COURSE
£2,495.00
3 in stock
The HAUSPRINT Etching Year Course is a unique opportunity to build your etching skills over the course of a year- it is designed to provide stable building blocks for your printmaking future, whatever your starting point. You will be guided through a programme delivered over three terms. In the first term, you will learn about plate preparation, hard and soft ground and aquatint, and how to ink and print your plates.
In term two, you will explore more advanced etching techniques and hone your printmaking skills, learning about paper and inks, exploring inking techniques for different results, and understanding how to print (edition) consistently to make prints that express your intentions.
In term three, you will work on a personal project for exhibition in the studio at the end of term. You will make a series of prints for display, working collaboratively with staff and students to plan and deliver your exhibition.
You will be encouraged to draw to build your confidence and explore and expand your ideas for making prints. There will be group discussion, group crit and one-to-one tutorial opportunities, which will focus on how to develop your work.
Concentrate on intaglio printmaking, on etching and related techniques. You will learn studio practice, technical know-how and health and safety alongside developing your work.
Who can join the course?
The course is suitable for complete beginners and more experienced printmakers who want to develop their etching skills and practice.
What will I be doing?
Weekly classes are delivered over three terms and include:
Michelle Avison studied painting at the Slade School of Art in the late 1980s, going on to study Printmaking MA at Wimbledon School of Art. Michelle is an experienced artist educator committed to sharing her printmaking expertise and ideas. Michelle works across different printmaking techniques including etching, relief print, drypoint and monotype. She can be seen on the beach in Scotland and more recently the west coast of Wales, working directly on her plates in an immediate response to environment and weather.
Rob White is an artist printmaker who has over twenty years of experience working in the biggest print studios in London, firstly working at Thumbprint Editions on projects for Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn, Richard Deacon and many others.
Rob moved to Paupers Press where he’s worked on projects for Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin, The Chapman Brothers, Peter Blake and others. Alongside this Rob has worked with Tom Hammick on many print projects over the last twenty years. Rob works mainly in etching using techniques including sugar lift, spit bite, chine collé, working with multiple plates and colours.
We will send information about the first session on enrolment.
Our south London printmaking studio in Stockwell has a small kitchen with a microwave and fridge, plates, cutlery and mugs. Tea and coffee will be provided.
The course is suitable for beginners as it provides a clear pathway into learning technique alongside ideas for how to develop your work. In the last two years we have had students who have done no art at all previously! They have made great progress.
The Etching Year is also suitable for printmakers with some experience, either of etching or another printmaking technique.
Two tutors, Michelle and Rob, lead the course, but there are also opportunities to work with other artist tutors. Rob has a massive experience of printing, and is technically, probably one of the best printers in London. Michelle has a long experience in education, and brings that into the course.
In addition, there are opportunities to make lasting friendships with other members of the class, and to develop a brilliantly supportive relationship with them. Print room and museum visits add value, and a unique learning opportunity.
You can really immerse yourself in making, learning, and being creative. There is nothing better!
“This has been one of the most valuable things I have ever done.” Rachel McVeagh, current HAUSPRINT Etching Year student.
Etching was originally invented as a method for adding decoration to armour during the Middle Ages. Artists began to use metal plates for printing in the 15th century, when Albrecht Durer made work on iron plates. Later artists such as Andrea Mantegna in Italy and Rembrandt in Holland went on to make etchings on copper.
A traditional technique in etching. After degreasing the surface of the plate, hard ground is rolled over the surface.
Soft ground was invented in the latter half of the eighteenth century as a means of reproducing the grainy qualities of chalk work. It was first used in England by Gainsborough and artists of the Norwich School.
We may take photographs or video in the studio whilst you are there, for our website, social media and other studio marketing. We will always make you aware of this activity. Let us know if you don’t wish you or your work to be photographed and/or identified.
For those wanting to explore etching, our four week evening course investigates texture, pattern and mark-making through hard and soft ground. An excellent introduction to etching.
The Linocut course will take you on a journey from the basics of linocut through to more advanced prints using multiple layers of jigsaw blocks. The course is suitable for beginners or more experienced printmakers.
Find out about different ways to make monotypes, and have some fun developing your ideas, with artist Michelle Avison.
