Screen-printed Gig Posters (2day)

Join WYPW member Mike Ainsworth aka ‘North or Nowt’ for a creative two-day workshop exploring the niche art world of screen-printed gig posters. 

Working from your own ideas, you’ll be guided through the complete paper screen printing process covering screen preparation, designing for screen print and of course, how to turn your creative idea into a multiple colour, multi layered screen print. 

Alongside demonstrations and group exercises, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your own 2–3 colour A3 screen printed gig poster, preparing your artwork and screens with support before printing a small edition to take home. 

Although screen print is Ideal for making posters and prints, it can also be used for making marketing/promotional materials, greeting cards, zines and artist prints too, and this workshop will give you the knowledge to consider applying this process across multiple outcomes in the future. 

Who is it for?:

This session is suitable for all levels of experience and knowledge. Whether you have some experience with screen print or are a screen print beginner. This workshop will give you chance to get that creative idea you have out of your head, off your computer and onto some paper as a fully realised screen print design.  

You might be a musician yourself wanting promote your upcoming gig, a superfan wanting to commemorate your first gig or that band that changed your world, it might be a gig that could only happen in your imagination (what would Wu Tang Clan and Fugazi be like sharing a stage??) Whatever it is, we will be discussing and considering all things music and print and everything in between, with plenty of examples, tips and tricks to help us all along the way. 

What will the session cover?

Over the two days, you’ll learn the key stages of the paper screen printing process, including: 

• Developing artwork for screen printing using digital, photographic and collage-based approaches. 
• Creating photographic positives and separating artwork into layers for multi-colour printing. 
• Alternative approaches to image-making where specialist software or equipment isn’t available. 
• Reclaiming, preparing, coating and exposing screens. 
• Preparing and mixing inks, including simple techniques for developing colour and enhancing the impact of your prints. 
• Setting up and using specialist screen printing equipment, including vacuum beds. 
• Registering and printing multiple layers to create a 2–3 colour image. 
• Designing and producing a screen printed gig poster, up to A3 in size. 
• Producing a small edition of your own poster. 
• Exploring experimental approaches to screen printing and ways of creating more individual, one-off results. 

The workshop will begin with group demonstrations and an example print, giving you an overview of the process before you develop and print your own work with individual support. 

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a thorough understanding of the screen-printing process, greater confidence using specialist equipment, and a small edition of your own gig posters to take home. 

What to prepare in advance and bring along:

As the workshop includes developing your own gig poster design, please come with an idea for what you would like to print. This could be a real or imaginary gig, a particular band or artist, or simply a musical idea you’d like to explore visually. You don’t need to have resolved your artwork in advance. 

Think about the content of your poster and you’re welcome to bring: 

• Draft artwork, mock-ups, drawings and sketches. 
• Photographs or other imagery you’d like to work with, preferably in both digital and hard-copy form. 
• Collage materials and other visual references. 
• Ideas for colour combinations or palettes. 
• A laptop with access to Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity or other image-editing software, if you have one and feel comfortable using it. 

We’ll develop and adapt your ideas together during the workshop, so don’t worry if your starting point is still fairly rough. 

All specialist materials and equipment are provided, including paper, inks, screen-making materials, image-making materials and sundries. Tea, coffee and aprons are also provided.

Pace and Accessibility:

This workshop is designed to be relaxed, supportive and accessible, with a maximum of six participants to ensure everyone receives individual guidance. You’ll be guided through each stage of the process step by step, with regular breaks throughout the two days.

You’ll be working across our screen printing studio and gallery space, both of which have level access, with an accessible toilet available.

If you have any additional access or support needs, please get in touch before the workshop so we can do our best to accommodate them.

Your tutor: Mike Ainsworth

Mike Ainsworth is a printer, graphic designer, illustrator and print educator based in Leeds working under the name North or Nowt. Mike specialises in designing and creating screen printed gig posters and merchandise and has previously worked with artists like Protomartyr, Gorilla Biscuits, Sunn O))), Shonen Knife, Admiral Fallow and Laura Jane Grace amongst many others. Mike has worked as a graphic designer for clients such as Vantage Books and M.W.Craven, as well as having 10 years’ experience in working as a print educator in higher education and as an industrial printer. Although North or Nowt predominantly specialize in design and print for screen print, RISO and letterpress, Mike is knowledgeable across a broad range of other print processes such as lino print, drypoint, etching and monoprint. Mike is a member of Letterpress workers (LPW) and contributor and attendee at the Letterpress Workers Summit in Milan, Italy. Mike also works for People Powered Press (Saltaire) and Thin Ice Press (York) as a printmaker and technician.

www.northornowt.com

What can I do after I’ve learnt the basic process?

After attending this course you’ll be able to sign up as a workshop member; enjoying all the great benefits of being part of our WYPW creative community alongside the ability to get printing! You can find out more about becoming a Member and signing up via our members website or by asking one of our team. You’ll need to attend a technical induction (free of charge following a course, usual cost £25) which will provide you with the knowledge to confidently and safely work independently in the workshop.

Cancellation Policy:

• If you have to cancel:

If you are unable to attend your booked course, we may accept the fee paid as payment towards a place on the same or another course that takes place within the same financial year (running 1 April-31 March) following the originally booked event. Such a transfer will be on condition that we are informed in writing of your intentions four weeks prior to the originally booked event. Bookings can only be transferred once. If you are unable to attend, and not in a position either to transfer to another event, then the following charges will apply: Cancellation charges

• 16-12 weeks before the course: 50 % of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Less than 12 weeks before the course: 100% of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Please note that full payment is required for non-attendance on a booking that has been transferred.

If you have any further questions about our cancellation policy, please contact us on info@wypw.org

• If we have to cancel:

West Yorkshire Print Workshop reserves the right to cancel or re-arrange courses if there are insufficient participants enrolled to run a viable course or for other unforeseen circumstances. We will do our best to give those who have already enrolled at least one weeks’ notice of cancellation. In such circumstances you will be offered a free transfer to another course date or a full refund of fees paid. By enrolling in our courses, participants agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined above. 

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