Saturday 13 June 2009

essay at begin@ feb

After many search I found this image in a book found in second hand shop called CASLON.
The whole history of Caslon, and its facets

I discovered something unusual that does not happen with everyone.
Basically as a small boy I grew up in printing press. I would like to share some thoughts how I noticed that the type forms in the go-down were not simply metal pieces but an array of regularly spaced spears with decorative spear head, strange and beautiful, like weapons of fierce exotic warriors, on the other end my dad use to print invitations, posters, corporate identities…I know it might be confusing; to be more specific my dad was running a printing press, where he use to print by offset machines, dealing with bundle of different papers, printing inks, metal types in go-down. My grand father was a paper merchant and we had our own printing inks called DMM printing inks. Pvt, Ltd, we still exist in India, we are famous in Bangalore & well versed in printing industry. Till at the age of 14; I use to go play and sleep on bundle of papers, playing with types by building miniature houses, crashing cars, in that case I use to get belted by my father…because those were all given orders from different customers, as of I remember I had good time’s I should say! I now realise that I ended up being in the same field, but with a different environment and with real technology, I am feeling real good! Printing and creating types is in my blood that I recognized after I decided to take-up this project, I would be using more technological aspects to build-in & strengthen my research. When I call-up home I speak to dad about his experience how tough it was for him to print it manually!
Dont you think its amazing? I remember saying dad I can not end-up getting into your business while I was kid, we had so big conversations regarding printing press which he owned called Divya Printers…! When I grow up I want to be famous, I want to show the world, the words I use to say to my dad & mum.

Has I have seen making of Metal type’s - Its naturally cut through Steel, engraving them in actual size, I make type because its naturally come through my beloved one’s.

I still remember-the machine’s we were dealing with Heidelberg Offset machines, which still exists & Our family members still import & deals! We have major contacts with printing industry in India, I now realise many things that makes so obvious to my studies like Heidelberg has a history behind the whole printing technology as Johannes Gutenberg (Germany) is to blame for everything.

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