Ravi Zupa’s artistic practice is deeply collaborative. While all original artwork and initial drawings are created by his hand—including those that become printed material—he no longer prints his own editions. Instead, he works closely with his in-house studio team, specialized printing partners, and a wide range of skilled craftspeople. These collaborations result in a diverse array of print types that enrich and expand the scope of Zupa’s work. This page is a tribute to the remarkable tools, machines, time-honored processes, and—most importantly—the talented individuals whose expertise bring Zupa’s designs to life. Many of the techniques used by his collaborators are rare and highly specialized art forms—practices that are becoming increasingly scarce, sustained only by the dedication of the printmakers who keep them alive.

Printing Techniques

Screen Printing
Offset Lithography

Print Partners

Diamond Hill Screen Printing
Rabies Babies Studio
Indyink Screen Printing
Anaconda Printing
Shapco Printing

Screen Printing

Screen printing, also known as serigraphy, involves using a stencil embedded in a fine mesh to apply fields of color. Ink is pushed through the mesh and layered to create complex images. This process is truly at the heart of the operation. Ravi’s first printmaking discipline was screen printing. Although he is not as technically skilled as the other screen printing partners, he printed much of his own work early on. As time passed and both demand and the technical requirements of his art increased, Zupa began to rely more heavily on the expertise of dedicated screen printers who specialize in the craft.

Diamond Hill Screen Printing

Martin Hammond is the owner and artist behind Diamond Hill Screen Printing. A fellow printmaker once remarked, “Marty is one of the best screen printers in the country.” While that may have sounded like an exaggeration at the time, it has since proven to be anything but. Marty has spent decades printing for the fine art and concert poster communities, and his skill and artistry remain unmatched. Zupa entrusts him with his most technically demanding, conceptually significant, and personally meaningful projects. The studio is honored to collaborate with him and proud to offer Hammond’s exceptional craftsmanship to Zupa’s collectors.

Rabies Babies Studio

Brendan Dorney of Rabies Babies Studio is a Denver-based screen printer who has been honing his craft for decades. He has known Ravi throughout that time, and their parallel development as artists and craftspeople has led to a longstanding, collaborative relationship. As both of their practices evolved and gained wider recognition, so too did their reliance on one another. Brendan’s meticulous attention to detail and commitment to refining his skills have made him the primary printer of Ravi’s screen printed posters. He’s also the go-to collaborator when experimenting with new designs and ideas. There is a continuous stream of projects flowing from the Ravi Zupa Arts’ studio to Rabies Babies—and back again.

IndyInk Screen Printing

IndyInk has been printing T-shirts and posters in Denver for several decades. For many years, Ravi lived on South Broadway, directly above the original IndyInk storefront and print shop. At that time, the operation consisted of just a few individuals working out of a small space, with the print shop located in the back and an exposure setup in the basement. Ravi became friends with the team, and they were the first to teach him the fundamentals of screen printing. He had an informal arrangement with them: in exchange for spending a few hours each week reclaiming, cleaning, and coating screens, he was allowed access to their space and equipment to burn screens, create prints, and incorporate printed elements into his fine art paintings. Since then, IndyInk has expanded alongside Ravi’s own artistic career, and they have continued their relationship as both friends and business partners.

Offset Lithography

For many years, Ravi Zupa Arts relied exclusively on screen printing, producing all editions in-house. However, as demand and production volume grew, the studio sought additional methods that could maintain the high standards of craftsmanship while increasing output. Spot color offset lithography proved to be an ideal complement. Offset lithography is a common modern printing method, but the studio uses a much rarer variation known as spot color offset lithography. This technique requires exceptional skill and meticulous attention to detail. Colors are hand-mixed and applied in solid fields, similar to traditional screen printing. Today, the print designs are created with specifications that allow them to be produced using either serigraphy or spot color offset lithography—offering flexibility without sacrificing quality.

Anaconda Printing

Anaconda is a print shop located just four miles from the Ravi Zupa Arts—an incredible stroke of luck, given their rare ability to execute spot color offset printing with exceptional care and precision. They were the first offset lithography printer the studio partnered with when production volume began to grow, and they taught the team a great deal about both the possibilities and limitations of the medium. Together, the two companies have developed an effective and collaborative system for preparing and printing posters. Their commitment to quality, attention to detail, and use of eco-friendly soy-based ink makes them an ideal local partner for producing beautiful, sustainable editions.

Shapco Printing

As the operation continued to grow, Zupa’s studio realized that relying solely on two local screen printers for small runs (a few hundred prints or less) and one offset lithographer for larger runs (1,000 prints or more) was no longer sufficient to meet demand. They began searching for an additional print shop capable of producing large-scale editions without compromising standards for spot printing quality. This search led to Shapco, a print shop based in Minnesota. Although they are the first long-distance print partner, the level of attention and care they bring to the process makes the collaboration feel every bit as intimate as local relationships. Ravi Zupa Arts is proud to work with them and grateful for their contribution to the printmaking process.