Lessons Learned from 100 Days of Printmaking
When I started my 100-Day Project in December, I planned to experiment with many different types of printmaking: monoprinting, letterpress, collagraphy, woodblock, and linocut prints. I did a little of those, but I loved letterpress printing so much that it took over.
Things I tried:
Metal and wood type
Different types of paper: vintage book pages, printmaking papers, drawing paper, fabric book covers, postcards, and mixed media
Woodblocks made from scrap wood, lumber store finds, and MDF board
Different paints: soy-based printmaking ink, heavy body acrylic, open acrylic, fluid acrylic, expensive brands, and the inexpensive stuff
Painted and unpainted papers
Super simple compositions
Lots of layers
Masking
Using different ways to set the type on the bed of the press
What I learned:
I prefer simple compositions instead of lots of layers
I get the best impression if I set the type on the press bed and use packing paper on top of the print to adjust the height
A bright white paper isn’t as nice as vintage book pages
My favorite paint to use is a mix: Golden Open acrylic/Golden SoFlat matte acrylic and sometimes a bit of Blick acrylic
Apply the paint using a soft foam brayer (I like the texture it creates)
If I’m trying to just get a small shape, use a piece of scrap paper to mask off the area I want, and don’t waste paint by covering the entire block/letter
If I can fit in on my press, I’ll try to print it.
Carving MDF is messy, but it’s a fast, inexpensive way to get a solid surface to print when I do want some color or interesting edges on a page
The white space created by matching letters together leads to amazing collage papers
Printing on fabric book covers has rekindled my fondness for using book parts in collage
I’m not as afraid of using color as I once was
Mixing paint on a sheet of tempered glass has created gorgeous hues and taught me to not just use the colors straight out of the tube
Letterpress printing can fill an entire day or can be squeezed into a few spare moments of time. Printing the way I favor doesn’t take the same mental energy as collage and lets me splash paint around so that I feel like I’m playing.
This is the third 100-Day Project that I’ve completed, and I think it’s the one that has taught me the most.
Interested in learning more?
Letterpress printing at home (with and without a press)
This course teaches you non-traditional letterpress printing and abstract collage from the ground up. You'll learn to source vintage materials, create typography-inspired prints with gelli plates and stencils, and scale your work from small studies to finished pieces on prepared panels. Everything is designed to be accessible—no expensive press required.