Introduction to Tabletop Letterpress
April 19 @ 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
$168.00An In-Studio Workshop!
Saturday, April 19, 10:30am-4:30pm
View our current in-studio Health and Safety and Cancellation Policies >>
About this Workshop:
Learn the basics of letterpress printing with antique lead type on a Chandler & Price Pilot tabletop platen press. Students will learn how to set lead type, operate the tabletop press, troubleshoot, clean, and maintain the press—the perfect foundation for anyone interested in having their own small press at home. Each participant will handset a few lines of text of their own choosing and print a small edition (10-15 prints).
Level: Beginner – no previous experience necessary
Registration closes April 11, 2025. Material fees are included with your registration to cover the supplies provided in class. Students may 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 Jen Sheckels
CLASS MATERIALS LIST:
Registration includes a $10 materials fee to cover consumable materials provided in class. In addition, you may want to bring the following items for class:
- (optional) Personal apron (we’ll have extras) or wear clothes that can get inky
- (optional) Pen and paper for taking notes
- (recommended) Comfortable, closed-toed shoes (you’ll be on your feet most of the day)
- A few ideas for a short phrase/saying you’d like to typeset and print during class
Note: For your safety we also recommend short sleeves only and that long hair be tied back.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
Sara Blumberg loves creating designs through all aspects of letterpress printing. She fell in love with the art after taking an introductory printing class at Pyramid two years ago. During the day Sara works as a design and content strategist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. focusing on ocean missions. Most evenings you can find her making new designs or trying new color combinations in the studio. Before letterpress, Sara worked as a journalist in Baltimore. Learn more about her work by following her on Instagram at @juniperletterpress
“I enjoyed learning about everything from setting type to cleaning the machine.”
—Previous workshop participant
“I went from totally uninitiated to producing beautiful art in less than three hours.”
—Previous workshop participant