Experimental Letterpress on the Vandercook
March 15 @ 10:30 am - 2:00 pm
$386.00A 4-Week In-Studio Workshop!
Saturdays, March 15, 22, 29, and April 5, 10:30am-2pm
View our current in-studio Health and Safety and Cancellation Policies >>
About this Workshop:
So you’ve learned typesetting and printing on a Vandercook press—now what? This fun series is an opportunity to go “beyond the basics” to expand your creative expression in the letterpress studio. The first 3 weeks will each be a deep dive into a letterpress topic or technique, and the final week will allow you to go deeper, try new things, or combine ideas. You’ll explore, play, and experiment on your own, as well as a group, and leave inspired! Expect to take away a variety of printed pieces that can stand alone or be used in future prints, collage, bookmaking, and more.
- In Week 1, we’ll focus on letterpress ink, understanding mixing and application options. You’ll “wipe” ink from Vandercook cylinders on to paper and try creative hand-inking methods. Paper will also be a topic this week, so you can notice the differences that paper weight, content, and texture can bring to letterpress printing.
- In Week 2, you’ll learn Pressure Printing with alternate materials, like fabric, foam, leaves, and more.
- Week 3 is all about setting and using type in a variety of ways on a cylinder press and integrating polymer plates or linocut blocks. You’ll also learn how to use the Vandercook 0 (a tabletop cylinder press) to test and print ideas.
- Week 4 is for extensions and combinations. Whether you want go further with previous topics or try creating a small series with multiple techniques, this is the week to bring it all together and springboard ideas for creating on your own in the studio.
The class will be a mix of structured learning and freeform experimentation, with room for individualization within the framework.
Level: Intermediate – Introduction to Letterpress (on the Vandercook or Tabletop) or similar experience (6 hours) is required.
Registration closes March 7, 2025. Material fees are included with your registration to cover the supplies provided in class. Students will need to gather/purchase additional materials for class (see the materials list below). This list will also be provided with the registration confirmation email.
Photos by Theresa Esterlund
CLASS MATERIALS LIST:
Registration includes a $20 materials fee to cover consumable materials provided in class, including additional paper samples and ink. Students will need to gather/purchase the following items for class as well:
- 1 pack/tablet of 11”x14” Strathmore 400 Series Printmaking Paper (15 or more sheets)
- 1 pack/tablet of 11”x14” Strathmore 300 Series Printmaking Paper (15 or more sheets)
- At least one other type of paper (your choice, any size) – 5-10 sheets
- (optional) Polymer plates or linocut blocks that you already have
- (optional) Personal apron (we’ll have extras) or wear clothes that can get inky
Note: For your safety we also recommend short sleeves only, close-toed shoes, and that long hair be tied back.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
Theresa Esterlund is an artist and educator who lives in Arlington, Virginia. After retiring from a professional career in museum education, she channeled her vision to inspire compassionate connections into a stationery business that reflects the intersection of her artistic and mindfulness practices. Her collages are windows that open to the inside—as well as abstract landscapes and other arrangements. She brings her love of gathering, sorting, and composing to letterpress, which also gives her a path to integrate words and phrases from her poetry. Learn more about her work online at www.opentobeing.com and on Instagram @opentobeing.
“I loved how the class made letterpress seem very approachable and fun! Letterpress seemed complicated, but Theresa made it very simple and easy to understand and was always willing to help. She was very encouraging, knowledgeable, and fun. She even catered the [sessions] to what we wanted to experiment with which made each week super interesting and informative.”
—Workshop Participant