Dabrianna Green
The letterpress demo was quite the learning experience. Initially, I thought that we were just going to stamp letters on paper and make cool posters. However, it is definitely more of a process. I left this event with more respect for technology and the way we have advanced, as well as the people who dedicated their time to crafting each and every element involved in this evolution.
Letterpress is a skill. There is a lot of detailed work involved before getting to the prize. Seeing the end product is very rewarding. However, I could not imagine doing this by myself. Sorting out fonts, keeping them organized, adding correct spacing, cleaning the machine, and etc. is quite the task. Watching all of this come into play made me think about all of the print sources in the past and what strategies were chosen to make this process easier. To do something like this alone would take up a lot of time. When the instructor said it would probably take her a full day to press one single page of the Bible, that really made me realize that this is a respectable craft.
All in all, I am glad I attended this event. For english and communications majors like myself, I think it is important to learn about these things to educate us and give more of a respect for the craft. It is good to have insight on all aspects of your field, so I appreciate the opportunity to experience this side of it all.