FAQs
What types of printmaking do you offer?
Print St. Pete primarily offers Letterpress and Risograph printing, though we do occasionally work with other artists to offer workshops in other mediums such as linocut, bookbinding, calligraphy, and more.
Do you offer studio access?
Yes, for those who have taken a workshop or have comparable experience, we offer studio access at a rate of $20/hour (plus additional supply costs, and bring your own paper). Studio access is currently by appointment.
What is Letterpress?
Letterpress is a relief printmaking process where a raised surface, such as metal type or wood blocks, is inked and pressed into paper
What Letterpress equipment do you have?
Our studio is currently equipped with antique printing presses including a Challenge SP-15 flatbed proof press, a Chandler & Price Pilot tabletop platen press, a Craftsman Superior tabletop platen press, a Chandler & Price galley proof press, and a Line-O-Scribe mini proof press by the Morgan Sign Machine Co.
We also have an extensive collection of metal & wood type including Spartan, Garamond, Swing, Bodoni, Lydian, Neuland, and a variety of Gothic, as well as hundreds of image cuts & decorative flourishes.
In addition, we have various sizes of bases for printing with photopolymer plates. For more info about photopolymer & to order plates, visit Boxcar Press.
We usually stock standard base colors in both Van Son rubber based ink and oil based from Southern Inks. Ink colors are mixed by hand to match Pantone within a 15% range.
Our shop also has a 15” tabletop Kutrimmer paper cutter, and a Vevor stack cutter, as well as paper sample books, type specimen sheets, and a small resource library of Letterpress and Typography books.
Do you offer custom Letterpress printing?
We are currently limiting our custom print work to occasional projects with artists, local businesses, and community organizations that interest and excite us. For commercial letterpress printing in Tampa Bay, check out A&P Design Co., Mon Petit Paper Co., and Humanity Letterpress.
What is Risograph?
RISO is kind of a hybrid between screenprinting and a xerox machine. It is a color separated process, meaning each color is printed separately one at a time, but unlike screenprinting, we can only print on paper (ie. no t-shirts!). However, unlike screenprinting, Risograph is a lot faster and requires no clean-up, so it allows you to be a little bit more experimental.
How much does it cost?
We are unable to create estimates on the spot in person, since each project is unique. To provide an accurate estimate, we need to sit down with all the project specifications (paper, quantity, number of ink colors, number of stencils, etc). If you would like an estimate for a project, please submit an estimate request.
What is your print minimum for custom orders?
We usually recommend RISO editions between 50 - 250. However, in some cases, we are able to do a minimum of 25.
What if I only want one print?
Regardless of how many copies you make, it takes the same amount of work for the initial set-up and the same amount of supplies (masters). Risograph printing becomes economical when you’re making many copies, because it’s easy to make as many as you want from a single master. While material costs are relatively low, there is additional time spent on file setup and several hours to print, so estimates include a Studio Fee of $100. This fee is reduced in instances when the client provides print-ready files.
When needing a single print, we recommend inkjet printing, rather than printmaking processes designed for multiples like risograph, letterpress, or screenprinting in which one-offs become costly. While fine art printmaking, like block printing, might have small editions (3-25), most RISO editions start at 50. However, in some cases, we are able to do a minimum of 25.
But I thought Risograph printing was cheap?
We’re not a fan of the word “cheap” as we take great care in the work we produce. Cost-effective is a better term, as the cost per print decreases the more copies you make. However, keep in mind the cost of materials and labor can increase with higher quantities. Also remember that when you print with a local print shop you’re supporting a small, independent business that has to cover costs of the materials, rent, maintenance, studio, and time.
What is the largest size you can print?
10.5" x 16.5" on 11"x17" paper
What is your average turnaround time for custom work?
Our average turnaround time is 2-4 weeks, but varies depending on our current schedule and the complexity of your project. When requesting an estimate, please be sure to let us know of any firm deadlines you have, and we will let you know if we can accommodate your request.
Is Risograph printing archival?
The short answer, no, due to the nature of the soy-based ink. However, RISO prints hold up nicely inside books where they are unexposed to direct light. In direct sunlight, ink fades or discolors over time, so we recommend framing prints with a UV protective glass or plexi, or keeping them out of direct sunlight.
What kind of ink do RISO printers use?
Risograph ink is more environmentally friendly than many other printmaking inks, as it uses soy oil, water, and pigment. The ink is reminiscent of newspaper ink, and smudges fairly easily. In addition to smudging easily, RISO machines struggle to print large flat areas of solid ink consistently. Usually there will be some slight variations, which can include pinholes and flooding. In addition, multi-color prints with heavy areas of ink may have tire marks from the paper feeder rollers, though we do our best to avoid/clean up these marks on the top page margin.
What paper can you print on?
Due to the nature of the ink, we can only print on uncoated paper. Our duplicator accepts newsprint through 80lb cardstock. We recommend vellum or smooth papers. Cardstocks 100lb or more frequently jam or do not feed, and attempting to print on thick stock significantly increases the misregistration, misalignment, and skew between color layers.
What colors can I print?
Our shop currently has 7 RISO ink colors: bright red, fluorescent orange, yellow, green, federal blue, orchid, and black. Since each sheet has to go through the machine for each color layer, which results in misregistration, we usually recommend artists use a max of 4 colors. Keep in mind, the magical thing about RISO inks are the overlapping and color blending to make new shades.
Can you print full bleed?
RISO duplicators do not print full bleed. If you’d like a full bleed design, you will need to print on a larger sheet, including crop marks and bleed, and trim down to size post printing.
Does the RISO print double-sided?
Yes, but keep in mind that due to the nature of the process, it is likely that both sides will not line up perfectly on every print. We also recommend avoiding heavy ink coverage when printing double-sided, as there is always minor ink transfer that occurs when feeding the sheets back into the machine to print the other side.
I want my own RISO. What Riso machine should I buy? How expensive are the machines?
RISO printers start at around $2,000, and for every ink color you want to print you’ll need a drum (about $1,000 each), plus the tube of ink ($40-$65). A master roll (stencils) is around $80. The machines need to be used regularly or else the drums start to dry up, and they frequently break down and require maintenance. Repair can be technical, tedious, and expensive, especially if replacing parts is required. Our local technician charges $125/hour plus parts. That’s why we recommend that anyone who is interested in Risograph printing should work with their existing community print shops.
Are you hiring?
Transparency time! While we would love to be able to hire lovely, enthusiastic, print-loving folks, nearly every cent that is made through Print St. Pete goes back into the studio to cover rent, bills, supplies, equipment maintenance, and other operating expenses. If you would like to get involved, we may be able to offer work trade in exchange for studio access for those who can provide website development, social media engagement, product photography, and/or assistance with basic shop tasks (redistributing type, cleaning/organizing, trimming paper, etc.). Contact Kaitlin at info@printstpete.org.
What are your hours / can I visit the shop?
Our studio is currently open to the public by appointment only, usually evenings and weekends when we are not at our other day-job.
Do you rent your space for private workshops, print parties, or team building sessions?
Absolutely! We’re open to discussing your ideas for small group events (2-15 people). Contact Kaitlin at info@printstpete.org.