Education | A case for... the work of The Caseroom Press, Lincoln University

• Author
• Ian McLaren

• University
• University of Lincoln, School of Art & Design
• Website
• www.the-case.co.uk


During the last seven years Barrie Tullett and his colleagues have produced a prodigious number of titles. Characterized by their richly varied form, they frequently combine a diverse mix of formats, typography (both formal and vernacular), illustration, and photography – interwoven with texts which in many cases are conceived and written by the designers. Barrie’s energy and enthusiasm must be contagious for such prolific output to be maintained while so much British art and design education has become formulaic. Clearly he is able to orchestrate both his colleagues amongst the staff at Lincoln and elsewhere, and students to produce work which is stimulating in both its content and form.


In response to a question as to the origins of The Caseroom Press Barrie Tullett writes, ‘Who can say when something starts? Drawing superheroes on the living room floor? Sitting in life drawing classes after school? Reading about HN Werkmann at Chelsea? Walking into Virgin Records on Tottenham Court Road and seeing a rack of A3 Emigre magazines? I didn’t know what they were, but I knew that I wanted them… Or still thinking a photocopier was an exciting bit of kit?’


In 1995, Barrie was course leader in Graphic Design at Edinburgh College of Art. He firmly believed that there are two things one can do at an art school – start a band or start a magazine… he was too old for the band, so a magazine it had to be.


Working from the Visual Communication department, where there was access to screenprinting, litho, letterpress, a photocopier and a guillotine – all housed in The Caseroom, and looked after by the technician, Ron Whalen – originally the magazine was a collaboration with the Student Representative Council (SRC) and was edited by various students. It was an attempt to promote collaborations across disciplines and record the day to day, term to term achievements of the students at the College...



Top: Spread, Flat Pack, 2006.

Middle: Front cover, Flat Pack, 2006.

Bottom: The Caseroom Press logo using The Shire Types by Jeremy Tankard Typography.