Relief Printmaking (January)

Relief printmaking is a graphic and versatile type of printmaking that dates as far back as 500 BC. An image is carved in reverse onto a block, which is then inked and sent through a press. The tools are basic but the possibilities are expansive.

Relief Printmaking empowers students (both first-time printmakers and experienced printmakers) to plan, carve, and print relief blocks. After looking at lots of examples, both historical and contemporary, students will begin their relief printing adventure with a playful low-pressure “Speedy-Cut” block. Throughout the class, students will move on to carving both linoleum and wood with a variety of carving techniques that exploit line, shape, contrast, and texture.

On the press, students will learn how to mix ink, handle paper, register multiple colors, and finesse pressure to produce a set of prints that utilizes the skills built throughout the class. Graduates are welcome to continue printings independently at Spudnik Press through our Open Studio program.

Basic carving tools are available to use during class, but we strongly encourage students to acquire their own set to use outside of class. Nicolette recommends Blick’s Student Wood Chisel Set as well as Flexcut SlipStrop to keep them sharp.

Printmaking Foundations (February)

For anyone who wants to be creative through printmaking, our foundations class introduces first time printers to the wide variety of printmaking processes, equipment, and resources at Spudnik Press Cooperative. Students will experiment with three unique types of printmaking throughout the six weeks. With each printing process inducing its own aesthetic, this class offers abundant opportunities to elevate sketches and designs through print and to understand the basic concepts that bridge the many types of printmaking at our studio.

Screenprinting is a form of stencil making that is used to print fine art as well as posters, cards, t-shirts, and more. A relief print is made by carving an image into wood or linoleum with gauges, inking the surface, and transferring the image onto paper. Etching, also known as Intaglio [in-tal-yoh], is a family of printing techniques in which an image is incised into a metal plate. Artist can directly scratch into plates with needles, or they can draw through a ground and etch the image into a plate using a chemical.

Together, these processes range from experimental to exacting, bold to subdued, and unpredictable to calculated and can open new possibilities for artists, writers, and anyone who wants to learn a new way to make art. Printmaking Foundations can act as either a general introduction to everything Spudnik has to offer, or a refresher course for artists who have previous experience.

Printmaking Foundations (April)

For anyone who wants to be creative through printmaking, our foundations class introduces first time printers to the wide variety of printmaking processes, equipment, and resources at Spudnik Press Cooperative. Students will experiment with three unique types of printmaking throughout the six weeks. With each printing process inducing its own aesthetic, this class offers abundant opportunities to elevate sketches and designs through print and to understand the basic concepts that bridge the many types of printmaking at our studio.

Screenprinting is a form of stencil making that is used to print fine art as well as posters, cards, t-shirts, and more. A relief print is made by carving an image into wood or linoleum with gauges, inking the surface, and transferring the image onto paper. Etching, also known as Intaglio [in-tal-yoh], is a family of printing techniques in which an image is incised into a metal plate. Artist can directly scratch into plates with needles, or they can draw through a ground and etch the image into a plate using a chemical.

Together, these processes range from experimental to exacting, bold to subdued, and unpredictable to calculated and can open new possibilities for artists, writers, and anyone who wants to learn a new way to make art. Printmaking Foundations can act as either a general introduction to everything Spudnik has to offer, or a refresher course for artists who have previous experience.