Using Polymer Plates – Letterpress Workshop NEW! In-Studio Class May 3
Using Polymer Plates - Letterpress Workshop NEW! In-Studio Class
Saturday, May 3, 10:30-4pm
Instructor: Carolyn Sweeney
Limit: 6 students. All participants must be 15 years or older.
Class Details
If you’ve already taken a class from printing guru Carolyn Sweeney and would like to go beyond the basics, her newest letterpress class is just the ticket. There’s no typesetting – that is, no composing words from individual letters of metal type. No typesetting means more time at the press which means more time to develop your actual printing skills. Instead of the traditional metal type, you’ll be working with polymer plates. Using them provides more options, such as printing in multiple colors or combining text with an illustration. Carolyn developed this class as an introduction to how to work with them.
So, what is a photo-polymer plate? It’s a plastic plate created from a digital file containing a line drawing or text converted to a digital image through a photographic process. Carolyn has quite a collection of them! Before class, you’ll receive the printed images of a representative selection of her plates. Choose the ones you’d like to use. In class, you’ll learn how to set up and use the plates for printing. Carolyn also introduces the concept of registration and how to work with two colors. It’s a fascinating process. Check out some of the work she’s created with polymer plates at Black Dog Press.
If you find you really enjoy working with polymer plates and want to continue, book some private studio time with Carolyn. She loves supporting all things letterpress!
The class is held at the instructor’s studio near Chautauqua in Boulder. The address will be sent in a pre-class email.
An email will be sent to participants the Monday before the class. Classes with homework may receive pre-class info earlier. No email? Double check the email address you entered when you registered and your SPAM folder. Due to SPAM filters and inbox settings, we cannot guarantee you will see, read, or open these emails. Two Hands Paperie assumes no responsibility for non-attendance of a class. Contact twohandsclasses@gmail.com with any class questions and see our Class Policies page for more information.
Class Materials
Please bring the following materials:
- Printing clothes/apron
- Bag lunch and water bottle for the short lunch break
Class materials:
- All printing materials provided
Class Refund/Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made up to 14 days prior to the first class meeting will be refunded or, at the participant's option, used to pay for another class. Two Hands Paperie will retain a $10 processing fee for EACH class cancelled by a participant. After 14 days, there is no refund or credit. In addition, the fee for a class cancelled within this 14-day timeframe by a participant cannot be transferred to pay for another class. These policies are to ensure that teachers are compensated for their investment in materials and in time spent preparing for the class. We reserve the right to cancel a class if fewer than 3 students enroll 48 hours prior to the scheduled class time. If for any reason Two Hands Paperie cancels a class, students will be called at the phone number on file and refunded the FULL class fee.
Instructor Bio
Carolyn Sweeney is the owner, designer, and print artist behind Black Dog Press, a local letterpress printing company. With an educational background in Fine Arts and Architecture, Carolyn finds pleasure in tiny and exacting creative endeavors, such as setting type to use in a 100-year-old letter press machine or creating miniature worlds in old candy tins. Check out http://www.blackdogpressonline.com.