Don Black Linecasting Road Trip

 

As promised, here are the details regarding the Ligatures road trip to Don Black Linecasting in Scarborough.

Don Black has agreed to offer us a small tour of the facility, which will include: -showing how the Intertype and Ludlow casters work + a casting demo. -go over wood and metal type anatomy and other details. -show the different types of presses – maybe even set something up on the Canuck press and pull a proof of something to take home (set-up in advance).

Ligatures, along with the help of Tanya Roberts (Snap + Tumble letterpress), are currently looking for a group of 6 enthusiastic folks to join us on two evenings:

Friday, September 19, 6:30pm-7:30pm (AT CAPACITY)

Friday, September 26, 6:30pm-7:30pm (AT CAPACITY)

If you are interested in attending, please send us an email and we will help arrange transportation. If you have access to a vehicle, please include a note about this in your reply, and how many folks you would be able to drive. We will likely be commuting together from Kennedy station to Don Black, located at 120 Midwest Rd, Unit 5. We'll plan to meet connect at Kennedy around 6:00pm to be at Don Black's for 6:30pm.

Please reply with you interest no later than Friday, September 12. Space is limited – first come, first served.

See you soon!

UPDATE: Both dates are at capacity. Please email us to get on the wait list or to sign up for future excursions like this.

A brief history of Labour Day

The year is 1872 and you've been stationed behind this press for seven hours already. The weather this January has chilled the press room and your fingers are starting to go numb from touching the cold metal. You look up at the clock, you've still got five hours left. You look down at the page your currently typesetting, all the little type blocks are starting to blur together. "Curse that robber baron George Brown" you mutter to yourself. Your co-worker at the Toronto Globe over hears you and cheers in support. You heard that the railway workers out in Hamilton were forming groups and calling for a three hour reduction in their shifts. A nine-hour day? How glorious does that sound?

It wasn't until March, 1872 that the Typographic Union decided to go on strike. They, like many others felt that 12 hour work days were too much, and that society would benefit much more from employees being at home building a strong family life instead of slaving away countless hours on the job. There were many groups coming together at the time,  but the Typographical Union strike gathered the most attention and support.

As the strike continued The Toronto Trades Assembly (TTA) gather their collective unions in support. In Canada, union activity was still an arrest-able offence and George Brown, founder of the Toronto Globe, used this to put key leaders in jail. These actions began a snowball effect with further demonstrations and unions joining in to support. The movement grew and spread to the nation's capital, where Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald answered their call. Although this movement did not end with a reduction in our work weeks, it helped to pass the Trade Union Act which de-criminalized union activity. This allowed workers to fight for their rights and continue to rally for a 54-hour work week.

Many of us just see Labour Day as a marker for the end of the summer and the last day before the beginning of the new school year. At one point it was just a bunch of disgruntled typographers sick and tired of putting in long hours at the press.

Meeting Nº11: 'Sign Painters' screening recap

(Photo credit: Ivonne Robledo)

After months of planning and weeks of work, the day had finally arrived. On Wednesday, August 21, we  gathered early at Swipe Design to prep for our first big screening of 'Sign Painters: The Movie'. With the help of the Swipe staff, we set up in the Urbanspace gallery, which comfortably held 100 seats. We also had tables for snacks, sign-up sheets and swag. (Thanks Fran, Kara, Kellie & Mike for helping to set up!)

Kyle had even prepared some fantastic "Reserved" signs for our special guests.

And we did not forget the popcorn, in special Ligatures-stamped bags (thanks, Leslie!)

The crowd slowly started to pour in around 6:30, and by 7:00, it was a full house, with nearly every seat taken.

Just after 7:00, we got things started. Chris Rouleau grabbed the microphone and welcomed everyone to the special event.

After a quick review of the Ligatures mandate and a plug of Ligatures' upcoming events, he went on to thank the sponsors for the evening: Fair Goods, Swipe Design | Books + Objects & Typostrophe. The evening was made extra special with homemade baked goods provided by Hart Felt Kitchen. Thanks again, Sharon!

