Saturdays, 8/4 and 8/11
9:30am-5:30pm

Learn to print on Kelsey and C&P Pilot tabletop platen presses. Far smaller than a Vandercook, these clamshell-style presses are great for printing cards or small invitations. Unlike Vandercook cylinder presses, they are capable of printing on oddly shaped papers, as well as those of unusual thickness, such as coasters. Topics covered include typesetting, locking up the chase, handling registration, and printing edition work. You will learn how to pack the press, set the paper guides, use photopolymer plates, and clean and maintain the presses. This workshop qualifies you to rent time on SFCB’s tabletop platen presses.

Materials to bring: Please bring 1 or 2 lines of poem or quotation to print.

Materials Fee: $30

Letterpress Core: Tabletop Platen Presses is part of the SFCB Letterpress Certificate Program. To receive the Letterpress Certificate, students must complete Letterpress Printing on a Vandercook Cylinder Press, Photopolymer Platemaking Lab and Advanced Letterpress: Production Printing.

Advantages of participating in the SFCB Letterpress Certificate Program:
• Access to the best letterpress facilities and instructors on the West Coast;
• Collaboration and interaction with other eager letterpress students;
• Knowledge of the essentials of traditional letterpress printing;
• A beautiful letterpress-printed completion certificate;
• Discounts on class registration and studio rental for certificate holders and students enrolled in the certificate program;
• Five hours of free studio rental;
• Opportunity to participate in exhibitions in the Austin/Burch Gallery;
• The satisfaction of knowing how to make to make a darn good letterpress print!