What the family session covers
This booking is built around safe, accessible printmaking for families. The session can focus on lino or soft-cut blocks, depending on the ages in the group and how much carving feels comfortable for everyone. Adults and older children use gouges and V-tools under close guidance, while younger makers work with softer surfaces, marks, stamps and simpler shapes where needed.
We prepare the studio with carving mats, brayers, water-based block inks, paper, registration guides and clean-up materials. Family groups can print a small edition by hand, compare test pulls, and take home finished sheets that show the same design in different colours or paper choices.
- Suitable for mixed ages, with adapted tasks for younger children
- Choice of lino or soft-cut blocks for the level of the group
- Hand-printing with barens, brayers and studio presses where suitable
- Paper selection that works for quick drying and careful handling
A session flow that works in a busy family group
We start with a short look at the block, the tools and the print plan. Family members sketch simple shapes, names, symbols or motifs that suit the time available. From there, the group moves into carving, proofing, inking and printing, with enough structure to keep the room moving without making it feel rigid.
The process stays practical. One person may carve while another mixes colour, then roles shift so everyone gets time with the brayer and the press or baren. Where a family wants a shared image, we can build one block together. Where everyone wants a separate print, each person can work on a smaller design and still leave with a complete piece.
- Short intro to tools, pressure and safe cutting habits
- Sketching and block planning before carving starts
- Proof print stage to check line weight and spacing
- Final pull on paper once the block is ready
Workshop specs that shape the result
Family groups often arrive with different ages and different levels of patience, so the session spec matters. We keep the block sizes manageable, choose inks that suit the paper and the age group, and set up registration marks where repeating colour layers are part of the plan. If the group wants a bold result, we use strong contrast and broad cut areas. If the aim is detail, we keep the design cleaner and the cutting more controlled.
The papers we use are chosen for proper ink hold and decent handling in the hands of children and adults alike. On larger family sessions, we can print by hand with barens or move to the press for firmer, even pressure. That lets each sheet pick up the image cleanly, even when the group is working at different speeds.
- Block types: lino or soft-cut, matched to the group
- Ink options: water-based for easier clean-up, oil-based for richer handling where suitable
- Printing tools: brayers, barens and studio press equipment
- Edition sizes: small family editions or single final prints
Booking approach and pricing structure
Family Print Session bookings are priced according to group size, venue needs, materials and whether the session happens in our Woodstock studio or off-site at a school, hall or venue. A small family group in the studio has different material needs from a larger mixed-age booking that needs transport, setup and extra supervision. Each quote follows the plan for that session.
If you need beginner-friendly carving blocks, extra paper, multiple colour layers or a venue setup service, those items are worked into the booking brief. The same applies where the group wants a press demo, an edition print finish or a simple take-home activity. The quote reflects the tools, the number of participants and the way the session will run.
- Studio sessions and off-site family bookings are quoted separately
- Materials can include blocks, inks, paper and cleaning supplies
- Optional extras may include venue setup or a press demonstration
- Group size affects supervision, prep and finish requirements
Aftercare for prints taken home
Finished prints need a little care while they dry and settle. We explain how to lay them flat, how to keep the sheets apart with clean paper if needed, and how to avoid smudging before the ink has set. Families also get guidance on storing carved blocks and cleaning tools after the session, especially when children want to keep working at home.
Where a family has made an edition, we show how to label each print so the set stays in order. That can include numbering, signing and keeping a proof aside. If the session used a press, the paper may need a little more time to dry before framing or stacking, depending on the ink and the stock chosen.
- Dry prints flat and keep them away from dust
- Separate finished sheets with clean paper if stacking is needed
- Wipe brayers and tools before ink dries on them
- Store carved blocks in a dry place with the cutting face protected
Key facts
| Session type | Family printmaking workshop |
|---|---|
| Process | Sketching, carving, inking, proofing and printing |
| Materials | Lino or soft-cut blocks, brayers, gouges, V-tools, inks and paper |
| Printing methods | Baren printing and press printing |
| Group fit | Adults, children, mixed-age families and small groups |
| Location | Woodstock, Cape Town studio or off-site venue setup |
