March Meeting Nº6: Lino printing workshop recap

Photo credit (bottom left): Tanya Roberts

On Sunday, March 23, we braved the frigid Toronto windchill and gathered at Coach House Press for our inaugural lino printing workshop. Myself and Tanya Roberts of Snap + Tumble Letterpress were the hosts for the day, and we were joined by 18 talented folks eager to learn a little bit more about lino printing techniques.

Tanya and I arrived early to prep everyone's supply bags. For $25, all participants received: one 4" x 6" lino tile, one Speedball carving tool, ten 5" x 7" sheets of Somerset paper, and access to brayers, ink and a printing baron.

We offered a brief introduction and demonstration in the bindery, and then participants were free to set up wherever they felt comfortable in Coach House. We had several people continue working in the bindery...

...while others headed up to the Hogarts-esque coffee room upstairs to start carving. We had people of all skill levels – some well versed in carving techniques, and others with zero experience at all. Everyone worked together to make their creations come to life.

Below are some fun process shots taken over the course of the 3 hour workshop.

Tanya and I were extremely grateful for such an amazing turnout, and blown away with the quality and range of work created. Every member of the group was so kind and generous – sharing tools, offering tips, and ever helping with cleanup. We also got to enjoy some amazing baked goods, courtesy of Sharon Hart of Hart Felt Kitchen. Thank you, Sharon!

This workshop could not have been possible without the help of Kevin King, who arranged for us to set up at Coach House. Thanks again, Kevin!

It was a pleasure to make this workshop come to life, and Tanya and I cannot wait to host the next lino printing workshop – hopefully sometime this summer. Please send us an email if you'd like to get on the mailing list, or follow us on social media for updates on upcoming events.

Thanks everyone! Happy carving!

(All photos by Christopher Rouleau unless otherwise stated.)