Analog Counterculture: Mimeographs and Stencil Printing

Course Code: 26SPM018I

This one-day, in-person workshop takes place at CBA on Tuesday, May 5th, from 6PM to 9PM ET.

  • Tuesday, May 5th, from 6PM to 9PM ET. 

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on April 21st, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.


About the Workshop:

Have you ever wished that you could create those colorful Risograph prints without the giant Riso machine? Meet the Mimeograph!

In the 1870’s a Hungarian immigrant working in a Chicago kite factory invented a stencil paper that made it easy to print on paper without a printshop. David Gestetner’s stencil paper, along with a small desktop duplicating press introduced by Thomas Edison and A.B. Dick, sparked a revolution in indie publishing and later led to the development of the Risograph.

Learn how to create stencils, how to operate a mimeograph, and even how to print from stencils with no mimeo or riso machine at all! Workshop participants will learn about the history and technology of the mimeograph and then dive into hands-on instruction.


Required Materials:

No materials or tools are needed in advance of the course.  


About the Instructor

Rich Dana is a copier artist and founder of Obsolete Press. He regularly teaches workshops on analog publishing at colleges and art centers across the country. He is the author of Cheap Copies!: The Obsolete Press Guide to DIY Mimeography, Hectography and Spirit Duplication.

Leisha Nicole Stanek is a performance poet and co-publisher at Obsolete Press. She specializes in zines, chapbooks and DIY printing. She regularly teaches workshops on analog publishing at colleges and art centers across the country. Her new book, OBJECT, will be out in 2026.


All images courtesy of the instructor.

Class size is limited to 12 participants to ensure an optimal participant to Instructor ratio. Register now before spots fill up! Registration for this workshop closes on April 21st at 11:59pm ET. Tuition for this course is $105 + a $35 materials fee. If you cannot comfortably pay tuition but are interested in taking this class, please consider filling out our financial assistance application here. We will notify you if you are selected to receive a scholarship before the start date of the class. To view more information about our current scholarship opportunities, please visit this link.

11 Remaining

$140