Printmaking Introductions: Drypoint (Weekend)

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No previous knowledge of the subject is required.

Special Information

Materials and equipment provided for students as part of the course fee:

• Printing press

• Printing inks

• Rollers

• Inks

• Cleaning materials

Materials available to purchase during course:

• One-sided card

• Newsprint

• Cartridge paper

Essential materials and equipment students must provide themselves:

• Apron

• Pencils

• Permanent marker

• Small watercolour-type brush

• Black drawing ink

• Eraser

• Glue stick

• Scalpel or equivalent sharp cutting blade

• Etching needle - basic model

• Zinc or aluminium plate for drypoint

• Tracing paper

• Sketchbooks

• Papers: cartridge paper, tissue paper, newsprint

• Drypoint intaglio printing paper Fabriano 300 gsm or equivalent

• Colour papers

• Chine Collee papers

• Thick card, mountboard, thin ply and foil backed cards

Content of Course

Each session, students will be introduced to various aspects in relation to the course. The sessions will explore a combination of contextual references and practical exercises and demonstrations, which include:

1. Essential Drypoint - General introduction with short power-point presentation overview of relevant Intaglio printmakers work and techniques which will be considered and explored during the course. Following a practical demonstration by the tutor, students will be guided first through the process of preparing a drypoint plate. They will then be shown how to use an etching needle to incise a small zinc or acrylic plate with an image. They will then apply ink to their plate in the Intaglio manner to produce a ‘drypoint’ print from damped prepared paper using the action of an etching press. Students will be asked to prepare a larger image or series of smaller images for the following week that will be printed as a drypoint.

2. Drypoint - “Artists working the line”. Introduced with a short power-point presentation. Intaglio works in monochrome by Rembrandt, Piranesi, Picasso and others. Themes examined will include Landscape, religion and self-portrait. Students will be given a larger plate which may be cut down to several smaller plates.

3. The tutor will demonstrate the introduction of plate tone to the inking and wiping process. Printing with Japanese papers and other substrates in the manner of Rembrandt and Hercules Seghers will also be addressed. Students will also be introduced to other methods for incising marks on drypoint plate. This will include the use of sandpaper, scoring and hatching with other sharp tools and polishing and burnishing with Brasso.

4. A la Poupeé and Chiné Collee - “Hercules Seghers, colour and recycling”. Students will be introduced to the works in colour of Hercules Seghers and the artists’ use of prepared papers and textiles as substrates and his reuse of old intaglio plates.

5. The application of colours to a drypoint plate “A la Poupeé” will be demonstrated. This will be followed by the introduction of colour papers onto a ready-inked drypoint plate as Chiné Collee.

6. What is the Matrix? - Card and other Intaglio Matrices. Students will be encouraged to explore the potential of non-standard intaglio matrices which can include thick card, mountboard, thin ply and foil backed cards. They will also be introduced to combined intaglio and relief inking techniques.

7. Résumé of course. Short power-point presentation by tutor revisiting artists’ works, relevant techniques and students works. Students to continue with any works that have yet to be completed and printed. Small group pocket exhibition of student works.

Teaching method(s)

This course will be based and delivered in specialist art and design studios or workshops and will typically include a range of practical exercises, introductions to techniques, processes and concepts. This is supported by practical demonstrations, group discussions, contextual references and one-to-one support.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Produce printed images confidently in a variety of techniques.

• Developed a knowledge and experience of Intaglio printmaking practices. This will include how to safely use materials, tools and machinery to produce prints.

• Demonstrate an understanding for how to compose, transfer and produce images through Drypoint intaglio technique following a series of processes.

Sources

Core Readings

• Printmaking Periodicals

• Printmaking publications by the V & A press

Web Sources

British Museum Department of Prints and Drawings Collection of Western Prints

The Western Print Collection, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Print Collection

Class Handouts

Will be provided as required.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.