to whatever awfulness the world might be spewing in your direction. It’s probably why I started printing over 25 years ago and never stopped.
The camera design was an experiment in creating a recognizable shape; it originally appeared on a Print Club postcard a while back. Because of its popularity, I recreated it as a slightly larger piece that everyone could enjoy. It’s modeled on a few point-and-shoots, including some in my collection, and printed in 4 shades of black and silver.

Write it Down

$25.00

Camera

$15.00

Just prior to the pandemic, I created a few posters for a show that featured the visual language of the women’s suffrage era combined with modern issues and text. I hoped the satire would start and end there, but it continued for a fourth print in the wake of the fall of Roe v. Wade.
It has become clear that the current administration is taking many pages from the Nazi handbook, boasting attacks on the weakest members of society, including disabled children. From crippling limits to healthcare access to attempts at eliminating 504 plans, the aggression is unbearable. This print addresses many of these issues. You can read about it and the organization benefitting from its sales.

Disabled Children of America!

$50.00

Jenna of Vichcraft is one of the coolest cats I know. We met way back at a Typeforce event and have found ways to work together since. She brings her lettering talents to all different media, including screenprinting, stained glass and sewing, but has really knocked it out of the park with chainstitching.
On Sundays, anyone can visit her shop in Chicago to grab prefabricated goods of all kind or request custom projects. You might even get a glimpse of her famous birds. Jo and I have both gotten great work done by Jenna, including Jo’s incredible pigeon jacket and my shop aprons.

Jennifer (Jenn) Graves is an educator, bookbinder, and letterpress printer in Los Angeles, CA. Her work has been exhibited both in the US and internationally. Jennifer teaches Book structures at Otis College of Art and Design and bookmaking and printing workshops at various entities, including the Printing Museum and her SCRAPScollective studio. She’s also one of my favorite printers to follow. From Jenn:

I was hooked the first time I set a line of metal type and printed on the printing press. It was magic, everything I’d thought it would be. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with all aspects of letterpress printing, with a special affinity for vintage wood type. I primarily work within the boundaries of vintage wood and metal type because of their strength and ability to tell a story. This allows me to tell new stories, avoid overthinking, and explore pathways that create a clear message. The message addresses life and social issues through a lens of love and hope. I believe whatever is being printed must serve a purpose for the greater good, no matter how big or small.

I started the Sunday Post as a way to share, encourage, and connect with others—a way for me to show up. With the busyness and messiness of life and the world, it’s nice to see and read something with no ulterior motive other than exactly what you see and read. Whether it’s a post about letterpress, bookmaking, birds, or a call to action, etc. it is what it is.

Thanks, Jenn! The Sunday Post is something I look forward to each week… a moment to unwind and enjoy someone else’s process.

Sometimes you have to cut corners… in a good way. That’s where the handy mitering machine comes in! This tiny tank gives you the chance to slice letterpress borders/rules to create a clean, mitered look, not unlike cutting wood picture frames and moldings. It’s a manual operation that involves adjusting for the angle you need then holding the rule/ornament in place while scraping along its side. The rules (lines) are a relatively soft metal so it can take some time but isn’t hard. See the video below.

These are a dime a dozen and easy to find in the letterpress community. I’ve used mine for many projects but one of my favorites is the Magic Hour print. I first sketched out what I wanted the type to look like; it’s a composite of ornamental pieces and rules that needed mitering to work as a pseudo-blackletter-style type. I digitized it as well to make a cut list of pieces needed.
You can see more images here. It’s incidentally the only type form I’ve left standing for posterity; all others are disassembled so the parts can be used for other projects.

sketch for layout

digital mockup

type form

final print

In 2023, I rounded out my little collection of News Gothic with some welcome additions. I didn’t have a lot of ‘workhorse’ faces in that mid size, between 36-72 point, that are great for making a statement on smaller prints and filling a gap on larger ones. News Gothic is that ‘old reliable’ American sans serif, dating back to around 1908.
When I get new type in the shop, I set and proof it so there’s a visual record of what’s available (and it’s added to a spreadsheet as well). These are proof cards of the News Gothic family that I now have. Keep in mind that every point size and style (bold, italic, etc.) is a separate font of type. Sometimes the proof cards aren’t quite correct or need to be adjusted over time as new type/info comes to light, but they’re a great starting point for digging in.

