Workshops
Introduction to Letterpress
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. You will go home with copies of your own hand-printed postcards.
Wood Type Posters
Come along to our fun evening workshop to print a one-of-a-kind poster using wood type. During the evening, you'll learn about York's fascinating history of wood type manufacture, as well as the basics of poster printing and design. We'll experiment with colours and hand inking. You'll finish the evening with a unique souvenir and a passion for print.
Japanese Bookbinding
During this three-hour workshop, we'll explore traditional Japanese binding techniques. We’ll provide an introduction to the tools of bookbinding, cover grain direction, and practise different types of visible stitching. You'll leave the workshop with your own unique, hand-bound book using washi-style paper and knowledge of the versatility of Japanese bookbinding.
Type Faces: Free Children's Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print before being let loose with our fantastic collection of wood type, turning typefaces into fun, friendly or fearsome type faces. All children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our morning workshop.
Type Faces: Free Children's Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print before being let loose with our fantastic collection of wood type, turning typefaces into fun, friendly or fearsome type faces. All children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our afternoon workshop.
Anteverbs Workshop
Ever wanted to judge a book as the Romans do? Or to lead a horse to a silver lining? Then this is the workshop for you! To celebrate the launch of our relentlessly silly chapbook, Anteverbs: Cut and Shut Proverbs for Twenty-First Century, we’ll be playing around to learn the basics of letterpress and mash up some snippets of proverbial wisdom. Bring your favourite proverb (any nationality!), and get ready to ink!
Ho Ho Ho: Free Children's Printing Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Learn the basics of relief printing and enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print with a festive twist. This is a hands-on activity, and all children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our morning workshop.
Ho Ho Ho: Free Children's Printing Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Learn the basics of relief printing and enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print with a festive twist. This is a hands-on activity, and all children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our afternoon workshop.
Three-Letter Workshop
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.
(Shades of) Blue Monday
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!
Type Faces: Free Children's Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Participants will learn the basics of relief printing and enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print before being let loose with our fantastic collection of wood type, turning typefaces into fun, friendly or fearsome type faces. This is a hands-on activity, and all children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our afternoon workshop.
Type Faces: Free Children's Workshop
Have fun with wood type in this engaging children's workshop. Participants will learn the basics of relief printing and enjoy an accessible introduction to the history of print before being let loose with our fantastic collection of wood type, turning typefaces into fun, friendly or fearsome type faces. This is a hands-on activity, and all children will go home with a small selection of prints of their own design.
Find out more and book our morning workshop.
Linocut Printing Workshop
Join us on this workshop for an opportunity to carve and print your very own linocut design! We will walk you through each step including coming up with a suitable design, carving your block and printing using one of our presses. You will come away with a set of prints, and your carved linocut block which you can use to make more prints in the future.
This is a lovely, calm creative activity, and an opportunity to socialise in a relaxed setting. Once you've been taught the basics you are free to work at your own pace and make your work as simple or detailed as you wish. The workshop includes all materials required and no previous experience is necessary!
Linocut Printing Workshop
Join us on this workshop for an opportunity to carve and print your very own linocut design! We will walk you through each step including coming up with a suitable design, carving your block and printing using one of our presses. You will come away with a set of prints, and your carved linocut block which you can use to make more prints in the future.
This is a lovely, calm creative activity, and an opportunity to socialise in a relaxed setting. Once you've been taught the basics you are free to work at your own pace and make your work as simple or detailed as you wish. The workshop includes all materials required and no previous experience is necessary!
Letterpress Printing Workshop
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 Centre Director, Helen Smith. No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided.
Bookbinding for Beginners
An introduction to pamphlet binding, without using paste or glue. During this three-hour afternoon workshop, we’ll go from simple three-hole pamphlet sewing in paper covers, to some more advanced decorative sewing patterns in card covers. We’ll cover grain direction, simple binding and finishing techniques, and you’ll come away with several small notebooks in different styles.
The workshop will be taught by Master Printer, Nick Gill. No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided.
Three-Letter Workshop
Pick for your favourite letter, or your favourite three-letter word (four letter words are 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 go away with a small batch of postcards featuring your favourite initial(s) or an apposite word.
No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided.
Long Live Print: Letterpress printing workshops
Enjoy printing a one-of-a-kind poster at a hands-on workshop at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print. Learn about York's fascinating history of print, experiment with colours and hand inking, and operate the beautiful proofing presses. Leave us with a passion for print and your own poster inspired by letterpress printing and its histories in York.
This free event is part of the York Festival of Ideas 2024.
Play, Place and Print: Gaming local histories
Use your power of imagination to bring to life York’s unique role in print history. Our interactive role-playing game session is set in 17th and 18th-century York and features women printers operating in the city.
Come along to get first-hand experience playing (or observing) a narrative-driven game led by researchers from the Universities of York and Edinburgh. The session will show how games help us reimagine, recover and bring to life local histories.
This free event is part of the York Festival of Ideas 2024.
The Culture & Craft Of Wood Type
Get hands-on with wood type to explore organic patterns, textures and inking in this workshop led by McKellier Wood Type. All welcome, all materials provided and no experience is required.
The Culture & Craft Of Wood Type
Get hands-on with wood type to explore organic patterns, textures and inking in this workshop led by McKellier Wood Type. All welcome, all materials provided and no experience is required.