Thursday 16th January
17:30-19:30

Pick your favourite letter, or your favourite three-letter word (four letter words also possible!) for a lively workshop in three-colour printing with Centre Director, Helen Smith. You will learn some of the basics of typesetting and composition, have fun with design and colour theory, and get hands-on with our Adana printing presses.

You will take away a small batch of your unique printed postcards featuring your favourite initial(s) or an apposite word.

No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Monday 20th January
11:00-13:00

It’s supposed to be the saddest day of the year. But who can be sad with this cut-price weekday workshop. We’ll be thinking sea, sky, blue eyes, cornflowers, dusk and lapis lazuli. Join us to find your bluest words, and use wood and metal type to print the blues away … in shades of blue, of course!

The workshop will be taught by Centre Director, Helen Smith.

No previous experience is necessary and all equipment will be provided. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Saturday 22nd February
11:00-14:00

Design, carve and print your own original repeat pattern taking inspiration from the William Morris wallpaper exhibition at York Art Gallery.

In this workshop, you will learn how to create a seamless pattern design and translate it into a linocut fit for printing! You’ll come away with prints on paper ideal for endpapers, scrapbooking, gift wrapping etc!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

We will provide all equipment, step-by-step instructions and a helping hand. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Saturday 8 February
10:00-16:00

A one-day course for aspiring printers who have, or want to work with, an Adana printing press. In a small group setting you will learn the basics of letterpress printing and how to use and maintain an Adana. You can bring your own press along for servicing and leave the workshop with a restored Adana and the skills needed to establish your home studio.

The course is suitable for beginners and those with some experience who are looking to take their skills to the next level. It is taught at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print, an exceptionally well-equipped printing and printmaking studio in the heart of York. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Monday evenings 18:00-20:30 from 3 February to 10 March 2025.

If you’re looking for an in-depth introduction to letterpress printing, this course is for you. Each week, you’ll work through exercises designed to give you a thorough grounding in fundamental printing skills, a working knowledge of different presses, and an understanding of their strengths and limitations. This course will give you the necessary skills to initiate your own projects, and the confidence to troubleshoot problems when they arise.

The course is suitable for beginners and those with some experience who are looking to take their skills to the next level. It will leave you well equipped to pursue your own projects independently or as a member at Thin Ice Press, following the conclusion of the course. You will take away a portfolio of prints -- a great souvenir of the course, and a handy guide for future printing! The course is taught at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print, an exceptionally well-equipped printing and printmaking studio in the heart of York.

Saturday 18th January
11:00-13:00

Get to grips with the basics of letterpress printing in this introductory workshop. In this two-hour session, you will get the chance to set a line of metal type, see what it means to lock up a forme, and try your hand printing with a tabletop Adana press. All materials will be supplied, and you will go home with copies of your own hand-printed postcard.

The workshop will be taught by Phil Treble of Muttons & Nuts.

No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.