About the Lab
The academic vision for the Letterpress & Prototyping Lab is closely tied to the Vision of the Department of Design. As we project ourselves forward we see ourselves and the Letterpress & Prototyping Lab as one part of a much larger puzzle; we are national experts on design pedagogy and practice. We are seamlessly blending new technology with historical techniques to create work that clearly separates us from other universities in the country in terms of innovation, exploration, technology and quality. We are building a program of national importance in design, industry and the academic world.
contact Amy Johnson for more information: 405-974-5770
The Value of Letterpress.
In many ways, letterpress and the look that can be achieved with it are also seen as a reaction to the slick design and flat vector graphics that permeate today’s design world. Letterpress offers a tactile quality that can’t be achieved with any other technique. Today, many designers are returning to the craft of letterpress — printing from metal type and custom engraved plates— as a unique option to offset printing.
Connecting Theory to Practice.
In the Letterpress Lab & Prototyping Lab theory is connected to practice, which is in turn embedded within production techniques. This represents a significant advance in the discipline of graphic design and in design pedagogy. Much of present day vocabulary in typography stems from letterpress technology, enabling students to make better connections between content and practice. In terms of educational value and portfolio creation for the design student the relatively small number of letterpress machines available in the printing world coupled with the knowledge required to use a machine make letterpress available to a select and enviable few. Coupled with the seamless blending of the ‘fast’ technology of digital printing and the ‘slow’ tactile process of letterpress the Lab will allow our students to create portfolios that will be unique in the state, region and nation. This brings us one step closer to our goal of becoming a National Design Center on an academic level.
