Letterpress Printing at Home
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.
Years ago, I took a letterpress printing class through the Rhode Island School of Design’s continuing education program. I spent one night a week for several weeks in a fully stocked printmaking studio learning how to set type and operate the press. Since that experience, I’ve always been drawn to typography and text for collage papers but had no way of creating my own. Then, slowly, slowly, I started to collect things. First, there was the type tray, which I hung on my wall. Then, a vintage set of stamps that were used to create signs (similar to this one). Finally, a bag of assorted wooden type showed up at my local antique store and I could not pass that up. I was using them all on my gelli plate to make collage papers, but it just wasn’t enough. I wanted to be able to print that type on a press.
Instagram introduced me to Provisional Press, a small business that began creating tabletop printing presses during the pandemic. I immediately put myself on the waitlist and waited patiently until I was able to purchase the kit. My husband kindly built the press and I was off and printing stacks and stacks of collage paper. The random assortment of letters I had meant that I couldn’t print many words, but I preferred the abstracted text and individual letters I could create.
Since then, I’ve been slowly accumulating more wooden type and brass printing plates. I’ve found them at vintage stores, the Brimfield Antique Show, and Artifact Antiques on Instagram. Through Facebook Marketplace, I purchased a full set of letterpress furniture. I hardly needed that, as I could use magnets to hold the type in place on my small press, but it was just so beautiful.
Facebook Marketplace came through for me again last week when I found a full printing cabinet with all the drawers stocked with metal type. The best part was the antique dealer, Granary Antiques, is located nearby. When I arrived at her house, I found out the history of the cabinet. It came from the estate of a printer who once operated a shop in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where my dad grew up. Along with the cabinet and type, there was also almost everything else a printer could need: quoins, spacing and leading, galleys, composing sticks, gauge pins, and other small items. The only things missing were the quoin key and chase. If you have no idea what any of that means, I didn’t either. I’ve been researching and reading nonstop to figure out what I have. If you are interested, Letterpress Commons is a great place to start.
If you’ve never printed before, know that it’s a joy, and if you love typography, all things vintage, and don’t mind a good hunt for supplies, this might be something you should try. There is the tactile quality of the vintage type, the smell of the oil or paint, and the satisfaction of hearing the thunk of the press that’s hard to replicate with any other medium I’ve tried.
I’ve outgrown my little press, but I’m not ready for a heavy vintage press with the mechanical upkeep it would require. I’m also not so sure that I need a new press, especially considering the financial commitment. Instead, I’m looking for an old proof press that would be similar in style to the one I have, but larger. Also on my list is a road trip to Letterpress Things, which looks like a great resource for anything I might be missing.
If you’ve been on a journey to printmaking that’s similar to mine, let me know. Tips? Suggestions? Books?