With funding from QEST, Theo Norman will undertake a two-year apprenticeship alongside Pat Randle at Nomad Letterpress. Nomad is a producer of collectible books mostly printed from lead type cast at its Monotype foundry near Cheltenham. He’ll start with the basics of typesetting and printing, becoming proficient at a wide variety of different machinery. Through shadowing, he’ll learn the publishing side of the business, with the aim of establishing his own press bringing together young illustrators, engravers, bookbinders and papermakers in its production process.
Through the apprenticeship, he’ll work different presses to become proficient at printing from lead type, polymer plates, and the hand engraved or carved wood block. For typesetting, he’ll learn Nomad’s Monotype machine. Theo will also learn the complexities of setting type using a composing stick and adjusting galley proofs, making ready paste-ups so that they are of a standard to send to clients. After the apprenticeship, he hopes to split his time between Nomad and setting up his own press, following an interest in bringing Old Norse mythology and literature to a new collecting audience.
