March 16 | Intaglio Explorations (4 Weeks)

Intaglio printmaking is a family of printing techniques developed (in part) by goldsmiths as a way to decorate armor, musical instruments and religious objects. These days, artists use a fine point needle to draw through a thin protective ground to expose copper. With the help of a chemical bath, marks and images are etched into the metal with a remarkable amount of detail.

Artists can also work more spontaneously by scratching gestures and images directly onto plates, transferring textures, or painting directly onto plates with resists and mordents. This highly versatile art form can produce a huge range of aesthetics.

Beginning with basic line etching, students will practice traditional plate making and printing. Through chine collé, aquatint, dry point, soft ground, and experimentation, students will add tonality, color, and varied marks to their images. No prior printing experience is needed, and students who do have intaglio experience can revisit the foundational skills with a more nuanced understanding of the process, and move on to independent projects.

Registration fee covers tuition and class materials, including consumable studio supplies. The basic tools (etching needle, scraper and burnisher) are available to use during class, but students may wish to acquire their own so that they can work outside of class.

March 27 | Sewn Book Forms (4 Weeks)

In 4 weekly sessions, students will focus on learning non-adhesive binding structures. Some of these binding styles will include complex sewing structures like coptic stitch, long stitch, and Japanese stab binding.

Students will learn the traditional version of these sewn bindings as well as new variations on the bindings to make more decorative and complicated designs. Participants will work with leather, paper, book cloth, and book board to survey the wide range of techniques in sewn bindings.

At the end of this workshop all students will have the ability to identify and create the most fundamental structures of sewn bindings, recognize the tools, history, and vocabulary around these bindings.

Students will complete four sample books: Two pamphlet stitch varieties, a perfect bound book, and a more elaborate Japanese stab binding.

In addition to learning hand skills, the class will discuss the history of chapbooks, their role in publishing over time, and ways to share and sell chapbooks. If you have writing or images you would like to promote, this is a great workshop to jump start your self-publishing!