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Alan Kitching (typographic artist)

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Kitching in 2016

Alan Kitching RDI AGI Hon FRCA (born 1940) is an English typographer, artist and printmaker. Kitching is known for his expressive use of wood and metal letterforms in commissions and limited-edition prints.

Early life

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Born 1940 in Darlington, county Durham,[1][2][3] Kitching began his career aged 15 as an apprentice compositor at a local jobbing printer J. W. Brown & Son (1956–62)[4][5][6] where he learned to set type for catalogues, tickets and posters.[7] From 1962 to 1964 he was a technician in hand and line type composition at the Department of Printing, Watford College of Technology in Herts.[8] After meeting designer Anthony Froshaug,[3] the new head of department, Kitching co-established the experimental printing workshop at Watford College of Technology.[9] He later continued to collaborate with Froshaug on student projects at the Central School of Art & Design. He left Watford in 1970 and moved to London.[10]

Professional career

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In 1973 Kitching began his own design practice in London with Pentagram co-founder Colin Forbes. In 1977 he partnered with Derek Birdsall and Martin Lee at Omnific Studios.[1] He began letterpress workshops in 1986 at Omnific's office in Islington, London, and in the late 1980s, at the Royal College of Art.[1] He left Omnific in 1988[5] and went on to establish The Typography Workshop in Clerkenwell in 1989.[6][2]

From 1994 Kitching worked in partnership with designer and teacher Celia Stothard FRSA, who later became his wife.[3] In 1999, in partnership with Stothard, Kitching purchased a large collection of theatrical wood types, now named 'Entertaining Types' and housed in Kennington, Lambeth, South London.[11]

Kitching created posters for the National Theatre,[12][13] The British Library,[12] The Guardian[1] and Royal Mail.[12] His work is renowned due to his expressive use of analog typography,[14][13] particularly large-scale wood and metal type,[8] and vibrant colours.[6][7] Kitching produces many of his artworks as limited-edition prints using letterpress technology.[13][15]

Selected works

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Teaching

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Awards and memberships

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Commissions

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  • 1999: Stamps for Royal Mail: Magna Carta Millennium series
  • 2000: Dazed & Confused Magazine – Typographic artwork for magazine cover
  • 2000: D&AD – Typographic artwork for Invitation
  • 2002: Poems on the buses for Transport for London
  • 2002: Posters for the National Theatre's Transformation season of plays
  • 2002: Stamps for the Royal Mail: Love Occasion series
  • 2001/2003: Typographic artwork for The Guardian Newspaper[16]
  • 2003: Typographic artworks for VSO poster campaign 'We need professionals'
  • 2002: National Theatre – Typographic artwork for ‘On Love’ by Alan Bennett – London, UK
  • 2003: Typographic mural for The Guardian Newspaper building reception
  • 2005: The Guardian – Typographic artwork for alternative Front Page
  • 2009: ONE Africa – Typographic artwork for poster
  • 2011: Clarks Shoes – Typographic artwork for wall display – London, UK
  • 2012: FT Weekend Magazine – Typographic artwork for magazine cover
  • 2012: San Miguel – Typographic artwork for mural wall – Spain
  • 2014:  Southbank – Typographic artwork for mural wall – London, UK
  • 2016: A Life in Letterpress: Alan Kitching — Book published [17]
  • 2017: Glenlivet – Typographic artwork for packaging design
  • 2017: National Union of Journalists – Typographic artwork for wall mural
  • 2017: Comme des Garcons – Typographic artwork for apparel design
  • 2018: Brexit – Typographic artwork for protest posters & merchandise
  • 2018: Cleaver Square – Typographic artwork for signage
  • 2018: FX – Typographic artwork for magazine cover
  • 2018: Bridge Theatre – Typographic artwork for ‘Allelujah!’ production – London, UK
  • 2018: Alan Kitching's A-Z London – Box Set[18]
  • 2018: Globe Theatre – Typographic artwork for ‘Emilia’ production – London, UK
  • 2018: Tipoteca – Typographic artwork for museum – Cornuda, Italy
  • 2019: British Airways – Typographic artwork for 100th anniversary
  • 2019: English Heritage – Typographic artwork for Corporate Identity for 2019
  • 2019: Kia & Sunday Times – Typographic artwork for advertorial
  • 2020: Folio Society — ‘ The Stories of English’ — Typographic artwork for book cover design
  • 2020: FORA – Typographic artwork for Berners St Map
  • 2020: Hall for Cornwall – Typographic artwork for triptych – Truro, UK
  • 2020: Get Impressed – Typographic artwork for book cover design
  • 2021: The Poster: A Visual History: ‘Taxi’ typographic artwork featured in book, V and A.[19]
  • 2022: Berry Bros & Rudd Wine – Typographic artwork for spread in No. 3 catalogue
  • 2022: Woman Life Freedom – Typographic artwork for campaign poster
  • 2022: POMPE charity – Typographic artwork for online assets
  • 2022: The Art File – Typographic artwork for greeting card collections
  • 2023: PORT Magazine – Typographic artwork for editorial spread
  • 2023: Collins Agency – Limited Edition Print for 15-year anniversary
  • 2024: AGI Congress – Letterpress Workshop & Lecture at The Poster Archive – Basel, Switzerland
  • 2024: Chemistry World – Antiaromaticity – Typographic artwork for magazine
  • 2024: Johns Hopkins Magazine – Breaking Barriers – Typographic artwork
  • 2024: Mary Quant Wall Mural – Typographic artwork – London, UK[20][21]
  • 2024: Ferrari – Typographic Artwork Print – Limited Edition of 10

