Printmaking and Book Arts Facilities

The printmaking and book arts facilities at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln occupy the top floor of the Woods Art Building, situated in the heart of the main city campus. The five large rooms feature full length walls of windows, creating exceptionally well-lit and inviting work spaces. The shop includes separate rooms for etching, lithography, letterpress and book arts, with large work tables in each area. Work area for the mediums of screen printing and relief is provided in a central work area, as well as in the large advanced/graduate print studio.

The print and book arts studio is an open laboratory for intense, individual involvement, and is, therefore, open at all hours, with electronic key assess via ID card after 10pm. This system allows for building security, as well as an open studio.

The facilities for lithography include:

• 2 Takach Litho Presses, each 25" x 48"
• 1 Griffin Press 33" x 58"
• 88 litho stones, 15 of which are at least 16" x 22", with the largest stone measuring 24" x 32"
• 1 hydraulic lift for moving stones

The intaglio shop is well lit with large glass palettes and includes:

• 1 Charles Brand etching press 20" x 38"
• 2 American French Tool presses: 26" x 48" and 36" x 60" both with micrometer pressure gages
• 1 Takach etching press 24" x 40” with micrometer pressure gage
• 2 Charles Brand Hot Plates 24" x 36"
• 1 large acid cabinet ventilated by an overhead hood with ferric chloride in vertical tanks
• 1 large tray for Edinburg Etch for use with copper
• 1 aquatint box that can accommodate a full size plate of 24" x 36"

The Book Arts studio includes:

• a selection of lead foundry type
• 2 Vandercook Proof Presses: a Universal 1 and a No. 219. Note: Relief printing on wood, linoleum, metal or polymer type-high plates are possible with these two presses.

In addition, the printmaking studio also has a darkroom, and exposure units enabling photomechanical processing of litho, etching and polymer plates, and photo silkscreens; and the print shop has been furnished with an extensive ventilation system, at the clean-up stations, by the hot plate, drying rack and printing areas.