Saturday 25th May 2024
10am - 3.30pm

£75 per person

Ages 13 up. All abilities.

For anyone interested in typography, history, paper, ink and printing. For people with or without experience of printing.

On the one-day introduction to letterpress course, you will learn the basics of letterpress, set wood type, ink & print by hand. The letterpress course is split into morning & afternoon sessions.

There are 83 different wood types, plus a selection of borders and ornaments including pointing hands and arrows. The wood type collection dates from 1830s - 1950s.

Morning session

Exquisite corpse. Print size SRA2 (450mm x 640mm)

The group (max size of 5 people) will play a few rounds of the 1920s French Surrealist game 'exquisite corpse'. The most popular poem written by the group will then be set in wood, locked up and printed by each participant. Each person is responsible for choosing and setting their part of the collaborative poem. First a proof is printed on smooth lightweight newsprint, then a second on a heavier stock 175gsm GF Smith colorplan mist.

We will stop around 12.00 / 12.30 for lunch and reconvene one hour later for the afternoon session.

Afternoon session

Your words & design. Print size SRA3 (320mm x 450)

Your own choice of words maximum length between 4 - 8 words to be set and printed on the smaller Stephenson Blake proofing press.

By the end of the day, each member will have produced 2 prints & they will be posted 3 days after the workshop once they are dry.

Guest aprons will be provided. Please don't wear anything to smart for the workshop.

Please arrive at 9.30 on the morning of the workshop so we have time to introduce ourselves before the workshop begins.