Wild Inks from Dartmoor: Forage and Print
Join Emma and Jon from Princetown Press for an absorbing and inspirational morning learning about the ecology of Dartmoor, foraging for natural inks, and letterpress printing in their studio at Tor Royal. The workshop includes a foraging walk, tea, a hands-on letterpress session on their antique machines and lunch.
Emma Hogbin and Jon Palmer own and run Princetown Press, where the focus is on sustainability; all the machines are hand-powered, and the only thing using electricity is the lights. They use heritage craft techniques and recycled paper, all with the aim of preserving the endangered heritage craft of letterpress.
This session is part of the Dartmoor Tors Festival and is only offered 3 May 2026.
The sessions are from 9am-1pm and include:
Guided Moorland Walk
Learn about the history and ecology of Dartmoor, including an introduction to some of the plants we use in our practice. This will be a short walk of about an hour. Plan for rain, although sometimes there is sunshine, so bring sunscreen too just in case.
Tea & Intro to Letterpress and Wild Inks
Kettle on, and an intro to letterpress printing and our Wild Colour practice. This also gives us a chance to warm up, or cool down after our walk and play with ink we've foraged from Dartmoor.
Hands-On Letterpress Session
Print a souvenir. Learn traditional “kiss impression” technique for new and vintage wood and metal type. We will use synthetic inks for this part of the day.
Reflection & Light Lunch
Discussion and take-home resources. This will be a light lunch of scones. With sufficient notice, we may be able to accommodate dietary restrictions. Please secure your spot first to avoid disappointment. If we are unable to accommodate for food, a refund will be offered.
You will take home:
- Notebook for recording nature observations and sketches
- Letterpress printed souvenir
- Handout including a basic ink-making recipe and information about our processes
- New ideas on how to engage with nature (even if it's not the wilds of Dartmoor)
This taster session will be held at our workshop, just outside Princetown on Dartmoor. Detailed driving instructions will be emailed once you've registered. There is (free) parking on-site for workshop participants.
All of our papers are recycled, and British where possible. We can provide you specific details on certifications each paper has, and the mill where they were made.
All of our papers are recycled, and British where possible. We can provide you specific details on certifications each paper has, and the mill where they were made.
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
Join Emma and Jon from Princetown Press for an absorbing and inspirational morning learning about the ecology of Dartmoor, foraging for natural inks, and letterpress printing in their studio at Tor Royal. The workshop includes a foraging walk, tea, a hands-on letterpress session on their antique machines and lunch.
Emma Hogbin and Jon Palmer own and run Princetown Press, where the focus is on sustainability; all the machines are hand-powered, and the only thing using electricity is the lights. They use heritage craft techniques and recycled paper, all with the aim of preserving the endangered heritage craft of letterpress.
This session is part of the Dartmoor Tors Festival and is only offered 3 May 2026.
The sessions are from 9am-1pm and include:
Guided Moorland Walk
Learn about the history and ecology of Dartmoor, including an introduction to some of the plants we use in our practice. This will be a short walk of about an hour. Plan for rain, although sometimes there is sunshine, so bring sunscreen too just in case.
Tea & Intro to Letterpress and Wild Inks
Kettle on, and an intro to letterpress printing and our Wild Colour practice. This also gives us a chance to warm up, or cool down after our walk and play with ink we've foraged from Dartmoor.
Hands-On Letterpress Session
Print a souvenir. Learn traditional “kiss impression” technique for new and vintage wood and metal type. We will use synthetic inks for this part of the day.
Reflection & Light Lunch
Discussion and take-home resources. This will be a light lunch of scones. With sufficient notice, we may be able to accommodate dietary restrictions. Please secure your spot first to avoid disappointment. If we are unable to accommodate for food, a refund will be offered.
You will take home:
- Notebook for recording nature observations and sketches
- Letterpress printed souvenir
- Handout including a basic ink-making recipe and information about our processes
- New ideas on how to engage with nature (even if it's not the wilds of Dartmoor)
This taster session will be held at our workshop, just outside Princetown on Dartmoor. Detailed driving instructions will be emailed once you've registered. There is (free) parking on-site for workshop participants.
All of our papers are recycled, and British where possible. We can provide you specific details on certifications each paper has, and the mill where they were made.
All of our papers are recycled, and British where possible. We can provide you specific details on certifications each paper has, and the mill where they were made.
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase
- Delivery costs will be calculated at the checkout
- Free UK delivery on all orders over £30
- You can return your order for a full refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase