Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type

Letterpress printing has been making an impression since 1440 when Gutenberg invented movable type. A. Letterpress printing creates a tactile and inviting debossment in paper by using a mechanical press to prints from metal or wood type. This “punch” makes letterpress prinitng a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera. While letterpress printing began as a commercial process, artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form.

Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type introduces a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of the art form. Spudnik Press Cooperative houses over 120 drawers of type, two Vandercook presses, a Line-o-scribe proofing press, and three platen presses, all of which are available for students to use.

Students will develop foundational skills by using a composing stick to hand set lines of types to produce business cards or letterhead. From there, projects will increase in scope to introduce more advanced planning, technical considerations and creative approaches to printing. Students will learn new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, kerning, spacing, and leading, and will begin to understand how these terms inform and relate to “desktop publishing”. In addition to setting type, students will gain an understanding of the mechanics of our presses and learn to lock-up type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate the machines.

Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills to be authorized to print independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type

Letterpress printing has been making quite an impression since about 1440 when Gutenberg invented movable type. A mechanical press prints from metal or wood type to crisply transfer ink to paper. Letterpress printing creates a tactile and inviting debossment in the paper. This “punch” makes this art form a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera.

While letterpress printing began as a commercial process, today artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form. Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of the art form. Spudnik Press Cooperative houses over 120 drawers of type, two Vandercook presses, a Line-o-scribe proofing press, and three platen presses, all of which are available for students to use.

Students will jump in browsing Spudnik’s unique collection of type and using a composing stick to hand set lines of type. From there, projects will increase in scope to introduce more advanced planning, technical considerations and creative approaches to printing. Students will learn new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, and leading. In addition to setting type, students will learn the mechanics of our presses and learn to lock-up type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate the machines.

Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills to be authorized to print independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

Letterpress I: Wood and Metal Type (Oct 2017)

Letterpress printing has been making quite an impression since about 1440 when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type. A mechanical press prints from type, either cast from metal or carved from wood, to crisply transfer ink to paper. Letterpress printing creates a tactile and inviting debossment in the paper. This “punch” makes this art form a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera.

While letterpress printing began as a commercial process, today artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form. Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of the art form.

Spudnik Press Cooperative houses over 120 drawers of type, two Vandercook presses, a Line-o-scribe proofing press, and three platen presses, all of which are available for students to use.

Students will jump in on day one by browsing Spudnik’s unique collection of type and using a composing stick to hand set their first line of type. From there, projects will increase in scope to introduce more advanced project planning, technical considerations and creative approaches to printing. Students will learn new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, and leading. After setting type, students will become acquainted with our printing presses and learn to lock-up type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate the machines.

Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills needed to be authorized to printing independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

Letterpress I: Wood and Metal Type (Sept 2017)

Letterpress printing has been making quite an impression since about 1440 when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type. A mechanical press prints from type, either cast from metal or carved from wood, to crisply transfer ink to paper. Letterpress printing creates a tactile and inviting debossment in the paper. This “punch” makes this art form a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera.

While letterpress printing began as a commercial process, today artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form. Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of the art form.

Spudnik Press Cooperative houses over 120 drawers of type, two Vandercook presses, a Line-o-scribe proofing press, and three platen presses, all of which are available for students to use.

Students will jump in on day one by browsing Spudnik’s unique collection of type and using a composing stick to hand set their first line of type. From there, projects will increase in scope to introduce more advanced project planning, technical considerations and creative approaches to printing. Students will learn new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, and leading. After setting type, students will become acquainted with our printing presses and learn to lock-up type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate the machines.

Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills needed to be authorized to printing independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type

Letterpress printing has been making quite an impression since about 1440 when Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type. Using type, cast from metal or carved from wood, and a mechanical press to crisply transfer ink to paper, letterpress printing leaves a tactile and invited debossment on paper. This “punch” makes this art form a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera.

While letterpress has historically been a commercial process, these days artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form. Letterpress I: Wood & Metal Type uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of these art forms.

Spudnik Press Cooperative houses over 120 drawers of type, a Vandercook press, a Line-o-scribe proofing press, and three platen presses, all of which are available for students to use during class (and to continue to use after class as graduates).

Students will jump in on day one by browsing Spudnik’s unique collection of type and using a composing stick to hand set their first line of type. From there, projects will increase in scope and introduce more advanced project planning, technical considerations and creative approaches to printing. Students will learn new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, leading and more. After setting type, students will become familiar with our printing presses and learn to lock-up type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate our printing presses.

Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills needed to continue printing independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

Letterpress I: Wood and Metal Type (March 2017)

Letterpress printing uses moveable type, cast from metal or carved from wood, and a mechanical press to crisply transfer ink to paper. Since the advent of letterpress printing in the mid-15th century, printers have been enamored with the process of hand-setting lead and wood type. Today we remain fascinated with this tactile process. Artists and printers continually find new ways to approach the art form.

Letterpress I uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of these two art forms. On day one, students will be able to browse Spudnik’s collection of over 120 drawers of type, and using a composing stick, hand set their first line of type. From there, projects will increase in scope, gradually introducing more advanced project planning, technical considerations, creative approaches to printing, and even new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, leading and much more!

After carefully setting type, students will become familiar with our printing presses and learn to lock-up their type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate our rare old presses. Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills needed to continue printing independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.

PLEASE NOTE: This class will NOT meet over Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 27). The final class will meet on Saturday, June 10.

Letterpress I: Wood and Metal Type (Jan 2017)

Letterpress printing uses moveable type, cast from metal or carved from wood, and a mechanical press to crisply transfer ink to paper. Since the advent of letterpress printing in the mid-15th century, printers have been enamored with the process of hand-setting lead and wood type. Today we remain fascinated with this tactile process. Artists and printers continually find new ways to approach the art form.

Letterpress I uses a range of projects to familiarize students with letterpress printing, typography and the history of these two art forms. On day one, students will be able to browse Spudnik’s collection of over 120 drawers of type, and using a composing stick, hand set their first line of type. From there, projects will increase in scope, gradually introducing more advanced project planning, technical considerations, creative approaches to printing, and even new fun vocabulary words like reglets, quoins, chases, leading and much more!

After carefully setting type, students will become familiar with our printing presses and learn to lock-up their type, set pressure, mix and modify ink and safely operate our rare old presses. Throughout the class students will acquire the technical skills needed to continue printing independently at Spudnik Press and the creative skills to produce inventive and alluring prints for years to come.