What three years of letterpress taught me about weight

For three years I set type by hand in a small letterpress workshop. Every letter was a piece of metal, and every piece of metal had a weight you could feel.

Weight you can hold

When you set a line of type by hand, you notice which letters do the work. Heavy round shapes hold a word together; thin ones let it breathe. That is still how I judge a lettermark.

Less, but heavier

Letterpress taught me to use fewer elements and give each of them more presence. A single strong letter on good paper beats a busy page every time.

What I kept

I no longer print every week, but I still proof every identity on paper before it goes on a screen. The screen forgives too much.