Course Description

This course offers a comprehensive and enjoyable exploration of collagraph printmaking techniques. You will begin by looking at examples of collagraphs produced using the methods that will be covered on the course, then moving onto practising techniques.

You will be introduced to a range of collagraph making materials, including malleable materials such as collage, and sculptural materials such as carborundum grit. You will become familiar with using a range of tools to create varied mark-making techniques on your printing plates. You will be encouraged to use dry-point techniques to add detailed, linear elements to your prints.

You will begin by discussing, selecting and adapting imagery for collagraph techniques. Your tutor will demonstrate the various ways of applying the malleable and sculptural materials to collagraph plates and will also demonstrate a range of dry-point mark-making techniques. You will have time to create a range of plates.

Once you have explored these techniques, you will make and seal your plates and then print from the plates. You will explore mixing and applying inks, combining colours, hand colouring and using intaglio and relief methods of printing.

By the end of the course, you will have explored plate making techniques and produced a number of sample plates from which you will have produced your prints. You will have been introduced to a host of collagraph making methods.

You will become familiar with the images that are most appropriate for these printmaking techniques and have learnt how to adapt your images accordingly. You will have practiced mixing and combining oil-based inks and become familiar with inking collagraph plates and printing them using etching presses.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

• On this course the College will supply some of the materials including inks, carborundum grit, newsprint, shellac, tracing paper, scrim, PVA glue and some printing paper to be shared amongst the group.

What students need to bring

• You will need to bring some kind of inspiration for your imagery. This can either be drawings, photographs, postcards etc. Images should be simple, bold images. A good place to source imagery is children’s book illustrations, as these images have already been simplified. As you will be using tracing paper to transfer your images to your printing plate, please bring actual images, i.e not on a mobile phone or tablet. You might wish to bring along a selection of images from which you can choose from. You will be working on cardboard printing plates, A5 size (21cm x 15cm). It would be helpful if you are able to make your images A5 size in black and white prior to the course.
• Scissors, an apron or similar to wear while printing.
• Cotton buds, for cleaning off excess ink from your printing plate.
• Wet wipes, for cleaning up ink from brushes and inking slabs at the end of the course.
• You may also wish to bring along some textured materials such as textured wallpaper, netting or open weave fabrics or threads of different thicknesses to use as collage materials.
• You may wish to bring your own dry-point tools or mark-making tools for making interesting marks on the printing plates, such as pattern wheels, pounce wheels or leather working tools.
• Any items you may have from the available to buy list.

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• Craft knife with spare blades for cutting into the card, or a scalpel with number 10a blades.
• Pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser, masking tape,
• Additional printing paper as required (you will be printing on Somerset paper)
• Plastic wallet or folder at least A4 size and some white tissue paper to transport your prints home.
• Thin, flat bristle brush to apply varnish to your printing plates.
• Long handled flat hog hair paint brushes in a range of sizes (these will be for applying PVA glue to stick your collagraph textures to your printing plate) or a plastic glue stick.
• Stencil brushes, in a range of sizes, these are for inking up your printing plates. Also a range of smaller brushes numbers 4 - 10 might be useful for inking up small areas.

Please note that printmaking is a physical activity and requires you to be able to use printing presses. Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear i.e. no open-toed shoes or sandals.