For anyone trying to trace the roots of printing, Caxon and Guttenberg would be a good Beginning point, although further investigation will lead them to China, thousands of years previous. Much of the styling found on many later printing machines, traced its roots back to some of the Victorian presses which had an extremely heavy and gothic influence. It ended up that presses weren’t being designed by artists, the were instead designed by engineers for the artists.

Artist were, for quite a while restricted and only able to print their work at print houses. Machines were revered without being used to their full potential. The equipment was the main thing not what was being printed.

That’s where we were until Dave Gunning came along and designed a brilliant fabricated machine which is totally ‘hands on’ during the late eighties. The immediate results were fantastic and the machine design has been honed and perfected during the last 20 years. Dave strongly believes that people from all avenues of life should have the resources to embrace the art of printmaking. Dave has steel bashing in his roots, he was born into a long distinct pedigree steelworkers in Biston 55 years ago. His own art is featured in many private and public collections including National Museum of Wales, The Palace of Westminster and also the Royal Collection.

Unlike any other printing machines on the market, every press is hand made in Ironbridge, Shropshire. They print etchings, collographs, lino, bromoil and woodcuts. The quality of the prints produced is so high, every one of his printing presses come with a lifetime gaurentee. Dave Gunnings Gunningarts printing presses are located in schools, colleges and artists studios. In fact he has produced over 1000 of these premium printing machines. One even takes a pride of place within the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, an accolade any artist or designer would be proud of.

‘I saw a press in a museum in Paris that was Picasso’s, I never dreamed I would have a press I hade made in a museum as an exhibit!’ Dave Gunning 2009.

This informative article is a guest blog post written on behlaf of Ironbridge Fine Arts & Framing, Vendors of Gunningarts Etching Printing Presses and specialists in Bespoke Framing. For further information about Etching Printing Press, check out www.ironbridgeframing.co.uk