Letraset: Life before the graphic computer

I’d forgotten about Letraset, the dry-transfer type sheets that we used to create professional (almost) typesetting in the 1970s. I produced countless newsletters and small newspapers with the aid of an IBM Composer, a variation of the golfball typewriter, and a library of Letraset sheets which were used for the headings.

The type from the IBM was pretty boring, so nice bold headings from the Letraset sheet improved appearance no end. It was a pretty hit-or-miss affair and required a steady hand and a keen eye, but it was all we had at the time. Now it is so easy.

If you’d like to see how graphic designers worked in the seventies, check this article by Gene Gable on creativepro.com.