Whenever possible, I like to print something for the shop with new-to-the-studio typefaces. This gives me a feel for what it’s like to work with them. At the time, we were creeping up to the annual Ravenswood Art Walk, when the studio is open to the public; I like to have something on press for people to see. I set this print for people to pull; it shows a number of the new types in various sizes combined with a great cut of a Vandercook press made from bamboo.
Having a large run of a type family is desirable; I find you have a lot of flexibility in a design while maintaining coherence as the faces are formulated to play well together. I have a few of these in the shop and they see a lot of action because of their versatility. I often tell new printers it’s more worthwhile to invest in a family of something that feels a little understated than spend the same amount on one rare, 19th century typeface that only says one thing.

The current Print Club ended up more colorful than I anticipated this month, with dots, quilt-like patterns and a ‘brick’ wall. Check out all of the options here.

I’ve had the pleasure to print a variety of items for Paul Gehl, ranging from personal to professional achievements and everything in between (including projects he didn’t know about!) I met Paul at some point along my journey in Chicago printing and the Newberry Library, where he headed up the John M. Wing Foundation print collection before stepping down. Printing for Paul is an exercise in pristine, often mid-century typography, based on his interests and writings (this is a favorite). Below are a few snippets of past projects.

Perhaps you’re already familiar with You Are Beautiful stickers and see them around town. They also promote community art engagement through a number of open call initiatives every year and we’ve happily participated (see some below).
But did you also know they offer free stickers by mail the old-fashioned way? Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (the infamous SASE for the Gen X and older crowd) and they’ll return it with stickers. Let’s promote snail mail any way we can!

Wanna pitch in to cover the time of creating postcards, mailings and this blog? Starshaped is now at Buy Me a Coffee for easy, one-time contributions. Thanks, as always, for your support as we strive to preserve the materials of the past for both current and future use.

New Beginnings - Extra! Extra! No. 1

Thanks for checking in with the first edition of Extra! Extra!

What started as messing around with the idea of creating a quick panda print for a friend turned into a much more detailed and formal study of the form. I looked at some of the bamboo border images from the 19th century collection of MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan ornament and combined that with brand new ornaments cast by Bowerbox Press. After much sweating, its little roly poly body started to come together. The whole print was done on the C&P press that you can read about below.
The print is very limited and available on two different paper colors. Check it out!

Panda

$40.00

Color: Select Color charcoalgreen

Quantity:

Add to cart

When Starshaped moved into its current home on Ravenswood, a 1923 10x15” Chandler & Price platen press moved in, too. Purchased from Paul Aken’s Platen Press Museum in Zion, IL, it was picked up the morning of the big studio move and carefully placed alongside the existing presses and type from the old studio. Since that day in 2003 (the first and only day I saw Paul drink a beer), it’s been in action nearly every week of every year. Only one slightly cracked part has been replaced and new rollers have been added twice. It’s a champ I use for anything that fits on its bed, from postcards to packaging to stationery. It also kills fascists.

This ad is from the American Type Founders 1923 catalog, showing the press as new. Mine thankfully has an added motor instead of a treadle, though I spent one summer printing by treadle while waiting on a motor restoration. Can’t recommend that for commercial printing!

One of the prized collections in the studio is a nearly complete run of the typeface Elizabeth, designed by Elizabeth Friedlander. I purchased this from another woman in print, who received it from a former employer, where it was purchased new. I have spent quality time at the Newberry Library with a wonderful book from Pauline Paucker and Incline Press that provides a tangible connection with Friedlander and her work. The mailed postcard that possibly brought you here (image at top) features the Elizabeth typeface.

boxes of type at Starshaped

proof of the typeface

snippet of Friedlander's experience

pages from the Incline Press book

The Print Club is 4 years and 200+ members strong! This month, there are ways to stay in touch with the people that matter, as well as a print that highlights the tromp l’oeil effects that can be accomplished with letterpress. There are four levels of mailings to choose from and you can check them out here.

Inspiration for the print is below. I love the use of rules (lines) to create the idea of multiple printed pieces. These are to showcase borders and ornaments that were for sale. I added a linoleum block of translucent ink to my print to provide a subtle differentiation between paper and the fake ‘paper’.

