THE OLD SCHOOL PRESS

The printing of The Bricks of Venice

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As I work my way through the book, printing 4pp at a time, I keep a log. It's as much about boosting morale as anything, as I gradually tick off the sheets. There are 24 sets of 4pp to be done for the 96pp of the book - twelve fronts and twelve backs. Some pages - chapter openings in particular - require a second colour, so the sheets bearing those pages must go through once more, twice if there is chapter opening on both sides. Those pages are ringed in red on the yellow sheet.

As each set of four pages goes on the press, I check a proof against the marked-up paste-up (at the front) for changes I've spotted since the text went for casting, and against the galleys (on the left) for the occasional mis-cast.