Thanks to everyone over the weekend who put in orders for APs Clockworks Release one. It is incredibly exciting to be filling tubes and shipping these out this week. High fives all around.
Full Series Sets: I am planning ahead for folks who want complete sets of all the releases in the clockworks series. And sure enough there have already been requests for exactly that. Basically print numbers 6-15 Will be set aside from all the releases to be available as matching full sets when the series is completely released. These can be pre-ordered (or reserved rather) just shoot an email to us at info@antiquatedpress.com to get the details. There will only be 10 complete sets and they are offered like the prints on a first come first serve basis.
Facebook: Next week we will be giving away some proofs on our facebook page. So if you want to have an opportunity to get some sweet AP swag and proofs - go like our page:
Sorry mobile users. AP is really just not working right yet with mobile iOS. It’s actually ridiculously glitchy. The zooms and light boxes and cart and… probably lots more.
I’ll get a mobile version up eventually. In meantime desktop safari, Firefox, chrome and even explorer check out fine.
Check out this cool little Antiquated Press Print: a 6X9 plate on 10X13 arches paper. Limited edition that we are only using for promotion and giveaways and such.
The first 20 orders for clockworks will get one of these added. It can be hung on the wall or used as a pot holder for not very hot pans. all sorts of useful.
Pretty excited to get the nuts and bolts of the new website shop all dialed in. And it is good to have these prints out there. These prints are quite special to me and i regard them like little messages in bottles to be sent out all over the world.
This is “release one” - look forward to posting release two here in a couple weeks (or so)
A quick note about the titles: “shark”, “wolf”, “lantern”, “Fireflies”.. are by no means complicated or high minded titles. I like the simple titles, they were given to the plates naturally while i worked them and they reinforce the fact that although these prints are fine intaglio etchings - they are also low brow robot illustrations with a golden heart. We’re not a sophisticated lot here at Antiquated Press.
When making intaglio prints - one has to soak the paper in water so it is soft, pliable and able to endure the pressure of the press and conform properly to the plate. It takes a couple days prep to get the paper “put down” just right. After pulling the prints they dry in a couple days but they are all wonky and wrinkled and need to be flattened.
There are a number of ways to flatten prints - At AP we built a drying system patterned after Crown Point Press’s drying system (check it out here)
Our drying table is smaller - and since space is a premium in the studio - it uses our versatile super table (I will one day give a full run down of all the super tables excellent features and facets, this post is just about drying)
So - if you know about Crown Point’s table you’ll notice very minor differences. Instead of plywood, we used MDF - since our drying system is built in a 2'X4’ area we are able to use standard sized blotters and most of the corrugated cardboard we got from hot tub boxes (a great source for large unmarred cardboard)
in these photos I only have 5 layers: the way they are stacked goes - Cardboard, Blotter, newsprint, prints, newsprint, blotter, cardboard - then the cycle repeats. It can hold 30 layers easily with 2 prints per layer that works out to 60 prints. The system dries and flattens the prints in about 4 hours.
here are some prints that have been re-wetted with a spray bottle. At this point the ink is dry, the prints are just wavy and well… not flat.
The damp prints emboss quite nicely with the AP chop - so we stamp them just before loading into the drying system.
It is vital that the corrugated channels are all pointing the same way. Allowing the airflow to pass through the cardboard channels.
once you have the layers all stacked properly and placed the MDF top board on. it takes two people to strap in the clamping cross-boards. Simple 2X4s and all-thread.
the allthread only needs to be tightened finger tight as you don’t want too much pressure (that might kill your plate mark)
here the air bag (an expertly sewn canvas drop cloth) is fastened over one side of the stack (the side with the corrugated channels) and a small squirrel cage fan is used to inflate the bag. It is important not to try and drive too much air through the stack - just creating a positive and consistent air pressure across the whole stack works best.
when the fan is turned on - poof, big air bag. the airflow travels through the cardboard which through the miracle of osmosis draws all the moisture from the prints -
making them flat and ready for signing, numbering or whatever.
With the website at 85% and information live about the Clockworks series. I figured I would post some information about the release dates and edition plans.
The Clockworks series involves quite a few pieces, rather than release them all at once. (Which would be kinda difficult and not give each one it’s proper spotlight). AP will be posting the series in sections. Each release will include 3-4 editioned prints. They will be posted to the AP site beginning the end of June 2013. There will be 4 releases total with a couple weeks between each.
If everything goes as planned all the Clockworks series will be posted by the end of July - beginning of August.
Each editioned print will be very limited in quantity. But a small number of each will be set aside for complete series sets. The sets will include matching edition numbers for every print in the Clockworks series and will not be available for purchase until all the editions have been released.
Does that make sense? I hope so.
if you have any questions, please email info@antiquatedpress.com
It was envisioned to be pretty analog, using image maps and photos of stuff for each page. It ended up working out 80% of the time.
anyhow, it will be going live this week hopefully. if you are reading this on the website and notice any issues or errors - please shoot me an email at joe@antiquatedpress.com
