The Four-Day Course (Summer School)

Tuesday 12 — Friday 15 July
Tuesday 13 — Friday 16 September

An exhausting four-day course, designed to allow art directors, artists, designers, printmakers & students to work closely with wood letter & metal type, letterpress materials & printing equipment.

The Summer Schools offer its participants a unique opportunity to develop an understanding of typography & design through the use of the traditional materials & processes used in letterpress.

The workshop is typographically driven — you will be introduced to the fundamental procedures of metal type setting & wood letter composition & through a simple series of exercises: begin to explore the possibilities of letterpress techniques & visual ideas; experiment with ink & understand the basics of printmaking paper.

Over the four days you will develop, design & hand-set a series of printed pieces that explore graphic ideas & visual solutions; explore composition, hierarchy, scale & colour; examine the importance of the history of design, typography & printing in the context of the outcome. The history of the book & the poster are examined for a specific ‘unbound’ project.

Workshop Programme

Day One
10:00 — 17:00

1. Workshop introduction
2. Workshop tour
3. Measurement systems
4. Methods & organisation of work
5. Workshop practice with wood letter
6. Creative typographic exercise

Day Two
10:00 — 17:00

1. Designing with letterpress
2. Proofing Type
3. Working with the Galley Press
4. One-day project wood letter brief
5. Designing, setting & printing

Day Three
10:00 — 17:00

1. Three-day project brief
2. Research & design application
3. Workshop practice with metal type
4. Mixing Inks & Colour Theory
5. Designing & hand-setting the project

 

Day Four
10:00 — 17:00

1. Three-day project brief
2. Research & design application
3. Understanding Printmaking papers
4. Printing the project
5. Final discussion & feedback:
(with visiting consultant)

There are a maximum of 5 places in each workshop. This keeps the classes focused & intimate.

Fees

The Summer Schools are £800 per person

PAY HERE
12 — 15 July ‘Early Summer School’

PAY HERE
13 — 16 September ‘Summer School’

Full payment will secure a place
(& is fully refundable*).

*Cancellations must be 5 days before the beginning of the workshop otherwise a heavy penalty of 50% will be retained! This might sound a little brutal & we understand that things can often change but last minute cancellations can effect the other students & the dynamic of the classes.

For any questions & payment details, please email mrsmith@smithsrules.com