Hot Off The Press Podcast (Hot Off The Press)

This week we’re journeying all the way up to Alaska to visit with our friend Meghan Chambers! Meghan has been pulling some incredible prints, and building an understanding & appreciation of Letterpress all the way in Juneau, Alaska. We invited her to join us on the podcast to celebrate the grand opening of her new art gallery (The Laundromat Gallery) and to generally get the scoop on what it’s like living & printing in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Find Meghan at the links below:

Salt Water Press on Instagram and www.saltwater.press

The Laundromat Gallery on Instagram and www.thelaundromatgallery.com

After a fellow printer sent us a very intriguing photo of an unexpected print result, we reached back out to Shelley & Max Otto from Concord Engraving to discuss screening plates, half tones, and what happens when you submit plate artwork at anything less than 100% opacity! 

We are so thrilled to have Shelley and Max rejoin us, and this episode is a must listen if you’re looking for a new technique to add to your skill set - especially if you want to gain more dimension, and more colors without doing too many press runs! 

Want to see some of the visuals we discuss during our chat with Shelley & Max? Hop on over to our instagram and check out the post with the title Screening & Screaming for Half Tones. 

To place an order with Concord Engraving, visit their website (www.concordengraving.com) or send an email directly to Shelley at ShelleyOtto@concordengraving.com 

Make sure to let her know we sent you! 

If you’re a printer, you’ve probably heard varying opinions about how much impression is too much. It’s a hot debate in the letterpress community and a topic we both feel strongly about! We’ll talk about our thoughts, of course, as well as some of the conversations and opinions (both valid and just amusing) we’ve seen.

How paper affects it (cotton vs. cardstock), what kind of form you’re printing with (type vs. photopolymer) and what type of press you’re using all come into play when considering how much impression you’ll want to see. Overall, the most important consideration? What YOU and your clients want to see!

“If I wanted no impression, I would have ordered it offset.”

As a continuation of our episode from season 2 "Working on your Workflow" we discuss the processes and systems we use to keep jobs flowing smoothly through our studios.

The three of us all have very different preferences and strengths when it comes to organizing our workflows. We hope you guys find it helpful to hear some examples, and that you take the time to tweak your workflow if it hasn't felt groovy for you just yet.

In this episode, Moriah walks you through the process of composing and setting type! Things to remember when composing, tips & tricks on locking up your form and handling wood type… It’s all here in one package, just for you. If you’ve ever wanted to get started printing with wood or metal type, consider this a guide to help you learn on your own, and know that you’re not alone! ;)

Links:

Easy Guide to Setting Type By Hand, courtesy of Letterpress Commons

https://letterpresscommons.com/setting-type-by-hand/

An amazing 1959 video on typesetting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVvbWdXRMQs

A video showing the lockup phase

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KBhrNaJUjE

The Letterrpess Supply Guide

https://hotoffthepresspodcast.com/shop#shop

Hot Off The Press Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/hotoffthepresspod/

Related Episodes:

“What’s the Point (System)?”

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/GEY6cAGT7ub

Concord Engraving - Our favorite photopolymer vendor

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ABUHlDGT7ub

WTH Is Photopolymer?

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/Lrkd95JT7ub

Sometimes being a one-woman shop feels really limiting when it comes to how much you can "earn." However, more often than not, there's a way to expand your earnings with assets you have already worked on, acquired or built. 

While together in Minnesota, Jillian and Moriah sit down to brainstorm ways they can each leverage their own assets to create either passive income or additional offerings. 

The goal was to not reinvent the wheel, but take a look around at the things we've done and ask ourselves "is this there more I can get out of this?" 

We hope you enjoy a peek behind the curtain of how we're growing our businesses in real time, and hopefully this inspires you to take a look around and see if there are any opportunities to make a little more out of things you already own or do! 

Have an idea you'd like to share? Come join in on the convo over on Instagram! 

If you’re a printer or stationery designer, like us, you’ve probably encountered similar scenarios: a client wants you to replicate another designer’s work, a customer wants you to print something with a well-known brand on it, or you’ve found this amazing font you want to use for a brand design. Well, in this episode we’re talking about copyright, copyING and what’s fair use and what’s definitely not okay. Tune in to hear our take, but remember to consult an actual attorney if you have questions! ;-)

Links:

Sign up for our mailing list to learn more about resources for creatives, upcoming episodes and more!

Follow along on social media, DM us your letterpress questions, or tag us in your print-related posts! @hotoffthepresspod

Join us for the Los Angeles Printer’s Fair! Click to Learn More and Buy Your Tickets today!

Copyright Vs. Trademark re: Disney – https://donotpay.com/learn/disney-copyright-infringement/

We are so happy to have Max & Shelley from Concord Engraving join us to talk about all of the intricacies of creating polymer plates for letterpress (and offset)! As a company founded in 1933 by Max’s family, they’ve seen many changes in the letterpress world, as well as technological advancements that directly improve the platemaking experience.

An incredibly fast turnaround, amazing customer service and a serious devotion to getting the finest details onto your plates makes them one of our favorite vendors. Tune in to hear about how polymer plates are made and what makes their process as efficient and fine-tuned as possible!

Don’t forget to visit their website concordengraving.com if you need plates made, or their instagram @concordengraving to follow along with Shelley & Max.

Want to know who else we order supplies and materials from? Be sure to visit our website to check out the Letterpress Supply Guide, where we’ve listed 50+ vendors in over a dozen categories.

For those of us printing on a platen press, large print areas can feel very daunting or even impossible! We both have gone from total failure to complete success when it comes to printing bigger patterns on our presses, so this episode is dedicated to all the tips and tricks we learned to get us there!

This episode concludes our fourth season! We're looking forward to bringing you more letterpress content in the summer!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date with all the latest HOTP happenings!

Your favorite letterpress podcast is starting a book club!

We have been inspired, influenced and encouraged by the writings of many authors, and we know there are so many more to hear from! We'll occasionally be sprinkling in Book Club episodes so that we can share our favorite readings with you!

In this episode we discuss two books:

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

We highly encourage purchasing these books from local book stores, or renting from a library (virtual library for your kindle can be found via the Libby App).

The wait is over! Hot Off the Press is returning for Season 2 on Monday, June 13th!! Enjoy this little teaser of soundbites from our first few episodes, and make sure to check out our new website: hotoffthepresspodcast.com

Follow us on socials for all the latest news: @hotoffthepresspod 

Ever since the great wedding surge of 2021, it seems like rush projects are the norm. How we handle those varies from company to company, but if you're just starting out and are curious on how other printers handle rush fees - this episode is for you!

Prior to recording this episode, we polled our audience and the print community at large to gather some data. Immediately we spotted (3) common approaches to "rush fees" and we cover these, as well as some other thoughts and policies you might want to consider when establishing your pricing guidelines.

Enjoy this episode? Want to hear more business related content? Shoot us an email with a topic you'd like to hear us cover! hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com

And don't forget to join in on the conversation over on Instagram! Just look for the post titled "Rush Fees"

Nearly a lost art to the epitome of luxury in the print world. When technology we have becomes outdated, don’t usually just keep it around (especially when it takes up large spaces!). As printing technology developed, presses were left behind. Fortunately, passionate artists and dedicated craftsmen helped keep this artform alive.

