Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Letterpress (Face-to-Face)

ART 4320-01

Course: ART 4320-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ARTD
CRN: 31967

Course Description


This course in graphic design is an upper-division course for students interested in the art of the letterpress, its history, and its use as a critical element in the world of graphic design. In this class, you will learn to use and maintain presses, experiment with materials and concepts, and utilize typography and layout to create work and communicate with an audience. At this level, you are expected to build on your skills in layout and typography as well as gain an understanding of thought processes and technical processes that are inherent to the study and practice of graphic design. We will also explore contemporary printers and printing techniques.


 (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ART 3240 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C 

Required Texts

None

Learning Outcomes

This course will build on visual communication and problem-solving skills developed in introductory design classes. Layout, composition, and typography skills will be engaged in a variety of contexts. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the historical development of typography and printing on the letterpress
• Employ the use of typographic terminology to articulate design solutions
• Utilize letterpress to communicate and solve problems
• Practice basic print and production problem solving
• Practice good craft to finalize work
• Employ strict attention to detail through careful observation

Course Requirements


Grades and Evaluation
Your final grade will be based on graded assignments and participation. Attendance and participation are critical. Participation is based on: daily class involvement, contributions during group work and in critique, as well as the ability to manage your time and meet deadlines. I will factor participation into the final grade for each class project. 

Another important factor impacting your grades is the iteration and time involved in each project. I expect you to factor in time to experiment and perfect your craft with each project. Projects that earn As will have come a long way from the first stage of iteration to the final submission. 

With the exception of the first Call and Response project, the majority of the other projects will all be due on the last day of class. Your research paper and final book project will be due in our finals time slot. 



A work:
- Attended and participated in class
- Showed carefully thought-through proof of concept and ideation
- Improved work and integrated feedback throughout the design process
- Showed impeccable craft (no torn edges, excess glue, left-over crop marks)
- Followed submission guidelines
- Treated studio and classmates with respect
- Showed thoughtful treatment of type and image
B work:
- Attended class and participated some
- Some proof of concept and ideation
- Improved work and integrated feedback somewhat throughout the design process
- Showed good craft (no torn edges, excess glue, left-over crop marks)
- Followed submission guidelines
- Treated studio and classmates with respect
- Showed thoughtful treatment of type and image
C work:
- Missed class and/or did not participate much if at all
- Some proof of concept and ideation
- Did not integrate feedback or did not improve work much throughout the design process
- Showed issues with craft
- Did not follow submission guidelines
- Little thought to treatment of type and image
D and below:
- Did not come to class, did not participate
- No proof of concept or ideation
- Did not integrate feedback or improve throughout the design process
- Big craft issues
- Did not follow submission guidelines
- Little to no thought of treatment of type

Course Outline

Classes will consist mainly of demos, short lectures, studio time, and critiques. During the first part of the semester you will spend a lot of time learning techniques and press maintenance so that you can see what is possible and integrate different methods into your projects. All students are expected to actively participate in-class activities. Failure to do so will affect your final course grade. This class is very self-directed. We will talk through concepts and ideation in class, but you will be expected to complete research and prep and keep track of your schedule on your own. As the class only meets once a week, it is important that you come to all of the classes and stay for the entirety of the class period. 

Project 1: Call and Response
- working in the studio
- mixing ink
- difference in wood and metal type
- setting type
- trimming
- craft

Project 2: Poster and Postcard
- editioning
- carving
- reduction print
- different techniques
- type layout

Project 3: Personal Project

Project 4: Book Project
- multipage designs
- setting larger amounts of text
- bookbinding
- craft

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

With the exception of the first Call and Response project, the majority of the other projects will all be due on the last day of class. Your research paper and final book project will be due in our finals time slot. There is no space for flexibility within this timeline.

Attendance Policy

I take attendance each day. This class meets only once a week and because of this, you can only miss one class without it impacting your overall grade. After that, each missed class drops you down a half grade-point at the end of the semester. For example, if you have an A- at the end of the semester and you missed three classes, your final grade drops down to a B. Missing a demo counts as missing class, and coming late to three demos counts as an absence. Demos happen mainly at the beginning of class, and I will always let you know what the plan is on the syllabus page. This policy is to ensure you learn correct maintenance of tools and the protocol surrounding the safety of everyone in the studio.

I can be more flexible with missing studio time, especially as there are only so many presses to be working on. Lunch is generally taken on your own time. Because of material and machinery constraints, you should be thinking ahead with your projects and planning your downtime in class as well as the time you need to be on the press. It is clear when you haven't spent enough time on projects—missing class will impact the quality of your work and your project grade.

You have the possibility to make up lost studio time by coming in regularly for the open studio hours. Talk to me about the work you've been doing and we can discuss making up absences. 

Course Fees

$19 per credit hour

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.