Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Aardvark Letterpress Print Uses Four-Color Process


The new addition to our letterpress is our fine art division. It’s under it’s aegis that we created the first set of our three-part Loteria Series, some of which we’ve chronicled on this blog. Of the first eighteen images, one was printed like no other: EL JEFE, Loteria #19 by Ed Wexler was done using the four process colors (magenta, yellow, cyan and black) in order to render a full-color image in service to Ed’s signature style.



With 17 of the 18 prints, each plate represents one color in solid blocks with no overlap. In the four-color process, colors are overlayed to produce a wide spectrum of color through mixing. For a complex artwork with multiple tones like Ed’s, we determined, along with advice from Claudia Laub (another of our artists and legendary letterpress goddess) that four-color was the way to go.

The most critical part of the operation is the adjustment of the colors while on the press.

Like all the others, this print was beautifully achieved on the Vandercook 4 Letterpress.

Even though in an edition of one-hundred, there is more variation in each of these prints than in those accomplished in the usual manner revealing the hand and fine art not just of Ed Wexler who supervised his print run but also of master pressman Bill Berkuta.

Bill also teaches classes at The International Printing Museum in Carson, CA.

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