Based on a theme of “repair”, the aim for this project was to see how digital technologies could be used sympathetically to protect and preserve a letterpress typeface.
Several approaches were taken to the repair –
3D Scanning via photogrammetry was used to capture a damaged, potentially unique typeface. This data allowed digital reconstructions to be made, 3D printed and re-cast in cold-cast iron powder resin. Alongside, investigations were made to creating “repair plates”, 3D printed from the gaps in the scanned print to re-fill the damaged areas.
To document this, a handmade book was created to document the process, complete with USB containing the preserved font data.
I see this project as the genesis point for my fascination with combining digital technologies with heritage crafts, and the exploration of what it means for authenticity in the digital age.
