As The Gallery was working towards Mark Hearld’s Menagerie at the end of last year, I thought Mark would be the perfect artist to commission to make a Thank You note from The Gallery. We send books, publications, objects and paintings out of the gallery every week and it is nice to say thank you! Mark Hearld and Martin Clark from Tilley Printing worked together to produce an outstanding invitation print for his exhibition, and I wanted to include Martin in the project. We have two versions – a letter press version and a digital version – one is thicker than the other so we we don’t have to add weight to postage. We are delighted with the outcome and it means we have a very good example of an artist collaboration, and a little work of art to accompany all the artwork that goes out to gallery friends. A big thank you to Mark Hearld and Martin Clark from Tilley Printing. Please enjoy watching Martin at work in our accompanying film.
Christina Jansen
Find out more about Tilley Printing here tilleyprinting.co.uk or follow on Instagram @tilley_printing
Mark Hearld, February 2021I’ve been working with Martin from Tilley Printing for about seven or eight years – I was introduced to him by Phoebe Clive from Tinsmiths and she put us in touch. He’s brilliant. He’s great to work with – he’s the ultimate collaborator. I created a Hoopoes bird design for the thank you note and chose two colours to give extra life and so that the thank you was more emphatic. On the back of the thank you card, I chose Vermillion red – this is a classic stationary colour which goes well with ink blue or black handwriting, it makes for a really great contrast. I make a line drawing which then goes to a block maker, who makes a metal plate from the drawing, and that is sent to Martin at Tilley Printing. The surface of the block is inked up on an automated Heidelberg Press which means that multiple images can be printed.
Martin ClarkLetterpress printing is a form of relief printing where the text or image is on a raised surface (be it wooden or metal type, lino cuts, wooden blocks or engravings). Ink is applied to the raised surface and then paper is pressed directly against it to transfer the text or image.
It leaves tactile and visual impression on the paper and with each print being slightly different from the last, in terms of colour intensity, this gives each print a unique character.
Tilley Letterpress Printing was established in its present location in 1875. It was one part of a collection of businesses run by the Tilley family.
Martin Clark, the current proprietor, began his 5 year apprenticeship at the age of 15, going on to achieve his status as a Master Printer. During his career, which has included some time working at the Oxford University Press, he has maintained the traditional skills and craftsmanship of the Letterpress Printer.
Tilley Printing may possibly claim to be unique in the fact it remains a ‘Jobbing Letterpress Printers’ still housed in it’s original premises since 1875.
We hope you enjoy this short film below, which gives you a quick glimpse into the process of letterpress printing.
Our Thank You cards are not for sale individually – but come with any online purchase!
