Welcome to the Printer’s Devil.
Setting type, inking by hand and proofing, peeling paper away from inked wood type. The smooth texture of hand made 70gsm Japanese paper. The patina of old wood blocks worn smooth by decades of use. An edition is printed and every print is different. Slightly.
Stephen Kenny is a letterpress designer, artist and printer working independently in London. Fascinated by centuries old techniques, processes and the culture of wood block printing, in 2008 he established ‘A Two Pipe Problem’, a letterpress studio with a sideways homage to his hero Sherlock Holmes. Then in 2019 seeking a closer connection to letterpress and inspired by Hokusai’s multiple name changes (as many as 30 different names) he established ‘The Printer’s Devil’ in East London’s Hackney Wick. Everything has changed, nothing has changed.
Stephen has collaborated with Uniqlo, Paul Smith, Truck Furniture Japan, Full Count Japan, Penguin Publishing, Tate Publishing, the V&A and China Disney.
The Printer’s Devil. An apprentice of letterpress printing & type setting who would help around the press room whilst learning the trade and commonly ‘black themselves up’ with ink so as to be recognisable outside the press room, thus earning themselves their mischievous sounding nick name.
The Printer's Devil
