Course Overview

You will learn the basics of letterpress printing through demonstrations, guided projects and hands-on experience. Letterpress printing is ideal for creating broadsides, posters, books, cards, personalized letterhead and more. Using the University’s wide array of lead and wood type and engraved imagery, you will explore composition, typography, and color.

What will you learn in this course?

• Have the skills to plan a multilayered print
• Understand how to hand set lead and wood type
• Be able to operate the University’s four different Vandercook presses

What will you do in class?

• Technical Demonstrations
• Presentations: Sample Projects and Inspiration
• Critiques
• You will have the opportunity to do one or two of your own personal projects, depending upon the complexity and size of the print run of each project.

What topics will be covered?

studio, shop safety, type organization: type cases setting type, press lock up Project planning Ink mixing: color overlays and transparency Polymer plates: digital applications

Suggested Readings or Link to Other Content:

Recommended Texts: Maravelas, Paul. Letterpress Printing: A Manual for Fine Press Printers. Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 2005

White, Jessica. Letterpress Now. North Carolina: Lark Crafts Press, 2013

Websites:

http://www.boxcarpress.com/community/letterpress-training-video.html https://www.boxcarpress.com/platemaking/polymer-tips.html http://thebeautyofletterpress.com http://www.letterpress.dwolske.com www.briarpress.org/ www.yeehawindustries.com/ http://ladiesofletterpress.ning.com/profiles/blog/list http://www.fiveroses.org/intro.htm http://blog.typoretum.co.uk

Supplies/Equipment

Inks, lead and wood type, cleaning agents and all equipment will be provided as part of your course fee.

You will be required to purchase paper and some additional supplies (see syllabus for full list.)

Please come to class prepared with your ideas, text and images so that you may most efficiently utilize press time in the studio.