Introduction to Typesetting with Moveable Type

Get your hands dirty in the largest collection of moveable type in the mid-Atlantic! Have you always wondered where the phrase “out of sorts” came from? You’ll know, once you’ve learned a little typesetting using Virginia Book Arts massive collection of lead type. Participants will get an introduction to type and the elements of setting lines of text. We’ll then dive into collaboratively typesetting a short poem to letterpress print on the Vandercook. This workshop will primarily focus on lead type, typesetting, locking up, and proofing (we won’t dive into type history or the nuances of the Vandercook). It will be a brief primer on letterpress printing – you will be able to pull a few prints to take home!

Instructor: Kristin Adolfson