ABOUT COMMON PRESS

The Common Press is the letterpress printing studio at the University of Pennsylvania. The press is a collaboration of interests at Penn, including writing (Kelly Writers House), print culture (the Rare Book & Manuscript Library) and visual arts and design (the School of Design). The facility provides a mixed media environment where students can move between digital and manual image making, collaborating with writers, printmakers and others in the book arts. The Common Press exists to assist in teaching design and to facilitate collaborative projects across the university. It was founded two years ago, on January 17, 2006, the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth.

For more information contact David Comberg comberg@design.upenn.edu or Matt Neff mneff@design.upenn.edu

©2008 University of Pennsylvania

Visit the Common Press blog

Download the Common Press pdf here

Download Print Magazine article about lasercut
wood type here

 
 

ABOUT COMMON PRESS

The Common Press is the letterpress printing studio at the University of Pennsylvania. The press is a collaboration of interests at Penn, including writing (Kelly Writers House), print culture (the Rare Book & Manuscript Library) and visual arts and design (the School of Design). The facility provides a mixed media environment where students can move between digital and manual image making, collaborating with writers, printmakers and others in the book arts. The Common Press exists to assist in teaching design and to facilitate collaborative projects across the university. It was founded two years ago, on January 17, 2006, the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth.

For more information contact David Comberg comberg@design.upenn.edu or Matt Neff mneff@design.upenn.edu

©2008 University of Pennsylvania

Visit the Common Press blog

Download the Common Press pdf here

Download Print Magazine article about lasercut
wood type here

 

 

  Burnt Toast Vinyl LP Cover, letterpress and silkscreen. Designed and printed by Matt Neff,
  Will Stichter, and Christopher van Auken, March 2007

  Overheard, cards with fragments of overheard conversations, designed and printed by
  students in typography, spring, 2007. Edition of 24; David Comberg, faculty

  Typographic experiment: set the same phrase
  repeatedly until the type in the drawer runs out.   Designer/printer:Caitlin Larussa (Haverford, ’06)

  

  Card announcing annual printmaking portfolio. Designed and printed by Chris van Auken and
  Molly Winston

  Third grade students at the Penn Alexander School on the steps of the Morgan Building with
  their press sheets.

  For the past three years students have visited and printed on the Vandercook during their
  studies of Benjamin Franklin.

  Sample printed by students in Cultures of the Book, spring 2007. Professors Peter Stallybrass
  and David Comberg

  Keepsake for Oak Knoll Fest, fall 2007. Designed and printed by Robin McDowell (Fine Arts, ‘08)

  Cover of Letter(s), A Portfolio of Poetry and Prints, collaborative project of Kelly Writers House
  and students in graphic design and printmaking, November 2006. Cover designed and
  printed by Lizza Robb. Edition of 50.

  Page from Poetry and Prints; poet: Randall Crouch; printmaker: Iris Leung; designer:
  Sarah Burd

  Back and front cover of Binding, Bound, Restricted, produced by students in a workshop with
  visiting artist Carolee Campbell, October, 2007.

  Spread from Binding, Bound, Restricted. The project was a collaboration of writing and printing
  with students from Kelly Writers House and the Fine Arts department.

  Course announcement, letterpress and silkscreen,
  designed and printed by Matt Neff

  Poster for visiting artist, Swoon, designed and printed by Matt Neff, spring 2007

  Poster, printed letterpress with hand-applied
  graphite

  Broadside for poet Susan Howe, designed and
  printed by Kelly Writers House, February, 2007,
  edition of 50

  15th Room Press, imprint of Kelly Writers House. Logo designed by students in graphic
  design, fall 2006; David Comberg, faculty

  Broadside written designed and printed in a
  workshop with visiting artist Johanna Drucker,
  February, 2008.

  Carolee Campbell working with students to fold the printed book

  Matt Neff, Erin Gautsche, and Carolee Campbell preparing to print

  Peter Stallybrass with Zoe Dare-Anastasio during Cultures of the Book meeting in print shop,
  spring 2008

  Jennifer Kolb, Cultures of the Book, spring 2008

  Mario Ponticello setting type, Cultures of the Book, spring 2008

  Laser cut wood blocks used for printing letterpress, Robin McDowell, Cultures of the Book,
  spring 2008

  Printed and bound pages from laser cut wood blocks showing deterioration of image, Robin
  McDowell, Cultures of the Book, spring 2008

  Recreation of sixteenth century title page, set and printed by Rachel Margolis, Cultures of
  the Book, spring 2008

  Johanna Drucker leading a bookbinding workshop, February, 2008

  32 cards, 3x4" with sleeve, handset and printed by students in graphic design with various
  Franklin aphorisms, edition of 50. December 2005. David Comberg faculty, Sue Yen Chae,
  teaching assistant.

  Franklin’s 13 Virtues were subverted with other, less virtuous aphorisms attributed to him;
  designed and printed by students in graphic design. David Comberg faculty; Kim Ku, teaching
  assistant

  

  Philacentrik, the first Common Book, includes views of
  Philadelphia from nine contributors. 32 pages, 7.75x10",
  printed December, 2006 in an edition of 120.

  Philacentrik spread, Lynne Farrington

  Philacentrik spread, Elysa Voshell

  Philacentrik spread, Gary Hack

  Philacentrik back page and pull-out cover

  Spring Fling concert poster, 2007 14.5x20" 2-color
  silkscreen and letterpress. Designed and printed by
  Matt Neff and Chris VanAuken, edition of 250,
  April 2007.

  Type-high, a project by Robin McDowell. Laser cut woodblocks of original design.

  Laser cut wood type from the Everyman typeface project, designed by Robin McDowell.

  Printed proof of Everyman typeface.