San Francisco Center for the Book

There are 1000s of papers to choose from... How to know what to look for and what challenges await?

An excellent companion class to Secrets of Inking for Letterpress and Paper Cutting for Production, we will discuss paper attributes: surface texture, grain direction, differences between commercial and handmade papers, why and when to print on damp paper vs. dry.

We will print on six very different kinds of paper, examine the results and discuss the pros and cons of paper selection for various projects.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to bring:
All tools and materials will be provided.

About the Instructor:
Alan Hillesheim (he/him) has been wrenching around printing presses for 35 years. Printing presses need to be moved, oiled, inked, cleaned, and maintained, in short they need attention like a six year old. Maintenance is a dirty business, but a necessary one for beautifully printed anything. Alan has a passion for the mechanics of the print studio and enjoys encouraging others to roll up their sleeves and grab a wrench. His 35 years in the letterpress business and “all-ten-fingers” count speak for themselves. Join him and wear old clothes.

Oh, and once the press is in fine order, Alan has a few secrets to divulge about perfect inking and stellar printing.