On Wednesday, we were honoured to have Mr. Wayne Reuben join us for the screening. Wayne is one of the two remaining sign painters at Toronto world-famous department store, Honest Ed's. He even took time to do a few photos ops after the film. Thank again, Wayne!

(Photo credit: Mirela Z.)

On Thursday night, we did it all over again and presented our second sold-out screening to another crowd of 100 sign lovers. More popcorn, more treats, and more good times were had by all.

(Photo credit: Suzanne Long)

But perhaps the best part about Thursday: Wayne Reuben was kind enough to invite his fellow Honest Ed's signpainter, Mr. Douglas ("Dougie") Kerr, to the film screening. Dougie certainly made the evening extra special, and he was eager to chat with folks after the show. Thank you Dougie for joining us!

(Photo credit: Marie Rupolo)

We couldn't be more pleased with the turnout of these screenings and the warm reception from the community. Wednesday night's screening sold out in less than 10 hours, sparking the Thursday screening, which sold out in less than 28 hours. We are so happy that we were able to present the premiere of this film to Toronto. Sign painting has deep roots in Toronto, with Honest Ed's being a perfectly preserved example of this disappearing art form. More broadly, the film presents larger concerns with urbanism, commercialism, and mass-production (versus the hand-made), and we are glad to ignite these important discussions in our city.

Thanks to everyone who joined us – we hope to see you all again soon!

UPDATE: Second screening added to Toronto premiere of 'Sign Painters: The Movie'

 

Due to popular demand, we have added a second free screening of Sign Painters: The Movie, and increased the seating capacity of both screenings.

The double screening will occur on the nights of Wednesday, August 20th & Thursday, August 21st from 7pm – 9pm at Swipe Design (401 Richmond Street West). The event is generously sponsored by Fair Goods, Swipe Design | Books + Objects & Typostrophe.

The original August 20th screening was announced on July 28th, and all seats were claimed less than 10 hours. This double screening will be a Toronto premiere, and local sign painters from the GTA will be in attendance to celebrate this special event.

This event will reach capacity quickly, and space is limited. If you contacted us to be put on the waiting list, this is your opportunity to get tickets. Unfortunately, we are unable to reserve tickets.

If you already have tickets to the first screening and are unable to attend, please let us know so we can release the seats for other folks who are interested.

To RSVP, please go to ligatures.ca.

More about the film in the previous email (below) and on the Sign Painters official website.

Thanks for making for helping create such amazing buzz for this event, and for continuing to spread the word to your friends. We can't wait to see you there!

Ligatures presents Toronto premiere of 'Sign Painters: The Movie'

 

We are pleased to announce our next event which has been months in the making.

Ligatures will be hosting a free screening of 'Sign Painters: The Movie' on Wednesday, August 20th from 7pm – 9pm at Swipe Design (401 Richmond Street West). The event is generously sponsored by Fair Goods, Swipe Design | Books + Objects & Typostrophe.

In 2010 filmmakers Faythe Levine and Sam Macon began documenting these dedicated practitioners, their time-honoured methods, and their appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. Sign Painters, the first anecdotal history of the craft, features the stories of more than two-dozen sign painters working in cities throughout the United States. The documentary profiles sign painters young and old, from the new vanguard working solo to collaborative shops such as San Francisco’s New Bohemia Signs and New York’s Colossal Media’s Sky High Murals. – Sign Painters Movie blog

This will be the Toronto premiere of the film, and a number of local sign painters from the GTA will be in attendance to celebrate this special screening. We will also be joined by representatives from Graphic Commerce, the primary supplier of sign painting tools, based in Mississauga. We will have plenty of food, beverages and giveaways – you don't want to miss this one.

"A cautionary tale about the head-long rush into a technology-driven time and a meditation on what’s lost along the way. it is a reminder to look around and recognize the physical history in our presence every day." – Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Space for this event is limited. For more information or to RSVP, please go to ligatures.ca.

More about the film on the Sign Painters official website.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Update 07/29/14: This event sold out in less than 10 hours. Please email us to get on the waiting list, or to be notified about future screenings: ligatures.yyz at gmail dot com

Meeting Nº10: Brush pen workshop recap

On Sunday, July 13, we gathered at Coach House Press for our first-ever brush pen workshop. We were joined by 21 eager participants, all ready to freshen up on their penmanship and learn a few tips & tricks from Toronto letterers Kyle Gallant & Christopher Rouleau.

