Alan Kitching (Typographic artist)

Alan Kitching RDI AGI Hon FRCA (born 1940), is a practitioner of letterpress typographic design and printmaking. Kitching exhibits and lectures across the globe, and is known for his expressive use of wood and metal letterforms in commissions and limited-edition prints.

Born 1940 in Darlington, Co. Durham, he was an apprentice compositor (1956–61). From 1962–64 he was a technician in hand and line type composition, Department of Printing, Watford College of Technology, Herts. After meeting Anthony Froshaug (the new head of department) Kitching co-established the experimental printing workshop at Watford College of Technology. Kitching later continued to collaborate with Froshaug on student projects at the Central School of Art & Design.

In 1973 Alan began his own design practice in London with Colin Forbes. In 1977 he partnered with Derek Birdsall and Martin Lee at Omnific and started letterpress printing there in 1985. He began letterpress workshops in 1986 at Omnific Studios, Islington, London. He then went on to establish The Typography Workshop in Clerkenwell (1989). From 1994 he worked in partnership with designer/writer Celia Stothard (later his wife). In 1999, in partnership with designer and teacher, Celia Stothard FRSA, Kitching purchased a large collection of theatrical wood types, now named, ‘Entertaining Types’ and housed in Kennington, Lambeth, South London. [1]

Kiss - Graphic Poetry

Poster for National Theatre Transformation series.

Iraq war demo poster for The Guardian

Guardian graphic

'Spirited' for The Guardian

'Boldly' for the Guardian

Glory to the New Born King

'The Big Top' - The Wrington Suite

Burning books

Magna Carta

Stellar

Kew Gardens

A thing of beauty

1970: ‘Typography Manual’, School of Art, Watford College of Technology

2016. 'A life in Letterpress, Laurence King, London.

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