Traditional Etching

In the 16th Century, Printmakers began to develop this Intaglio technique to create intricate, linear, tonal, textured and semi-embossed prints. Using Zinc and Steel, we continue in this tradition, teaching techniques that connect us to the history of the medium, providing an opportunity to explore:

• Hard and Soft ground – for line, texture and mark making.
• Fine and Coarse Aquatint – to create tone, texture and colour.
• Marbling and Sugar Lift – Mark making techniques.
• Multiple plates – for layered, colourful images.

More than one course will be needed to explore all of the techniques above.

• Traditional Etching

Zinc Plate Lithography with Hebe Vernon-Morris

Using grained, Zinc plates, embrace this delicate process to create hand drawn, layered prints full of movement, texture and colour.

The course starts with a short talk to explain the potential of the medium using a series of inspiring Lithographs showing the versatility of the medium from abstract imagery to fine line drawings. Participants will experiment with a variety of specialist, grease-based drawing materials to create images using marks, washes and line before drawing their image on the plate and printing.

More than one course will be needed to fully explore the potential of the medium.

• Hand drawn Lithography

Wood, Lino and Vinyl cut with Helen BrownL

On this course you will have the opportunity to create blocks using Soft wood, Lino and Vinyl.

The course will provide the opportunity to explore different Relief printing techniques, such as:

• Blends of ink – blending two or more coloured inks together on a roller to apply to the block
• Chine Colle – the use of coloured papers
• Jigsaw – the cutting up of the block into interlocking pieces to allow multiple colours to be applied to the block before printing.
• Reduction – Create multi-coloured, layered prints from one block by incrementally and systematically removing different parts of the block  between printing.
• Multiple blocks – use more than one block to make a layered image
• Textured printing – use found materials to add visual texture

You may also learn Mokulito and Monoprint on this course.

• Woodcut/Linocut/Vinylcut

Monoprinting with marks, plants and found materials with Helen Brown

As with traditional Monoprinting techniques, oil based printing ink is applied directly onto thin, plastic and metal plates using a wide variety of colours, painterly marks, block colour, blends and washes. This course then combines natural materials; leaves, grasses, foliage and found materials, such as; string, net and lace with these initial marks to produce exciting, layered and dynamic images printed using the Etching press.

Experienced printmakers can combine Monoprint with other mediums, such as Etching and Relief. Please bring completed blocks and plates with you.

• Monoprint