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PRINTMAKING
ON-LINE INFORMATION
Introduction
Printmaking techniques
History of Printmaking
Printmaking Courses
Suppliers
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| Arvon Wellen 1997 |
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Techniques |
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| printmaking suppliers
[under construction] |
a brief history of
printmaking [under construction] |
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My own printmaking studio at Flemings
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My main interest for the last six years has been in making
prints through digital means. For those people who prefer to use traditional
printmaking processes such as etching, it may be hard to accept the use
of, what is in effect a reprographic process. It should be remembered that
all printmaking processes have been used, at some time in there history,
as reproductive processes. There is a very line to be drawn between techniques
that are essentially associated with reproduction and those which make
an individual intellectual statement. Quality is an important factor, both
in terms of the idea, and the materials, but most of all it is the inherent
emotional and intellectual substance with which the print is charged which
is most important. Has the idea and the process become an integral whole?
I too have had certain doubts about computers and art. and computers and
printmaking, but I feel that any object that imaginatively represents an
intellectual or emotional statement or poses questions must be considered
as a work of art. The type of process or materials used should not predetermine
the primacy of one work of art over another. However, the ease through
which an acceptable electronic image may be made does introduce a caveat
into this argument, so many images that have been scanned into the computer
come out looking the same. This is not to deny the potential of such reproductive
images but the medium is far more flexible than this. One of the process
that I have found successful with students is to use the computer to create
the image, or one may scan an original, made on paper, which is then manipulated
in Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. The computer may then be used as a means
of making colour separations. It is quite easy to make CMYK separations.
This is also considerably cheaper than having them made by a specialist
company. If at all possible, I have found it best to scan in CMYK mode
but the process will still work if you scan in RGB. It is important to
note that, in order to create the full range of tones and hues, each of
the separations needs individual attention. The separations are printed
out in black onto good quality paper rather than onto acetate. Perhaps
someone else has had greater success than I have with acetate? Photographic
positives are then created by means of a process camera and the images
are then applied to screens coated with photographic emulsion. Some students
have found that three colours, without black, gives a far brighter colour
range. Alternatively, it may be more effective to introduce further colour
printings in order to achieve subtle variations in hue. Registration needs
to be very accurate, which is the major problem with this process, however,
if the separations are turned into bitmaps and printed as flat colour with
a random dot rather than as a true half tone, registration is less problematic. |
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'Room' part of a solo exhibition of digital prints
in Spain 1997 |
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Brunhild and Kreimhild from the Siegfried series. |
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Printmaking at APU
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Please note that the printmaking course here is now a
single honours route
The Printmaking Pathway
Leading to the award BA(Hons) Printmaking
This is a specialist Printmaking pathway which encourages independent
thinking, innovation and the development of individual and self directed
creative work within a broad area of fine art. The core of the programme
is printmaking but we do not restrict students to traditional processes.
While students are taught a variety of techniques, technique in itself
is not overemphasized within the ethos of the pathway |
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Relief printmaking: John printing on one of the four
Albion style presses
There has been a tradition a fine drawing in Cambridge, we still
honour this tradition, but we also encourage students to work in a variety
of ways which may include objective drawing, painting, or photography,
in addition it is also possible to use digital or three dimensional media.
This is a very open course. We have no preference for style or medium and,
wherever possible, we try to support the requirements of each individual.
Which means that some people are working on performances or installations
while others are using more traditional techniques.
We are fortunate in being having very well equipped studios which
offer intaglio (etching), screen printing, monoprinting, relief printing
and lithography. but most important of all there is a stimulating and friendly
working atmosphere. |
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Julia Hawkins demonstrating screen printing processes |
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Tim printing intaglio plates. He has since gone on
to study printmaking at postgraduate level. |
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Ann printing on one of the three intaglio presses using
several plates to produce colour etching with aquatint. |
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| LINKS
TO OTHER SITES RELATING TO PRINTMAKING
THE HISTORY OF
PRINTMAKING illustrated background to the development of printmaking
PRINTMAKING PROCESSES
AND TECHNIQUES link to techniques and the history of printmaking
PRINTMAKING updated 2/11/99 |
page
two
This introduction continues on page two.
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| For further information please contact me at APU telephone
01223 363272 extension 2125 or email me at arvon@flemings.u-net.com |
Mall
The first of six galleries of work of students who have specialized
in printmaking. The Mall Gallery, London 10th - 12th July 1997. |
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