FAQ

What is silkscreen?

Screenprinting is a sophisticated form of stencilling where the stencil is carried on a mesh, these days made of polyester, stretched tightly across a frame. It is an incredibly versatile medium as, using the correct stencil and mesh, it is possible to print on a wide variety of things such as paper, glass, ceramics, textiles or perspex.

What is Letterpress?

Letterpress is relief printing of text and image. It was the normal form of printing text in Europe from its invention, in Mainz, Germany, by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century until the 19th century and remained in wide use for newspapers, books and other forms of the written until the second half of the 20th century.

It is a process that uses a ‘type-high’ printing press and movable type, upon which a reversed, raised surface is inked and then pressed into a sheet of paper to obtain a positive right-reading image. In addition to the direct impression of inked movable type onto paper or another receptive surface, the term Letterpress can also refer to the direct impression of inked printmaking blocks such as photo-etched zinc or copper half-tone plates, linoleum blocks, wood engravings, etc.

What is Photopolmer Printmaking?
Photopolymer gravure (or polymer photogravure) is a modern, low-toxic printmaking technique that turns handpainted or photographically produced images into rich, continuous-tone intaglio prints. It replaces traditional 19th-century copper plates and hazardous acids with light-sensitive polymer-coated metal plates exposed via UV light and developed simply in water.

What is Drypoint Printmaking?
Often mistakenly called etching or engraving because the prints are inked up and printed in a similar way. Drypoint avoids the use of resists and acid etching or the need to learn to use traditional engraving tools and methods. The printed lines and textures are scratched into the surface of a metal or plastic plate with a sharp metal tool and ink is pushed into them, the surface of the plate is then wiped clean. Like an etching they are printed on a roller press into damp paper whch moulds into the lines pulling the ink 
out of them and onto the paper. 
Variants include using Tetrapack cartons 
as the printing plate or adding texture and tone with Carbourundom powder mixed with glue painted onto the surface.

What is Relief Printmaking?

To Relief print is to use different surfaces in order to make your image. It is quite a simple way of printmaking, you roll ink onto the surface of your design and under pressure in a press, the image is impressed onto the paper.

You can cut into lino, wood, engrave perspex, and make collographs ( plates made using a collage of mixed textures)

Opening Times:

What are the studio hours?

We are open Monday to Friday for open access. 
There are classes on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. A one day class on the first Saturday of every month and a two day, weekend class on the last weekend of every month.

Session times for open access are:

10.30am-1.30pm / 2pm-5.30pm. 
evening sessions are usually reserved for classes or keyholders.

Can I buy materials?

Yes , we sell a variety of papers and printmaking sundries, inks and tapes etc.
at competetive prices.