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Classes at The Book Arts Institute

 

2009 CLASSES

 

LETTERPRESS

 

Letterpress Basics

Immerse yourself in the traditional process of letterpress printing in this class. Students will take a brief tour of the Museum to become familiar with the various presses in our collection and then learn hand typesetting with metal type and an image. Basic letterpress printing skills on a Vandercook will be covered. Students will print two small projects. Designed for the beginner as an opportunity to experience the basics of letterpress printing.

Instructor: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Time: January 10 & March 7, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Intermediate Letterpress

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Expand your letterpress techniques, by applying print knowledge in a more complex manner. Collaborative and individual projects will be printed on a Vandercook press. Processes covered include multiple layers/complex registration, hand-set type, photo-polymer plates and if time permits, other techniques. This class will also address problem solving techniques around fine tuning lock up, registration, impression and training your “printer’s eye” in order to achieve beautiful, high quality letterpress printing.

Instructor: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Time: January 24, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Letterpress printing has captivated Madeleine Zygarewicz for over 12 years, cranking presses throughout the country and abroad. She received her BA in Book Arts at Mills College in 2000. Shortly after, she had a residency at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany to print a collaborative artist book, Body of Text. Her work can be found in special collections around the country and has been exhibited internationally. Inspired by the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, she established her imprint Panorama Press, offering a wide survey of printed matter ranging from greeting cards, posters, invitations as well as limited edititon prints and artist books. She is also a letterpress printer at Two Piglets and an art teacher at Oakwood School.

 

 

Letterpress on the Heidelberg Windmill Press

richrosarioSpend a unique weekend learning the ins and outs of printing on a 10 x 15 Heidelberg Windmill Press with Rich Tautenhahn. Beginners and experienced printers will gain valuable knowledge and maintenance skills through this intensive. Sunday's instruction will focus on individualized problem solving and business questions.

Richard Tautenhahn has over forty years of experience as a letterpress printer. He owned his own shop and is currently a letterpress instructor and consultant. Find out more at his website at www.letterpressprinters.com.

Instructor: Richard Tautanhahn
Time: Saturday, January 24, 9:30-3:00
Sunday, Jan. 25, 10am-1pm
Fee: Saturday only: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Full Weekend: $175 for both days plus $25 materials fee = $200 for the entire weekend
Level: Beginners and Owners of Windmills, 18 and up. Class limited to 7 students.

Windmill manual required and are available for purchase.

 

C&P Letterpress - Come & Print Letterpress

gary_cpLearn the letterpress process from setting the type to printing your project. In this class you will learn about setting type using a stick and the California Job case, locking up a form to run on a 10 x 15 Chandler and Price press, and all the important ways of correcting all the mishaps along the way to your final project run. If you are interested in learning the nitty gritty of letterpress operations, this is the class for you. Come and get your hands dirty !

Gary Marc Remson is a current docent, letterpress printer and papermaker. He was a student of Richard J. Hoffman at California State University Los Angeles. Gary’s Buffalo South Press consists of a Vandercook proof press, 12 x 18 C&P, Miehle Vertical V50, Linotype model 31, Ludlow, and handset type and mats for both the Linotype and Ludlow. Gary’s most recent projects at the Museum include assisting Dr. Leland Whitson with the printing of “The Surgeon Factory” book on the 1922 vintage Miehle V-36 press and restoring the Hoffman Hollander beater. Read more about Gary by clicking here.

Instructor: Gary Marc Remson
Time: February 7, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Letterpress Type Slam

It's open studio time at the Museum! Print a poster, small set of cards or other project (Rachelle W. Chuang will contact you). Some letterpress experience recommended but not required.

Instructor: Various
Time: February 21, Come between 10-4
Fee: $75. Paper available for purchase or bring your own.
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 


BOOK ARTS

 

Introduction to the Book Arts

bookartsThis general course will introduce students to the field of Book Arts. Students will make a samples of both sewn and non-sewn book structures and then choose a few to complete into finished pieces. A full case-bound book will be included in this class. Various cover-making approaches will be developed using materials such as decorative or handmade papers, book cloth and paste-papers.

Rachelle Chuang is a fine artist, graphic designer and educator with an MFA in Book Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has taught and exhibited her work on both coasts. Rachelle is the International Printing Museum’s Book Arts Institute Director.

Instructor: Rachelle W. Chuang
Time: January 3 and 10, 9:30-4
Fee: $175 plus $25 materials fee = $200
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Ultimate Book Weekend

Design, print and bind your finished book in a weekend! Printing options include letterpress and printmaking techniques. Other media welcome such as watercolor, pen and ink, calligraphy, collage, etc. If you ever wanted an excuse to get away and make art for a weekend, this is it.

