2.11.2013

My Line O Scribes: A Love Story


In the fall of 2009 I found a small antique Line O Scribe sign press machine at an estate sale.  I didn't know what I would do with it, but I bought it. When I called my friend and mentor that night to tell him what I had found he said, “That’s a game changer.”  He was right.

Sign press machines like this were used in stores to make posters, signs and tags. It uses movable type like a letterpress but the ink delivery method is different and they were not made to leave a strong imprint like a letterpress machine. I played around with it but mostly it was shelved UNTIL


Two winters later I found a giant one just like it at an antique store.  Had I not bought the small one I would have never even paid attention. I won’t even tell you what I paid for it because you would hate me.  It came with 5 full font sets. It is the heaviest thing I own next to my car.

It was an antiquing weekend and the next day I picked up a stack of antique atlases. I heard “You Can Go Your Own Way” in the car on the way home and it was one of those giant light bulb moments.
I now have 6 saying in the series, they are all song lyrics about direction and I print them on the pages of antique atlas. They have been super popular in my etsy store and have subsidized my art career so that I was able to quit my day job.

I have started to use the letters in my fine art as well.


 My goal for 2013 is to design my own type and have it made into letters I can use with my sign press. Anyone with ideas on this…I would love to hear from you!

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