Studio FAQ

Workshops

• Do I need to bring anything?

  • Workshop attendees do not need to bring anything with them unless otherwise specified in the workshop description. However, workshop attendees are encouraged to bring ideas, sketches, snacks, and your own tools (if you have them.)

• How do I find out about upcoming workshops?

  • We announce upcoming workshops toward the end of the month via our newsletter. You can keep an eye on our workshops page our sign up for our monthly newsletter (bottom of the page.) We also post about upcoming workshops on our instagram feed.

• Can my child come?

  • We have had children in our workshops and we leave that up to your discretion. Well behaved children as young as 9 years old have attended our workshops and had a blast!

• Do you offer workshops specifically for kids?

  • Not at the moment but you never know what the future holds.

• Can I schedule my own workshop?

  • Absolutely! Check out our workshops page for our current selection of on-request workshops. Have a specific idea in mind? Shoot us an email with your dream workshop and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

• If I can't make it can I get a refund?

  • We are happy to offer refunds or credit toward future workshops if you give us at least 48 hours notice that you will not be attending the class. All cancellations made within 48 hours of the class will not be refunded or put towards future classes.

• How many people are in a class?

  • We like to keep our classes intimate and focused so we cap most printmaking classes at 6 participants, book binding and other workshops are typically capped at 10 people. This ensures that each student gets quality time with the instructor as well as the equipment.

• Can I pay in person at the time of the workshop?

  • You are welcome to pay in person before the workshop or at the time of the workshop however, your spot will not be reserved until the workshop has been payed for and the class is subject to cancellation if we do not receive at least 3 sign ups 48 hours prior to the class.

Letterpress

• What is so special about letterpress printing?

  • Letterpress printing gives your design a unique tactile quality that is impossible to reproduce by modern digital or offsest printing techniques.

• Can I print from lead type?

  • Yes, we have a collection of over 300 wood and lead typefaces. Check out what we've got here.

• Can I print from photopolymer? Do you have a Boxcar Base?

  • Yes, we have 3 boxcar bases sized 9x12", 13x19" and 2x2.5"

• Can I print a linocut?

  • Yes. We just have to do some adjusting to ensure that your block is the right height for the press.

• What paper is best?

  • Anything pillowy, smooth and made from cotton rag works great. Crane Lettra and Reich Savoy are 100% cotton papers that were designed specifically for letterpress printing but other cotton papers like Rives BFK and Pescia work well too. Other thick materials like chip board and museum board work well as long as the paper is soft enough to take the impression. Feel free to get in touch if you have questions about specific papers.

• Can I print white onto black paper?

  • You can but it won't be a bright white. Letterpress puts down such a thin layer of ink that even the most opaque inks will let the paper show through.

• Can I print my own wedding invitations?

  • Absolutely. We're happy to assist you in any way that you need but we recommend letting us do the heavy lifting if you haven't tried letterpress printing before. It's best to learn a new technique with lower stakes.

• Can I print on fabric?

  • Yes but it needs to be small enough to fit into the press (14x22 or smaller) and cannot have any seams as the extra bulk can crush the type or damage the press. Screenprinting and block printing are the preferred techniques for fabric.

Screenprinting

• What's so special about screenprinting?

  • Screenprinting is a dynamic technique that allows you to print solid, bold colors onto a variety of materials including paper, wood, fabric, glass, etc. The screen lays down a flat layer of opaque ink which makes printing onto dark substrates possible. It's also a quick process compared to other fine art printmaking techniques

• How big of a screen can I expose?

  • Our exposure unit can handle screens up to 34" x 48"

• Can I rent a screen from you?

  • Not at the moment, sorry.

• What kind of ink should I use?

  • That depends on what material you are printing on. For paper, you can use water soluble or permanent acrylic screen printing ink. For fabric, you can use water-based screenprinting ink or fabric dye that has been thickened for screenprinting. We do not allow laquer based, oil based or plastisol ink printing in our shop.

• Do you print films?

  • Yup! We have a 24" wide roll printer. Film costs $5 per foot.

• Can I print t-shirts?

  • If you’d like. We do not have any t-shirt presses but you can print them the old fashioned way on a table with hinge clamps.

• Can you shoot my screen for me?

  • Sure, you can drop off your screen with us and we'll have it ready for you the next business day. We charge $30 to shoot your screen and $10 to reclaim it.