MONTHLY LETTERPRESS STUDIO SUBSCRIPTIONS

This option to use and print via letterpress at Lead Graffiti is a work in progress as we work out the details and how much time and space we can offer.

Lead Graffiti will be open

Monday - Thursday -10:00am - 5:-00pm
Friday - 10:00am - 9:-00pm
Saturday - 10:00am - 5:-00pm
Sunday - closed

ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN the appropriate Lead Graffiti printing workshop or can demonstrate their proficiency can subscribe for monthly press and studio time, essentially turning Lead Graffiti into your letterpress maker space. You must commit to a minimum of 4 consecutive months for any subscription at your original agreed-upon price. You need to be a responsible subscriber, and we need to be an accountable studio. We want this to work for everyone.

$50 per month = 3 hours of press time ($16.67/hour) + 8 hours of studio time
$100 per month = 8 hours of press time ($12.50/hour) + 16 hours of studio time
$200 per month = 20 hours of press time ($10/hour) + 32 hours of studio time
$400 per month = 45 hours of press time ($9/hour) + 64 hours of studio time

Press time includes press preparation (make-ready for printing, actual printing, and press clean-up). Essentially, if you are keeping us from using the press, that counts as press time.

Studio time includes any off-press activity such as pulling and composing type, cutting paper, mixing ink, using other equipment (paper drill, wire binder, perforator, corner rounder, Morgana creaser), careful redistribution of type, making pastepaper, using workshop tables to sew books, using board shears to cut book board for boxes, etc. Use of our library is free.

While we can be flexible, we would not welcome you banking all your press and studio time into a large “print-a-thon,” especially if it focuses on one press, as we will often have our own work to do.

If you're inexperienced, you’ll need to take our Vandercook technical workshop, which we can schedule as soon as possible. If you take it on your own, the 4-hour workshop costs $160 ($40 per hour). We will post the workshop on our Calendar. Each person, up to a total of 4, will reduce the price by $5 per hour, bringing the cost down to as low as $100 per person. We encourage you to find additional people willing to join the workshop.

If you need more work time, the charge is $20 per hour for extra press time and $5 per hour for extra studio time. You can upgrade your subscription at any time. We will increase your monthly payment to cover the remaining time you originally signed up for. You can only increase your subscription until your contract is completed.

We’ll email you a link to pay online about a week before your month ends. We can also accommodate cash or check payments. You must maintain a continuous subscription.

You have access to all associated and supporting equipment (cutter, drying racks, light table, etc.), our library, and our archives of letterpress samples. You must provide your paper, or you can buy it from us if we have it in stock. You are also expected to maintain galley slips while your work is in progress and redistribute all types you use. Presses, brayers, ink knives, etc., must be clean and ready for use by the next person. We will provide a reasonable amount of ink as part of your rental or studio subscription fee.

You must schedule your working time, typically between 9 am and 5 pm, by email, text, or call (302.547.6930). Either Jill or Ray, who live about 10 minutes from the studio, will be present, working on their projects or studio maintenance, and available for advice or help whenever needed.

Click “Calendar” here or at the top of the navigation to see our schedule for days when the presses or studio might be UNAVAILABLE.

Please email us, and let’s start the discussion on your printing projects.