Intaglio Within Reach

My interest in printmaking is starting to blossom thanks to two young designers in Cologne, Germany. Martin Schneider and Dominik Schmitz, founders of the Open Press Project, recognized that certain types of printmaking are largely inaccessible to the average person because the presses are typically large and expensive. So, they developed schematics for producing presses using common 3-D printer technology available at schools, libraries and maker-spaces. No printer? No problem! You can purchase a press directly from their website. They also sell starter kits that include the necessary supplies to generate your first edition.

What can you make? All sorts of things. These presses are perfect for intaglio prints, relief prints, blind embossing, monotypes and dry point prints. Plus the presses are small and easy to set up, so you can take them just about anywhere. I encourage you to look at all of the amazing prints submitted to their international print exchange.

I purchased a pre-made, postcard-size press directly from OPP and I am very impressed with the quality of the product and my initial test results. The shipping may take some time, but it was well worth the wait. I look forward to sharing some of my prints soon.