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Printmaking Studio

A communal, collaborative space where you can hone your skills.

The printmaking process is set and overseen by practicing artist-printmaker tutors. They bring their expertise and inspiration, their experience and real-life printmaking methodology, and are there to help bring your best creative ideas to fruition. The studio contains a wide range of equipment that are integral to printmaking and can help you greatly in your creative process.

Person preparing paper on a large printing press in a printmaking workshop, with industrial equipment and printmaking materials visible around the workspace.

The Studio

The City Lit printmaking studio is a large multi-purpose teaching space, which accommodates various individual print processes, as well as opportunities for making prints across mediums (such as making mono prints to then add screen printed layers on top). It is resourced with all the basic materials required for any of our printmaking courses and maintained part-time by a print technician.

Main Room

Printmaking studio with a traditional press, work surfaces, and storage shelves, illuminated by natural light from large windows.Printmaking studio with a traditional press, work surfaces, and storage shelves, illuminated by natural light from large windows.

The focus of the room is centred on a large, well-lit tabletop space with seating, big enough for all students to gather round with the tutor, to share conversation, look at work being made and take part in group crits. The table space also provides a good solid surface for making work on alongside the other workstations. The rest of the room is taken up with process-based equipment such as presses.

Secondary Rooms

Glass jars of coloured pigments and inks arranged on a shelf, including labelled containers of slate grey, English red, yellow, green, and black pigments.Glass jars of coloured pigments and inks arranged on a shelf, including labelled containers of slate grey, English red, yellow, green, and black pigments.

In addition to the main space, we have 3 smaller rooms:

  • A washout room for cleaning screens
  • A dry room where the aquatint box can be used safely and heating processes such as smoking plates.
  • An etching room – with an extraction unit for acids, and a cleaning station.

The Equipment

Person operating a traditional printmaking press, turning a large roller handle to transfer an image onto paper.Person operating a traditional printmaking press, turning a large roller handle to transfer an image onto paper.
Collection of inking knives and printmaking tools stored on a wooden wall rack in a printmaking studio.Collection of inking knives and printmaking tools stored on a wooden wall rack in a printmaking studio.
Person carefully lifting a sheet of paper to reveal a freshly printed image in a printmaking workshop.Person carefully lifting a sheet of paper to reveal a freshly printed image in a printmaking workshop.

  • Presses

    • 1 x large standing platen press, used for printing from woodblock or lino.
    • 2 x large roll presses, used for printing etchings, lithographs, dry points, monoprints and collagraphs etc.

  • Tools

    • Etching hand tools plus hotplates for working with etching grounds etc.
    • Large exposure unit with vacuum for screen and photo processes such as cyanotype.
    • Large standing drying rack, and 2 x suspended racks.
    • Hand tools and Dremel cutting tools for wood and lino.
    • Grained zinc plates and related tools, inks, tusche etc. For making lithographs

  • Workspaces

    • Multiple screenprint stations with hinges for individual screens.
    • Individual workspaces for up to 12 students.
    • Large glass area for mixing inks.
    • Large TV presentation screen for looking at artists work etc.
    • 3 x Mac minis, with large monitors and Adobe creative suite plus a printer and scanner.

  • Materials

    • All basic papers, drawing materials and inks supplied – no need to bring your own.
    • Clean dry paper cutting space with tools and storage drawers.
    • All plate, lino, and wood blocks etc. provided to complete a course.
    • T shirts and tote bags for when the course requires these.
    • Digital print acetates and papers.
    • Gloves/ masks/ aprons and cleaning solutions and guidance.
    • Silk screens mostly A3 (some larger) and all photo transfer materials/ bespoke inks etc
    • Large sinks, handwashing soaps and further cleaning equipment.
    • Squeegees, sponges, ink mixers etc. for working with screenprints.

Study Printmaking at City Lit

At City Lit, we offer a wide range of printmaking courses, aimed at catering for your interest whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced artist.