Photo Realistic Letterpress - Feb 18 & 25, Mar 15 & 16 (hybrid,multi-day)

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 workshop, which includes both online and and in-person components, participants will explore the possibilities of letterpress printing as a means of producing successful four-color process images. Two live Zoom sessions (Feb 18 & 25, 6pm-8pm) 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 (Mar 4). Students will order their own photo polymer plates for original four-color images. Two weeks later, with plates in hand, we will meet in person for hands-on printing (March 15 & 16, 9am to 4pm), plus demonstrations of technique and discussions of strategies for letterpress printing of multiple plates in tight registration.

Skill level: Students should have letterpress experience with some knowledge of Adobe PhotoShop.

Host or Publisher The International Printing Museum