Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Check out this video series about different kinds of printmaking from Khan Academy. Which type seems most interesting to you?

Watch videos about printmaking.

Challenge yourself to create five different art projects using different mediums and styles. Painting, sculpture, crochet, collage, etc. Is there a medium you preferred? Why? 

Explore different art mediums.

Find art galleries, art shows, and art museums near you! Take a tour or ask the gallery owner about the art displayed. Pay attention to your favorites--are you drawn to a certain medium or style?

Explore your local art scene.

Watch how modern letterpress practice uses a combination of century-old machines and new technology. Does this look like a skill you would be interested in learning?

Learn more about letterpress.

Printing Press Operators

Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Second Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

First Interest High-Point

Third Interest High-Point

Letterpress Printer/Founder

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Printing Workers

Production Occupations

Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.

Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.

Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.

Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.

Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.

Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.

Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.

Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.

Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.

Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.

Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.

Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.

Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.

Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.

Monitor environmental factors, such as humidity and temperature, that may impact equipment performance and make necessary adjustments.

Download or scan files to be printed, using printing production software.

Adjust digital files to alter print elements, such as fonts, graphics, or color separations.

Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.

Control workflow scheduling or job tracking, using computer database software.

Set up or operate auxiliary equipment, such as cutting, folding, plate-making, drilling, or laminating machines.

Adjustable crescent wrenches

Adjustable wrenches

Air knives

Allen wrenches

Back joggers

Ball peen hammers

Chain hoists

Claw hammers

Collating equipment

Color separation scanners

Conductivity indicators

Cutting equipment

Densitometers

Desktop computers

Digital cameras

Digital copiers

Digital letterpresses

Digital printing presses

Drift punches

Drum scanners

Ear muffs

Ear plugs

Electric lifts

External drum imagesetters

Flat-bed imagesetters

Flexo presses

Flexographic presses

Folding equipment

Gravure presses

Grease dispensing guns

Grease guns

Hand trucks

Handheld magnifiers

Hoists

Infrared dryers

Internal drum imagesetters

Laminating machines

Laminators

Laptop computers

Large format printers

Letter presses

Line gauge rulers

Material conveyors

Materials conveyors

Measuring tapes

Micrometers

Multicolor presses

Numbering machines

Offset presses

Offset printing equipment

Offset printing plate processing equipment

Packing gauges

Pad printing machines

Pallet jacks

Paper cutting machines

Paper drills

Paper folders

Paper joggers

Perforators

Personal computers

pH indicators

pH testers

Phillips head screwdrivers

Photocopying equipment

Photopolymer platemaking equipment

Platemaking equipment

Platen presses

Power paper cutters

Printing densitometers

Printing micrometers

Printing platemakers

Printing spectrophotometers

Printing stackers

Process cameras

Putty knives

Ratchet sets

Ratchets

Roll-fed offset presses

Safety glasses

Screen printing presses

Sheet-fed presses

Sheetfed presses

Shrink wrap machines

Silk screen vacuum printer frames

Slotted screwdrivers

Stackers

Stapling machines

Stitching equipment

Strapping machines

Thermal book binders

Thermal platemaking equipment

Torpedo levels

Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Vise grip pliers

Web presses

Workstation platforms

AABACH Graphic Systems DIGRA

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

Adobe Systems Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3

<p>In Fort Collins, Colorado, Calvin, Tina, and Vanessa stop to have a pint with Jennifer Orgolini, Sustainability Director, and Bryan Simpson, Media Relations Director, of New Belgium Brewing Company. The team then proceeds to Kansas City to interview Greg Carroll, CEO of the American Jazz Museum. Across town, they are also able to connect with Michelle Dreher, printmaker, owner, and operator of Two Tone Press.</p>

Fort Collins - Kansas City

Put yourself in an environment that will help you decide which direction to go in. So if you're not exactly sure, there's always something that is prevalent throughout your life. Just, I can remember being in high school, and my first experience cutting a linoleum block. And in that high school art class we did painting, we did charcoal drawings, but then it's the moment I did that I'm like I really like this. And I remember that moment, and then rediscovering it, like years later in college. And then, connecting the dots. Okay, I remember liking this, and it makes sense here. If you're paying attention, there's always clues to I guess not to be too like spacey, but clues to your path. There's always things that keep coming up if you know what to look for. 

Desire

Instincts

Connect The Dots

(Michelle) I had done this type of letter pressing, and like trying out the machines when I was in school. And I was originally in illustration and then the department wasn't going where I wanted it to so I switched over to printmaking. Which is when I really got into it. When I was, as soon as I graduated I had no idea what I was doing. I toyed with moving away and going to grad school but I wasn't sure. I had interned at a letter press shop, um, my senior year. After working several years and really getting exposed to the process and learning all the little nitty gritty stuff. I moved in here and then you know, we had all this space, so I decided at that point that I wanted to have a shop. And that was after like, many coffee shop conversations with friends. We're sitting around smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee and doodling you know and like, "What do you see yourself doing? Like what ultimately do you want to have?" And I was like, "I want to have my own shop." And so just, once I started looking, it was just like it found me. (Roadtripper #1) Before you made the decision that you were going to open up your own shop, was it something you kind of always thought about but you also followed it with a reason not to? Or- I just got to a point where I just feel like I was waiting for something. And it's like, and then I just decided it's like, "I'm not really sure what I'm waiting for." I mean time passes so fast, it's like you're just sitting there thinking like, "What do I want to do?" And then it's like five years later. I could have been doing something this whole time. So when I decided to start my own shop, I had no idea exactly what was going to happen but it's like, it was better than waiting for, you know, the right moment. Because there's never a right moment. I just knew that if I wanted to do something, I just wanted to do it now and just get started. (Roadtripper #2) And so how is it for your parents, like how was that? Well my dad was like, he's just, "whatever". And my mom who is Korean, she supported me she just you know asked me what I wanted to do, and I was like, "This is what I want to do." But now it's like she sees that I don't have much money and so she's like, you know, eh, everyone now and then it's like, "I should have made you be a doctor." As if I was actually considering being a doctor. As if those words came out of my mouth. Like I never once said I wanted to be a doctor. But because I'm not like making the money that she thinks I should be making, now it's like, "Well you should have done something else." Every now and then I'll show her something and she'll be like, "You did this, you drew that?!" I'm like, "Yeah!" It's like, I have skills. [Everyone laughing] So then this is sort of taking these original ideas of using these patterns that I've created, um, through looking at scientific diagrams. And then taking it a step further where now I have an actual concept with the DNA strands. (Roadtripper #3) What kind is this? (Michelle) This one is, "What we were when we were all the same." So it's just like, it's a little hard for her to comprehend exactly what it is that I do. So some of my friends and my sister especially doesn't understand how it is that I survive at all. 'Cause it's like, I kind of live paycheck to paycheck and sometimes, you know, bills are due, but I mean I don't have much, I don't need much. I'd rather sacrifice comforts and you know, fancy toasters for doing what I want when I want. I don't know I think people think about stuff too much. It's like, I mean do you really want to spend like years, like thinking about what you want to do, or do you want to actually do something? I mean, just try something. At least something's better than nothing. 

Interview

People, for the most part, are pretty friendly, most of the time. So it's like you can call up, there are lots of levels of working artists in Kansas City, and I'm not afraid to freaking call up the person up at the top and just be, hey, can I come to your studio? And so, just not being afraid, just being bold. And it's like just not being afraid of rejection. I mean, it's like you really have to get over that to get anything accomplished. And I mean, and I realize that's easier said than done. It's easy to be like, just do it. But to actually just do it is a little bit harder. [LAUGH] 

Fear

Risk

Don't Fear The Top

>> I mean, for the most part, it's like a pretty easy going thing. It's like, I enjoy what I do. I enjoy sharing with people. I enjoy talking about it. So, I mean, not to go back to it, but it's like I see the look on my friends faces that work at these design firms. And I'm just like, relax. All right. [LAUGH] It's gonna be okay. So, I have a pretty carefree life. I mean, I don't have much. I don't need much. I don't need air conditioning, apparently. >> [LAUGH]. >> So, just you know. I'd rather sacrifice comforts and fancy toasters for doing what I want when I want. 

