Workshops

A Newark Arts Alliance workshop
Creative letterpress / Holiday Cards
no prerequisite

Wednesday, October 26, November 2 or 9, and 16
6:00 to 9:00 pm
$82 for NAA members / $90 non-members.
     Includes 25 card/envelope sets
     Additional sets $10
3 participants minimum / 6 maximum

We've been wanting to connect with the Newark Arts Alliance for a while, so when their call for Fall 2011 classes went out, we jumped at the opportunity. This Lead Graffiti letterpress workshop is being offered through the Newark Arts Alliance. Registration and payment is handled through them. The workshop takes place at the Lead Graffiti studio (120A Sandy Drive, Newark, DE 19713 / Sandy Brae Industrial Park) and there is plenty of free parking.

Begin the first session with an introduction to Lead Graffiti and letterpress printing and then arranging antique wood and metal type to create your own keepsake holiday card design. Also compose your message and return address for envelopes. At the second session, print your cards (up to two colors) and envelopes (one color). For the third session cards will be trimmed, scored and folded ready for sending holiday cheer to friends and family. Everyone meets on the first class. Half of the students will meet the second class and half will meet the third class to print their cards. All will meet the fourth class to print envelopes and score and fold their cards. Great class for older child to take with an adult. This is a great opportunity to work in a very nice studio environment with highly skilled letterpress printers right in your own backyard. We've printed via letterpress for the Metropolitan Opera, the Sundance Film Festival, the Art Directors Club of New York, Columbia University, Sprout television network, and dozens of others.

For this letterpress workshop, we will design spontaneously by simply pulling type and images from our collection without resorting to sketches and much, if any, planning. You'll be surprised at how nicely things can happen by accident. The cards shown below were all done that way.

The workshop does not require any previous experience. All necessary materials will be supplied. Dress comfortably in work clothing for the weather and definitely wear comfortable shoes. Completion of this workshop does not satisfy the prerequisite of technical workshops required for Lead Graffiti press rentals.

Workshop calendar

 

Below are a few cards that have been done in other Lead Graffiti workshops or by Lead Graffiti that fit into the rather spontaneous design process used this workshop. The upper left and lower right use copperplates from our collection and the others are done using wood or metal type. Click on the image to see more detail. The Annika card was produced by a creative 7-year old.