Want to see the printing process? A day at a printer's in Prague

[le pendu]

Thanks for this Baba Prague!

Wonderful to see the deck in progress. We're SO CLOSE now!

best,
robert

 

[baba-prague]

Etchings are such unique looking things aren't they? You guys have definately captured that sort of look in this new deck.

The deck is taken from engravings - Grandville's work was usually made into engravings for reproduction (of course, considering the time we are talking about - early to mid 19th century). We have tried to reproduce the artwork in considerable detail (and we do a lot of work on "cleaning" scans etc), so that you can see the original etched detail. Mostly we've worked directly from first editions where we've been able to get them and afford them, and as Grandville supervised those himself the engraving and print is very fine quality, as is the hand-colouring - we've coloured most of the cards ourselves but we have used some prints that were originally hand-coloured and we've tried to stick to the kind of palette and style of colour that Grandville used. I'm glad that comes across well - thanks!

Our current project - which as I say may or may not go ahead (it's extremely costly and that is a bit worrying) - will be done in collaboration with two professional etching specialists. The originals are in very fine Chinese ink so the etchings will need considerable skill to retain all the detail - certainly while both Alex and I did some etching at art school neither of us have anything like the level of skill needed for this kind of project (these guys have been doing it for years, and we couldn't begin to come close). So we work with the best people we can find. Which I have to say is endlessly fascinating.

 

[Sophie]

The deck is taken from etchings - Grandville's work was usually made into etchings for reproduction (of course, considering the time we are talking about - early to mid 19th century). We have tried to reproduce the artwork in considerable detail (and we do a lot of work on "cleaning" scans etc), so that you can see the original etched detail. Mostly we've worked directly from first editions where we've been able to get them and afford them, and as Grandville supervised those himself the etching and print is very fine quality, as is the hand-colouring - we've coloured most of the cards ourselves but we have used some prints that were originally hand-coloured and we've tried to stick to the kind of palette and style of colour that Grandville used. I'm glad that comes across well - thanks

It is fabulous, Baba - having followed it from its conception to its almost-birth I am very excited to see it come out so well - good idea to take us to the printers! I was also interested in how closely Grandville worked with the engravers on the etchings taken from his sketches. It's that theme - Grandville with one of his regular engravers - that I've chosen for the 3 of Coins, to illustrate the "architect and the master of works" image.

 

[baba-prague]

It is fabulous, Baba - having followed it from its conception to its almost-birth I am very excited to see it come out so well - good idea to take us to the printers! I was also interested in how closely Grandville worked with the engravers on the etchings taken from his sketches. It's that theme - Grandville with one of his regular engravers - that I've chosen for the 3 of Coins, to illustrate the "architect and the master of works" image.

I think it's not often appreciated how important the engravers and printers (and indeed the colourists) were to the final product. By odd coincidence, we just found a (contemporary to the painting) reproduction of a Victorian painting that we also have in the form of a very large and detailed etching. When you compare the two you can see how much the etching has changed the character of the painting. Of course, Grandville's engravers were working with line art, not painting, so it's a different situation, but the quality of the work could still make or break the final image - illustrators chose their collaborators with care when they could.

I love this interpretation of the master and the architect - it really works elegantly for this deck.

 

[Moonchild1721]

Thanks for that link! It's so cool to see the process behind creating a tarot deck!
Samantha

 

[Ankou]

Considering the amount of work it took me to do a simple four color silk screen from an original drawing, I will always have great respect for those who pursue printmaking as an art, and those who pursue it as a craft. I think fine honed craft gets shoved to the side alot of times. It really is fasinating to watch a master at their work, even a qualified apprentice at the press and plate is totally absorbing to me!

One of the things thats always facinated me about old books is the quality of recreation from classic painting to etching. What an incredible chore for something thats not your original concept! But alas, that is the attitude of the young artist today... hmm... totally different thread of topic!

Love and light,

Ankou

 

[Barbaras Ahajusts]

Your baby in process

Wow. As I stared at the pictures you send in, I was in awe of your "baby." That has to be a gut-wrentching and joyous times.

I would also love to see more photos of the work in progress. Its very inspirational.
I'm highly sceptical of putting any of my cards on the net (as of yet.) Due time and I will. But not till I can find a way of protecting them!
LOL!
Thank you!
Barbara

 

[femalegamer]

I'd like to add my thanks to the others for the information and pics; I'm helping my husband and his artist with a Pirate themed deck, and while the original plan was for it to be done in wood (he owns a fledgling laser engraving business), I'm sure he'd love information like this on getting a deck done in cardstock as well.

 

[karacol]

Very cool, I've never seen a tarot print run before, just magazines. It makes me want to see my images on such a sheet...

 

[baba-prague]

Many thanks for the support - and I'm so glad this is useful and interesting. I now realise we should try to take more pictures of the process - maybe for See of Logos we will, as that is being done on a whole different card-stock and with very different packaging, so it might be fun to see (but it's some months off I should say).

Meantime if I can get some pictures of the packing process this time round I'll post those as well

ps - a WOODEN deck sounds amazing - but I would have no idea how that's done - so please do post some pictures yourself when the time comes, it would be fascinating to see.