Studio Use

Screenprinting

  • 5 tables with silkscreen hinges
  • 2 movable print stations (hinges attached to boards)
  • Exposure Unit and Light Table: 30"x48"
  • Power Washer

Relief, Intaglio, and Monoprinting

  • Conrad Etching Press: Prints up to 24" wide
  • Blick Etching Press: Prints up to 18" wide

Lithography

  • Parks Lithography Press: Prints up to 24" plate
  • Asphultum, Lithotine, Gum Arabic, Shop Black, Tapem, Talc
  • Touche

Letterpress

  • Line-O-Scribe Proofing Press: Prints up to 12″x18″
  • Pilot Platen Press: Prints up to 5″x8″
  • Pearl Motorized Platen Press: Prints up to 5″x8″ (Currently unavailable)

Offset Printing

  • AB Dick Offset Press: Prints up to 10″x16″

General Tools and Equipment

  • Vertical Ferric Chloride Tank
  • 3 Drying Racks
  • Draw Knife (for cutting copper sheets)
  • Guillotine paper cutter; cuts up to 24″
  • 24" Paper cutter
  • Paper Folding Machine
  • Dremel
  • Jig Saw
  • Apple computer with CS3
  • Scanner
  • Laser printer: Prints 11×17" wide, 600dpi
  • Inkjet printer: Prints 8.5×11" wide, 600dpi
  • Squeegees: Ranging from 6" to 24+"
  • Scoop Coaters: Ranging from 10" to 24+"
  • Paper Soaking Trays
  • Files, clamps, rulers, spatulas
  • Basic carving tools (for wood or linoleum)
  • Warming Tray: for heating etching plates
  • Airbrush: for aquatints

Included Materials

  • Spray Paint: For aquatints
  • Tarleton and cheesecloth
  • Silkscreens: Many on hand. First come, first serve (may not leave Spudnik)
  • Blotters
  • Rollers: variety for relief, 14" synthetic & 10" leather for Litho
  • Cleaners: SoySolv, Simple Green, Mr. Clean, Alcohol
  • Ink Modifiers and basic colors: for litho, etching, relief, silkscreen
  • Liquid ground; hard and soft ball ground
  • Craft Paper and Newsprint
  • Paper Towels
  • Baby Oil
  • Paint brushes
  • Bone folders
  • Sewing Frame
  • Photo Emulsion for screen printing
  • Masking Tape
  • Mylar
  • Eyelet setter and hole punches
  • Heat gun
  • Xyron Machine
  • Scissors
  • Loop

Materials for Purchase

  • Pronto Plates: $3.00
  • Ball Grained Litho Plates, 18×24: $16.00
  • Classic Crest, Stonehenge, & White BFK paper (limited)
  • Rubylith
  • Registration Pins

Materials not provided

  • gloves
  • printing paper
  • specific ink colors, or specialty inks
  • general art supplies use for creating prints, like tracing paper, opaque markers, exacto knives, transfer paper, etc.

Standard Inks On Hand

  • Lithography: Shop Mix Black, Crayon Black, Roll Up Black, Litho Black, Emerald Green, Golden Yellow, Yellow Ochre, White, Dark Brown, Dark Blue, Red
  • Etching: Opaque White, Vine Black, Stiff Black, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Seina
  • Relief: Black, Emerald, Opaque White
  • Perfect Palette (for etching and relief): Ultramarine, Thalo Blue, Cobalt Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Medium, Thalo Green, Viridian Green, Cadmium Yellow, Raw Umber
  • Screen Printing: Process Cyan, Process Magenta, Process Yellow, White, Medium Yellow, Dark Red, Ultra Blue, Dark Blue, Black, Green, Peacock Blue, Violet

Our staple activity is providing accessibility to printmaking facilities to Chicago residents. We aim to provide all artists, including young artists, artists new to printmaking, and artists with financial limitations, the space and environment needed to develop skills and learn new ones.

Orientation
Mondays: 6pm, sharp
Fridays: 12pm, sharp
or by appointment

  • Prior to printing at Spudnik, we ask printers to attend Orientation. We provide a tour, share how our organization works, and ways the studio can be utilized. Following, printers can become authorized for any of the processes and equipment they wish to use (Letterpress and Offset Authorizations require scheduling a lesson). Then they can stay for Open Studio and print!

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual Memberships
Becoming a member of Spudnik Press is a simple way to support our studio. Learn more about memberships.

Open Studio
Mondays & Thursdays: 6:30-11:00pm
Fridays & Saturdays: 12:30-5:00pm
$22 ($15 for Members)
$10 for first ever Open Studio visit

  • Open access at a reduced price
  • Available to all who can print independently
  • Monitor on hand for simple support
  • Reservations not required. Authorized annual members may reserve etching, litho, letterpress, and offset presses.

Member’s Open Studio
2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month, unless otherwise noted
6:30-10:30pm
$15
$5 if not printing or using shared materials
Free for current keyholders

    Program Goals

  • Create a context for members to better know each other
  • Be a forum for dialog or critique about our artwork
  • Motivation ourselves to continually be creating artwork

    • Requirements to Attend

  • Current member
  • Attended orientation and printed at Spudnik within the last 9 months.
  • Has been a monitor, intern, or keyholder in the last 9 months, or is otherwise authorized to use the studio independently
  • No complaints on record for failure to clean, reclaim screens, or other disrespect to the space or peers
  • Commit to hosting the Members Open Studio 2 or more times annually (sign up in person)

    • To seek approval to attend Members Open Studio, contact Angee (angee@spudnikpress.com)

By Appointment
Hourly: $12 ($10 for Members)
4-Hour Block: $40 ($30 for Members)

  • Available to all who can print independently
  • Monitor on hand for simple support
  • Call or e-mail (brandy@spudnikpress.com) for reservations. Some time limitations apply.

Monthly Keyholder
$120 per calendar month
3 consecutive months for $300

  • Allows 24 hour access.
  • Available to members only.
  • Must be comfortable using studio with no monitor.
  • Must first use the studio with monitor. We encourage using 3+ open studio sessions prior to becoming a keyholder
  • E-mail or call with specific questions.
  • Spudnik Press also has 2 private studios, available with a 6 month initial lease. (currently unavailable)

Screenprinting Services
$10-15 Exposing screens (Includes no digital editing)
$5-10 Reclaiming screens

Individual Lessons and Printing Assistance
$25/hour, plus supplies

Unique Projects
Spudnik Press can assist with a variety of projects, including publishing and consignment printing. We have hosted customized workshops, lead tours for students and professionals, organized project-oriented field trips, and collaborated with other organizations with similar goals as ours. Call (312-563-0302) or e-mail Angee (angee@spudnikpress.com ) for more information.