Sometimes it’s fun to design things that aren’t printed in the shop. A few of those items are magnets, buttons and stickers, which we often send to the fine folks at Busy Beaver Button Co. right here in Chicago. The quality and attention to detail is great, as is their approach to running a business with an eye to the future via sustainability efforts. 10/10, highly recommend.

Westward Looking was part of The Almighty Starshaped, an artist book built to resemble graffiti writer’s piece books. It was inspired by looking west in the city as the sun sets and there’s a shadow of cityscape. The sky is built from multiple decorative rules cast on a Linotype. I’m down to just a few copies left!

Westward Looking

$40.00

Another print from The Almighty Starshaped is this bumpin’ boombox print that’s been selling recently. It’s long been one of my faves, with the combo of simple ornaments to create the shape and the ‘flight’ ornaments to indicate sound. These were cast by Pat Reagh in California.

Boombox

$15.00

Most of the typefaces in use for Extra! Extra! were designed by Starshaped friend Steve Shanabruch, the guy behind The Chicago Neighborhoods project. They represent a slice of the vernacular type of the city and are free for all to use. Fun fact: I live in a historic Chicago bungalow and have a certificate signed by Steve’s dad, a force behind the Chicago Bungalow Association. Chicago is a very big small town.
Want to receive the postcard version of these posts? Sign up here. Print Club members automatically get a card with their regular mailings.

Announcing Extra! Extra!

The thing about print that’s always grabbed me, that’s always inspired me to keep pushing forward, is the tangible result of piecing together ideas. It’s the creation of a physical artifact that connects you to a moment in time. There’s a reason we delight in ephemera of the past, even if we don’t see the immediate importance of its modern counterpart.
I was drawn to the DIY culture of the 90s because it gave folks ways to find their voice outside of established, often inaccessible channels. I spent time with kids making their own zines, films, records, protest banners, movements, you name it. It was a great, messy time of figuring it out the hard way, in an environment where ‘social media’ meant meeting up at the local coffee shop.
When I first put Starshaped on Instagram 10 years ago (at the behest of a great intern), it was a lot of fun. The print community found each other quickly and relationships were formed. Projects were shared. Collaborations developed. Opportunities explored. In recent years I’ve seen this drift away in favor of non-content, the commodification of every little thing as well as the rise of nouveau snake oil salesmen. I, too, have drifted away from giving a s**t about what happens in this sphere. With the recent, full unmasking of Meta’s goals, I knew it was time to make moves.

Some of the first Instagram posts for the studio. Oh the filters!

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Owning the means of production prior to the advent of social media has given me at least a rudimentary understanding of how to reach people outside of this domain. There was a time when all correspondence with the studio was via print, in person or through marketing on hyper-focused blogs. While the shop is in the great position to not have to market aggressively these days, it’s important to me that the work is shared because it’s part of the history of print and design. Materials have passed to my hands from generations past and I hope to pay this forward.
Knowing that I don’t want to actively partake in systems that ultimately harm myself and those I love, I’m planning to move content to the medium I DO control. Extra! Extra! is a new series of postcards mailed throughout the year (working on frequency now) to anyone interested in receiving them. They’ll highlight type in the studio and point to blog posts right here that share the kinds of bits & bobs that would normally appear on social media. I understand this has less reach than Instagram (though that’s debatable with an algorithm that doesn’t care about actual followers vs. the idea of followers), but it gives me total control. And it’s free for everyone.

A screenshot of the front of the first card, about to head into production. These are designed to showcase type and ornament in the collection, reversed for easy reading and display-ready.

The postcards will be offset printed by my pals at NS Printers, a wonderful, women-owned union shop in Waukegan, Illinois. This method has two benefits: it’s cheaper and faster than letterpress-printing all of the cards and allows me to share images of the type with easy QR codes that point viewers to the site with more details.
Each will include items such as:

• Interesting type facts… including images of unique fonts in the shop

• Historical tools of the trade

• Shop life

• First dibs on new prints

• Retired/Limited Edition prints pulled from the flat files

• Printers, vendors and non-profits we love

• Sales and Last Call prints & cards

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If you’d like to receive postcards in the mail, please sign up below. I’m happy to have you and look forward to sharing the studio in the ways I know best! If you’re a member of the Print Club, you’ll receive postcards with your monthly mailings. Thanks for keeping the studio vital for 25 years.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

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EXTRA! EXTRA! **

Sowing 19th Century Seeds

At the end of every year, I like to send out a New Year card to family, friends and Starshaped supporters. This time around, I wanted to dig into my collection of nineteenth-century type to see what I could create.

