Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Something interesting about me...

Letterpress design by Moi.

Another view, oh and the bouquet is designed by me as well.


A design for another good  friend.

My Letterpress and all of the ink and paper.
The plate on the platen ready to be pressed.

I had a funny thought last night as I was going thru my blog.  My name is Gretchen Opgenorth Designs, but I have shown very little of what I design.  Well, I kind of am a Jill of all trades, I design lots of things.  Today I am going to focus on my letterpress designs.   letterpress you say?????

Yes, I have a letterpress an old #11 Pearl Press, that is behind tons of boxes in the garage at the moment, part of my creative neurosis.  A few years ago (3 1/2 to be exact b/c by little Ben was only 6 months old) I thought 'Hey, I love letterpress, I am going to learn how to do that, get myself one of those beautiful machines.'  And by golly, I got one and taught myself how to use it.  When the kids were little and took naps I would steal myself away to the basement and feed the paper in a rhythmic fashion and just go away to another place.  I never quite got a business off of the ground, preferring to design for family and friends.  Maybe someday...or it might just be one of those things I can say I "know" how to do.  Here are a couple of my favorite projects that I took pictures of.  Enjoy.


Packing up the box is even fun...the paper all in a row makes its own design. 



Some programs I did.



Hope you have a little more of a sense that I DO actually design things and don't just ponder the beauty of everything else (although that is fun too!)  Off to do some REAL graphic design work for a client..not the most glamorous but it is what pays the bills:)

Have a great day!




6 comments:

René said...

Those are all really pretty, really. You are so talented.

-Rene

Gretchen O. said...

Thanks Rene! Sometimes it is much easier to muse about what others do and not put yourself out there. Thought it might be time:)

Michelle said...

Very cool Gretchen!! I LOVE them!

pve design said...

we need to talk!!!!!!!
seriously, you are incredible.
pve

Gretchen O. said...

Thanks Michelle and PVE!

Anonymous said...

These are adorable! How talented you are!

Eddie & Jaithan