The workshop started with some quick overviews of expressive brush lettering (rooted in 50s/60s commercial arts) followed by a demonstration of the three pens that were supplied: the Tombow, the Pentel, and the Faber-Castell. Each pen has its own character & quirks, so we allowed each participant some time to get familiar with them.

We set up throughout Coach House – some chose to work in the bindery, others upstairs in the library, while most people enjoyed a sunny spot on the outdoor picnic table. We have to thank our friend (and calligrapher extraordinaire) Kevin King for allowing us to work in such an inspiring venue.

After some warm-ups, we delved right into some brush pen exercises. These little assignments helped participants experiment with new techniques and challenge their lettering approaches. Each person was encouraged to work at their own pace while Kyle & Chris made their way around the class, offering one-on-one advice.

        

And before we knew it, 3 hours had passed, and we had to start wrapping things up. Since Coach House was generous enough to give us their space for the afternoon, we all created a Thank You card using our fresh new lettering skills. We think it turned out great!

Thank you again to everyone who gave us their valuable summer afternoon. Even within the course of three hours, we saw outstanding improvements in the skills of all participants. Due to the resounding popularity, success & positive feedback we have received, we can't wait to hold another brush pen workshop this fall. Please stay tuned - the subject will be same, but the duration of the course will likely be extended in order to fit more exciting lettering exercises.

Thanks again! And happy lettering!

(All photos by Christopher Rouleau & Leslie Harrod.)

Brush pen workshop

We have finalized the details for our first brush pen workshop.

The event will be held Sunday, July 13 from 1:00pm-4:00pm at Coach House Press (80 bpNichol Ln, U of T campus).

The day will be hosted by letterers (and Ligatures co-founders) Kyle Gallant & Christopher Rouleau. Kyle is a multi-faceted designer, skilled in calligraphy, expressive lettering, and even graffiti. He is a self-described "compulsive doodler" and passionate about all things type. Christopher is a freelance graphic designer & letterer, with a love for alphabets, antique lettering guides and old hand-lettered signs. He is comfortable working in a variety of media, including pen, chalk, acrylic, ink... the list goes on. Christopher also co-instructed a Ligatures lino printing workshop in the spring.

Check out more of their recent work on Instagram: http://instagram.com/eckstatic http://instagram.com/chris_rouleau/

Kyle & Christopher have pooled together their skills, knowledge and resources to put together a 3-hour tutorial on the fundamentals of brush lettering. All skill levels welcome!

Supplies:

We will be offering a supplies package at the cost of $50. This kit will have everything you need for the workshop, all of which you get to take home at the end of the day. Included in your kit: -3 different types of brush pens (one special order) -1 roll of tracing paper -access to plenty of layout paper -a variety of lettering guides & samples -a handmade booklet of lettering techniques -access to any additional tools you might need (pencils, rulers, tape, grid paper, utility knives, ink & brushes, as well as some experimental lettering tools from our personal collections).

Payment:

This event will sell out, so sign up early! And if you've already expressed interest but cannot attend, please notify us so we can open up the spots for people on the wait list.

Please RSVP here no later than Wednesday, July 9. An email will follow with payment instructions.

We look forward to bringing your talents together, sharing knowledge with one another, and creating some new brush pen work work!

03 July 2014: This event is sold out. Please contact us to get on the wait list, or watch for future workshops in the fall.

Type Spy: Vintage Clothing Sale

My girlfriend and I recently went to the CAFTCAD Movie Wardrobe Sale, held at the Pinewood studios on Commissioners St. The prices are always fair, and there are vintage costumes and clothing as well as other vintage items for purchase. I expected to find some neat type on old ads, but not labels! It was neat seeing so many different scripts done up in thread. Most of the pieces are from the 40's and 50's, the first find was a red scarf with a pretty interesting looking script on it. ENJOY!  

