During the trip the group was fortunate enough to be involved in a hands-on workshop led by Laureen Mahler and Alexandra Pawlowska. They talked us through the studio's multiple letterpress machines and their process of creating prints, from designing to picking typefaces and the physical construction of the letterpress chases. It was also interesting to learn about the scale that letterpress printing is capable of compared to the facilities available with LCA, and what the possibilities were for larger scale works in both metal and woodblock type.
After an introduction the facilities we were instructed on how to make our own prints from an existing chase, and were taught how to ink the letters and work the machines to produce a print. This provided me with a unique experience in learning the process and techniques of letterpress from a professional studio, as letterpress is something that I was keen to learn more about and incorporate further into my future practice within traditional print. It also created a valuable connection with a studio outside of the UK that could be utilised in the future after graduation.
