Wednesdays, January 11 and 18, 1-6pm
Solar plate etching is a versatile and non-toxic printmaking process that produces results similar to fine photo-etchings. Photopolymer plates are exposed to a variety of film media: photographic transparencies (traditional darkroom, digital, or photocopy transparency) or images hand-drawn on acetate or combinations of both. After exposure, the plates are developed, etched in water, cured and printed on an etching press. Environmentally-friendly, this printmaking technique does not require the use of acid or other harmful chemicals and it is a quick and versatile option for any printmaker.
Level: Intermediate – General experience (6+ hours) with intaglio printmaking processes, such as etching, drypoint, engraving, aquatint, and mezzotint, or other similar experience, is recommended.
Registration has been extended through January 3, 2023. Material fees are included with your registration to cover items provided in class, including plates, ink, tarlatan, newsprint, and the film for printing your positive images for exposure. Students will have a small list of additional items to gather/purchase for class.
Registration includes a $60 materials fee to cover consumable materials provided in class, including plates, ink, tarlatan, newsprint, and the film and ink for printing your positive images for exposure. Students will need to supply additional materials of their own, including:
Eliza Clifford is a designer, educator, and multidisciplinary artist from Bethesda, Maryland. She earned a BFA Zin Graphic Design, Printmaking, and Book Arts along with a Certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019. Her work explores ideas of womanhood, mental health, gender, and how identities are constructed (and destructed). She explores these ideas through many mediums, including printmaking, illustration, book arts, textiles, and installation. Eliza has worked as an art instructor at Pyramid Atlantic, the Arlington Arts Center, and Arts on the Block. She recently completed a Non-profit Management Internship at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY. Learn more about her work at elizaaclifford.com.