Craig Lucinsky is a man with a mission: to make a good impression. To that end he started Into the White Press, his Wellington-based letterpress print studio, where he combines industry experience in advertising and design with hands on printing processes to create his clever, unique designs.
What do you make?
I make small letterpress goods: cards, prints and hand bound notebooks at the moment. I use a mix of traditional wooden type and digital polymer plates. All the items are designed and hand printed by me on my letterpresses – either the small Adana 8×5 platen press, or Farley table top proofing press. They are also folded, trimmed and bound by hand and this gives each one minor dents in their perfectness, making them all slightly unique.
How did you get into your craft?
Living in London in the Noughties, I came across the ‘letterpress revival’ more and more. I have worked in advertising and design for years, which is totally digital on Macs, and increasingly so in actual print production as offset printing gives way to cheaper digital print. The chance to use older, traditional techniques just hooked me.
Do you have formal training or qualifications in your craft?
No, self taught. I did a short bookbinding course while in London, and I did an introductory letterpress course at Victoria University’s Wai-te-ata Press (which I highly recommend!), but apart from that have learnt by doing … and making a mess.
Describe your workspace: Small, messy, functional.
Your favourite materials, tools and processes?
Wooden letterpress type – I am moderately obsessed with it. I really get a kick out of making letterpress things, I love that the finished product is very tactile, and that it takes a lot of work to perfect.
Is there a philosophy behind your work? Humour. Hopefully.
What inspires you?
There’s so much (too much?) to visually inspire you on the web, it is amazing to see what other people can pull off on a letterpress. I think I then have to work to the limitations of my small and simple presses, but that is part of the attraction.
Beyond wasting hours just gawking at amazing typography, and since letterpress basically involves manually typesetting, I just love literally playing with language, words and characters.
Your favourite feedback from a customer: “Can I get five more of those?”
What are you reading now?
A book for dummy designers on HTML and CSS. I really need to learn how to build a website.
A favourite quote: “I enjoy the freedom of a blank page” – Irvine Welsh
You can visit Into the White on Felt to check out Craig’s range of prints, cards and notebooks, and get the latest updates on new designs by following his Facebook page. Keep an eye out for his work at Wellington markets too!
