Online Letterpress Courses

Print With
Intention and
Craft

Discover the meditative world of letterpress printing through structured online courses. From typesetting fundamentals to finished art prints — no design certification required.

Skill Level All Welcome
Format 100% Online
Location Cincinnati, OH
Letterpress printing studio with vintage type cases and a Vandercook press

Handcrafted printing rooted in tradition

What We Offer

Where Digital Designers
Reconnect With the Press

Something shifts when you set type by hand. The weight of a lead slug, the resistance of the chase lock, the smell of ink meeting cotton paper — these sensory details are absent from screen-based work. Our online courses bring that world to you through detailed video instruction, curated tool guides, and project-based learning that produces real printed pieces.

You do not need a graphic design degree to participate. You need curiosity, patience, and a willingness to slow down and engage with a process that rewards careful attention.

Discover Our Approach
Wooden type cases with organized metal and wood letterpress type sorted by font and size
Course Topics

What You Will Learn

Each course module focuses on a distinct skill within the letterpress process. Together they form a complete foundation for analog print practice.

Typesetting Fundamentals

Understand how type is selected, composed, and locked into the press chase. Covers metal type, wood type, and photopolymer plates with spacing techniques that translate classical principles into physical practice.

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Ink Mixing & Color

Mixing letterpress inks is part science, part instinct. This module covers oil-based and rubber-based inks, pantone-style mixing, transparency modifiers, and how paper surface interacts with color deposit.

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Press Operation

From tabletop platen presses to Vandercook proof presses, this module walks through setup, impression adjustment, makeready, and safe operation. Video demonstrations break down each mechanical step clearly.

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Paper Selection

Cotton rag, dampened sheets, coated vs. uncoated — paper selection determines whether a print feels luxurious or flat. This module teaches how to evaluate paper properties and match them to your project goals.

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Print Design Principles

Designing for letterpress requires a different mindset than screen design. Explore grid systems, type-only compositions, and how to prepare artwork for photopolymer plate production.

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Project-Based Output

Every course module culminates in a printed piece. Greeting cards, art prints, bookplates, and broadsides are among the project types. Students build a physical portfolio alongside their technical knowledge.

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The Learning Path

From Enrollment to Finished Print

01

Choose Your Workshop

Browse available courses by topic or skill level. Each workshop page describes duration, materials needed, and what you will produce by the end.

02

Gather Your Materials

Each course includes a curated materials list with sourcing recommendations. Many students start with a basic Adana or tabletop platen press and a small type set.

03

Work Through Video Lessons

Lessons are structured in short segments so you can pause and practice between steps. Captions and transcripts are included for all video content.

04

Print Your First Piece

The final module of each course guides you through producing a finished, tangible printed piece to keep, share, or add to your growing portfolio.

Close-up of letterpress ink being mixed on a glass inking slab with a palette knife, showing rich terracotta and deep navy pigments
Stack of handcrafted letterpress greeting cards on cotton paper with deep impression showing holiday designs in forest green ink
Hands setting individual metal type characters into a composing stick, focused on the careful placement of lead type slugs

Ready to Work With Your Hands?

Explore available workshops or reach out with questions. There is no prerequisite knowledge required — just a genuine interest in the craft of letterpress printing.