Spring Classes 2024
The Layered Print: Advanced Soft Ground Etching & Chine Collé
January 20 & 21
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Taught by Belinda Casey, this class utilizes an etching process called soft ground. When applied, the ground remains soft, so when drawn on it creates a mark more like a pencil as opposed to the hard line of a hard ground etching. Because soft ground yields to light pressure, it can also be used to create a variety of tones and textures. An array of materials like fabrics, papers, cutouts, plant material, feathers, really anything that is malleable, can be used to make your image (no bones, buttons, or metal, etc.). This class will explore layering images with chine collé, a traditional collage printing method. To add even more depth to your layered prints, Casey will demonstrate traditional methods that include à la poupée, monotype, and relief rolls. All or some of the techniques can be combined to create your image. During the master class, participants will be given two 6” x 8” copper plates. These may be used to create two separate bodies of work, or be combined to create a more intricate, two plate print. No experience in etching or printing is necessary, as the basics are covered. For those of you with a little etching experience, the workshop is an opportunity to expand your intaglio expertise, and access Flatbed's professional print facility!
Samantha Melvin
Collagraphs: Investigations in Texture
February 3 & 4
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Collagraphy is a versatile printing process in which a textured plate is inked up and put through a press. Different textures hold varying amounts of ink and print different tones. Anything with a low relief texture can be stuck down and used: wallpaper, leaves, fabrics, tapes, threads, etc. Collagraph plates can be inked as an intaglio or as a relief plate! Through this two-day workshop, participants will gain foundational knowledge about collagraphs, where textures can be achieved on a plate using different materials. Taught by Samantha Melvin, she will guide you through your experimentation with variations in texture and composition. All printmaking levels welcome.
What a Relief! Intro to Linoleum
February 17 & 18
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
In this intensive workshop, Alfonso Huerta will demonstrate the fundamentals of designing a linocut, transferring your image to the linoleum, carving techniques, and how to print your linocut on a manual printing press. The first day is devoted to the carving of your image, and the second day explores print processes and variations. You will leave with a small suite of your prints and your relief block that you can continue to print at home!
Woodcut on MDF: Now In Color!
March 2 & 3
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-4pm
Taught by Annalise Gratovich, this master class will teach participants the fundamentals of two color woodcut. Using cabinetry grade MDF, Gratovich will cover the fundamentals of relief imagery: what elements make the most successful graphic relief image, how to plan for color, how to print with precise registration, how to care for tools and ourselves while working in a printshop- including an understanding of bodily and material safety. Relief woodcut is a great introduction to printmaking and getting familiar with Flatbed’s facilities! This class is open to all levels.
Suzi Davidoff
Aquatint and Tonal Techniques
March 9 & 10
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-4pm
Join Belinda Casey as she guides you through the exploration of expression through the use of aquatint. Aquatint is a method used to add rich tonal qualities to an etching plate. Aquatint can be painterly or can add tone to other intaglio processes, to enrich your print. The techniques taught in this class are basic aquatint with step-bite. Students will be introduced to spit bite, crayon gradations, and sugar-lift processes. Each aquatint process creates a different form of mark making. Sugar lift gives you a positive brush mark, crayon gradations give you soft and subtle shift, while spit bite gives you a very smoky or watery look. During the master class, participants will be given two 6” x 8” copper plates. These may be used to create two separate bodies of work, or be combined to create a more intricate, two plate print. No experience in etching or printing is necessary, as the basics are covered. For those of you with a little etching experience, the workshop is an opportunity to expand your intaglio expertise, and access Flatbed's professional print facility!
The Inky Photographer: Polymer Photogravure
March 16 & 17
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Matthew Magruder will show you how to use a non-toxic etching process that uses a photosensitive polymer plate that utilizes digitally based or digital files from drawn images to create etchings. In this workshop, Magruder teaches a new form of etching called "Direct To Plate" which eliminates the use of transparency or photo positive in creating the polymer photogravures. Some know the type of etching plate he uses as the trade name “Solarplate." Participants do not need any previous printmaking experience. The class’s emphasis is on creating the polymer plate that can be printed as an etching in creative ways. All levels welcome!
line etched lithograph by Nima Nabavi
Litho Techniques: Line Engraving on Stone
April 6 & 7
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Taught by Emery Spina, this workshop will be an introduction to stone lithography through a particular method of mark-making: line engraving. This technique was used a lot in the nineteenth century for printing commercial documents like maps and sheet music as it allows drawing very thin and precise lines—the thinnest lines possible in the arsenal of lithographic techniques. It also happens to be one of the easiest lithographic processes to do on stone and requires minimal chemical processing.
Each person will get a stone to work on and will come out of the weekend with a small edition of their own lithographs. While you will be focusing on lithographic line engraving as the main mark-making technique for your prints, you will also discuss the broader history and chemistry of lithography as well as other ways to make marks on stone. This class is suitable for both experienced and beginning lithographers!
Direct Polymer Gravure: Etching with Light and Water
Reschedule: TBD
Saturday- Sunday: 10am-4pm
Taught by Katherine Brimberry, this workshop is for artists wanting to create etchings from hand-drawn transparencies or modified laser copies. The emphasis is on the hand-drawn or hand-modified image. Workshop attendees can create up to two etched plates that are 5 1/2 x 8 inches.
This workshop will concentrate on learning how to create the plates and learning variations of how to print from the plates. Printing techniques of chine collé and viscosity relief rolls on the plates will be taught.
Samantha Melvin
Monotype: Playing with Color and Shape
April 20 & 21
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
In this weekend master class, students will learn the methods and visual vocabulary of making a monotype. Monotypes are perfect for artists who love to draw or paint. Taught by Samantha Melvin, she’ll guide you through a variety of techniques used to create a mark including trace monotype, subtractive techniques, additive techniques, ghosting, layering, stencils, and more!
This workshop is a great way to get introduced to Flatbed’s print facility and learn the versatility of monotyping.
Woodcut on MDF: Now In Color!
Rescheduled: TBD
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-4pm
Taught by Annalise Gratovich, this master class will teach participants the fundamentals of two color woodcut. Using cabinetry grade MDF, Gratovich will cover the fundamentals of relief imagery: what elements make the most successful graphic relief image, how to plan for color, how to print with precise registration, how to care for tools and ourselves while working in a printshop- including an understanding of bodily and material safety. Relief woodcut is a great introduction to printmaking and getting familiar with Flatbed’s facilities! This class is open to al levels.
Field Study
Lari Gibbons
The Advanced Inky Photographer: Polymer Photogravure II
May 18 & 19
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-4pm
Matthew Magruder takes his Inky Photographer class to the next level! Using the a non-toxic etching process that you learned in his intro to photogravure class, Magruder will help students create larger polymer plates that can be printed as etchings. Chine collé, color, and the chance to print big!
We recommend that students take the prerequisite Inky Photographer before registering for this second level, deeper dive into photogravure.
CANCELATION POLICY
A 10% restocking fee will be subtracted from your total refund if you need to cancel your class enrollment more than 24 hours prior to the class start date.
If you cancel your enrollment less than 24 hours prior to it’s start date, you will receive a 50% refund for that class.
**We want to honor your purchase and are more than happy to apply your class cost to a different class that better fits your schedule if you do have to cancel for any reason.
For more information or if you need to cancel, email us at workshops@flatbedpress.com