Exhibitions

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  • 1992: Gallery at Pentagram, SOLO SHOW
  • 1993: Royal College of Art, SOLO SHOW
  • 1994: Crafts Council 'True to Type', 5 works, catalogue, ISBN 1870145 35 6
  • 1994: D&AD "Festival of Excellence', 4 works
  • 1994: Paperpoint shop, several works
  • 1996: '20 Designers for a Silhouette', Centre Pompidou, Paris
  • 1996: Royal Mail Stamps, London
  • 1997: 'British Graphic Design', Cologne, Germany
  • 1997: The Gallery at Pentagram, London
  • 1998: Coningsby Gallery SOLO SHOW
  • 1998: The British Pavilion, 'Information expertise @ UK'; The Library and Information Commission, Amsterdam
  • 1999: 'A K TypeArt 98', The Coningsby Gallery, London, one man show
  • 1999: The Coningsby Gallery — 'A K TypeArt 98', Solo Exhibition – London, UK
  • 2000: 'Powerhouse', UK
  • 2001: Gallery at Pentagram, 'In Darkest England'
  • 2002: Gallery at Pentagram, London, one man show
  • 2004: Public Address System, London and Berlin
  • 2004: Pax Britannica, London Advanced Graphics London
  • 2016: Somerset House
  • 2016: The Lighthouse, Glasgow
  • 2017: Manning Tree – Solo Exhibition – London, UK
  • 2018: London Craft Week – Open Studio – London, UK
  • 2019: Chelsea Arts Club – Solo Exhibition – London, UK
  • 2019: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft – Solo Exhibition – Ditchling, UK
  • 2021: Coningsby Gallery – Solo Exhibition – London, UK
  • 2022: AGI Congress – Typographic poster – Group Exhibition— Trieste, Italy
  • 2023: AGI Congress – Typographic poster – Group Exhibition – Auckland, New Zealand
  • 2024: AGI Congress – Typographic poster – Group Exhibition —Basel, Switzerland
  • 2024: Chelsea Arts Club – A-Z London – Solo Exhibition – London, UK
  • 2024: The Coningsby Gallery – Two Printers, Duo Exhibition —  London, UK

Talks and conferences

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  • 1994: icograda, London
  • 1995: icograda, Lisbon
  • 1995: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Amalfi, Italy
  • 1997: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Barcelona, Spain
  • 1998: A Typ.1, Lyon, France
  • 2002: University of NSW Sydney & AGI Ideas Melbourne Australia
  • 2002: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Zurich/Pontresina, Switzerland
  • 2003: Typo3 Johannesburg SA
  • 2004: London College of Communication 23/6/04
  • 2004: Forum Laus, Barcelona May 2004
  • 2005: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Berlin

Guest lectures and workshops

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  • 1966: 'Frontiers of Printmaking', Michael Rothenstein, Library of Congress 66-24551[22]
  • 1999–2000: Hereford – College of Art
  • 1974 Printed in Watford, Watford School of Art, Herts.
  • 1993: The Sixties, David Mellor[23]
  • 1994: D&AD Annual
  • 1995: D&AD Annual
  • 1996 D&AD Annual
  • 1996: 'G1 subj: contemp, design, graphic,[24]
  • 1996: 'A Double Life of 80 AGI designers .....' Armando Milani/Burgo
  • 1997 'First Choice', Ken Cato, ISBN[25]
  • 1999: Royal Mail Millennium Stamps
  • 1999: New Design: London, The Edge of Graphic Design, Ed. E.M.Gomez, Rockport, USA, ISBN 1-56496-562-7 D&AD Annual
  • 2000: Rotterdam - Willem de Kooning Academie
  • 2000: Anthony Froshaug: Typography & Texts (2 vols), Robin Kinross ISBN 0-907259-13-8
  • 2001: Master of the 20th Century, Ed. Mervyn Kurlansky/Icograda, Graphis, New York ISBN 1-888001-85-2
  • 2002: Helvetica – Homage to a Typeface, Lars Müller, Switzerland ISBN 3-907044-87-8
  • 2002: Copenhagen – I T University
  • 2002: The Graphics Book, D&AD, Rotovision, ISBN 2-88046-550-8
  • 2003: Creative Island, John Sorrell, Lawrence King, ISBN 1-85669-305-8
  • 2003: The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers[26]
  • 2004: D&AD Workout
  • 2004: University of Delaware
  • 2015: Workshop, Tipoteca, Italy Books on Alan Kitching or featuring work
  • 2015: Tipoteca – Legacy of Letter Tour & Workshop – Cornuda, Italy
  • 2015: A-Z in Letterpress, Laurence King, London, ISBN 9781780674810
  • 2016: A Life in Letterpress, Laurence King, London[27][28]
  • 2016: Hay Festival – Guest Lecturer & Book Signing – Wales, UK
  • 2017: Letter Exchange – Guest Lecturer – London, UK
  • 2018: Woolwich Art Fair – Letterpress Workshop & Lecturer  — London, UK
  • 2019: TIPO – Guest Lecturer – Azores, Portugal
  • 2019: Lettering Arts Trust – Letterpress Workshop – London, UK
  • 2019: The Typography Workshop – Letterpress Workshop – London, UK
  • 2020: Residency Art Centre USA – Letterpress Workshop – California, USA
  • 2020: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft – Visiting Lecturer – Ditchling, UK
  • 2021: ESAD, Superior School of Arts and Design – Letterpress Workshop – Porto, Portugal
  • 2022: Falmouth University – Visiting Lecturer – Falmouth, UK
  • 2022: Hall for Cornwall – Talk/Q&A – Cornwall, UK
  • 2023: Collins Agency – Online Talk/Q&A – Remote
  • 2024: AGI Congress — Letterpress Workshop & Lecture at The Poster Archive – Basel, Switzerland

Bibliography

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1970: 'Typography Manual', School of Art, Watford College of Technology

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

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Muraben, Billie (31 March 2016). ""I always try to have some logic to the job, to the work": we interview letterpress legend Alan Kitching". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Renowned typographer returns to Darlington for new exhibition at library". The Northern Echo. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Pires, Candice (2 April 2016). "A-Z living: an inside look at typographer Alan Kitching's home". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  4. ↑ Walters, John L. "John L. Walters selects and dissects five objects from Alan Kitching's archive". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 "The Life of a Typographer by Alan Kitching". 9 April 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Bamford, Abbey (18 March 2025). "Alan Kitching: London's Building Blocks brings letterpress mastery to Madrid". Creative Boom. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 Dowdy, Clare (3 June 2016). "True to type: master of print Alan Kitching displays 'A Life in Letterpress'". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  8. 1 2 Mitchell, Jennifer. "Acclaimed typographer Alan Kitching returns to Watford to support local students". Vibe 107.6. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  9. ↑ Sujata, Burman (15 June 2016). "The letterpress life: Alan Kitching's epic creative past revealed in a new tome". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Thrift, Julia; Kitching, Alan (1994). "Eye Magazine | Feature | Marks on paper". Eye Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Monotype (17 September 2014). Alan Kitching and Monotype. Retrieved 17 May 2026 – via Vimeo.
  12. 1 2 3 "BBC Arts - BBC Arts - Typecast: Alan Kitching on the art of letterpress". BBC. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 Cowan, Katy (21 March 2017). "Alan Kitching's Letterpress Prints: Celebrating new and acclaimed works by the legendary artist". Creative Boom. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Heller, Steven (1 March 2024). "The Daily Heller: Hot Off the Web With Alan Kitching". PRINT Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Heller, Steven (21 April 2014). "Alan Kitching's Full Court Letterpress". PRINT Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "Alan Kitching on Press at The Guardian | Newspaper Club". blog.newspaperclub.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  17. ↑ Walters, John L. (2016). Alan Kitching: a life in letterpress. London, United Kingdom: Laurence King Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78067-772-9.
  18. ↑ "Coningsby Gallery – Shop – Alan Kitching's A-Z of London". coningsbygallery.com. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  19. ↑ The Poster: a visual history. London: Thames & Hudson. 2020. ISBN 978-0-500-48038-0.
  20. ↑ "Alan Kitching's mural to celebrate Mary Quant – News – Debut Art". Debut Art. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  21. ↑ "Cadogan Estates". cadogan.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  22. ↑ Rothenstein, Michael (1 January 1966). Frontiers of printmaking: New aspects of relief printing. Studio VistaReinhold.
  23. ↑ Mellor, David (1993). The sixties art scene in London. Phaidon Press. ISBN 0946372292.
  24. ↑ Blackwell and Brody, Lewis and Nevill (1996). G1: Subj.; Contemp.Design, Graphic (Graphic Design). Massive books. ISBN 9781856690928.
  25. ↑ Cato, Ken (1997). First Choice. Crafstman House. ISBN 976-6410-55-0.
  26. ↑ Livingtson, Alan (2003). Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0500203539.
  27. ↑ Waters and Kitching, John L and Alan (2016). A life in letterpress. Lawrence King. ISBN 978-1780674810.
  28. ↑ Sinclair, Mark (22 April 2016). "Alan Kitching a life in Letterpress". Creative Review. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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