Category: Printing

with Jason Yoh
Thursdays: April 18 & 25; 6–9pm CT

Letterpress 4: Editioning focuses on planning and printing an edition (or a group of identical prints). Printing an edition starts with making design decisions: choosing ink color, paper, edition size, typefaces, etc. Then, artists need to prepare for printing by cutting paper, preparing images, setting and proofing type, etc. This in-person workshop will offer beginning printers strategies for creating an edition, including how to plan a project and how to make an edition of consistent prints. The teaching artist will share an example of an editioned project she created from start to finish. Then, in pairs, plan and print a small book (using an exercise to create content). Procedures for maintaining a community print studio will be reviewed in addition to basic press operation, care, and safety. This workshop is an excellent refresher and opportunity to get reacquainted with MCBA’s presses and print studio. To register for this workshop, participants must have taken Letterpress 1, 2, and 3. Continue reading “Letterpress 4: Editioning”

with Leah Klister
Saturday, April 20; 10am–4pm CT

Experience the process of relief printing while carving and printing your own design in this in-person workshop. Learn all steps of the process, from transferring your design to the printing block to signing your first edition of prints! Instruction will cover methods for turning your design into an image for woodcut printing, carving techniques, techniques for printing with a baren (a smooth pad used to apply pressure when printing) by hand, and how to repeat the carving and printing process to achieve more depth and layers on your prints. Continue reading “Woodcut Printmaking”

with Ben Etten
Saturday, April 27; 10am–4pm and Sunday, April 28; 10am–1pm CT

Get familiar with MCBA’s screen printing studio and practice the photo emulsion process, from positive creation and screen coating to exposure and reclaiming. Each participant will complete an edition of multi-layered screen prints and come away from the workshop with the confidence to work independently at MCBA’s Screen Print Labs. Continue reading “Introduction to Screen Printing”

with Laura Brown
Saturday, May 4; 10am–4pm CT

This in-person letterpress workshop offers an introduction to MCBA’s print studio—including key equipment, tools, and terminology—in addition to an opportunity to experience the satisfaction of printing a message through the hands-on process of letterpress printing. Get to know MCBA’s wood type collection and learn beginning typesetting with wood type. Learn the basics of working with a flatbed cylinder press, including operation, safety, and care while building skills using the equipment with support from a teaching artist. In pairs, choose a text (three to five words) and print your own small edition of posters on a Vandercook press.  Continue reading “Letterpress 1: Printing Basics (May)”

with Molly Poganski
Thursday, May 9; 6–9pm CT

In this in-person workshop, learn about the history and power of the printing press as a tool for sharing information while printing your own message on a sign press! Learn the basics of setting and locking up type on the sign press. Join others in choosing ink colors and type to hand set a word or short phrase with guidance from the instructor. Each participant will print at least one copy of their message to take home—along with inspiration to keep printing!

MCBA’s sign press has a unique typesetting system that allows type to be locked up on press more quickly than on other machines. Each piece of type is slotted and held securely in place with specialized locking clips. Type can also be locked up using magnets These “quick and dirty” features make this press great for getting a message on paper speedily and without a lot of finicky typesetting.  Continue reading “Sign Press: Print Your Voice”

with Elaine Chu
Tuesday, May 14; 7–9pm CT

In this virtual workshop, design and carve your own custom block prints using a clever transfer technique. Then, learn how to print your block on both paper and fabric. The materials kit includes a set of cards, a drawstring bag, and a zip pouch, all of which can be printed with your unique design. Come away from the workshop with the knowledge and skills to continue printing independently with blocks on paper and fabric! Continue reading “Block Printing on Paper and Fabric”

with Bethany Rahn
Saturday, May 18; 10am–4pm CT

This in-person letterpress workshop focuses on setting metal type and building familiarity with printing on the Vandercook press. Learn how to navigate MCBA’s type collection, how type is stored and organized, and how to arrange it in a composing stick for setting a text. Training will be provided on line justification, kerning (space between letters and words), and methods for holding type together (or “locking up” a form) for printing. Procedures for maintaining a community type collection and print studio will also be covered, in addition to a review of basic press operation, care, and safety. This workshop is an excellent refresher and opportunity to get reacquainted with MCBA’s presses and print studio. Continue reading “Letterpress 2: Setting Type (May)”

with Ben Etten and Michelle Lee Lagerroos
Thursdays: May 23, 30 and June 6, 13, 20; 6–9pm CT

Get familiar with MCBA’s screen printing studio and practice the photo emulsion process—from positive creation and screen coating to exposure and reclaiming. Each participant will complete a multi-layered screen print on various kinds of fabric and come away from the workshop with the confidence to work independently at MCBA’s Screen Print Labs.  Continue reading “Fabric Screen Print Intensive”

with Bethany Rahn
Saturday, June 8; 10am–4pm CT

This in-person letterpress workshop offers an introduction to MCBA’s print studio—including key equipment, tools, and terminology—in addition to an opportunity to experience the satisfaction of printing a message through the hands-on process of letterpress printing. Get to know MCBA’s wood type collection and learn beginning typesetting with wood type. Learn the basics of working with a flatbed cylinder press, including operation, safety, and care while building skills using the equipment with support from a teaching artist. In pairs, choose a text (three to five words) and print your own small edition of posters on a Vandercook press.  Continue reading “Letterpress 1: Printing Basics (June)”

with Bethany Rahn
Tuesday–Friday: June 18, 19, 20, 21; 10am–4pm CT

Take a deep-dive into letterpress printing on Vandercook press in this four-day letterpress intensive, which covers all four workshops in MCBA’s letterpress series—Letterpress 1: Printing Basics, Letterpress 2: Setting Type, Letterpress 3: Two-Color Postcards, and Letterpress 4: Editioning. By the end of the week, participants will be ready to register for Letterpress Labs and rent presses to print independent projects! Continue reading “Letterpress 1–4 Intensive”

with Leah Klister
Thursdays: June 20 & 27; 6–9pm CT

Experience the process of relief printing while carving and printing your own design in this in-person workshop. Learn all steps of the process, from transferring your design to the printing block to signing your first edition of prints! Instruction will cover methods for turning your design into an image for woodcut printing, carving techniques, techniques for printing by hand with a baren (a smooth pad used to apply pressure when printing), and how to repeat the carving and printing process to achieve more depth and layers on your prints. Continue reading “Woodcut Printmaking: June”