Printmaking & Typography

The printmaking curriculum at Smith is housed in expansive studio facilities that maintain the practice and relevance of traditional processes while incorporating new approaches and technologies. The printmaking studio in the lower level of Hillyer Hall (HL08) supports etching, relief, stone and plate lithography, and other experimental and interdisciplinary processes. Students use both manual and photographic techniques, and can access additional campus resources, such as laser cutters and CNC routers, to fabricate blocks and plates for printing. Since 1984, the studio has hosted the Smith College Print Workshop.

The typography studio on the second floor of Hillyer (H212) is home to Apiary Press and supports a letterpress workspace with a wide selection of metal and wood type. Students learn both manual and digital typesetting and their roles in the art of the book.

Print media is an ever-expanding field, and our studios and coursework give students many avenues to consider mark-making, color relationships, texture, form, layering, and multiplicity. By making prints, students continue long and complex practices of visual and written communication that include works on paper, installations and distributable public projects.