Instructor: Rachelle W. Chuang
Time:Saturday, February 28, 9:30-4 & Sunday, March 1, 9:30-1
Fee: $175 plus $25 materials fee = $200
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Coptic & Exposed-Spine Bookbinding

copticbooksLearn the traditional Coptic stitch and other exposed-spine techniques to bind your own books. You will not regret investing a day in these techniques and you will walk away with 2 or 3 finished books to keep for yourself or give as a gift for the holidays.

Jenny Yoshida was raised in Orange County, and lived for several years in the Bay Area while earning a BA in Fine Art from UC Berkeley. Last spring she graduated from San Diego State University with an MFA in Graphic Design.Jenny interned at Brighton Press in San Diego. Jenny's work is pictured in this postcard below.

Instructor: Jenny Yoshida
Time: March 7, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

Making Clamshell Conservation Boxes

clamshell1In this hands-on class you will learn how to make museum-quality clamshell storage boxes, primarily intended for storing fragile rare books, but also for scientific specimens and ephemera as well. Each student will be provided materials to construct their own example, including detailed instructions on how to measure, cut material, and assemble the finished product.

 

clamshell2Merle R. Bobzien is a local antiquarian book collector, presently the senior cataloguer for Jeff Weber Rare Books in Glendale. Has been making conservation containers for his own collection for nearly 20 years, and provides conservation services to local rare book dealers and institutions.

Instructor: Merle Bobzien
Time: March 21, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

 

Multi-layered Book Structures: The Carousel and Tunnel Book

carousel_bookLearn two artist book forms in one day: the Carousel (or Star) book and the Tunnel book. Both forms lend themselves to creative, layered imagery and text. You’ll be making models of each and choose one to complete into a finished work.

Instructor: Rachelle W. Chuang
Time: March 28, 9:30-4
Fee: $100 plus $25 materials fee = $125
Level: Beginner, 18 and up

 

 


PRINTMAKING

Introducing our 2009 Printmaking Series! Each class meets from 9:30-4:00 on the Saturday listed and open to ages 18 and up. Class tuition is $100 plus $25 lab fee unless otherwise stated.

Special: Take 2 or more classes for $85 each plus $25 lab fee. Come join our growing printmaking community at the Museum. Opportunities for exhibiting prints coming soon.

Printmaking Classes with Daniel Weber

dwprint1Introduction to Intaglio – January 17, 2009
An introductory course to intaglio by using drypoint. Using a sharp object we will scratch the surface of plexi-glass to create an image, which we will then go through the process of intaglio printing to get beautiful line drawing prints.

Introduction to Screenprinting – February 21, 2009
Screenprinting is the act of pushing ink through fabric.  This class introduces screenprinting through the use of simple stencils and block out methods.  We will help you prepare your own screen and print it so you can take home your very own Andy Warhol!

Paper Lithography – March 21, 2009
An introductory class to the process of lithography.  Lithography is based on the unmixability of water and grease, traditionally done on limestone or aluminum plates.  This class shows you a basic lithography method using non-toxic materials to create a beautiful print.

danielweberprintWoodblock Printing  – TBA
An introduction to relief printing through the use of woodblocks.  This class will show you how to carve an image into the woodblock and how to print the woodblock so you will get a masterpiece of your own

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Daniel Weber received his MFA from California State University Fullerton in printmaking.  He has continually worked in the danielweberArt world from museums and galleries to graphic design and art installation.  Daniel is the Gallery Director at California Baptist University, where he also teaches art classes.

 

 

 

Printmaking Classes with Sandy Cvar

Collagraph with Sandy Cvar - January 24 & 31, 2009

Collagraphs are printed collages! How fun is that? The Collagrah class will be taught in two sections. We will create the plate in the first class and print it in the second class. What you will learn in the first class is how to build a relief plate using a variety of methods and materials including tape, fabric, string and mat board. When your design is complete it is coated and must be allowed to dry. The second class will cover different methods to ink up a plate and print it. We can print in relief or intaglio manners. This is a process that allows for limited editions

Two Saturdays, Jan. 24 & Jan. 31, 9:30-1. $100 plus $25 lab fee for both sections.


Monotype with Sandy Cvar – February 28, 2009

Monotype Printing is yet another way to get hooked on printmaking. This workshop explores a process that allows the artist to make a one of a kind print! This is yet another technique that can be done with or without a press. Learn how to create reductive and additive monotypes while using different Monotype drawing tools. We will also cover Ghost Images, stencils and building on earlier prints to create a new image. ** This is a great workshop for those that love to paint and draw.


