Contributed by John Martin, Art Director.

On May 25^th, ICAN upped sticks and left the digital world behind for the afternoon.  We headed to the Irish Print Museum to learn how to make books and paper.

No binary code, HTML, flash, or Google Analytics here, just beautiful hand-built printing machines, thousands of pieces of lead type and the smell of old ink, machine oil and musty papers.

Those of us making books were taught by a friendly Jordie called Andy who inspired us first with a selection of work from the Wexford Artist Book Collection.

Then, he showed us lots of techniques for painting, stenciling, printing, marbling and how to bind a simple book. After the demo, he asked us to pick a theme. After several seconds of sweaty panic, we picked ‘HUMANS VERSE’S ROBOTS’.

Lots of glue, paint, cursing, glittering, drying, wetting, inking and crying later, we finished our books. As you can see the results were, well different.

Meanwhile, the papermaking group were also getting messy. They were using recycled materials, silk and hemp, sprinkling on powdered paint and water then ironing the combination with some fabulous, and rather abstract, results!

Making PaperVideo

To celebrate our works of genius, we all went to the Ocean Bar for a sunny drink. Some stayed until late, performing extracts from their books and trying not to spill pints on their newly pressed paper. All in all, lovely day out for ICAN!

John Martin - Senior Art Director

Started in advertising when there where things called paper and markers. Moved around town a bit, then changed religion and transposed myself from traditional to digital. Thinks a lot, moans a bit, drinks a little.