Letterpress with David Wadmore

Our Visual Communication students have got stuck into their typography module and last week they went back to basics with ex-head of design at The Times, David Wadmore in a letterpress workshop.

Students learned about the history of print, as well as the intricate methods and disciplines of graphic design using this traditional process whilst engaging in practical work; experimenting with composition, colour, and wood type. Students played and experimented with type then made prints within their own short statements.

David very kindly refurbished our Adana letterpress for this workshop and Visual Communication Coordinator, Becky, arranged a loan of some wood blocks and other resources from Urban Fox Letterpress. We would also like to especially thank Jacob Calland for making specially made printing blocks for this and future workshops.

David Wadmore

David is an editorial designer and consultant and has just completed working as lead designer on the revamp of New Vision, Uganda's top selling daily. Previously with NewsUK's newsroom360 team as an editorial subject matter expert, and prior to that he was associate Head of Design at the Times, London for 10 years. He helped to organise the Differing Accents conference at Prague College, bringing together calligraphers, typographers and letter carvers from across Europe.

UrbanFox Letterpress

Urbanfox Letterpress is a friendly small business run from a unit in St Peters near Broadstairs in Kent. They try to keep a rolling stock of vintage letterpress decorations, borders and ornaments, printing blocks and all kinds of other letterpress miscellany.They care passionately about the heritage of Letterpress printing. They never break up any founts and where possible try to make sure the type goes back to someone who is going to use and love it as intended.

Applications for our Visual Communication Programme: Design, Society, Nature are now open, learn more and apply here.