Linocut– March 28, 2009

fish_linocutAn introduction to printmaking beginning with Linoleum prints. We will explore relief printing and its place in book arts. There will be a demonstration of how to set up an image and some cutting and inking techniques. The students will be allowed to practice cuts before they cut their own block which we will ink up and print.

 

Sandra Cvar is an artist living and working in the Orange County area of Southern California.  Sandra has won numerous awards for her art and received her BFA in Printmaking, cum laude from CSULB.  Her work has been work shown in China, Spain and the USA. Sandy worked with Kimiko Miyoshi recently to revive and print one of the Museum's 100 year old lithograph stones.

 


 

 

 

About the Book Arts Institute

Purpose and Vision:
The Book Arts Institute at the International Printing Museum is a working center for the study and use of traditional and modern printing techniques, exploring the book arts, typography and printing-related arts. The Museum houses one of the nation’s largest collection on historical printing presses and equipment as well as a 7,000-volume library covering all facets of printing history, type design, papermaking and book arts.

The Book Arts Institute offers instruction in the following field of study:
• Traditional and contemporary methods of letterpress printing including printing on platen presses, Vandercook proofing presses, the Heidelberg, hand presses and more. Come experience a class using the Museum's extensive collection of lead and wood type, thousands of cuts, ornaments, borders and additional equipment.
Book Arts - introductory and advanced book structures, traditional bookbinding and artist’s books (highly creative, limited edition books). Book arts classes are held in our bindery equipped with paper cutters, board cutter, gold-foil stamper, multiple antique book presses, sewing stations and more.

Printmaking and Papermaking - etching, drypoint, lithography, linocut, collagraph, monotype, hand papermaking, pulp-painting and sculptural papermaking classes are planned for 2009.

 

Below are images of the Richard Hoffman Hollander beater being restored by Docent and former student Gary Marc Remson, and our debut of the Gail Bamber paper press which she designed and built herself.

Click here to download a PDF of Gary’s restoration of the Hoffman Hollander beater

 

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paperpress

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Family Days are offered on First Saturdays of the month to encourage group visits and hands-on activities at the museum (see Events page on this website).

 

Besides classes, future activities include the continuation of family days, lectures, exhibitions, educational events, artist residencies and the creation of limited-edition pieces for sale to the public and collectors using the Museum collection. Check this website regularly for updates.

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Spotlight

Wendy Emery

wendyemery1

Linoleum Block Printing

Docent Wendy Emery is shown printing T-shirts using linoleum block’s which she had engraved (cut) herself. Photos show Wendy inking the form, placing the linoleum cut and T-shirt in the wooden letterpress; pulling the press, the press open and the talented Docent holding up the finished product.

Demonstrating her artistic ability, Wendy cut the linoleum blocks free hand creating the cute greeting card like subjects.

Wendy has her own letterpress shop and teaches at the University of California, Long Beach. Her hand-printed tee shirts and cards are available for purchase.

The Rammage press pictured below is a rare example from the early 18th century which, as can be seen, is in working order.

 

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Printing Stone #984 by Hand Lithography

stone984When Rachelle Chuang and I saw stone #984 tucked in the back of the Museum warehouse, we knew that it could be revived and printed. The images that were etched on both sides of the stone had been dormant for a century. One side had what appears to be bank notes from the first decade of the 1900s and the other side labels or decals used as certificates of authenticity.

Stone 984 could have originally been printed on a flatbed hand press manufactured in the USA in the mid-nineteenth century. Those presses were used commercially until the 1930s. After the 1930s many hand presses were sold for scrap until schools and individual artists started buying and using them. It was the popularity they had with artists that created the demand for new presses built on the old dimensions and patterns. The Charles Brand Press and The Griffin Press are two examples of that.

With the permission of the International Print Museum I took the stone to Kimiko Miyoshi who is an assistant professor in the Printmaking Department at California State University, Long Beach, on June 27, 2008. She set to work to bring the images back to life. The press we used at the printmaking lab in the CSULB Art department was a Charles Brand from 1966, very likely similar to the original commercial press used.

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A limited edition of prints are available

with a donation to the Museum. Contact bookarts@printmuseum.org for more information. Sandy just finished teaching an outstanding Linocut class to enthusiastic students. Printmaking is off to a great start at the Book Arts Institute! Look for linocut, woodblock, collagraph, paper lithography

and silkscreening classes in 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The International Printing Museum · 315 Torrance Boulevard, Carson, California 90745 · 310/515-7166