Relief Printing & Repeat Patterns (June 2017)

Relief printmaking is a graphic and versatile type of printmaking. Relief carved block have been used for centuries to create repeat patterns for garments, decoration, wallpaper, and more. Today, relief printmaking remains a user friendly and non-toxic way to produce patterns.

This block printing class introduces the essential skills needed to conceptualize a design or motif, to transfer and carve that image into a block with a set of gauges, and to print the image in a variety of ways to create various patterns on paper and fabric.

Student with or without prior block carving experience are welcome, and participants need not be expert draftsmen. Working with abstractions, silhouettes, and various mark making styles, students will learn approaches to reduce images to their essential elements to exploit line, shape, contrast, and texture. Students can then use and reuse these blocks to create various tessellations printed with various color palettes.

Printing with both a press and by hand and on a mix of paper and fabric, students will be able to produce lush prints on a variety of materials, ultimately creating a variety pack of prints, wall art and functional objects.