Christian Granados veteran
Sometimes working, sometimes in bed
How long have you been printing?
2008
Describe your first encounter with letterpress
When I was studying in ArteDiez in Madrid (2003) there were a few cabinets in a class but no presses to print with, so using the type as a stamp was standard. A year after I went to the 1st Typography Congress in Valencia where I discovered the Super Veloz typeface thanks to a mini publication created for the congress. Bauer types had also a stall in there with some lead type to take as a freebie (just a few characters of course). That congress was an amazing experience. But it wasn’t till 2008 when I started my studies at LCC that I had a full on experience.
Where did you learn?
London College of Communication. Dave Dabner and Alex Cooper were running the workshop at the time.
Who was your most influential teacher?
Alex Cooper, Kelvyn Smith and Alan Kitching. Working with all three has taught me a lot of different things.
What super power would you like to have?
Time travel. That would give me the opportunity to travel to different times, infiltrate myself in different foundries, learn from different people and hopefully end up with a nice collection of books, lead and wood type.
Do you prefer to work alone or with others?
I do enjoy both, working with other people is usually more fun. Depends on the project really.
What do you most value in your friends?
Sincerity, support and a good laugh.
When do your best ideas occur to you?
Sometimes working, sometimes in bed.
If you were to die and come back as a typeface, which would it be?
Berthold Standard
What tool do you use more often than any other?
Mechanical pencil and typescale
What books are currently on your nightstand?
Nuccio Ordine - The Usefulness of the Useless
Richard Hollis - About Graphic Design
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If you could study with any printer throughout history, who would it be?
Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, beautifully executed prints.
Desmond Jeffery, simple, elegant and friend of Anthony Froshaug.
Robert Delittle, not necessarily a printer but I would learn a bit about wood type manufacturing.
If you have your own shop, what equipment do you own?
I’m working on that at the moment but for now I have two Stephenson Blake proofing presses, a manual one and a semi automatic one (R225). A small collection of English typefaces as well as a small collection from Richard Gans and Jose Iranzo type foundries.
If you could change one thing about your shop, what would it be?
For now space, more floor space so I can fit more equipment.
When and where are you the happiest?
When I’m setting type for a project that I really like and I’m finally printing it.
What is your greatest fear/worry?
Not finding the right space for my workshop.
What do you think is useful about what you make?
Sharing knowledge and learning from other people. Spreading the love of letterpress!
What’s your day job?
I’ve been a letterpress technician at London College of Communication for the past six years until I quit to move back to Spain to set up my own workshop. At that’s what I'm doing at the moment.
Do you use any other techniques or media besides letterpress?
I still use the computer quite often, sometimes the laser cutter and occasionally screen printing.