 

 

 

 

 

  I also found some vendors selling vintage advertising, I love finding these kinds of things at antique shows. What designer doesn't like looking at vintage ad examples, with their clean layouts, detailed illustrations, and use of hand lettering? There were some really neat examples of fabric advertisements from the 40's, each one had a different way of presenting their wares (Not pictured, I was eventually asked to not take too many pictures).

 

 

 

  This last example is another reason why I love vintage advertising. The copy from that time period is always worth a chuckle.

 

  If you have some type finds that you'd like to share, please email them our way!

June Summer Show and Tell Nº9: Recap

After a successful run of workshops and screenings, it was nice to organize a night where everyone could come together and catch-up. We had hoped to experience our first Ligatures meeting on a patio somewhere but alas, the weather made it a little too chilly. That being said, we secured a nice spot at the back of O’Grady’s Tap & Grill.

It was lovely to see some old and new faces at the show and tell. It was even better to get a peak at what everyone had been working on. Wow! There was some very impressive stuff being shown! From wedding invites to typefaces in the making, it was great to share and give insight into the work being shown. If you looked at our area of the bar, it was evident that little groups were forming and discussing various projects and events. Every so often, people would get up, shift around, and a new topic would emerge. This is what Ligatures is about and it was wonderful to see it in action.

Seeing everyone gather was also a great opportunity to share some of the exciting things that the crew at Ligatures has been working on. It was the first time we had debuted our “We Totes Love Type” bags – what a success! We even had a few sales! As many of you know, we like to do little giveaways at the end of the meeting, and Ligatures regular Sarah Davies won her very own tote bag. Enjoy!

We also brought along our new business cards! If you haven’t seen them, check them out on Chris’ blog post. If anyone grabbed a few at the meeting, please feel free to give them away and spread the Ligatures love!

It was also a great platform to mention that we’re working on a brush workshop – hosted by our very own Chris Rouleau & Kyle Gallant. This would be a fantastic workshop to participate in and we’ll post more details once the event gets finalized. We’ve also been looking into screening the Sign Painters film. Exciting!

A very big thank-you to everyone that came out to the meeting – it was great to see everyone. We look forward to seeing you again next month!

As always, thanks for the support in making Ligatures grow bigger and better.

[ Photo Credit: Sarah Davies, Leslie Harrod, and Chris Rouleau ]

Ligatures business cards

We've been brainstorming business card ideas for a while. Since our organization is ever-changing and covers a broad spectrum of events (show & tells, film screenings, workshops, lectures, etc.), we wanted something super flexible that communicates who we are and ultimately, where people can find the most up-to-date information about events. We adapted our wordmark into url format and had a classy little rubber stamp made.

And when it came to paper stock and colour, we thought, "Why choose one colour when we can have them all?" We have been fortunate enough to see an amazing range of talents attend our events – why not showcase that diversity by branding ourselves with several bright colours! Below are some process shots, as well as the final business cards.

 

Special thanks to Kevin King for helping us with the paper cutting, and an extra special thanks to Sharon Hart for donating this beautiful card stock.

Type Spy: Antique Market

Fellow Ligature Taras Ostapchuk was recently at the Aberfoyle antique market and found these awesome type blocks for a printing press.

Summer Show & Tell

RSVP here.

Also, please check out the work of Tania Volpe, who created this month's excellent web banner and poster!

We Totes Love Type

We are proud to unveil our new shop and our first product: the "We Totes Love Type" Official Ligatures Tote Bag.

The front features the motto "We Totes Love Type" in a mix of type (including wood type courtesy of snap + tumble letterpress) and hand lettering (penned by Christopher Rouleau).

The back features a pattern of "Totes" lettering. The bags were screen printed by hand by Paul Dotey, and have slight variations in ink distribution. Each bag is unique – just like you!

We sourced several bags, and these were the best, strongest tote bags we found – we promise! They are perfect for stowing your sketchbooks, packing a picnic, or bringing anything from bezier point A to bezier point B.

The tote bags are only $15, and available for purchase in our online shop. Show your love for type, and pick up your tote today!

All proceeds go towards funding future Ligatures events. Thanks for your support!

p.s. Check out the making of the totes on Christopher's blog.

Ligatures Calligraphy Workshop

On Saturday May 9^th, Ligatures had their first-ever Calligraphy workshop. I arrived at Coach House Books to see Kevin King setting up outside. We both agreed it was a perfect day for an outdoor class.

The picnic tables began to fill quickly with people and tasty treats (Thanks to Sharon and Lilly!) After brief introductions and announcements, Kevin took the floor to teach us about the fundamentals of calligraphy. Kevin gave us a teaching booklet that he created and hand-bound. It showed the script we would be learning — Edward Johnston's foundational hand — penned by Kevin himself.

It was a pleasure to watch Kevin teach the group. He established very quickly the proper way to hold the pen. With chalk in hand, he demonstrated the basic strokes and progressed to letterform construction. His diagrams were very helpful in understanding how letters were formed with multiple strokes.

Kevin supplied us with broad nib markers which he had cleverly cut to sharpen the nib as well as Pilot Parallel pens. As I walked around the group of 15, it was apparent they were quick learners. I enjoyed seeing all the subtle variations in everyone's style. By the end of the class everyone was making such stunning letterforms.

Photo by Christopher Rouleau

Photo by Christopher Rouleau

Hatch Show Print

For a Sunday morning the music was loud. It was just as loud as it had been the last two nights, both of which were spent disregarding my liver on Nashville’s Broadway Street (think New Orleans with cowboy boots and lots of fiddle). After labouring through a breakfast of pulled pork and bbq ribs, I swear it’s all they serve, I convinced my unshaven party of misfits to check out a print shop.

But this just wasn’t any old print shop. This was Hatch Show Print, one of the oldest and still operating print shops in America. Established in 1879 by the Hatch Brothers, Hatch Show Print has been successfully printing posters for the southern entertainment industry for well over a century. From Vaudeville to Negro League Baseball, Elvis Presley to Chuck Berry, entertainment history was put to paper on the Hatch presses. Saturday had marked the 135th birthday party but if you didn’t know any better you’d guess the place just opened its doors. And in a way you’d be right.

In October 2013, the print shop left it’s lower Broadway Street location and moved in to the brand new Country Music Hall of Fame. The new space includes a large print shop where visitors can watch the presses in action, a design store where you can buy reprints of broadside posters from throughout the 20th century, the Carl and Connie Haley Gallery and the Space for Design, a classroom space where groups can watch demonstrations and learn about moveable type, inking up and all things letterpress.

Being Sunday it was no surprise that the presses were off for the day, so some guys only took a quick look and slinked back to the hotel. But for a typophile there was plenty of eye candy to whet the appetite, like over 100 posters for sale in the design store. I had already accepted that I was buying something, the problem was making a choice. A B.B. King poster from a cross Canada tour was a surprising find but I decided on a Hank Williams linocut print that was inspiration for the bachelor party t-shirts I had made. I also grabbed a handy measurement conversion chart for my partner’s kitchen.

Even though the presses were off we could still see where the magic happens.

http://youtu.be/_0TjnyQO6eo

The size of the press below was bigger than any letterpress I've seen. I imagine it would take two people to carry the lockup and get it on the press bed.

The real show stopper was the Haley Gallery. Featuring restrikes of historic Hatch posters as well the “monoprints” of Master Printer Jim Sherraden, the prints could be purchased for prices ranging from $150-800. One of my favourites was a monoprint called “TYPE”, made by overprinting giant 3 feet tall woodblock letters. The font was carved in the late 19th century and still remains intact, minus the letter ‘H’.

As of this writing, the gallery is hosting the National Poster Retrospecticus, a travelling show of more than 300 hand-printed posters from poster designers across the United States.

Most people probably visit Nashville for the music, boots and barbecue but I’d bet if they visit Hatch Show Print they’ll come away with a new appreciation for the history of American poster design and the craft of letterpress. For those of you who would go to Nashville specifically for the print shop, you’ll leave with a couple poster tubes, a little less cash and a lot of pride knowing this part of graphic design is not only being preserved but appreciated. Just try your best to not visit the morning after a late night on Broadway street, your head will thank you.

You can buy Hatch prints and other design treasures online at http://store.countrymusichalloffame.com/categories/Hatch-Show-Print/