Ilka live for those special print making moments, from revealing designs on the screen when emulsion is washed away to mixing colours good enough to eat. Process is very important to them, there is no better feeling than seeing the journey of an initial idea transform to bold and colourful inks on quality paper.

Coordinator Laura tells us about this environment where she creates her print works. For more information and to get in touch with the studio follow the links below.

While we were setting up we tried out a few different screen printing studios before settling on East End Press. Starting up outright in in the screen printing business is very costly so we thought that if there was a way to print as often as we want and support another printer that would be the way to do it for now.

The studio itself is is an old factory building and the room is bright with big windows framing the east end of the city. There’s a metal drying wrack and every colour ink you can imagine. We keep ours in old jars of all shapes and sizes. We expose our screens behind some big red velvet curtains so it feels like going backstage at a show every time we go in there!

Sharing with Ellie at East End Press is a really good way to see what a fellow screen printer is doing and means we can talk about any issues that come up or problems we have.

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‘Where I Make’ invites readers behind the scenes of artists from many disciplines to share photographs and a little insight about where they create their masterpieces. See more from the series here.

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The four of us that make up OWT creative met whilst studying Design & Art Direction at Manchester School of Art. After seeing how difficult it can be to stay creative after leaving uni and entering work we decided that a project we could work on collaboratively would keep us motivated and working on self set briefs we enjoy.

After setting up the collective we decided to make a zine we could use for self promotion for our new collective and also a tool to show off other designers from the Northwest. This grew into the monthly zine we now work on. Each issue and our blog has a call for entries asking creatives to respond to a theme and then these responses form next months zine. We change the format up when it’s appropriate and profits from the previous issue go straight into the next one. We’ve been working together for about fifteen months and been producing zines for about twelve of those. We’ve also had one exhibition and are busy planning our second one.

We work in a half collaborative, half self initiated fashion where we create our own work separately, but come together for art direction, screen printing and binding of the zine. Time in our studio is split between personal projects and making OWT. It’s a style that works for us and allows us to do our own thing whilst still working towards a common goal and deadlines so we’re all still on the same page.

You can get a copy of OWT zine from Magma, Good Grief and Cornerhouse in Manchester, we’re also available online and in Project Space in Vancouver. We try to go to as many zine fairs as possible, it’s a good way to meet other people working on independent publications and see what the scene is like in other cities.

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We are here to enable anyone to access our printmaking facilities and explore printmaking and it’s realm of creative possibilities. The studio is a busy place with many artists and makers using the studio on a regular basis. We run an extensive education programme which is focused on allowing people to get skills in printmaking so they can access the studio. Classes range from one day taster classes, weekend courses, evening classes, summer schools and masterclasses.

Located near to the city centre, Edinburgh Printmakers’ studio is housed in a large warehouse space with good natural daylight. Adjoining the studio is our gallery and shop retail space.

Our staff team currently comprises 8 staff members, 4 of whom are based in the print studio, assisting and maintaining the open access studio, delivering education courses and working on print projects with invited artists and publishing partners.

We welcome applications for projects and new memberships and we regularly have opportunities for volunteers in both the studio and the gallery.

The printing tables.

The gallery space located upstairs from the studio.

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‘Where I Make’ invites readers behind the scenes of artists from many disciplines to share photographs and a little insight about where they create their masterpieces. See more from the series here.

But I will blog about one more thing from the day, which was the tour around the DCA’s Print Studio.

It proved a fantastic opportunity to check out what facilities they have to offer and what classes too. I never knew you could get workshops in Japanese Woodcut Printing!

The example work they had on display was lovely and really inspired me to consider screen and/or lino printing it up at this studio. I remember dabbling in it in college and naively looking into the prices of owning a screen-printing machine. So, I got the impression that this is a really good environment to develop those skills, amongst talented professionals.

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To find out what Dundee Popup was all about or to read more reviews & blogs  from the day, click here.

Well, if i’ve confirmed one thing today it’s that i’m an idiot!

Firstly, (and not so relevant to this blog) I left my car in a space for two hours and paid only for 20mins – now I have a ticket!

Secondly, I’ve lived or worked within 10 mins of Dundee for nearly 17 years and i’ve never once been to the DCA Print Studio, or it’s predecessor in the east end..!

If you have the slightest interest in print making, regardless of experience, stop reading this and get down there.

Due to contractual obligations, and for the benefit of those who live a little more that 10 mins out of Dundee here’s a breakdown of what we saw this afternoon…

Our guide, (sorry, didn’t catch the name and forgot to ask afterwards) gave us an overview of the many styles of print available at the studio. By far the most popular is Screen printing, but you could also have a try at Etching, Block, Lino and Litho (I may have missed others..?). With materials getting increasingly expensive there are many modern alternatives on offer and many aesthetics can be achieved though different materials.

If you’d like to have a shot you really should just go down there and have a chat. If i’m honest i’ve often thought about trying it out but have felt intimidated by such a specialised environment. I’m glad to say that these fears were complete unfounded and the studio was relaxed and open to enquiries. It’s also incredibly cheap to sign up for either taster, speciality or even ‘one to one’ sessions so you really should just go down and find out what suits you.

If you’d rather find out by more while in the comfort of you own home you could visit the DCA website for details of membership and other fees… but don’t be an idiot.. if you’ve been thinking about it don’t wait nearly 20 years.. just do it!

Oh, and if you go by car put plenty of change in the meter..!

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To find out what Dundee Popup was all about or to read more reviews & blogs  from the day, click here.