Even in an age of screens and digital tools, there’s an irreplaceable pleasure in putting pen to paper—sketching ideas, solving equations, or jotting quick reminders in a pocket-sized notebook. Field Notes has become synonymous with that tactile experience, producing beautifully designed memo books that thousands of people carry daily.
I’ve long admired designer Aaron Draplin, the founder of Field Notes, and have wanted a set of their notebooks for years. I was excited to receive the United States of Letterpress edition, a limited release that celebrates contemporary letterpress artists and the craft’s long history.
On the Tool Crave podcast, I spoke at length with Jimmy Diresta about his passion for vintage letterpress printing. Jimmy hunts down old presses—some dormant for decades—and restores them, bringing their unique character back into use. He even shared several pieces he printed, which I found captivating.
After talking with Jimmy, I gained a deeper appreciation for the time, skill, and investment required to produce quality letterpress work. These printers balance careful craft with creative expression, and their efforts are evident in each cover and page.
The United States of Letterpress set includes covers created by a range of letterpress designers and shops across the country. The edition is organized into three distinct packs featuring the following contributors:
Pack A
Genghis Kern, Denver (2 designs)
Full-Circle Press, Nevada City, CA (1 design)
Mama’s Sauce, Orlando, FL (2 designs)
Pack B
Brad Vetter, Louisville, KY (2 designs)
Springtide Press, Tacoma, WA (2 designs)
Ben Blount, Evanston, IL (2 designs)
Pack C
Erin Beckloff, Springboro, OH (2 designs)
Rick Griffith, Denver (2 designs)
Starshaped Press, Chicago (1 design)
Field Notes coordinated the production by providing each participating shop with a distinct color of Pop-Tone cover stock from the French Paper Company and specifying two ink colors—Rhubine Red and Process Blue—for all designs. Within those parameters, each printer was free to design its cover, which resulted in a wide variety of interpretations. Several shops produced two different covers; these were inserted randomly into packs, increasing the edition’s diversity.
Inside each memo book, a flysheet printed on Finch Paper by Skylab Letterpress (Kansas City, Missouri) wraps around 48 pages of Field Notes’ signature graph paper. The flysheets identify the cover designer and printer, and feature a reproduction of a border from the Bay Psalms Book (1640), the first known book printed in the American colonies in what is now Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“Everyone here at Field Notes is a longtime fan of letterpress,” said Coudal. “There is so much history and tradition in each hand-printed piece, and we wanted to honor that while also showcasing the phenomenal work that modern practitioners of the craft are producing.”
This special quarterly release was made possible with support from Finch Paper of Glens Falls, New York, and The French Paper Company of Niles, Michigan. Coudal noted Field Notes’ long relationship with these American mills and expressed gratitude that they partnered to celebrate the U.S. letterpress community.
The Fall 2020 United States of Letterpress edition is part of Field Notes’ Quarterly Edition series. These releases are available individually or through an annual subscription that delivers two packs of each quarterly release plus exclusive bonus items. Subscribers to this edition receive all three variations included in the set.
Annual subscriptions are priced at $110, including U.S. shipping. For international subscribers, there is a one-time $20 shipping fee that covers the full year. Those who begin their subscription with the United States of Letterpress edition will also receive the Winter 2020 and Spring and Summer 2021 Quarterly Editions.
A Field Notes subscription makes a thoughtful gift for artists, designers, and anyone who appreciates the tactile pleasure of a well-made notebook.
