Image Making on Letterpress #1: Photopolymer Crash Course

Image Making on Letterpress #1: Photopolymer Crash CourseCourse Code: 25MLP303I This in person workshop takes place at CBA on Saturday and Sunday, June 21st 22nd, from 11AM to 5PM ET. Saturday, June 21, 11: 00am 5: 00pm Sunday, June 22, 11: 00am 5: 00pm Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on June 7th, at 11: 59 pm. This workshop is part one in a three part series which also covers CMYK Photopolymer Printing and Alternative Processes. About the Workshop: This in person workshop is taught by

Course Code: 25MLP303I

This in-person workshop takes place at CBA on Saturday and Sunday, June 21st - 22nd, from 11AM to 5PM ET.

• Saturday, June 21, 11:00am - 5:00pm
• Sunday, June 22, 11:00am - 5:00pm

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on June 7th, at 11:59 pm. This workshop is part one in a three part series which also covers CMYK Photopolymer Printing and Alternative Processes.

About the Workshop:

This in-person workshop is taught by CBA instructor Elizabeth Castaldo.

The letterpress has so many more capabilities than its classic wood and metal type uses. Photopolymer plates are a new school material that brings versatility, convenience, and a wealth of design options to the old school world of letterpress. 

In this workshop, students will learn how to prepare plates from hand-drawn illustrations and/or digital images. Then students will learn how to make plates using CBA’s exposure unit. Finally, the class will set up the press and print! This workshop is designed for individuals with some letterpress experience.

Fun Fact: In the 1980’s printers discovered that light sensitive photopolymer could replace movable type, meaning they were no longer limited to the amount or kind of type they had in their shop.

Required Materials:

• X-Acto Blade
• Pencil & Eraser
• Clothing you do mind getting dirty & close-toed shoes

Optional Materials:

• Access to Photoshop or Illustrator
• Image you want to work with
• Opaque black drawing materials
• Materials to experiment with for making transparencies

All other materials will be provided by CBA at no additional charge to the students. 

About Elizabeth Castaldo

Elizabeth Castaldo is a New York based artist, printmaker, and bookbinder. Working with collage, drawing, and printmaking she creates multi-layered and visually abundant works on paper and artist’s books that explore nature, the divine feminine and interconnectivity. She was a 2024 art-in-ed workspace resident at Women’s Studio Workshop and has completed residencies at Proyecto ‘Ace in Buenos Aires Argentina, Arquetopia in Oaxaca Mexico, the Center for Book Arts, NYC and Printmaker’s Open Forum, Oxford PA. In 2023, her work was included in an illustrated edition of The Awakening by Kate Chopin published by Kasini House and Kolaj. Her work has been exhibited internationally including with Proyecto ‘Ace, Saint-Paul de Mausole at Saint-Rémy, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Empty Set Gallery, Zuckerman Museum of Art, Center for Book Arts, Saint Joseph’s College, and Landing Contemporary. She teaches printmaking and book arts at Parsons School of Design and the Center for Book Arts. Castaldo received her MFA from SCAD Atlanta where she was a Dean’s Fellow in Printmaking and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Her work is held in many private and institutional collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, SCAD, The University of Alberta, Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University and others.

All images courtesy of the instructor.