Letterpress printing workshops in Herefordshire & Shropshire
Here at the Mostly Flat studio on the Herefordshire & Shropshire borders, in normal times, I run letterpress workshops teaching the fundamentals of traditional letterpress printing to individuals or small groups. Unfortunately, I cannot run any workshops whilst Covid is running amok. Mr Flat is an immunosuppressed kidney transplant patient, and we can't take any risks. If you sign up to my newsletter (at bottom of page) you'll be first to hear when I restart letterpress workshops.
Find other letterpress courses listed on the British Letterpress website (well worth a browse — it's an excellent resource).
Coronavirus has wiped out 90% of my letterpress income. If you'd like to help me stay afloat, you can help by buying something (anything!) from my little shop. Social sharing and messages of support or encouragement work too! Now is a great time to drop me an email if you've been thinking you'd like to get in touch or commission me to print something for you. Thank you so much.
When normal service resumes...
Each course is tailored to suit your needs, whether you're a complete beginner, have printed before, or just got your first press. After a basic grounding in typography and general principles, I'll show you how to hand-set metal and wood type in a composing stick and lock it up into a chase (a metal frame) ready for printing. You'll learn lots of anecdotal stuff along the way, like how to mind your p's and q's!
Choosing from a comprehensive selection of wood and metal type, decorative ornaments and picture blocks, you'll create your own letterpress prints, greetings cards, postcards, coasters, business cards, bookmarks or any small printed thing that takes your fancy. You'll go home with a little pile of letterpress printed goodies (if you want to print heaps & heaps there may be a small extra charge for materials).
You’ll learn how to ink up, operate, clean up and maintain the popular Adana 8x5 tabletop platen press and also have a chance to use a floor-standing treadle platen press or a flatbed proofing press depending on your project.
To get the most out of your day, come prepared with an idea of what you'd like to print. A few lines of text is fine, but no more than a short paragraph. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat; I can let you know whether or not your idea is achievable in a day (and I’m happy to do longer courses if your project is a bit more ambitious). If you're not sure what to print, don’t worry, I can help inspire you!
Workshop dates
Sorry — I'm not currently running workshops.
Information, bookings and cancellations
Letterpress workshops for up to 4 people run from 10.30am to 4.30pm and cost £100 per person including materials. You can book any available date listed above, or if you are booking for at least 3 people you can choose a day and time to suit you.
Private workshops for you and a partner or friend run from 10.30am to 5.30pm and cost £250 including materials. Work on your own individual projects, or collaborate. Perfect for an anniversary, Valentines or 'just because' present, or for printing your own wedding save the dates or invitations (additional materials costs may apply).
One-to-one letterpress workshops (where more ambitious projects are possible) run from 10.30am to 5.30pm and cost £200 including materials. You can book any available date listed above or choose a day and time to suit you.
Email hello@mostlyflat.co.uk with any questions, and sign up to my email list to hear about new dates or cancellations.
Please note: Letterpress workshops are not suitable for people who cannot stand for long periods of time. I can work with children from the age of 8 upwards (and younger children by arrangement), but anyone under 18 will need an accompanying adult. If you’ve got any questions, please get in touch.
Cancellations: If you need to cancel your booking and you give ten or more working days notice, you'll be given a credit note (valid for eighteen months) which can be used as payment for another workshop. Cancellations with less than 10 days notice incur a £20 administration fee. There's no charge if you substitute someone else to take your place, or if your place can be filled by someone on a waiting list. If Mostly Flat has to cancel a workshop, an alternate date or a full refund will be offered.
Testimonials:
"Thank you so much for our workshop yesterday. It was amazing!! You are so patient and your selection of beautiful old wooden type is wonderful. I'm so pleased with my print and DEFINITELY want to come back for another session. I feel there is are whole trays of goodies I didn't even get to look at!!! Thank you Dulcie!"
—Holly, Welshpool
"The one-to-one letterpress workshop was an extremely valuable day in ways both large and small with numerous essential tips gleaned along the way, enabling me to move forward with a lot more confidence with letterpress printing. Good to have the press properly set up too. All in all, Dulcie’s knowledge and enthusiasm were invaluable in clearing the path to a more fulfilling engagement with letterpress."
—Graeme, Hay-on-Wye
"A letterpress course bought for me as a present was certainly not just for Christmas. An excellent day putting my typographic thoughts into practice under Dulcie Fulton’s expert, firm, yet friendly guidance. A great opportunity to enjoy the magic of seeing letterpress printing gently express words on paper."
—David, Worcester
"I absolutely loved being in the workshop surrounded by all the materials and equipment which has been lovingly collected and put to use. Dulcie is a fantastic tutor, full of passion for her art, knowledge, technical advice and importantly she has lots of patience! She really helped me to evolve my initial idea into something that would work technically and visually. A great day and I recommend having a go!"
—Kim, Culmington
"An amazing day from start to finish. Dulcie's studio is an inspiring place to be creative with many beautiful letterpress machines and lots of type to choose from. With her knowledge and expert guidance I got a huge amount out of the day. Like a good book or piece of music, the experience has stayed with me and the more I think back on the day the more inspired I feel, thank you!"
—Hamish, Ludlow
"I was really pleased with what I was able to achieve on my 1 to 1 workshop with Dulcie. She gave me lots of guidance in advance so I could prepare my projects for the day and I was able to try both metal type on 2 different presses and hand inking wooden type. Dulcie is very skilled and gave me lots of expert help! I really enjoyed my workshop, exploring the array of lovely typefaces in her studio and trying different printing techniques."
—Rosie, West Midlands
"I was looking to enrich a developing knowledge and practice of letterpress. My day with Dulcie was a perfect opportunity to see the workings and intricacies of a small and independent studio. A welcoming studio full of working antiquities and a printmaker bursting with knowledge was more than enough to keep me busy for the day!"
—Theo, Leicester
"Dulcie's letterpress course opened the door to a treasure trove of beautiful objects. I felt the hand of printers from a bygone age and a connection to an ancient art. Dulcie will guide you through the process and inspire you with her own beautiful work. The course gave me the impetus to develop my own skills with letterpress and to do my small part to keep this art alive."
—Keri, Knighton
"I had SUCH a fun day with you. Thank you SO much for all your guidance, advice and patience..."
—Rebecca, Ledbury
"Just wanted to say thanks for a great day today. Your enthusiasm and patience was outstanding - a long day but I learnt so much. I don’t think it will be my last letterpressing (is that a word?)."
—Jeanette, Herefordshire
"I approached Dulcie out of the blue looking for a 1:1 workshop at very short notice (24-28 hours). She bent over backwards to make it happen (well in fact she worked late two nights running to clear her schedule). The whole experience was brilliant. She’s a very knowledgeable and passionate teacher, and happily adapted the workshop to my requirements on the fly. We managed to set a short poem, with decoration, and print it on three different presses in a day. I learned everything I wanted and more, and left wanting to continue working with letterpress. Subsequently, she’s proved to be an amazing fount of information on everything from tutors to finding equipment. And all this for £160 – incredible. Go spend a day with Dulcie – you won’t regret it!"
—Chris, Devon
"Thanks for a very informative day.... We covered everything I needed on the day."
—Alun, Swansea
"I thought the whole day was very well planned - you packed in a great deal of information about the printing processes, typefaces, presses etc. in addition to the practical work. For adult learners I think you got it just right - letting us work at our own pace and waiting until we asked for help rather than hovering over us all the time."
—Liz, Ludlow
"I really enjoyed the letterpress workshop. It was a lot of fun to spend the day creatively and leave with such a beautifully finished product. I never appreciated how much went into producing letterpress print, but Dulcie made it interesting and productive. Thanks for such a great day!"
—Julliet, Ludlow