Taking a letterpress workshop or class offers hands-on experience on a press. Depending on your goals, taking a class may satisfy your letterpress curiosity or it may encourage you to purchase your own printing press. In times past, printing was an craft passed on from printer to apprentice; many experienced printers you will meet will have been taught this way. The opportunity to learn with others—or on your own—from a professional, seasoned printer will help you decide where your interests and skills lie.
Consider your goals before registering for a workshop. Are you a letterpress enthusiast who wants to get your hands inky, or are you planning on going into print production? The letterpress community includes, fine artists, printmakers, bookbinders, graphic designers, stationery designers, wholesalers, retailers, and commercial shops focusing large production work. Thinking about what kind of printer you want to be will help you decide what kind of class to take; on the other hand, there is no such thing as too much knowledge, so if it’s possible for you to take as many classes on letterpress and the allied trades as you can, it will not be time wasted.
Contributors
Beth Dekker Dekker, Core contributor