Fulfillment

Simplicity

Sacrifice Fancy Toasters

And I remember my roommate Richard asking me when we had one of those numerous conversations like what do you see yourself doing? What do you ultimately want to have. I was like I want to have my own shop. And then when we moved in here was when I started to look for the stuff and so it just, once I started looking, it was just like it found me. Like it didn't take long for me to get all of the essential pieces that I needed. 

Goals

You Have To Look To Be Found

I had done this type of letterpress printing and like trying out the machines when I was in school, and I was originally in illustration, and then the department wasn't going where I wanted it to, so I switched over to printmaking, which is when I really got into it. I moved in here, and then, you know, we had all this space, and so I decided at that point that I wanted to have a shop. I just got to a point where I just felt like I was...waiting for something, and it's like... and then I just decided. It's like, "I'm not really sure what I'm waiting for." I mean, time passes so fast, it's like, you're just sitting there thinking about like, "What do I wanna do?" And it's like five years later. I'd rather sacrifice comforts and, you know, fancy toasters for doing what I want when I want. 

Michelle Dreher Highlight

Well my dad is just like he's just whatever. And my mom who's Korean, she supported me. She just asked me what I wanted to do, and I was like this is what I wanted to do. But now it's like she sees that I don't have much money, and so she every now and then is like I should have made you be a doctor. As if I was actually considering being a doctor, as if those words came out of my mouth. I'd never once said I wanted to be a doctor, but because I'm not like making the money that she thinks I should be making. Now it's like, well you should have done something else. [LAUGH] Every now and then I'll show her something and she'd be like, you did this? You drew that? I'm like, yeah, I've got skills. [LAUGH] 

Family

Money & Financial Security

Talent

Doctor

So then this is sort of taking these original ideas of using these patterns that I've created through looking at scientific diagrams and taking it a step further, where now I have an actual concept with the DNA strands and- >> What kind is this? >> This is what we were when we were all the same. So it's a little hard for her to comprehend exactly what it is I do. So some of my friends and my sister especially doesn't understand how it is that I survive at all, cause I kind of live paycheck to paycheck. And sometimes you know bills are due, but I mean, I don't have much. I don't need much. I'd rather sacrifice comforts and fancy toasters for doing what I want when I want. [SOUND] I don't know. I think people think about stuff too much. It's like do you really wanna spend years thinking about what you wanna do, or do you wanna actually do something? 

Values

Fancy Toasters

I just got to a point where I just felt like I was waiting for something. And then, I just decided I'm not really sure what I'm waiting for. I mean, time passes so fast. It was like you're just sitting there thinking about like what do I wanna do? And it's five years later. I could have been doing something this whole time. So when I decided to start my own shop, I had no idea exactly what was gonna happen but it was better than waiting for the right moment because there's never a right moment. I just knew that if I wanted to do something, I just wanted to do it now and just get started. 

Choices

Determination

Focus

Right Moment

I had done this type of letter press printing and trying out the machines when I was in school and I was originally in illustration and then the department wasn't going where I wanted to so I switched over to print making which is where I really got into it. As soon as I graduated I had no idea what I was doing. I toyed with moving away and going to grad school, but I wasn't sure. So, I had interned at a letter press shop my senior year. After working for several years and really getting exposed to the process and learning all the little nitty gritty stuff. I moved in here and then we had all this space. And so I decided at that point that I wanted to have a shop. And that was after many coffee shop conversations with friends where we're sitting around smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee and doodling. What do you see yourself doing like, what ultimately do you want to have and I was like, I want to have my own shop. And so it just, once I started looking, it was just like it found me. 

Printing Press Operators

Overview

Career

Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career

What Printing Press Operators Do

Other Job Titles Printing Press Operators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Printing Press Operators

Overview

Career

Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career

What Printing Press Operators Do

Other Job Titles Printing Press Operators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Printing Press Operators

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders