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Man seeks massive printer
Posted by Mark Sinclair, 21 July 2009, 15:38 Permalink Comments (37)
Around eight months ago, Mark Webber began work on his latest project, which he is very nearly ready to print. It's a typographic map of Paris. It's in French (naturally) and, being a linocut, Webber has had to carve out every single street and area name he's included, in reverse. Oh and it's 1.8 metres across...
To date he's taken a whole two months on just the carving but the 1.5m by 1.8m block is now ready to receive some paper. But Webber has a problem – he can't find a suitable printer who can accommodate his enormous piece of lino.
Half way (note the comfy pillows)
Webber, who emailed CR some images of his endeavours, acknowledges that even inking the thing up will take some doing.
And, not wanting to detract from his skill and Herculean efforts here, we still wondered what he does if he makes a mistake?
"If I make a mistake – a big mistake – I have to use a scalpel to cut out the section of lino and re-work it. That's only happened on my first ever lino though," he says.
"The mistakes I've made in others have, I think, added to the design. With this Paris map, I've tried my hardest to make it accurate, but I'm not a French speaker so it's bloody hard. It's just a lot of checking and I'd rather like the pieces to not have to be chopped up, as that kind of ruins it."
Le full monty
So far, Webber hasn't had too much luck sourcing a press who can take on the printing of his beast.
If anyone can help, then feel free to drop him an email, here. Check out his website for more lino works, such as his previous maps of New York and London.
We look forward to posting the results.
37 Comments
Soon I will swoon! Cart- and typ- . . . two of my favourite -ographys, together at last!
2009-07-21 21:02:37
I want a poster.
2009-07-21 21:41:21
AMAZING.
CR let us know, if there are any prints that go on sale please.
2009-07-21 22:03:09
absolutely amazing!
2009-07-21 22:21:18
wow very impressive, can't believe it is done by just one person as well, especially when nb's map was done by so many people/freelancers and this makes that look so amateur... v nice!
2009-07-22 08:33:09
want!
if it goes on sale :)
2009-07-22 09:02:18
@Thomas/Scarlett
Will do. Mark's going to let us know how the printing goes and, once he has some photos of the finished piece, we'll post them up here.
He has the Amsterdam city print for sale on his website, so the Paris one might well be available soon as well.
Mark Sinclair
2009-07-22 10:10:35
A Parisian here...loving it! Would defo buy one too...
Good luck to Mark and I wish him prosperity!
I am sure it will be worth the hassle.
Email me if it goes on sale:
gallerne@hotmail.com
2009-07-22 10:38:53
stunning! can't wait to see the finished thing
2009-07-22 11:17:55
Hiya Mark, glad to see your still going with this! Looks amazing as usual!!!
I shall ask around at work.
Best of luck
Anna from falmouth Uni
2009-07-22 13:18:55
that's awesome.
use a steamroller, like they did at the Museum of Printing in North Andover on June 21 this year at their annual printing fair!
2009-07-22 15:26:42
Amazing work Mark, it's been really inspiring to see this project take shape.
The steamroller idea is a good one! It seems an appropriate way to produce a street map.
2009-07-22 17:38:16
Thanks for the comments people!!! very much appreciated I Think i have found a printer! i will be in talks this weekend about this!. and i will let you all know how it goes!.
i do love the idea of a steam roller, though lots of problems come with this!, so i'm going to see what the press is like!.
Cheers!!!
2009-07-22 23:18:48
So good to see this covered. Mark carved the first of the redesigned CRAFTS Magazine covers for me a few years ago - he is dedicated that is for sure.
2009-07-23 08:00:13
http://blog.meetyourprintmaker.com/archives/109
Steamroller or cricket pitch roller (?) would work!
2009-07-23 09:29:51
Very nice -- good luck with your potential printer! Failing that, you could always use a Baren and alot of elbow grease: http://www.imcclains.com/catalog/baren/ballbearing.html
2009-07-24 14:46:57
thats simply awesome! i bet it was fun to make.
2009-07-24 16:32:03
Any possible way this could be made into a poster, printed on canvas, or fabric? What a wonderful piece of artwork!
2009-07-29 13:23:56
Any 16th cent model looks likely to work.
So all we need now is a time machine.
2009-07-29 13:47:25
North adams beaver mill has a huge pneumatic mono print press. i used it back in 1996 with a group of fellow art students. i don't know if it's still operational but lots of artists traveledl to use it because it is so large. it can take woodcuts amd monotypes so a linocut is probably no prob.
http://www.robertschechter.com/images/beaver_gallery/berkshireeagle/www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_6363988/index.html
2009-07-29 14:07:02
Hand print it!! A la main sur du papier japonais... dans la tradition de la linogravure...
2009-07-29 14:19:27
You don't need a printer.All you need is to ink up the piece and apply paper large enough to fit the size of the lino cut and the back of a spoon (large)or some type of flat surface that you can rub over the paper that has been placed on top.Has anyone ever done a graphite rubbing of a tombstone?Similar principal in reverse.Where's there is a will there is a way.Looks great.Love lino cuts.My favorite type of print-making. JAD
2009-07-29 14:56:50
This looks like an absolutely amazing project. I second the hand-printing idea. I, like many other commenter on this thread, would love to know if/when you offer prints. I lived in Paris for a year and am an avid typophile.
2009-07-29 15:33:39
Use a steamroller - use with cushioning (tough foam)...
2009-07-29 18:22:25
Yeah - would love to be on a list to be notified once prints are available!
2009-07-29 18:40:30
absolute waste of time.
I hope you will never make anything that is worth selling, so this crap you do now never becomes of any value
Sincerly,
McFarg
2009-07-29 21:31:02
Wonderful! But the three-dimensional lino (or even a good photo of it) is likely more beautiful than any print that will ever come from it.
2009-07-29 22:03:14
A steamroller is your answer:
http://svcseattle.com/classes/detail/230/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8060655@N04/tags/7thannualwayzgoose/
2009-07-30 00:41:27
Perhaps someone at the Printing Historical Society might be able to help. http://www.printinghistoricalsociety.org.uk/ or the London College of Printing http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/
2009-07-31 19:36:43
Just looking at it makes my heart race - incredible work!
2009-08-03 01:12:04
cheers people!... still trying to figure this printing out, i thought i had a printmaker that could handle this! but turns out i do not!... i'm going to look more into hand burnishing, well finding a printmakers that could do this for me....
i need to generate some kind of money to get these prints! has anyone got any pieces of artwork/designs/illustrations that they would like me to carve into a linocut?? backwards, for you to then be able to have it as a linocut, or send it to a printmakers, or print t yourself, just contact me via the links in the above article. Cheers!.
2009-08-04 02:25:21
The typographic artwork is great!
I wish Mark finds a suitable gigantic printer to print this!
2009-08-05 03:47:05
Hi Mark , My press is 5 feet by 10 feet !!! and is MADE to print textured plates !!! & so allows for a great embossing .... I have worked as a masterprinter for many years ....and am an artist myself . Come visit !!!
Brandon
2009-08-06 14:25:00
Mark,
Just to finish making the connection, Brandon Graving, of Gravity Press, operates the large pneumatic press in the Beaver Mill, North Adams, Massachusetts, USA that Capt. Bob referred to a few comments back. She is a great resource to work with - professional, creative, and years of experience. Plus the press is truly huge and should be able to easily handle your latest work with a little more finesse than a steamroller. (Though the steamroller does sound like a fun idea.)
Brian D. Handspicker
Berkshire Artists Colony
2009-08-06 20:23:46
Amazing work Mark. I was at the Exhibition on Urban Perspctives for the Greater Paris and that was amazing. Have sent you an image.
Your work is so simple yet so complex and inspiring. You are on the right footing to a fantastic future and wish you all the best of luck.
Malik Al Hinai, Oman
2009-08-15 00:44:00
Good luck, I hope he found a suitable printer in the end!
2009-11-05 09:23:33
just to let people know!.
the Paris map is at a printmakers, though they do not have a big enough printer! they are going to be trying a few things out, and doing it by hand!. hope to have something in the next month or so! cheers!.
2009-11-08 14:03:55
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