Letterpress: Platemaking and Printing
Instructors: Volta Press
2 Sessions / Saturdays, July 27 and August 3
Time: 10 am–5:30 pm
Location: Studios 2&3
Number: PR1003
Tuition: $200
Invented over five centuries ago, letterpress began as a method of printing text with movable type; now, with the modern-day emphasis on graphic design and digitally-created plates, letterpress has become an invaluable medium for artist prints, broadsides, business cards, invitations, and much more. Students will learn how to transform film into letterpress plates, paper preparation, basic typesetting, Vandercook lockup and setup methods, and letterpress printing, including registration techniques. By the end of the intensive, each student will have completed a two-color letterpressed broadside.
No prerequisite.
Laureen Mahler and John Peck co-founded Volta Press in 2006, and their studio has been located near Oakland's Jack London Square since 2009. They have collaborated on countless projects, from literary/arts journal Beeswax Magazine to commissioned broadsides. Together they run the day-to-day operations of the press, which specializes in custom letterpress work, book arts, and design.
www.voltapress.com
Laureen Mahler received her BA in English and Creative Writing from SFSU and her MFA from California College of the Arts, where she studied creative writing, letterpress, and book arts. When she's not printing, Laureen divides her time between teaching, writing, and travel.
John Peck is a writer, musician, and printer. He received his BA and MA from Stanford University, and is managing editor of the literary journal Beeswax Magazine. His writing has appeared in various print and online journals, including Jubilat, Watchword, Last Exit, Salon.com, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency.