Photo Realistic Letterpress

 Registration is closed for this event

July 15th, 2023 9:30 AM

  • Instructor: Rebecca Chamlee
  • Workshop Type: Printing
  • Workshop Status: Closed
  • Sessions: 4
  • In-person or Online?: In-person

Workshop Fee (includes materials fee): $580
50% scholarship available; click here to apply.


This is a HYBRID workshop: two online sessions followed by two days of in person instruction. Registered students should plan to attend all sessions.


Continuous-tone photographic images are characterized by gradual transitions between shades and colors and have frustrated letterpress printers for decades. The need for the traditional halftone screen often produces coarse prints, difficult registration and color issues. In this technical hybrid online and in-person workshop, we’ll explore the possibilities of letterpress as a means of producing successful four-color process images.

Two weekly live Zoom sessions include discussion and demonstrations on how to achieve successful results; choosing and editing original images, color manipulation in Photoshop, soft proofing and preparing files for photopolymer plates. Individual consultation meetings will also be available. Students will order their photopolymer plates for two original four-color images.

Three weeks later, with plates in hand, we will meet in person for hands-on printing; with demonstrations of techniques and strategies for letterpress printing of multiple plates in tight registration.
 

>> Prerequisite: Students should have letterpress experience with some knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and access to a computer and software to complete the digital file prep. <<

Materials to Bring: 

  • Online sessions: Computer with Adobe Photoshop
  • In Person sessions: Photopolymer plates for two 4-color images

Dates & Times: 

Online sessions over Zoom: Tuesday, June 13 & Wednesday, June 21, 2023 :: 4-6pm Pacific time
Online office hours if needed: Monday, June 26 :: 4-6pm Pacific time
In Person sessions: Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16, 2023 :: 9:30am-5:30pm

In Person Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

NOTE: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class. Registration will close no later than June 10. As of January 2023, masks are strongly encouraged but not required unless otherwise indicated. 
 

About the Instructor | Rebecca Chamlee (she/her)

Rebecca Chamlee is a book artist, printer, writer, and bookbinder who has published thoughtfully designed, letterpress printed, limited-edition fine press, and artist’s books under the imprint of Pie In The Sky Press since 1986. Her work is in prominent special and private collections and has been exhibited widely. As a self-taught naturalist and citizen scientist, Rebecca’s artist’s books examine the intersection of her artistic and scientific interests by collecting and cataloging the natural world. Rebecca is an associate professor at Otis College of Art and Design where she teaches bookbinding, letterpress printing, and artist’s book classes and heads the Book Arts minor program. She also holds online workshops at her studio and in-person classes at book arts centers throughout the country.

Past Student Reviews:

“It was really great to hear about, and see, the evolution of this color printing method developed by Rebecca. She is that rare accomplished artist who is also gifted at explaining her process.”

“She was very good at explaining the file prep to both advanced and less advanced students."

“I learned a lot, not just about the 4-color process, but about the importance of rigorous standards in close registration work.” 

375 Rhode Island St
San Francisco, CA 94103-5133
United States