Letterpress: Wood & Metal Type

Letterpress printing uses movable type to create tactile prints on paper. The distinctive “punch” (or debossment) of letterpress printing makes it a popular choice for greeting cards, business cards, invitations, broadsides, and a wide range of printed ephemera. While it began as a commercial process, artists, designers, typographers and illustrators are continually finding new ways to approach the art form.

This course is a well-rounded introduction to letterpress printing. Students will develop foundational skills using both wood type and metal type. A variety of projects will introduce technical considerations as well as creative approaches to this art form. Students will learn to learn to set and lock-up type, set pressure, mix inks and (maybe most importantly) how to safely operate our machines.

Throughout the class students will develop the technical skills needed to continue print independently at Spudnik Press and a variety of historical and contemporary approaches to the artform.