Johannesburg Guide to Printmaking Studios
South Africa’s printmaking scene is pretty special—it blends old-school tradition with social activism and cutting-edge techniques. Since the early ‘90s, it’s gone from being a tool for political resistance and community empowerment to a seriously professional industry where artists and master printers work closely together. This guide covers the major studios in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria, plus some cool regional spots. We’ll also look at the training programs keeping the industry alive, what each workshop actually does, and how "access" initiatives are opening doors that used to be closed.
The Johannesburg Professional Printmaking Ecosystem
Johannesburg is basically the beating heart of South African printmaking. The city's plugged into the global art market and seriously committed to training the next generation of artists from all kinds of backgrounds.
Artist Proof Studio: A Model for Social Impact and Technical Excellence
Kim Berman and the late Nhlanhla Xaba started Artist Proof Studio (APS) in 1991. What began as a community project has grown into an internationally recognized printmaking center in Houghton Estate. The studio runs on a smart model—they balance subsidized arts education with their Pro-Shop, a professional production unit that brings in income.
The Pro-Shop brings in money by having expert printers work with big-name South African and international artists to co-publish print editions. They can handle tons of different techniques—monotype, photo-lithography, watercolor monotype, drypoint, and specialized reduction linocut. When you work with APS, there’s a proper process: they’ll review costs and timelines, work out a budget with you, and usually keep some prints from the edition to cover production costs.
APS has helped launch the careers of globally recognized artists like Nelson Makamo, Nicolas Hlobo, and Philemon Hlungwani. They’re serious about diversity and inclusion—the Gianni Mariano Scholarship Fund helps talented students who face financial or social barriers. Their three-year Printmaking Programme covers technical skills, conceptual thinking, and professional practice, setting up graduates to become leaders in the visual arts world.
David Krut Workshop and the Collaborative Tradition
David Krut Workshop (DKW), started in 2002, is probably the most internationally famous South African print studio—mostly because of their long-running collaboration with William Kentridge. They started on Jan Smuts Avenue but moved to Arts on Main in Maboneng in 2010, where they became a cornerstone of the city's inner-city art scene.
DKW does intaglio, relief, monotype, and silkscreen printing. Their setup is seriously impressive—three etching presses, a letterpress, and a steel-facing tank that hardens copper plates so you can do big print runs without losing image quality. David Krut brought in master printers from overseas to build up local skills and also imported specialized papers and materials.
Master Printer Jillian Ross ran the workshop from 2004 to 2020, making over 200 prints with William Kentridge—including big projects like the Universal Archive series and the Triumphs and Laments woodcuts. At DKW, collaboration means helping artists create something totally new, not just reproducing existing work.
Legate Lithography Editions and the Revival of Stone Lithography
Leshoka Joe Legate, a Master Printer trained at Tamarind, started Legate Lithography Editions (LL Editions) in 2013 at the Bag Factory Artist Studios in Fordsburg. The studio reflects Legate’s passion for producing and publishing original hand-printed lithographs.
The main goal is working with both young and established artists—even those who’ve never done printmaking before. The master printers handle all the technical stuff (processing stones and plates), so artists can focus on the creative side. LL Editions uses proper archival standards: light-fast inks and acid-free papers. When an edition’s done, they destroy the lithographic stones or plates so no one can ever print from them again. Since 2013, they’ve worked with over 50 artists, including Mary Sibande and Stacey Gillian Abe.
Alternative Print Workshop: Bridging Photography and Printmaking
Dennis da Silva and Janus Boshoff co-founded the Alternative Print Workshop (APW) in 2014. It’s a space dedicated to exploring historic and contemporary analogue photography processes. Located in Bromhof, Randburg, they’ve got two traditional darkrooms and a big, fully equipped workshop.
What makes APW special is their "fusion" approach—they mix digital images with 19th-century processes using inkjet negatives. So you can create contemporary, handmade work using old-school tech like platinum/palladium, salt printing, cyanotype, and Van Dyke Brown. They also teach bookbinding and pinhole photography. Da Silva and Boshoff are industry experts who do B&W film processing and master printing for other photographers, plus they make their own darkroom chemicals and historical process kits.
Specialized Professional Studios in Johannesburg
- Blue Door Print Studio: Collin Cole started this Melville studio in 2002 to teach professional printmaking to people outside universities and art schools. Cole has an MFA in Printmaking and uses "Swift" printing presses designed by South African engineer Peter Spann. They specialize in intaglio (zinc plate etching), relief, and photomechanical processes.
- Silvertone International: Set up for photographers and artists who want top-quality work, Silvertone does image reproduction, film processing, and digital fine art prints for catalogs and artist books.
- Studio One ArtLab: A specialist fine art and archival printing studio using Canon imagePROGRAPH printers and pigment inks to make museum-quality giclée prints. Their prints can last up to 100 years, which is why galleries, curators, and private collectors use them.