What makes letterpress so special? This is a conversation we have with most of our clients – and to anyone who wonders why we’re so obsessed with letterpress. During this episode, you’ll learn a bit more about what makes letterpress more expensive, how it compares to other print methods and ways to make your letterpress work for your design project.

Don’t forget to join the conversation on Instagram: @hotoffthepresspod

Quotable Moments:

• “Your printers do not define you. You can spend as much money on them as you want, but they won’t make you a better artisan, or give you more time.” At 20:41
• “What letterpress has the power to communicate is ‘this is something we’ve thought out, that we’re committing to, that we’re dedicating our time, our money, our energy to’ and you can feel that, you can see that on the paper.”  at 30:48

Links & Resources:

The perfect wine to record a podcast with is the Ingrid & Julia Rosé by Tres Sabores ;-) https://www.tressabores.com

If you're selling a product, you've probably given a lot of thought about how to package it. From it's pretty retail packaging, to the box it ships in... it all serves a bigger purpose! Finding our *flow* with packing up the various types of orders we ship out took some time, and a lot of experimenting, so this episode was made specifically because we know our past selves would have died for it! Have a favorite packaging supply or style you want to share?? Send it in to hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com or tag us in a story on Instagram! Show off your fine work and help inspire some newbies who are figuring out their next steps!

Have you ever wondered when and where printing was invented? Or who created the first “print”? Tune in to find out more about the history of printing and how we got to where we are.

While the printing presses we personally own were manufactured over 100 years ago… the full history of printing spans over 1400 years. This overview of the history of print will help all of us understand our beloved letterpress machinery and what makes it so special.

During this episode, we’ll talk about the origins of letterpress and movable type as well as some of the more modern printing methods. All of them helped create the modern household printers we all know, love and – sometimes – hate!

Don’t forget to join the conversation on Instagram: @hotoffthepresspod

Quotable Moments:

• “So it’s basically a typewriter for literal molten lava” At 17:05
• “I just think it’s mind-blowing that a lot of the modern presses that are used in commercial printing were basically invented in the mid-1800s.” at 30:55

Links & Resources

Lots of links here, since this was such an informational podcast. Check our our *starred* options for our favorites!

The first moveable type & the origin of the printing press

o The Invention of Woodblock Printing in the Tang (618–906) and Song (960–1279) Dynasties 

o Technological Advances during the Song – Printing 

o *Learn more about Choe Yun-ui who created a printing press 150 years before Gutenberg… So, Gutenberg didn’t actually invent the printing press?”

Gutenberg

o Who Was Johannes Gutenberg?

Etching

o Etching

Hot metal typesetting

o *How mechanical typesetting works  - an old film and absolutely incredible video on Linotype! 

Rotary Press

o The First Rotary Press 

o Friedrich Koenig & his high-speed steam-powered rotary printing press (in 1814) 

o American inventor, Richard March Hoe 

Offset Printing

o The Offset Printing Process: How It Works

Inkjet Printing

o What is an inkjet printer? How they work, their advantages & their disadvantages

Laser Printing

o How Do Laser Printers Work

· *The Printable Pallette (By Design By Laney) – Highly recommended resource for designers/stationers who outsource their digital printing 

We hope you enjoyed Season 6 of Hot Off The Press!!! In this finale we recap 2024, and look ahead to 2025. We're heading into the new year with high hopes, big plans, and new ideas for how Hot Off the Press can be a helpful tool for our printing community!

We love you for being here, tuning in, and asking us all of your questions. We hope to see/hear even more from you next year!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! WE MADE IT! WOO!

Known for her modern, unique and technically challenging designs, Britt Rohr is one hundred percent authentic and true to her own style. We discuss the value of knowing what you don’t want to make, the pros & cons of complete creative control, and the struggles we all share as creatives.

Tune in to hear more about her Learn Letterpress course, what Britt has planned for the future of Swell Press and some laughable anecdotes about lessons learned along the way.

Visit her website swellpresspaper.com to learn more about Swell Press, learnletterpress.co to sign up for her course waitlist and be sure to scroll her instagram @swellpress to see her amazing work!

For our second Q&A episode we are answering some burning questions about what kind of fonts can be letterpressed, the process for making plates, how we sort and store the teeniest tiniest plates that we keep and more!!

If you can’t tell, we LOVE answering your questions!

Here’s a few ways to submit your own:

• Send us a DM on Instagram (you know we’re always there) @hotoffthepresspod 
• Send us an email hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com ← look at us with a new, fancy email address!!
• Or… if you’re super bashful… you can use this form ;)

IMPORTANT GUIDE UPDATE!

The guide is FINISHED and ready to roll! But before we launch it, we want to make sure it’s not only easy to buy, but easy to get updates! That’s right, we’ll be updating this baby periodically with any new sources we find so that it truly can be your one stop shop for all letterpress things!

The first 10 people to buy the guide will be getting some extra special goodies!

Get on our mailing list HERE so that you can be at the front of the line!

We've talked about printing ... we've talked about die cutting ... it's time to add another tool to your letterpress belt: Embossing!! 

Embossing might seem simple on the surface, until you get to the first step of making the artwork for your plates. Sure, some manufactures will take care of all the work for you, but it's always great to have an understanding of how to make something yourself! In this episode, Jillian walks us through the process from beginning to end, making sure to note the areas where common mistakes are made.

Save yourself some time and money by following along with this audio tutorial, and save even more time and money by entering this weeks giveaway! One lucky listener will get a free copy of our Letterpress Supply Guide! This guide includes direct links to vendors in over 13 different categories, as well as a supply list that we use to stock our own shops!

Enter the giveaway by sharing your favorite Printmas episode!
Tag us in a post on instagram or shoot us an email at hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com 

Here are some helpful links for this week's episode: 

Adobe Illustrator - Strokes 

Illustrator File w/ Step by Step from this episode!

We all love custom shapes & custom envelopes… And we’ve watched them become massively popular in stationery design. Well, in this episode covers all the common questions about die cutting, and what you’ll need to get going! Tune in to learn about the differences between steel rule dies, rotating drag knife & lasers, their pros & cons, as well as which type of die cutting you should use for your project.

Links:

Enter the Printmas Week 3 giveaway by submitting your recommendation for podcast guest here: https://forms.gle/yF1aioGTdEBfHcvr9

Sign up for our mailing list to learn more about resources for creatives, upcoming episodes and more!

Follow along on social media, DM us your letterpress questions, or tag us in your print-related posts! @hotoffthepresspod

Join us for the Los Angeles Printer’s Fair! Click to Learn More and Buy Your Tickets today!

In this episode we walk through the history of our favorite proof press manufacturer: Vandercook & Sons!

Their story takes several twists and turns before it ends with a familiar name, in a completely different place.

Want to follow along with some of the imagery we discuss? Here is a link to the very helpful timeline of all Vandercook presses, with details on each one!

VANDERCOOK TIMELINE

Other sources used were:

Wikipedia

An article by Fred Williams posted on the APA Website

Briar Press for miscellaneous current listings of Vandys for sale

In our second edition of the "Book Club" series, we discuss some of our favorite and most popular technical handbooks. These are books that can directly enhance your knowledge of printing and print history that can be applicable to growing your press skills.

Books covered:

Elementary Platen Presswork by Ralph W. Polk (buy here on ThriftBooks)

Printing and the Allied Trades by R. Randolph Karch (buy here on AbeBooks)

General Printing by Glen Cleeton, Charles Pitkin, and Raymond Cornwell (buy here on Amazon)

If you want to keep your press in tip top shape, regular maintenance is key. But we know how daunting this could feel, especially if you're brand new to printing and just acquired your press friend.

In this episode we cover some of the standard maintenance procedures you'll want to take part in. Full disclosure: this episode favors those of us operating platen presses. If you run a cylinder press or something with more parts, like a Heidelberg, there may be additional tasks you need to add to your own maintenance routine.

Have some maintenance techniques you want to share with others? Come leave a comment on our post over at @hotoffthepresspod

New season, new favorite press AND the exciting launch of our Letterpress Supply Guide

The debut episode of Season 2 is all about the wonderful wonder known as the Windmill Press. Manufactured by the German company Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, the Original Heidelberg, as its formally named, is a masterpiece of engineering. Its nickname stems from the articulating gripper arm that captures the paper in the feed tray, moves it to the press, and then to the delivery tray all in a swift, windmill-like rotation. The introduction of this component, as well as many other automated features, allowed print shops to increase their output significantly and collectively they are the reason these presses are still considered the "workhorse" of print ships operating today. 

Warning: this episode may increase your chance of needing some new machinery! 

Speaking of needing some things... the Letterpress Supply Guide is finally here!! Make sure to visit our website hotoffthepresspodcast.com to get your copy! Nearly 50 vendors in 12 different categories PLUS everything we have stocked in our shop to keep it up and running. That list alone is such a time saver. Add the items to your amazon cart and flag them as favorites for quick and easy reordering! 

Follow us on instagram to stay up to date with the latest announcements 

And if you haven't yet, please leave us a review! We'd love to hear from you!! 

Digital printing (aka flat printing) is the print results from ink jet, laser or even offset printing. And even though these modern methods are what pushed letterpress off the mainstream market, they still make great companions for our pressed designs. In this episode, we discuss different ways to mix the old with the new while designing, how this can leverage your budget and even expand upon the artistic capabilities. We also cover the process for those of us who print in house and those of us who outsource! 

We hope you enjoy this episode and we would love to see what you've been printing with both digital and letterpress! Come on over to instagram (@hotoffthepresspod) and share! 

Quotable Moments: 

• "It's not CTRL-P" 
• "When that time comes, pop a bottle of champagne and cheers yourself because you just leveled up" 
• "Knowing your own capabilities and what will work and figuring out what's important to the client too" - truth bomb courtesy of Moriah! Listen to the end to hear more!! 

Doing work for other stationers has played a pretty big role in getting our businesses off the ground, whether we planned on doing that from the beginning or not. While our social media algorithms may make it seem like everyone has access to a letterpress, it's actually very rare to have one sitting in your studio or your garage. So you might be thinking "can I offer printing to other people" ... and the answer is ... "abso-freaking-lutely" 

This episode covers some of the basics that we learned after diving into B2B work: offerings, pricing and probably the most important... boundaries. If you're willing to spend a little more time printing, and a little less time designing, than B2B can be a great choice. 

Have any questions or hesitations about doing business to business work? DM us on instagram to continue the conversation! We'd love to hear where your at and help if we can! 

Links: 

Moriah's Blog - Designing for Letterpress 

Boxcar Press's Blog - File Preparation 

We firmly believe that if you're not on Etsy, you're leaving money on the table. However, if you're not paying attention to your real costs and the fees.. things can go wrong quickly! In this episode we cover the basics of setting up an Etsy shop, and how to make sure you don't fall victim to undercharging (Hint: Don't be looking at other shops!!). 

We mention it at the top of the episode, but we're not Etsy experts; just two gals who learned some things the hard way! If you're interested in solid Etsy education, here are a few resources we recommend: 

Free Etsy Workshop - Twocan (Carley Zuercher)
Energize your Etsy - Twocan (Carley Zuercher)
Etsy Fees Explained - Marmalead (this is where the great calculator came from!) 

Thanks for tuning in, and as always, we would LOVE IT if you could leave us a 5 star review on apple podcasts, or come show us some love over on instagram

Listen... we all need a little getaway sometimes, but that can feel really hard, or even scary, when the only person keeping your business going is you. As two fully solo entrepreneurs, we walk you through the steps we've learned to take to prepare our studios for planned (and unplanned) getaways. 

This episode was inspired by a question from one of our listeners. Do you have a question about letterpress or running a studio? Feel free to email it to hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com and we'll feature it on the pod! 

As always, we would love for you to leave us a review, or come on over to instagram and give us a follow! 

Every now and then you see a product launch that just blows your mind. The cleverness and level of detail leave you absolutely swooning. That's how we felt after seeing the 2022 Letters from Santa offered by Knapp Design Co. You might remember our friend Cara Jo from Season 2, and we are so excited to have her back to walk us through this brilliantly detailed suite of products, and how her press, Dorothy, really leveled up the quality from Santa's workshop this year! 

We'd like to give a warning that we DO talk about Santa quite a bit in this episode, and if you have little believers in your car, you might want to wait to listen to this particular episode :) 

Letters from Santa are open for a limited time only just for Hot Off the Press listeners! You can learn more about those here.
And follow all the great things Knapp Design Co is doing @knappdesignco 

Want to win a Letter from Santa??? Enter our Printmas giveaway this week by sharing a photo of your studio/workspace! Tag us @hotoffthepresspod or DM us a photo to gain your entry! 

Pricing and finances are two of the scariest parts of going into business. In the third edition of our Book Club series, we cover two amazing guides to setting yourself up for financial success.

Books discussed:

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook, 16th Edition: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines This textbookesque guide covers so much information regarding the professional life of a graphic designer. From contracts to pricing, this book provides real world examples and standards for it all!

Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine Everything you need to know about this book is in the title. Profit First will help set your business up for financial success by reframing the structure used to organize your money!

LINKS

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook, 16th Edition: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines https://amzn.to/46pn014 

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://amzn.to/46k1ETi on Amazon or Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/la-ganancia-es-primero-transforma-tu-negocio-en-una-maquina-de-hacer-dinero-y-logra-una-rentabilidad-inmediata-profit-first-transforma-tu-negocio-mike-michalowicz/266082?ean=9780735214149

And if you’re interested in Honeybook (Moriah’s CRM): https://share.honeybook.com/moriah68753

In this episode, we’re joined by Kseniya Thomas, Director of Ladies of Letterpress, and the Owner/Presswoman of Thomas Printers.  🎉 We can't count the times we've turned to the forums or classifieds of LOLP during our printmaking journeys, and we can’t wait to attend one of the conferences in person. (2025 goals!)

As female printers ourselves, we fully understand the importance of the LOLP organization and greatly appreciate what it stands for, so we are thrilled to get to chat with Kseniya about it all! (Jillian was especially excited that for once she wasn't the only one showing up to the recording with a baby! Yay for moms of letterpress!!!)

Links:

• Ladies of Letterpress
• LOLP Facebook Group
• LOLP Instagram
• Thomas Printers

There are some terms in modern design & typography that actually originate in letterpress. Having a better understanding of these terms - and where they came from - will help you level up your designing game!

Tune in to learn about points, picas, kerning, tracking and more! While you listen, be sure to browse our Instagram for the graphics to go along with this episode… We’ve got a helpful guide for you there, so be sure to save it for later.

LINKS:

Link to buy your own point/pica ruler/line gauge: https://amzn.to/3QmiGbm

Click to purchase our Letterpress Supply Guide (which includes this and so many other tools for your shop!)

Print Wiki (Definitely bookmark this!)

Points, Picas, Typography Terms Article

Los Angeles Printer's Fair Info!

We'd like to end this season with a little reflection back on our first full year as a podcast, as well as sharing our plans and process for preparing for the year that lies ahead. We're determined to make the most out of 2023, so if you need some inspiration for getting into the goal setting mood... look no further. 

Want to close out your year with some Hot Off the Press swag? Comment, DM or email us your big 2023 goals and we'll enter you into the last Printmas drawing! 

To all of our listeners, we cannot thank you enough. You have made this inaugural year better than we could have ever imagined. We love the community that we're joining and building simultaneously.

From your two letterpress buds... Have a happy holiday, and a fantastic new year! 

-Jillian and Moriah 

One of our most common conversation pieces: troubleshooting the many, many printing issues! Whether you're seeing a lack of ink/too much ink on one part of your form, a pooling of ink around the letters or artwork, you’re printing, uneven printing or any of the various issues related to inking up your press - we’ve definitely both dealt with ALL of these at some point. You’re not alone and we’re here to help!

We talk about how you can determine whether your print issue is actually ink related, all of the factors to consider that MIGHT be the issue and what to do about it. Tune in and take notes for this troubleshooting episode!

We’ve had some of these questions come up several times, so we KNOW you’re going to want to hear what we have to say during this Q & A episode! We’re covering: 

• press recommendations for someone wanting to print greetings
• whether or not to remix an ink that’s separated
• why Illustrator is SO hard
• when to oil your press
• and more!

Links:

We mention die cutting/die jackets, but all of our favorite vendors + supplies are included in the Letterpress Supply Guide

This is a conversation that we see, hear, and take part in A LOT: What kind of impression do you get on non-cotton cardstocks? Let's face it... in the world of cotton papers, the color selections are SLIM, and bright pops of pink or soothing shades of sage are an ever growing trend. So what options do we have? In this episode, we discuss our own experiments with colored cardstock and report back on what tips helped us the most to achieve the best impressions we could get. 

Do you have a favorite colored cardstock to print on? Did we miss it in our list? Join in on the convo via Instagram! 

 And if you're loving Hot Off the Press it would mean the WORLD to us if you can leave a 5 star review on apple, or share this episode with a friend/fellow printer! 

Happy Printing! 

October is here, which in the small business world means it’s time to get ready for the inevitable craziness of the Holiday season! Whether you’re ahead of the game or still deciding what you want to offer this year, Jillian has a 6-step plan to make sure you’re ready for your launch day. As this is the first week of PRINTMAS, we are doing a giveaway of a Hot Off The Press t-shirt design… Be sure to tune in or join us over on social media to find out how to enter to win.

Links:

Tag us or DM us any time on Instagram @hotoffthepresspod 

Sign up for our email list to stay up to date with what's Hot Off The Press

Join us for the Los Angeles Printer’s Fair! Click to Learn More and Buy Your Tickets today!

Thanks to the wonderful world of social media, we’ve had the opportunity to meet so many other amazing printers, and on this episode we are thrilled to share the story of one of our faves: Cara Jo Knapp from Knapp Design Co.

Cara Jo has long been interested in the world of print making, and patiently waited until the time was right for her to take the leap and buy a press of her own. We got to witness, first hand, how swiftly Cara Jo moved from looking for a press, to buying it, to printing on it like an absolute boss! Every layer of her story is as inspiring as the work she creates.

We are so honored to have spent some time with Cara Jo, and we hope that you find some takeaways that can support you on your own journey. Whether that’s figuring out when it’s right to bring on a new piece of equipment/ a new team member, or just some emotional support on transitioning into a new skill/trade!

You can find Cara Jo and all of the amazing things she's created with Dorothy on instagram at @knappdesignco

Or you can visit her beautiful website here

Don’t forget to check out all the details about the 2022 Los Angeles Printer’s Fair happening October 22-23 at the International Printing Museum in Carson, California. Your hosts, Moriah and Jillian, will be there and so will our guest from this episode! Come join us!!

Learn Letterpress is an online course taught by Britt Rohr of Swell Press. Britt covers everything from how to design for letterpress, to how to mix inks, and of course... printing! She does an in-depth demonstration on 3 different types of presses (a platen, flatbed and a windmill!) and even covers smart business practices like how to get the most cuts from your parent sheets!

This program is truly an all-in-one crash course in letterpress printing, so if you've been wanted to dip your toe in or advance your skills THIS is course that can help you do it!

Learn Letterpress registration is open for a limited time only, and closes on 4/16. Register for the course NOW at this link HERE: REGISTER

*Hot Off the Press is an affiliate of Learn Letterpress. By using our link you are helping to support the pod.

Want to learn more about Britt and the course? Give Episode 17 from Season 1 a listen!

We talk about it a lot, but what the heck is “photopolymer” & what does it have to do with letterpress printing? For a lot of printers, like us, this is the key ingredient for bringing designs to life! In this episode, we talk about what it is as well as the different types there are (and what we both use for our print setups).

*Hot tip alert!* If you’re a designer who outsources letterpress: we talk about some hugely important file setup requirements, so tune in for tips to make sure your design translates to print perfectly. If you’re a printer: we talk you through how to fix any plates that have curled during storage. 

Listen through until the end to hear about how Jillian made her own photopolymer plates at home! We also mention an amazing resources coming soon… Follow us on social media @hotoffthepresspod to be the first to learn more!

Quotable Moments:

“You can get thinner lines and a crisper bite because the hardness of these plates is a bit more intense.”

“Keep them flat, keep them dry and keep them out of the sunlight… they’re basically little gremlins.”

Links: 

How to make a liquid photopolymer plate - Anderson Vreeland

Photopolymer for use in letterpress printing - Jim Escalante

Boxcar Press has amazing information regarding plates in their "Learn Stuff" tab! 

Larger print areas, relatively easy makeready and an even impression - there are many advantages to flatbed presses compared to other types of presses. We’ll talk about all of the pros, cons and differences in this episode!

This is a great conversation to tune into for anyone looking to invest in a press, but also helpful to anyone who wants to understand what types of print jobs are best suited for different types of presses & why.

Have a guess on how many times we said “flatbreads” in this episode? Hop on over to Instagram to give us your best guess @hotoffthepresspod.

Quotable Moments:

• “When I saw how you register [for a print job] on a flatbed, I was like, ‘omg I need one of these’.”
• New slogans for printers? “A bite impression is the right impression” or “If it’s not a kiss, it’s a miss” (LOL)

Links & Resources

• MCBA - Minnesota Center For Book Arts (https://www.mnbookarts.org)
• More info on Cylinder Presses & Vandercooks (https://letterpresscommons.com/presses/cylinder-presses/)

Val Lucas is one of the few changing the game and carrying on the legacy of metal typecasting. We were introduced to her stunning work via her pattered border submissions to the APA, and we knew we had to have her on to walk us though this process! This episode covers Val's journey from printing classes to creating her own line of cast borders.

We strongly encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about typecasting to look into classes, mentorship or even reaching out to us to see where and how you can learn more! Without active participants wanting to carry on the legacy, this keystone of print history will disappear!

To support Val, and see all of her amazing work, you can visit her website www.bowerbox.com and follow her on instagram: @bowerbox!

In this episode we are joined by the sweet, the wonderful, Sharon of Pressed Paper + Print! She is known for her incredible range of handmade paper: every detail intentionally crafted with calligraphers, printers and stationers in mind - and available in 30+ colors! We discuss how she got started, the phases of growing her business & striving to create the perfect handmade paper over the past five years.

She offers print services along with her paper, and is a letterpress printer herself, so she has some fantastic tips & tricks for printing on handmade paper! Tune in to hear about what she offers, why she created it and some ‘best practices’ for working with handmade paper.

It was an absolute DELIGHT getting to talk with Sharon! We hope you enjoy listening along, too! Want to hear about our upcoming guests, ask questions, and find out about resources we offer? Be sure to join us on social @hotoffthepresspod!

Quotable Moments:

• “What do you have in stock? Well, not a whole heck of a lot!”
• “I was very intentional when choosing the colors I wanted to make…they all go with each other. So you have lots of options to mix and match!”
• “Washi tape for the win!”

Links:

Click here to visit Sharon's Website!

Click Here for Pressed Paper's Instagram

It’s a big investment to get into printing yourself, so many people outsource at least in the beginning. Even those of us who are printers still have to send files off for platemaking - this episode will apply to any and all of us! This episode kicks off a three part series about starting off with letterpress, beginning with outsourcing.

Whether this is your first time sending something to be letterpress printed, or if you’re a seasoned vet who’s done it a hundred times, we’re discussing tips, tricks, and seemingly common sense things that get missed. Hopefully, after this episode, your file prep will be seamless and your letterpress printer will love you forever!

What’s something you wish you had known about outsourcing when you first started sending jobs to print? We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message or comment on this episode’s post @hotoffthepresspod.

Quotable Moments:

• “There is no easy way for us [letterpress printers] to make one small change”
• “Do not ever email someone angry without checking yourself!”
• “Just order more than you need, because it could be disastrous if you find out that you need five more”

If you’ve ever mixed ink for letterpress or even LOOKED at a Pantone Formula Guide, this episode is for you! We discuss the pros & cons of the different white ink options… And tell you our favorite tips, tricks and what to look out for with both. Tune in to learn more about transparent white, opaque white, and which one to use for YOUR project!

In this episode we’re talking all about our favorite kind of printing press: The Platen Press!! Platens range from small table top presses, to the extreme machines known as the “windmills”, but most importantly, they are often the first machines used by new printers.

We share our favorite pros and cons of owning our floor model “jobbers” and you’ll even hear Moriah tell the tale of turning on her press’ motor for the first time!

Have a question about platen presses? Send us a message on social media! @hotoffthepresspod. We’ll be answering listener questions on an upcoming episode!

Quotable Moments:

• “I had the safety scared into me”
• “Benjamin Franklin appeared to him in a dream and gave him the idea…”

Links & Resources

• Briar Press
• Letterpress Commons
• Learn Letterpress by Britt Rohr

There are so many things to consider when designing for letterpress. Knowing the process, limitations, and techniques can help you elevate your design and avoid surprises ($$!).

In this episode we cover some of the main items you'll want to keep in mind while designing for letterpress (although there could possibly be a hundred more!).

We've discussed some of these topics more in depth in the past - but felt like it was time to revisit the subject as a whole. A few of the episodes we reference are:

File Types (Spotify link) | Apple Podcasts

Mixing Digital + Letterpress (Spotify link) | Apple Podcasts

Kiss vs Bite (Spotify link) | Apple Podcasts

Emboss Like a Boss (Spotify link) | Apple Podcasts

Screening & Halftones (Apple link) | Spotify

Some resources you can check out are:

Jillian's Letterpress course in Stationery School

Britt's Learn Letterpress

Thank you so much for tuning in!! Follow us on instagram at @hotoffthepresspod

As we recover from the 16th annual Los Angeles Printers Fair, we travel back in time to the summer of 2024 when Moriah and Jillian discuss one thing that had befuddled them for so long... Motors.

This episode is *not* for the electricians or engineers (HAH)! It is for us entry level machinists who just need a better understanding oh how motors work so we can find the right one for the job at hand!

Looking to buy a motor? Check out our supply guide here!

If you think buying a press is the final step to becoming a printer, then we have some bad news for you… It takes a lot of bits and pieces to get ready to print! The good news is that we cover everything you’ll need in this episode. We have searched the forums, read the discussion boards and ask

For those who are already printing, you might learn about some surprising tools and handy alternatives as we share some of our ‘must haves’ in our own studios.

This episode wraps up a three part series about starting off with letterpress. Check out our other episodes for tips on outsourcing and buying a press. If you found this episode helpful or if you’d like to learn more about our exact sources… Follow us on social media @hotoffthepresspod.

Quotable Moments:

• “If you’re like me and like to leave your press clean up for the next day… You’re not going to want to print with oil based ink”
• “Gloves, gloves, gloves.” (we get really passionate about this gloves topic....) 

If you’re new to printing or designing for print, you’ll probably want to take some notes during this episode! If you’re an expert, then you can probably relate to some of the big ‘oops’ moments we talk about this week. Either way, we’re discussing what to look out for and what not to do in this week’s episode of Hot Off The Press.

Triple checking your work along the way is a great goal, but we’ve all missed a thing or two at some point! Have a laugh with us, learn from our mistakes (we’d love to save you from making them, too) and know that you’re definitely not alone. Your fellow printers, Jillian & Moriah, are here to provide advice, warnings and emotional support!

Have a printing or design ‘learning experience’ you want to share with the group? Send us a message on social media! @hotoffthepresspod

Quotable Moments:

• “I had to get REAL creative to get that whole problem solved…”
• “It was a learning experience and I feel like a better printer because of it.”

Links & Resources

Boxcar Press - File setup prep tips, but also tons of other information! If you’re a designer who is sending files to printers or if you’re a printer, you should definitely browse their site. https://www.boxcarpress.com/file-preparation/

In this episode, while Jillian visits her hometown, we talk to Bill Corcoran of Corcoran Printing who has a deep history and loads of experience in the printing industry. He shares some of the incredible projects and clients they’ve worked with, as well as the ups & downs of the print industry over his family’s four generations in business!

Bill is an open book and patiently answers all our questions about how they gain new clients, their business model and minimums for new jobs. Tune in to hear all the details and all of Bill’s best business & print tips.

Be sure to visit their website (corcoranprinting.com) and also check out their Instagram @corcoranprinting to see some behind the scenes! 

Recorded live on IG, we, your hosts, Jillian & Moriah, announced to the world our latest letterpress adventure: this podcast! Hot Off The Press is a podcast that's providing knowledge and emotional support to new and aspiring letterpress printers 'round the globe! Listen to this first episode to hear how, and why, we go hooked on this idea.

Visit us on Instagram: @hotoffthepresspod 

This week, Moriah & Jillian have an episode that requires some serious heavy lifting… Moving presses! All jokes aside, it’s an intimidating process to move antique printing equipment. With several moves under our own belts, and plenty we’ve seen/heard about, we’ve gathered up our best advice all in one episode for you.

If you’re looking at getting a press, then you’ll definitely want to tune in and hear all our best tips and tricks. For those who’ve moved presses before, you’ll know there are so, so many things to consider that may not be obvious until you’ve done it. So if anything, this episode will serve as a reminder to appreciate your current setup and maybe give you some good ideas for the future.

After you’ve tuned in, feel free to let us know if there’s any other advice you’d offer our fellow letterpress people and we’ll be happy to share with the class! You can DM us or comment on this week’s post over on Instagram, or send us an email any time.

Thanks for tuning in! We’ll be back next week with anotha’ one!

In today's episode we answer several questions from you - the listeners! We even had one from Sweden!! 

Tune in to hear about:

- Kiss vs. Bite 

- How many extras we print 

- Why we named our presses 

- Who's still making letterpress machines

- What oil we use 

While on a field trip in Minnesota, we had the absolute pleasure of visiting Bruno Press and interviewing the kickass woman behind it, Mary Bruno. Mary came into letterpress thanks to her late father, Don, who was a college professor and printing enthusiast. He turned their modest-sized home garage into a printer's dreamland, and it's the same space Mary occupies today. Covered from top to bottom in posters, prints and photographs, the Bruno Press studio screams personality.

We're stoked to bring you this episode, so that you can learn a little more about Mary, all the cool things she's done, and inspire you to maybe consider a trip to the midwest where there is no shortage of phenomenal printers!

Support / follow Mary via her website www.mcbrunopress.com  or on instagram @brunopress

You can also support Hot Off the Press by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or subscribing wherever you listen! Follow us on instagram or check out our shop! 

If you've been oogling the beautiful results from sculpted emboss while scrolling through Instagram, you're not alone! We have been so intrigued by the process that we decided to set out and do a 2 part series on this seriously impressive print method!

In Part 1, we speak with Mark Schumacher from Metal Magic, the #1 place to source brass and copper dies! Mark walks us through the process of creating a sculpted plate from the order submission to shipping it out. This is an episode you surely do not want to miss!

To start your next order with Metal Magic, you can visit the contact tab on their website: https://www.metalmagic.com/

To view the videos we discuss in the episode, you can click the following links:

BRASS DIES

COPPER DIES

Follow the Hot Off the Press instagram account to see more content and updates from Metal Magic!

In this very special Episode of Hot Off the Press, we chat with our dear friend and fellow stationer, Laney Ruddell from Design By Laney, about many of the resources she's created, including her on-going educational program, Stationery School. Stationery School is an online program packed with tons of content relevant to creating art, running your business and keeping your clients (and you) happy!

This month (June 2022), Jillian had the honor and pleasure of being a guest instructor and added a course all on letterpress to the Stationery School curriculum. This course covers the entire process of designing, preparing and printing a 3 color job with overprint and knock out.

We were so excited to have Laney on and are endlessly grateful for all the resources she creates for our fellow paper lovers (you know you’ve heard us mention the Printable Palette a few times!).

You can find Laney over at @designbylaney on instagram or at her website Designbylaney.com

We HIGHLY recommend checking out the letterpress course in Stationery School. Jillian left nothing off the table, and walks you through each part of the process!

You can join for one month (a super bargain) here
OR… you can do yourself the best favor and join for an entire year here.

We also discuss Power in Pricing which is one of the most valuable courses Jillian has ever taken! 

Moriah and Jillian are both members and we watch (and rewatch) the courses constantly!

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review or hopping over onto our instagram and leaving some love on our latest post!

Looking for more resources? Check out our Letterpress Supply Guide!

Want to support the podcast? Grab some of the first HOTP merch ever made!

Almost titled “perfecting your process” this episode goes over the high level planning that goes into keeping your jobs moving smoothly through your workflow, from booking to shipping, with as little error as possible.

But you know us, nothing is really perfect and everything can be tweaked, so instead of focusing on perfection, we hope this episode inspires you to simply work on your workflow.

This is a topic near and dear to our hearts lately as we both experience the growing pains of what it’s like to take on more work without strict workflows and risk the consequences of human error. We’ve supported each other through late night reprints, several reorders of materials, and even a journey across state lines to correct a miscalculation while on holiday! If there’s anything the past month has taught us… it’s that process is everything!

If there’s a step in your workflow that you find to be critical to keep things running smoothly, we’d love to hear about it! Email us at hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com or hit us up in our DMs on instagram

LINKS:

• Honeybook
• Dubsado

*these links are affiliate links and support the podcast. If you would like more information on either client management system, please reach out!

Life has been FULL of great things, but we are back and ready to bring you more of the letterpress content you love!

Tune in next week 7/24 for the start of Season 5 of Hot Off the Press!

If you operate a platen press, knowing how to properly test and level your platen is a really handy skill to have! We're here to share the advice passed on to us from some of the kind souls we met at the LA Printers Fair, and walk you through the process of leveling that platen. 

Trust us... you can do it! Just be careful, and take your time! 

Resources:
Leveling the Platen by Fred Williams

A huge thank you to THANK YOU to Troy from Type High Groves (AMA #911) 

Although we’ve been working behind the scenes on this season for quite a while, it felt so right to officially kick off season 6 on Type High Day! Hopefully 9/18 has some fun print projects in store for you, and you can get caught up on all our goings-ons while you get inked up.

We have been through some big changes in our personal lives, our work lives, and with the podcast too over the past 11 months… You’ll have to tune into this episode to hear all about everything, but most importantly: we’re SO FREAKING HAPPY to be back!! We’ve got a big surprise in this episode, and some other very fun things to come.

Thank you SO much for being here! We’re incredibly grateful for your patience, excitement for our return, and for your tuning in each week. We can’t wait to share more with you soon.

We’ve talked a lot about platen presses on Hot Off the Press, but in this episode we are diving deep the history of Chandler & Price in particular. C&Ps, as they’re commonly known, are one of the most popular presses still around, and they're one of our faves!

We found some visuals that you might enjoy to check out as we talk through the history of this iconic company: 

Super cool sales brochure

Fun article

Other sources used for this episode: 

Wikipedia

George Gordon’s ‘Dream’ Press by Fred Williams on the APA site

It's easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of your business, and put boring, routine maintenance items to the back-burner. Scheduling some time to take care of your studio, machines, and electronic files will go a long way in supporting your success throughout the new year. In this episode we take 3 main areas of your paper business and discuss 3 things you can do to freshen them up for 2023! 

Tune in and let us know what you're doing to start the new year off on the right foot. We'll be discussing over on instagram! 

Resources: 

In this episode we discussed some inventory tracking systems, as well as taxes, and we have a few sources for both if you want to get started:
INVENTORY: 

• TRUNK 
• CraftyBase 
• Zoho

TAXES: 

• Braden Drake - a former CPA for small businesses now makes several resources you can buy at low cost to help make sure you're on the right path with taxes! 

Not to be typecast as a Halloween bore, we're locking up an hour of your time with a little haunting of ghosts of printing past. o0o0oo0oOo0oh ....  In this episode we dive a little deeper into the lives of three printers who helped set printing history in motion. There's tales of being abandoned abroad, a few scandalous marriages, and of course, some really incredible inventions. Please enjoy this little slice of history, and if any past printers come visiting you in your dreams tonight.... we hope we'll be the first to know! 

Links to photos discussed: 

The Alligator 

The Firefly 

Research credit: 

The life of Benjamin Franklin: https://www.abaa.org/members-articles/benjamin-franklins-job-printing
http://www.benjamin-franklin-history.org/acquiring-skills-in-london/

The life of George Phineas Gordon: https://history-computer.com/george-phineas-gordon-biography-history-and-inventions/

Info on S&L: https://www.briarpress.org/23204 

In this week’s episode, Cara Jo & Moriah are united in Denver and joined by Jason Wedekind, of Genghis Kern. We discuss his journey into printing, his experience in the design world (seriously cool branding & packaging is his speciality), and how he came to be a part of the Letterpress Depot. 

The Letterpress Depot will be a living museum where you can get your hands inky and learn about letterpress, but it will also be a community oriented space in Englewood, Colorado where you can host meetings, attend workshops, and so much more. In order for this historic building (and it’s incredible collection of equipment!) to be open to the public, they need our support!

No matter where you’re located, you can provide valuable assistance to make sure this resource is opened as soon as possible. During the month of November, your donation will go twice as far thanks to Colorado Gives. Your donation will be matched, so there is no better time than today to donate whatever you can! You can also purchase limited edition letterpress prints and more on their virtual marketplace, or purchase a membership to the museum. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram or join the mailing list to receive all the progress updates and stay in touch.

Colorado has a rich letterpress history and it’s not done yet. Jason, Cara Jo, and so many more are not only a part of the story, but working hard to keep this legacy alive for generations to come. Tune into the episode to hear all about Jason’s story, Genghis Kern, the story behind the Depot & the plans for the future. 

Links:

Colorado Gives: https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/LetterpressDepot

Depot: http://www.letterpressdepot.org/
Depot IG: https://www.instagram.com/letterpressdepot

Have you ever gone to purchase paper and wondered how they figure that an 80 lb. text paper is LIGHTER than a 65 lb. cover paper?!? Different systems of measurement, different types of paper and different terms make it all very confusing… Don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this episode of Hot Off The Press we’re going to shine some light on paper weights and types!

We’ll explain those different measurement systems, how they actually weigh them, and how the paper type affects the weight. We also discuss coated vs. uncoated papers and what works best for different types of projects! Tune in to get some clarity and be sure to follow us on social @hotoffthepresspod to save a SUPER handy chart to reference!

For years, acquiring a foil press for our shops was a hotly debated topic. Would it be worth the investment? How would we feel about doing foil in house? Where on earth will we put another press???

We discuss all of this and more with Cara Jo because she took the leap and bought the highly sought after Metallic Elephant KSF3.

Tune in to find out whether it was worth dwelling so long on the decision!

Interested in learning how to use the foil press? There are currently two courses offering indepth lessons online:

https://www.sal-studios.com/foil-pressure-dwell-heat

https://papelnco.com/the-art-of-foil-press-printing

Don't forget to check out (and follow) Knapp Design Co on instagram to see all the fun things Cojo has been foiling with Tin Man: @knappdesignco

For this episode, we are getting the scoop on all things ink and we’re joined by someone we consider an expert on the subject: Charley Harden! Charley and his brother, Rick, have been mixing ink since 1987 and started their own business, Southern Ink, in 2001. They’ve been supplying a special ‘hybrid’ style of ink to letterpress printers since!

He reassures us that reflex blue ink does in fact get everywhere and beiges ARE the hardest to mix just right. Tune in to find out more about ink mixing, storage, additives and most importantly: why they include the beloved twizzlers in all of their orders.

Be sure to look through the mesmerizing ink mixing videos and the tips Charley & Rick have shared on Instagram @letterpressinks and visit their website to shop inks at southern-ink.com!

We gathered questions from our listeners for this episode via social media… Be sure to follow us @hotoffthepresspod so we can answer your questions in a future episode.

Over the weekend of October 22-23, we had the absolute pleasure of being one of the many talented vendors at the 14th Annual Los Angeles Printers Fair hosted by (and at!!) the International Printing Museum in Carson, CA. This episode recaps some of our favorite highlights of the fair, and we hope hearing these stories inspires you, not only to stretch your creativity and the bounds of what you can make on your press, but also to look into your local print community or even neighboring communities. We truly believe that there will always be more there than you expect to find!

Mark your calendars for next year, because the Los Angeles Printer’s Fair is not one to miss!!

Links:

Meet all the vendors who were at the fair here!

Learn more about the Amalgamated Printer’s Association (APA) here!

Check out the work of the artisans we specifically named in this episode (although, there were so many amazing folks so definitely scroll through all the vendors at the link above!!)

The Aesthetic Union 

Exude Joy with Erin - our neighbor!!!

The Itinerant Printer 

Letterpress Things

Modern Optic

Skyline Type Foundry 

Val Lucas (not at the fair, but we talked a lot about her work!!)

P22 (not at the fair, but they had the amazing print on coated stock!)

Follow along on social media, DM us your letterpress questions, or tag us in your print-related posts! @hotoffthepresspod

We've all been there... Something is spelled wrong, the prints have a line running through them, the foil is subpar, or that color of envelope your client has been obsessing over is out of stock EVERYWHERE!

No matter what the situation is, it SUCKS delivering bad news to a client. Our emotions will always want to get the best of us, so in this episode we break down a couple different types of bad news, and give advice on how to handle the situation in a calm and professional way.

Loving a little bit of business talk mixed in with design and printing topics? Consider joining Stationery School to get lots of content related to building a stationery business. Courses cover how to handle client relationships, working with planners, creating pet illustrations.. and even a course on letterpress printing taught by your host - Jillian from Studio Soprano!

Try out Stationery School for 30 days here

Or save big and join for a whole year here

Come follow Hot Off the Press on instagram!

And if you have a topic you want to hear on the podcast, send us an email! Hello@hotoffthepresspodcast.com

Sunny weather is here, which means markets and expos are starting to pick up! If you've never done a market before, it may seem intimidating on where to start, and you might even be wondering "will this be worth is?"

In this episode we talk about how to discern your ROI (return on investment) and how to get yourself show-ready!

Are you doing any markets in 2023? Promote them on Instagram and tag us so we can share and help support you!!

After a very chaotic week in their studios, Jillian and Moriah sit down to talk about the handy little tools that can save your butt, or drive you absolutely insane when things don't go as planned. This episode is all about crop and registration marks: what they are, when to use them, and when you can lose them! 

Because some of the items we discuss in this episode are extremely visual, you can check out some photos and videos we've put together HERE

Or, as always, you can head on over to instagram where we'll be posting about this topic all week! 

In this week’s episode we’re talking about something a little different… Modern technology! 

While century old equipment is usually what we’re discussing on the pod, this week we’re changing it up a bit and discussing some newer technology. We’ve encountered a growing number of requests for this little tool in the wedding stationery industry, as well as on print items in general, so we thought it would be fun for all of us to learn a little more about it.

So tune into this week’s episode to learn all about QR codes! Their origin, how they work, and what you’ll need to know in order to make sure when you print one, it scans smoothly. We also touch on NFC chips, which are seeing an increase in paper popularity too. Whether you’re a wedding stationer (or planner) looking to make the RSVP process as smooth as silk, or a business who wants to ensure their print collateral stays accurate for the long term, this info will be relevant to many!

Once upon a time, chaos ruled the world, and "color matching" was based solely on the discretion of whoever was creating the ink or dye for that product. Can you even imagine?! In this episode we give credit where credit is due: Pantone wins the award for being the most useful (though sometimes annoying) tool for those of us working in the visual arts. We talk about the creation of the Pantone Matching System (our preferred PMS), the various guides they have and what they're used for, how we use those guides for letterpress, and of course... our personal opinions on the newly announced color of the year, as well as this whole dang system in general. 

Laugh along with us, then hop on over to instagram to tell us how YOU prefer to mix ink!! 

Are you a "by the formula" kind of person, or do you mix by eye? 

All those who share their preference will be entered to win a color-chip inspired ornament made by Jillian! Enter by Friday, Dec 9th at 11:59 pm! 

https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2022 

Nothing's more frustrating than feeling the minutes of an hour tick by while you stare at a blank art board begging for inspiration to hit. Creative ruts are no joke, no fun and can cost us a lot of time (which means they're costing us money!!).

We've identified our #1 culprit for these creative ruts, and mapped some ways to get out of them! Tune in to hear some tips you can implement either today, this weekend, or in the near future to help refill your creative cup!!

Come on over to instagram to join us in the convo about different ways of finding inspiration!

If you're being bombarded with ads for in-house/studio lasers then, like us, you may be very tempted to take the plunge. While we have *so* much to say about our experience with the three lasers we each have, we thought it'd be great to give you an overview of the lasers themselves - what they're capable of, and what we have and haven't liked so far.

We’re joined by Mark and Madeline of the International Printing Museum in Carson, California in this episode. They are kind enough to share more about the museum, its history and all the things the museum has to offer - both for printers and those who have no idea what “letterpress” is! Whether you’re new to printing, an expert printer or just curious: they definitely have something you’ll get excited about!

Tune in to hear about the museum’s rich history, and about all of the incredible equipment Mark has collected over the years. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, be sure to stop by! If you’re not local, then maybe plan a trip to visit in October for the Printer’s Fair! Visit their website to learn more about their class offerings and SO much more.

We’ll share more on the museum on our Instagram page, so be sure to follow along @hotoffthepresspod to see more from this episode about the International Printing Museum!

Links:

• Click here to visit the International Printing Museum’s website! https://www.printmuseum.org
• Click to watch the FULL tour of the museum with Mark, on YouTube! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrNbQvWH2Mf-GVnLOcL9H04IzqmP1GEBQ

And of course, give them a follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/printmuseum/

Introducing the latest letterpress podcast: Hot Off The Press. Your hosts, Jillian of Studio Soprano and Moriah of Moriah Creates, are two letterpress printers who know the struggle of dipping their toes into this niche field of printing! They've spent hours reading through forums, reached out to strangers for advice, and made some costly errors as they learned the ins and outs of letterpress printing - and they're still learning! But now you get to come along for the ride. Whether you've never stood at a press, or you just want to hone in your skills, this podcast will be a valuable and entertaining resource! 

New episodes will be launching every week. We'll cover history, technical tips and tricks, and even interview some of the industry's greatest vendors and printers!

Hit "subscribe" to stay up to date on all things Hot Off the Press, and follow us on Instagram! http://instagram.com/hotoffthepresspod 

Happy printing! 

Are you a stationer getting ready to send a file to your printer? We cover what's best for foil, letterpress and digital! Or just generally curious about the different file types and what they're used for? We cover Raster & Vector images, as well as most of the file types out there: JPEG, PNG, PDF, AI, INDD, EPS, and so many more. If this all sounds like a foreign language to you... Then tune in to learn more and find out what is best for YOUR project! 

Be sure to save this episode's Instagram post as an easy reference guide! You can find us @hotoffthepresspod

In this episode, we chat with James Tucker who, in 2013, founded the Aesthetic Union. James has an amazing background (including time spent on the presses at the infamous Hatch Printing!), and a love for exploring the art of printmaking beyond the surface of traditional techniques. He's also heavily inspired by the beauty in nature and landscapes. To hear more about mixing ink from soils, combining watercolor and letterpress, and a really exciting announcement for the Aesthetic Union, give this episode a listen!

Follow and support The Aesthetic Union:

www.theaestheticunion.com

Instagram: @theaestheticunion

Tik Tok: @theeastheticunion

Follow James: @jameslewistucker

For the second episode in this short series on Sculpted Embossing, we speak with Nick and Mac from JR Press in San Fransisco. JR Press is a family owned business that Nick's grandfather opened up in 1987. They have a hefty list of equipment and they've had the pleasure of working on some incredible projects.

We pick up the sculpted embossing process from where we left off with the fabrication of the plates and talk all about setting up the prints, the most successful materials to use, and even some troubleshooting tactics that we can almost guarantee you haven't thought of.

If you'd like to book a sculpted embossing (or any kind of print) project with JR Press, you can contact them via their email jrpress1@aol.com, or visit the contact form on their website: jrpress.co

To see some of their great work give them a follow in Instagram: @jrpress.sf

And to see the projects we discuss in this episode, make sure to check out our instagram over @hotoffthepresspod !!

There's nothing more exciting than adding a new machine to your shop's lineup (especially if it's the first one!). But there are some different things to consider before you start combing the market.

This second episode of the "Getting Started" series will help guide you through the whole process, from deciphering which kind to look for, how best to find them, and what you want to plan for before you make your purchase!

Have you recently added a press to your shop? Whether it's your first, or fifth, tag @hotoffthepresspod in a photo so we can share it to our feed! We love to watch the letterpress community grow and see all these precious machines landing in loving homes!

Quotable Moment:

• "For some reason pulling it up seems way scarier than dropping it down"
• "The garage is not always greener on the other side"

Links & Resources:

To see a press:

• Letterpress Commons
• A Print Museum near you (list courtesy of American Amateur Press Association)
• Center for Book Arts near you (list courtesy of good ol' Wikipedia)

"Having a card on hand when you suddenly need one... it makes you feel like you have your sh*t together"  

While the tragedy of a global pandemic stopped most things in their tracks, the long days of being stuck at home opened the doors for unexpected opportunity. Today we take a look back at the creation of the signature greeting card subscription: The Better Mail Club. Jillian of Studio Soprano walks us through the ideas that had been swirling through her head, how the right time finally came along, and how a growing need for connection and community allowed her to grow her skills, not only as a businesswoman, but as a prints woman. 

The Better Mail Club continues to make staying connected fun, and snail mail so easy by sending everything you need (including the postage stamps!)

To enter a chance to win your own Better Mail Club subscription, follow @bettermailclub on instagram and tag a friend in the comments of the Hot Off the Press post (It will have our podcast logo on it, you won't miss it!!) 

You can also join the club diectly at www.bettermailclub.com  - and don't forget that you can gift Better Mail to a friend! 

Thanks so much for following along! 

If you joined us at the Los Angeles Printer’s Fair in October, you might have seen some of our new prints the three of us created. You might have also noticed a few similarities… A few of them were printed in a combination of colors to create an ombre effect. 

However you want to name it - split fountain, gradient, ombré - this printing method results in some really fun colors, usually more colors show up than you put on the press. Overall: an amazingly fun tool to have in your pocket! 

This season, we’ve been talking a little more in depth about specific print methods, tools, and equipment. Tune into this week’s episode as we dive into creating an ombré effect on platen & flat bed presses, and with a good ol’ brayer if hand inking is your style!

Don’t forget to join us on instagram to see some of the projects we discuss printing, and be sure to visit hotoffthepresspodcast.com to see some of these prints (and maybe get one or two for your space)!