| Title | Manu*script |
| Press Name | Scripps College Press |
| Place of Publication | Claremont, CA |
| Publication Date | 2011 |
| Process / Technique | Letterpress |
| Structure / Binding | The book was printed four-up and cut and folded to form signatures which were sewn together through quarter-sawn oak covers, evoking books still made up through the 19th century in Ethiopia |
| Medium / Materials | Letterpress printed; boards were covered with papyrus, fabric, leather and silk-laden papers for printing as substrate textures. |
| Paper Stock | Arches Cover |
| Typography | Centaur and Arrighi |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 5.5 x 4.25 x 1.5 inches |
| Edition Size | Edition of 95 |
| Signed & Numbered | Yes |
Manu*script by Scripps College Press -SOLD!
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Writing systems develop from a need to communicate practical information, historical accounts, tales and myths. They vary in structure: syllabic, alphabetic, pictographic. Some disappeared with an extinguished culture, never to be deciphered, and some were decoded to great excitement and acclaim. Those who could write, the scribes, frequently claimed high status in their society. The writing tool and substrate are intimately connected to the style of the language that arose. The look of the system can be artistically changed by choosing a new material with which to write the language: linoleum, a brush instead of a stylus, cutting with scissors. The meaning of the glyphs, words and phrases still retain their power, no matter what tool is used to represent their significance.
Hand-set 12 pt. Centaur and Arrighi letters were letterpress printed on Arches Cover. Boards were covered with papyrus, fabric, leather and silk-laden papers for printing as substrate textures. Glyphs were carved into linoleum representing characters, words and phrases. Highlights were produced by pochoir. The book was printed four-up and cut and folded to form signatures which were sewn together through quarter-sawn oak covers, evoking books still made up through the 19th century in Ethiopia.
Artist Bio
The Scripps College Press was founded in 1941 as an experimental typographic laboratory. In 1986 Kitty Maryatt became the Director of the Press and instituted a new program of collaborative class books. Two letterpress books are produced each year by the Typography class. The class supported by the Press is entitled Typography and the Book Arts. Students from all five of the Claremont Colleges are allowed to attend. The premise of the class is that all students will learn the highest standards of typography and printing by publishing their own books. These neophyte students are asked to write on a given subject, make imagery, design the layout, hand set the metal type, print the book by letterpress and bind the edition of about 100 copies, all in one semester.