Wooden type from the depths of the library

So I have this book called American Wood Type by a man named Rob Roy Kelly. It’s the sickest book I’ve ever held in my hands. I think that over the last year I’ve had it checked out more than I didn’t. I feel bad leaving it on the shelves in the library because, well, I love it so much. It will get lonely. Renew, renew, renew. At one point I photocopied the whole thing.

I have a show coming up and I’ve been type pulling from this book to create big drawings. I guess they’re just phrases. But I drew ’em so they’re drawings.

THEN I discovered that the UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAS ROB ROY KELLY’S WHOLE COLLECTION. In person. Live, wood, in the flesh. The tree flesh.

And someone in their printmaking department made specimen sheets for ALL OF EM. And posted them to the internet. (Specimen sheets are printed/digital examples of a whole typeface)

I AM GEEKING OUT.

Now I’m not so nervous to return this book.
Though someone put my name into the library system as a Graduate Assistant so I get six-month loans. Ha! This book is staying with me until July. Sweet.

Check out that link above if you want to see all the glorious typefaces. Because the book is $100+ and rare. And I have the PSU copy til July, so…. the internet might be your best bet.

(And come to my show. See the drawings I made. And lots of other good stuff.)