Weeklong Solarplate Workshop Deli at Bilancia, June 20-25 2011

I have finally worked out the details for the weeklong Solarplate workshop that has been percolating for over a year.  It is set up to focus on a particular topic per day so that all attendees can concentrate without distraction.  I believe all will learn from each other as we pursue each topic.  Since it is at our home studio, Bilancia, we can only take 8 participants, so it will be an intimate community of printmakers.  My favorite people!  I am calling the event a workshop deli - here is a sample of what will be served:

Select the parts and pieces that interest you to make a 1 to 5 day sandwich of delicious solarplate activities.  Each day will concentrate on a specific topic to achieve successful solarplate prints.  Whether working from a light box or exposing in the sun, you will be given the ingredients to creating a great print.

SUNDAY – OVERVIEW/DEMO  2-4:30pm

This is a preview day, mandatory for the newcomer or old-timer who needs to see the process in action.  Not hands on, but today’s session will open the door to many of the possibilities solarplate can perform. 

MONDAY – THE TRANSPARENCY  10-4:00pm

The key to successful prints is a good transparency.  This session will cover making transparencies from a copy machine and computer printer.  We will have a computer (HP laptop) with photoshop, and a printer (HP)available to make transparencies in the studio.  Size matters, how black does it need to be, and which products work in my printer will be subjects of the day.  No tweaking or experimenting can make up for a bad transparency.  You will learn to identify what works and what doesn’t.  For those who don’t have printers available, a side trip to Kinko’s will cover the necessities of copier created transparencies.

TUESDAY – DRAWING  10-4:00pm

The real art of solarplate comes when the artist’s hand is clearly seen.  This session will cover drawing directly on a transparency – one sided frosted mylar or on a transparency with an image you wish to modify, enhance or reduce; and creating a frosted glass surface on which you can draw.  You will learn which tools create great blacks, like stabilo pencils and a wonderfully weird tusche you will love.

WEDNESDAY – RELIEF  10-4:00pm

Getting one’s brain around “what’s black is white” is the goal today.  Solarplates are great for relief printing and this session will cover creating plates from transparency - and working directly on the plate.  Look Ma, no transparency!  Also covered will be tips on modifying images with photoshop filters which will enhance your success.  Working directly on the plate can result in either relief or intaglio, depending on your timing.  The variety of artistic effects will be expanded in this session.

THURSDAY – MIXED MEDIA  10-4:00pm

Combining relief and intaglio or combining two or more plates are the goals for this session.  Having created  your plates doesn’t end the creative process.  What else can you do, how far can you go, what if you tried this…This session will help you grow beyond the basics and help you learn to think outside of what is.  Chine colle, alternative papers and mixing it up will be encouraged.

FRIDAY – FREE PRINT  10-4:00pm

Take the day to print up a fury.  Etch that last plate you wanted to squeeze in, continue the work you didn’t get to in a previous session.  And show off the work you made with a critique of the week’s effort.

Contact me for pricing and registration information.