RoKKa RoLLa

RoKKa RoLLa, a photo by oldfieldpress on Flickr.

A new poster for the line up. I think I might use some of these to brighten up some of those dark doorways I walked past on my way to the mill...Printshop.

Fair Play

Oldfield Press were excited to get a stall at the Saltaire Makers Fair last Saturday 10th September. I met up with new incoming printer for the press Tim at 8am. We loaded most of everything we had to sell except for a couple of bits I noticed on our return but all in all we had most of it.

We took a small proofing press, one of the 8x5 Adanas, a made up chase and a selection of blocks I had carved.

It was great to ink up the machines and then invite folk/kids to use them. Some kids put the key block onto the saltaire print and others made their own postcards. Hopefully to post to top art collectors who might ring us in the morning or maybe even for Grandma and Grandpa to say what a great day they had.

I hope we inspired some printers of the future.

We did well on selling the prints too which was great to cover the costs but I think it was the networking, the movin' and a shakin' that was the biggest profit of the day.

After speaking with several of the folk there we were asked if we could do courses (of course) or open day which we are more than open to.

12 hours from door to door but an inspirational day all told.

Roll on the next one of these we can do and fingers crossed for those 'this is how we do it moments;.

Onward and upward...

All Exchange

I am a member f the baren forum. Type that into google (there are other search engines) and they will direct you too to this wonderful world.
I was what they refer to as a lurker for a long time. Sitting in the background reading the tips and hints and viewing the wonderful artwork they exchanged.
One day I got my emial update and noticed exchange number 49. 'Mythology'.
This was right up my street and so I scratched my head as to whether or not my artwork/prints could be worthy of joining in this exchange. It was obvious to me which legend I would choose. I love the outdoors and feel this spirit is there for all of us moorland meanderers or woodland wanderers. Yes it was the 'Green Man'. Not the pub in Undercliffe but I am sure they know they are named after this Deity of nature.
I have been waiting to post this blog since I signed u and did the prints but last week I got home and received the most fantastic package of artwork from all over the world and wonderfully collated by Sharen from the 'Baren'.
Thanks to all who joined in the exchange I am still going through the prints I received in return for mine and smiling from ear to ear.
There you go if you don't already know. You can see these and other exchanges on the forum site and here is a quick picture diary of my entry.

A day at the Press

Today I went to the mill and decided to stock up on stock for the posters.

Now I have the peacock finished I thought I had better get the titles done and get some of the series ready for the shop.

Haven't done owt with the shop since the flood but now I am going to use this 'sugar paper' all the time now.

I like the muted colours and the texture has a kind of antique vibe.

Just the titles and then 'Shops OPEN!!'

Oldfield Press meets the W.I.

Oldfield Press have hit the road.
Took our presses in the back of a van and headed off to Baildon and the Baildon Belles, Womens Institute.

It is the first time I have had to explain to so many how to do what we do. There must have been 60 or so of the Baildon ladies sat in the old church hall waiting to make some easter cards.

I gave a brief talk on how and why we obtained the presses we use and gave out 60 or so small 6"x4" blocks of wood. I had been to the hardware shop and stocked up on cutting tools aswell as the stationers to get a slack handful of marker pens.
I showed how to ink up and place the paper and ran the press over a sheet of paper that had survived the wind outside and decided to stay unlike so many fairweather sheets that had up and left at the first gust to pass the back of the van.

What more is there to say? Nothing really as I suppose folk are here cos' they want a go.
I set up several work stations. First was the guillotine where the cards were cut to size. Next onto the creasing press. This is just an 8"x5" adana without rollers and a couple of creasing blades in the chase.

After this it was onto the proofing presses to press the freshly carved blocks that everyone had been working on. Lots of flowers, eggs and cups of tea were turning up at the presses and soon transfered onto the cards everyone had cut and creased.

Time flies and it wasn't long before the queue to the proofing presses had dwindled and the 2 Adana 8"x5" presses were soon printing the seasonal messages.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the night and some of the cards were very good. So good I hope that the folk who did them feel it worthwhile and maybe see them at the press working on new and different designs in the future. It was a learning curve and the best learing curve has got to be a smile.

baildonbelles.co.uk

Beauty/Vanity

I would be gone forever or so it seems whilst doing this new print. Therefore I have posted a progress report. Not much more to say really as the pictures speak louder than words.

I will be out on tour for the next couple of weeks so when I get back I will be able to try out all those colours I have in my head.

Pretty Slugs

The band I am in (Terrorvision) have a new album out. First in 10 years and so it has to be special. After seeing the first ideas and attempts at a cover design I thought, 'we have some wonderful Rockwell shadow which would look great on the cover.

I think cds' are alot harder to design for as when I was a kid I loved looking at the pictures on the album covers. The covers for lps' were bigger and so I think alot easier to make interesting. Now we have a small square that measures 5"x5". I suppose this is the door to open to see what is inside, the lyrics the photos and of course the music.

I made up the block and Stu came down with his super delux camera to get some close up and detailed pics. To really show the beauty of the lead slugs and the font they represented.

So once the front is photographed and dissed we have the back cover too to doooooo.

We had a slight change of font and thought with it being a rock band we should go for the heaven and 'Helvetica'. Song titles done and a quick spell check to put right 'Suicibe' (Doh!) and we are ready for the final pics to go off to Leigh (TV's bass player) to put into his computer and start the cut and paste that is photoshop ready for the artwork to be printed.

A quick spin of the pics to make sure they all read the correct way round and here we are. Terrorvision new album 'Super Delux' recorded with volume and a cover designed with passion. We can only do what we do and mean it in the hope that 'who cares wins'.

Feel free to check out the site and see the ongoing theme of print running through the modern world of the web. Oh, how the traditional makes the future look brighter.

www.terrorvision.com

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Pressing on after the flood.

Well, we can't wade through what has happened forever so to check the presses were happy and the wooden bed we use on the press wasn't too warped by what had happened I did a new cut.
We have also been using our type and Stu photography skills for another project and will update y'all on that soon enough but for now....

The print room has been dried and swept. Cleaned and dusted.

There isn't enough room in the print room for the proofing press so for now this is done on the rehearsal room floor.

So lets get inked up and fingers crossed we will soon have some prints and it will be like the flood never happened. Try a different technique too of inking up one block in different places for different colours

The sugar paper I used soaked up alot of the ink and it was very cold so it was extremely sticky and thick. I think a warmer day might help but I can see there is no longer lasting damage.