This is a print I created Winter Quarter of 2009 as a second quarter student at the School of Visual Concepts. I believe this was the third project I ever printed. It clearly didn't take me long to become nuts about typesetting and type!
I remember wanting it to be a celebration of typefaces in all their various shapes and sizes. 38 typefaces were used. It was quite a challenge to typeset, but I was determined. I loved that it was a puzzle to fit all the pieces together.
It was typeset over several weeks. I could usually get two blocks done during a typesetting session.
I have two distinct memories from typesetting this piece. The first is that I had no less than *three* different teaching assistants check that I did know which cases the type came from. I did: I had a list. The second was that it was winter and the room's electric heater was dying, so I often ended a typesetting session because my fingers were too cold to continue!
Each section of type contained a different number set in a variety of fonts. But I also incorporated ornaments that couldrepresent the number-- a five pointed star, a triangle, a six pointed snowflake. Additionally I included roman numerals and the word for the number or symbol.
Unfortunately I don't have any photos of it on press. I printed the metal type pass first, followed by a pass of wood type. The * and # are carved linoleum blocks.
Funny... the # sign has many names, but apparently in 2009 "hashtag" was not yet one of them.
I printed several extras of just the metal type background in black, and later experimented with printing the wood pass hand brayered with different colors.
It is still one of my favorite prints. It was the first ever print I had framed, and it still hangs on my wall today.
There are a few remaining Telephone Type (all black) prints for purchase, as well as Telephone Type II (fall colors) prints for purchase.
