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Notes

by A Small Print Shop

Talkin' shop with todd

Written by: ASPS Staff

Featuring

Todd Tillinghast

Production Manager

How did your relationship with ASPS begin?

Stephen and I had a mutual friend that introduced us. I'd been screen printing for several years and had seen a variety of approaches to screen printing. From chickens laying eggs in warm shirts boxes in Alabama to overbearing owners sitting above the press with a counter in their hand calculating how much money they were making per minute. With ASPS, the vision has always been to elevate the art of screen printing so it holds a value in the community for both the consumer and creator. 

How does the culture of ASPS fit into the grand scheme of screen printing, the Denver scene, and the world at large?

The professional artists that work at ASPS carefully consider every part of their craft. Within the company, we encourage solution-oriented, creative thinking, and demand extreme attention to detail. Since Denver has been growing exponentially, there is more need than ever for creative types like us to help decorate all the torsos of the start-up teams. The most satisfying is seeing a shirt you made on a person in front of you in line at the grocery store. The registration is perfect. Their hair mingles gracefully with the mountain sunset graphic. They are even buying organic produce. It's hard to argue that a healthy, well-clothed world is a bad thing. 

What's your favorite color?

My favorite color is the one that surprises you. It's the Cool Grey 8 that slides in under the text to make a believable drop shadow. It's the muted lilac that's on the very tip of the flower pedal. It's the 326 C teal halftones on the belly of the pink elephant. You know what? Let's hear it for the underbase- the silent foundation allowing other colors to shine their brightest. I also enjoy a good black on white print from time to time, but I'm trying to quit. 

What has screen printing taught you?

Printing so many shirts over the years has given me a firm belief in interdimensional beings. Running out of ink...shirts disappearing from orders...hissing air pressure leaks...the lights blinking... There's no way all of this can be explained by human error. How is there always a thread the same color as the ink? Mischievous demons, that's why. Seriously, it's terrifying coming to work at times on account of all the ghosts. 

Thanks, Todd! When Todd isn't being a complete ink wizard and overseer of all prints he likes to spend his time crafting, biking, and practicing his skills in the art of Pitchnut (google it). To get more personal with Todd follow @todds_pictures on Instagram and like every picture he's posted to really get his attention. 

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