Leslie Ross- Robertson

Planetary Series is a limited-edition box set of 10 letterpress prints created over eight years, inviting tactile and visual exploration of our solar system. The set functions as a contemporary codex, an artist’s book reimagined as a sequence of individual prints that together narrate a cosmic story.

The Planetary Series boxed codex is an edition of 30 and includes 10 letterpress prints, a foiled title page, and a colophon. Individual prints are also available separately.

Each print acts as a “page” in this visual manuscript, engaging viewers with the distinct identities of the planets and their interconnected celestial movement. The work interprets the essence of a planet or the Moon through layered imagery, color, and form, drawing inspiration from science, history, and mythology. The series is rooted in the concept of planetary resonance, the gravitational rhythms and harmonic relationships that connect celestial bodies and shape the intricate dynamics of our solar system.

Planetary Series began in 2017 with early tests and unfolded over eight years, a period that mirrors the orbital cycle of Venus, symbolizing regeneration, transformation, and resonance, concepts central to the project. The collection evolved through continuous proofing and revision in a responsive, discovery-driven process.

Printing Process and Materials
Each print was hand-printed on an SP20 Vandercook Press on 100% cotton paper, using photopolymer plates and soy-based inks. Each color was printed from a separate photopolymer plate, requiring a distinct pass through the press. The layered process demanded close attention to registration, pressure, and ink consistency, reflecting the precision and patience inherent in both letterpress printing and the study of planetary motion.

Every print was created through a meticulous multi-pass process, with individual prints requiring between eight and forty-two press runs. The prints are archival and suitable for framing.

A consistent visual key appears throughout the series: a relative-scale diagram inspired by 1960s science book illustrations. This element orients the viewer within the solar system, identifying each planet’s name, its position from the Sun, and the mythological origin of its name. The Moon is identified as Earth’s satellite. The diagram serves as a cosmic legend, providing a unifying framework across the suite and reinforcing the sense of scale and relationship among celestial bodies.

Sound Component
A companion sound experience, based on NASA planetary sonifications and original compositions, is available through QR code. Planetary pitches are derived from Hans Cousto’s Cosmic Octave, a system that translates each planet’s orbital frequency into audible notes.

Pluto and Scientific Consultation
The design for Pluto was informed by detailed NASA images from the New Horizons mission. Dr. Caitlin Ahrens, a NASA Solar System Ambassador and expert on Pluto, provided guidance and verification throughout the process. Her expertise, including her graduate research on ice mixtures under simulated Pluto conditions, helped ensure scientific accuracy in representing Pluto’s surface, color variations, and named craters.

Pluto is identified in the series as a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, following current scientific classification.

The Complete Series
The series includes Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

Mercury, 2025
Fourteen-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Venus (with cloud cover), 2019
Nine-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Earth, 2020
Fifteen-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

The Moon, 2019
Eight-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Mars, 2019
Nine-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Jupiter, 2024
Twenty-six-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Saturn, 2025
Forty-two-pass letterpress print
16 × 18 inches
Edition of 100

Uranus, 2023
Ten-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Neptune, 2022
Twenty-three-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Pluto, 2021
Twenty-seven-pass letterpress print
12 × 16 inches
Edition of 100

Exhibition History

November 15, 2025 to January 10, 2026

Planetary Resonance
A solo exhibition by Leslie Ross-Robertson
Letterpress • Sound • Video • Events
Location: Art in the Park

The exhibition presented Planetary Series alongside its related sound and video components.

Purchase and Collection Information

The complete boxed codex and individual prints are available for purchase:

Wavelength Press, Planetary Series

Planetary Series boxed codex: edition of 30
Individual prints: editions of 100