Preissig was born in Světec u Bíliny, Bohemia. He studied at both the School of Applied Industrial Art and at the School of Decorative Architecture in Prague. He moved to Paris and worked for two years with Alphonse Mucha. Returning to Prague in 1903, he established a studio and published a book on color etchings and engravings. Preissig moved to New York City in 1910 and taught at Columbia University and the Art Students League. He moved to Boston and taught graphic arts at Wentworth Institute, heading its School of Graphic Arts. Returning to Czechoslovakia, Preissig was active in resistance activities which led to his arrest in 1940. He died at the concentration camp at Dachau.