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Long-Distance Letterpress: Photorealistic Printing
Why you should take this class
The world is awash in photography, and yet this ubiquitous and essential imagery format seldom makes its way into modern letterpress printing. For most printers, dealing with continuous-tone images has been frustrating. The need for the traditional halftone screen often produces coarse prints, difficult registration, and color issues. Through trial-and-error over the past ten years, Rebecca Chamlee has developed techniques to make the letterpress printing of four-color images not only possible but successful and beautiful.
What you’ll learn
In this technical workshop, we’ll explore the possibilities of letterpress as a means for producing successful four-color, continuous tone imagery. Rebecca will provide tips and tricks for four-color file prep, and then overprint the resulting photopolymer plates live in class. Join us for another information-packed, online Long-Distance Letterpress class as we explore:
- The history of Rebecca’s intention and process to achieve innovative results
- Choosing and editing, and color separating photographs in Photoshop
- Soft proofing in InDesign
- Preparing files for negative output and photopolymer plate making
- Strategies for the letterpress printing of multiples in tight registration
All participants will receive a copy of the class project via snail mail as a tangible reminder of the experience.
Prerequisites
Participants should have letterpress experience and working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop
Who should take this class?
This workshop is for any printer who would like to learn how to successfully bring continuous tone photography into their letterpress projects.
About the Instructor

Rebecca Chamlee is a self-taught naturalist and book artist who has published letterpress printed, limited-edition fine press and artist’s books under the imprint of Pie In The Sky Press since 1986. Her award-winning work is in prominent special and private collections throughout the U.S. and has been exhibited widely. Rebecca is an associate professor at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles where she teaches bookbinding, letterpress printing and artists’ book classes and heads the Book Arts minor program. She also holds workshops at her studio and book arts centers throughout the country.