The Ink Shop Printmaking Center

Participants will learn the fundamentals of cyanotype printing using plant matter and other objects on an exposure unit, exploring cyanotype as a lumen-style photogram process. Cyanotype, also known as the blueprint, was discovered by Sir John Herschel in 1842. It is an iron-based photographic process developed in the early days of photography. The cyanotype is typically an image rendered on paper in various shades of blue. As an entry-level workshop, this class will introduce participants to this accessible and creative process. Lumen prints, including cyanotypes, are created by placing objects on light-sensitive paper and exposing them to UV light, producing delicate and often unpredictable tonal variations. The workshop will conclude with a session on transforming prints into paper dolls.

Copper plate etching is a process where a polished piece of copper is processed with either engraving or an acid bath with the intention of creating grooves and lines to hold ink. Ink is applied to the whole plate, then carefully wiped down leaving the ink the grooves and lines. The plate is then ran through the press with a sheet of damp paper for the final print.

We will be painting stenciled acetate plates with water-based inks to create subtle and intricate monotype prints. This process allows you to paint quickly then transfer your images onto dampened paper using an etching press. You will learn about ghost images, which can achieve wonderful effects with immediate results. This technique is completely non-toxic.

We will try different techniques to create decorative paper that can be used for covering portfolios, books, presents or other paper projects. We will use simple stamping with vegetables and fruits, printing from linocut, and other material like strings, foams, etc. We will dab, spray, dye and learn how to make paste paper. Use the papers you make in this class to cover your own books in the Basic Book Structures Workshop.