The Present - a poster

I've been invited to be a part of the artists poster series through Lucky Creature, and here's the image I've chosen. The posters should be available in 2 short weeks, either at the Lucky Creature website (they're taking preorders already!), or at the Heroes & Criminals Press Etsy site.


It's of a drawing I made in 2005 titled "The Present", with a few changes made specifically for this poster. It was one in a series of drawings I made that echo images of old children's book illustrations, and the slightly scary or sinister side to them. I made these to inspire creativity in anyone looking at them, and I like to think of them as "illustrations for stories that haven't yet been written". They're like invitations to viewers to write that story when they see the drawing.

grand summer finale

Well, here it is... the final week of summer freedom before schools starts. I'm madly finishing up personal final projects before school swallows me up and free time becomes a figment of my imagination. I'm in the inking stage of Art School Chronicles Year 3, and will soon be foiling it for color. Yes! It will be in full color, and FOILED! I know, you're giddy just thinking about it. Here's a sneak peek...

We're also finishing the last page of the new hisWorld/herWorld, which will probably be out as soon as next week. We have a special surprise for hW/hW fans - for the first time, it's a comic! It's all making sense... we like comics, so why not make it a comic? This issue has talking mushrooms, a little story about growing up in Taipei, and a Furikake demonstration. It's the best hW/hW yet!

Some things that have been recently crossed off my to-do list: I've put up a new item at Heroes & Criminals Press, the adorable Surprise! Porcupine Fish Card. Go check it out, and surprise someone with a spikey fish. Also, just sent off is my design for a "Ladies of the Letterpress" embroidered badge. These were made for an amzing group of ladies here in Iowa City, but I'll put any left over up on Etsy for other letterpressing ladies out there who want the official badge.

the future of historical printing

If you're looking for a great way to spend your Saturday (11am-4pm), please join us in Homestead, where we run a 1930's-era Linotype, a 1910 C & P jobber press, and a few cases of handset type.  Homestead is about 15 miles west of Coralville on Highway 6, and the printing/blacksmith shop is on the main/only street at the west end of town.  Look for Henry's Village Market: we're right in front of it.


At Homestead, we're working on printing a community newsletter in addition to small jobs for the Amana Heritage Society using the historical equipment available.  We also give demonstrations of the equipment to the visitors who stop by.  It tends to be busy!

This is just one of the historical printing opportunities offered through the University of Iowa Center for the Book. We're blazing a trail for the future of historical printing.