A Beginners Guide to Letterpress

Always wanted to try letterpress? Then this is the ideal course for you. Over 4 mornings you will be introduced to the wonders of moveable type and the magic of printing your own typeset words. Alan will share his experience and knowledge as a retired compositor to show you ‘the lay of the case’, how to set type in a composing stick, locking up your type in a chase, inking and printing. Starting with just a few words setting a business card or calling card, over the following sessions you will move on to set and print some words of your choice guided by the inimitable Alan. By week 4 you will be shown the bigger wooden type and create some larger prints/posters.

price £155 / £135*
date 02 Oct, 2025 - 23 Oct, 2025
times 09.30 - 12.30
duration 4 Thursday Mornings

Alan will share his experience and knowledge as a retired compositor to show you ‘the lay of the case’, how to set type in a composing stick, locking up your type in a chase, inking and printing. Starting with just a few words setting a business card or calling card, over the following sessions you will move on to set and print some words of your choice guided by the inimitable Alan. By week 4 you will be shown the bigger wooden type and create some larger prints/posters.

To book your place on this or any of our other workshops the easiest way is to call the workshop on 0161 743 3111 and we can take your card payment over the phone. Alternatively, drop us an email to andy@hotbedpress.org with your name and contact number and we can call you.

If you would prefer to play by bank transfer, send an email to andy@hotbedpress.org and we will send you the bank details. Please remember to add the email to your safe senders list as we sometimes get filtered into spam or junk.

Hope to see you on a course with us soon!

Course tutor

Alan Hartley

how to join

In order to book please enquire about availablility for the desired course. Please send an email or give a ring stating the required course and date.

0161 743 3111
info@hotbedpress.org

Enquire about a course

faq's

We are happy to answer any questions on the phone but here are some commonly asked questions and answers below.

Do I need to be experienced to come on a course?

No experience necessary! Some courses are specifically designed for beginners; such as Introduction to Screenprint, Print or Letterpress, Painterly Screen-printing or The Art of Etching. Other courses such as Mokuhanga, Screen-printing with Natural Dyes or Photopolymer Printing are more tailored to those with some previous experience. However, if in doubt phone us to discuss.

How do I book a place on a course?

The best way to book a place is to phone us on 0161 743 3111. Our courses book up so quickly that we can be answering the phone all day whilst e-mails may take more time to get through every enquiry and still need us to phone or e-mail you back. We are a friendly bunch and can answer any of your questions when you ring to book.

Do you take a deposit to reserve a place?

No sorry, we are a small team and don't have capacity to have multiple systems in place. We only confirm bookings on full receipt of payment

What materials do I need to bring?

Nothing! We provide all materials for courses. All we need you to bring is some inspiration and clothes you don't mind getting ink on. (In Winter it is best to dress up warm too.) You will receive an introduction letter letting you know what to prepare, such as drawings, photos, photocopies, collected images, and what size you can expect to work to.

Is food provided?

If you are on a day or weekend course please bring your own food. In our small kitchen we have tea, coffee, milk, and sugar and an urn as well as a microwave. The Co-op and Sainsburys are both nearby and we have the luxury of a couple of cafes nearby now with fancy coffee.

Do you have disabled access?

We are limited in our access, with the workshop situated on the first floor and no lifts. We purchased the building in 2017 with the aim to expand and create a fully accessible facility. Unfortunately our ambitions have been set back by covid and other challenges. We are still trying to get full funding to develop the building further and be fully accessible.

Do you have any teacher training courses?

We have Wednesday evening specific CPD teacher training sessions situated under short courses or please email our education officer on education@hotbedpress.org for the details of our latest courses or to discuss bespoke courses.

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Membership

Come And Join Us

We welcome new members all year round. Anyone can join. You need a little bit of experience; but that can be from doing one of our weekend or evening courses, after which you can carry on and practice what you've learnt on the course. We've got a few types of membership to suit your purse or your time. Just g to our Membership section for more details.

membership