Nineteenth-century type presents a number of challenges when setting it as much of it was created prior to the development of the point system for measuring type in 1887 (shout out, Chicago!) This means working with a variety of sizes not necessarily designed to play well together as different foundries had different ideas of sizing. Imagine Tetris with individual, uniquely-sized blocks vs. uniform ones that still have to work together to advance the game.
As you can see from the form image below, the spacing (darker) material is hodgepodge all over the place to fill the gaps around odd-sized ornaments. This was as tidy as I could get it; as a rule, the less spacing you need to absolutely hold together a form correctly, the easier your lockup will be when getting ready to print.

Much of the ornament for this card was produced at Mackellar, Smiths & Jordan in Philadelphia, though some is marked ‘Johnson’, a precursor foundry affiliated with MSJ.

These specimen books are incredibly helpful for identifying small, seemingly random bits of ornament as part of systems. It’s also informative to know how they were designed to go together to create larger imagery. Most of the collections show the initial set of individual pieces in the middle with surrounding ideas of how to work with them.

My card uses a set of angled-looking ornaments that are on rectangular bases but in sections so that they can be built to whatever configuration of space needs to be filled.

The scan below is from the MSJ book, but I’ve erased the pieces I don’t have so that I can focus on digitally building forms with what’s available. I often start with rough sketches, digital mockups and then fight with the actual type to get it to work the way I want.

Combination ornaments make an appearance on the card. They’re a bit worn from use so it’s nice to see them in their original, delicate state. Wear and tear on type is common, even with newly cast type. The makeup of the metal used for casting can vary widely between foundries and some is harder than others. I find that, in general, the older the type is in the studio, the more durable it is. That said, there’s a balance between what is worn in a good, printable way and that which is beyond use. I shoot for the best print possible but allow the flaws; if a perfect print is desired, use a computer. The scars are a testament to the life of these objects.

A few corner ornaments come from this set that I acquired a few years ago (yes, even the dogs! Notice one is on his side!) Thanks to Laura at Pinwheel Press for finding this reference image. Chicago Type Foundry is otherwise known at Marder & Luse, a foundry that (just barely) survived the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, then went on to standardize the point system.

If you don’t have the access to or money to own original specimen books, I highly recommend The Handy Book of Artistic Printing for incredible samples of what letterpress printers did with metal type and ornament to compete with commercial lithography in the late 1800s. I often reference it for ideas and color combos, as well as to revel in the talents of my predecessors. Find it at your favorite indie bookshop!

The final New Year cards are 7x5” and printed on my last bit of Zerkall paper (this German papermaker ceased operation in the past few years following centuries of production). I sweated over, but was successful, at locking up the complex form to print on the 1923 Chandler & Price press in the shop.

I added a homemade chipboard extension to a gripper to help hold the paper down as it went in, given it’s a lightweight stock that wants to fly away. There are all kinds of ways to do this but my configuration was the quickest given the lockup I put together.

Here’s a bit more detail on the corners, along with the type form.

I also printed envelopes as some inevitably make their way back to the shop and it’s handy to know who didn’t receive one.

Wanting to pop the text blocks a bit, I carved a simple linoleum cut and inked it with a very pale moss green, that was, in fact, mostly transparent ink. Linoleum blocks are the easiest way to add a block of color to prints.

As the current caretaker of these materials, it’s important to me that they don’t just sit in boxes like a prize; while they have value, to me, this is represented in their staying power and ability to hold up over more than a century. Some find their way onto custom client projects and some on former Print Club pieces. At any rate, my job is to care for them, document the collections and be ready to pass them on when I’m no longer able to print. How many other printers have done just that.
I may have extra cards… if so and you’d like one, please reach out.