Austin Letterpress Poster Workshop: Hand-Set Typography

Join us in Austin for a hands-on letterpress poster workshop—get creative with hand-set typography! Discover useful botanicals. Learn the basics of balm making. Create something of your own to take home. Step into the world of herbs and botanical making during a relaxed, hands-on evening designed for curious beginners. Botanical Balm Workshop introduces you to the traditional craft of creating simple herbal balms using botanical ingredients, oils, and waxes. No previous herbal or DIY experience is required. Throughout the workshop, we'll explore a selection of commonly used botanicals, how different ingredients contribute to the texture and character of a balm, and the basic process behind infused oils and botanical preparations. Then it’s time to get hands-on. You'll work through the balm-making process step by step — measuring, blending, customizing, and pouring your own botanical balm into a take-home container. What You'll Explore During the evening, we'll cover: An introduction to commonly used botanical ingredients The basics of infused botanical oils Understanding oils, waxes, and other balm ingredients How ingredient ratios affect balm texture Simple methods for creating botanical balms at home Storage and basic care for handmade botanical products Ideas for customizing future batches The emphasis is on keeping everything approachable, practical, and beginner-friendly. Make Your Own Botanical Balm The centerpiece of the evening is the hands-on making session. You'll create your own small-batch botanical balm, selecting from the available workshop ingredients and following a guided process from blending through pouring. Because natural waxes typically need 15–20 minutes to fully set before the container can be closed and taken home, the workshop will use prepared ice trays or cooling fans to help speed up the setting process and keep the take-home portion on schedule by 9:00 PM. At the end of the workshop, your finished balm is yours to take home once it has sufficiently set and the container can be safely closed. What You'll Leave With Depending on your ticket type, participants may receive: Your own handmade botanical balm Guided hands-on workshop experience Printed Botanical Balm Recipe Card Ingredient & Botanical Reference Sheet Basic instructions for recreating a balm at home Access to workshop materials and tools A relaxed evening with other people interested in plants, making, and natural living Who Is This For? This workshop is designed for beginners and curious makers. You may especially enjoy it if you're interested in: Herbs and plants Botanical crafts DIY projects Natural living Gardening Handmade skincare Creative workshops Learning practical new skills You don't need any previous herbalism or balm-making experience. Come curious and ready to make something with your hands. What to Bring All core workshop tools and ingredients required for paid-ticket participants will be provided. We recommend bringing: A notebook A pen Any questions you have about botanical balm making Please wear clothing you don't mind potentially getting a small amount of oil or wax on during the making process. Important Note This workshop focuses on traditional botanical craft and general educational information. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnose medical conditions, or replace professional medical care. Products created during the workshop are intended as personal botanical craft products. Participants should review ingredients for allergies or sensitivities before use. Venue & Parking: Hosted at The Commune (101 E North Loop Blvd, Austin, TX 78751). Free street parking is readily available along E North Loop Blvd and Chesterfield Ave. Please arrive 10 minutes early to check in and enjoy a welcome herbal tea. TIMELINE (4 HOURS: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM CDT) • 1:00 PM – 1:25 PM | Studio Arrival, Tool Orientation & Safety Briefing (25 Mins) Check in at the studio, claim your dedicated type-composing tray, don studio shop aprons, and receive a safety briefing on handling historical lead/wood type, brayers, and mineral wash. • 1:25 PM – 2:00 PM | Typographic Hierarchy, Wordplay & Layout Framing (35 Mins) Draft your poster statement (short phrase or title). Review character spacing (kerning), leading, and typographic scale before pulling letters from type drawers. • 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM | Station Rotation 1: Typesetting & First Press Wave (75 Mins) The room splits into two synchronized working groups: • Station A (Stone Table / Typesetting): Group 1 (Early & Duo tiers) composes type in hand sticks, sets line spacing with lead slugs, and transfers forms to steel galleys. • Station B (Cylinder & Platen Presses): Group 2 (VIP & Standard tiers) locks up their approved forms into the chase, inks the rollers, sets packing gauge, and pulls their first production runs under 1-on-1 printer guidance. • 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM | Refreshment Break & Interim Print Inspection (15 Mins) Step away from the presses. Enjoy cold brew, sparkling water, and snacks while inspecting wet proofs on the drying rack. • 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM | Station Rotation 2: Press Pulling & Form Breakdown (75 Mins) Groups switch stations seamlessly: Station A (Stone Table / Packaging): Group 2 cleans inked type with solvent-safe shop cloths, redistributes type into cases, and preps archival protective interleaving sheets. Station B (Cylinder & Platen Presses): Group 1 locks up their chases, inks rollers, calibrates impression bite, and pulls their individual poster runs. • 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM | VIP Debossing, Tube Packing & Studio Wrap-Up (15 Mins) VIP ticket holders receive hand-stamped blind deboss marks; all attendees roll finished prints into heavy-duty kraft mailing tubes for smudge-free transport. Prompt adjournment at 5:00 PM.