How to do Printmaking

HOME PRINTMAKING

ART 315: PRINTMAKING I [3 credit hrs] Term: (Spring B)
Grace College, Winona Lake, IN. Prof D.M. Swartzentruber, MFA
Thursday Evenings (6:00-9:00 pm)

DATE:		INFORMATION:	DUE:
3/14/12		Instructor Introduction: Student Introduction: ID Index Card Info: Class Expectations, Attendance, Supplies Lecture: "Why make Prints in the Digital Age?" (A) Acrylic/Oil Monotype Printmaking on Plexiglas Lecture: "A Communal Approach: Clean Studio, Clean Margins"
3/21/12		Lecture: Would Rembrandt be Famous Today?" (B) Zinc Plate Etching Printmaking Lecture: "Signing and Signature is an Esthetic of the Print"
3/28/12		Lecture: "Japanese Ukiyo-e Reduction Prints (C) Linoleum Reduction Printmaking Lecture: "How to Critique Artwork"	(A) Monotype
	EASTER BREAK
4/4/12		Lecture: "Found Objects & Recycling" (D) Collagraph/Cardboard Printmaking Lecture: "Limited Editions & Collectables: Art in the Marketplace"	(B) Etching (C) Lino
______		ANNUAL GRACE STUDENT JURIED EXHIBIT (Must submit 2 prints)
4/11/12		(E) Pronto Plate Printmaking Lecture: "Artist: Evidence of a Creator"
4/18/12		(F) Final Portfolio Print * [Prof's house - video: How to Draw a Bunny about artist Ray Johnson, Atomic Cafe', or Henry Darger]	(D) Collagraph
4/25/12		Guided studio work night. Lecture: "Art, Liberal Arts and the Global Economy"	(E) Pronto
5/2/12		EXAMINATION:	(F-I) EXAM
		40% (F) Final Portfolio Print (Bon à tirer: See Below)
		10% (G) Clean Studio (See Below)
		40% (H) Publishable Research Article: (See Below)
		10 % (I) Test
		WORKSHOPS/ SELF DIRECTED WORK: Methods: Artist Book, Collaboration, Scale, etc. Materials: Mylar Monotype, Drypoint, Gyotaku, Silkscreen, etc. Themes: Architecture, religion, photography, etc.
		* This course has a hybrid component. Student will construct a publishable article with support images. They will also do a film review online.

Introduction:
This is an introductory survey course in the media of printmaking. Students are encouraged to apply their drawing and design skills to express their ideas in projects based on several of the following methods; woodcut, linocut, intaglio, serigraphy, monotype and lithography. The semester will consist of primarily hand-printing processes with an emphasis on drawing and composition. Art History will be use to demonstrate and enrich the material discussed in this survey.

Attendance Policy:
As responsible adults, students are expected to attend classes. Whether present or absent, students are held responsible for announcements made and all work covered in class sessions. In cases of illness, medical emergency or some other crisis it is the student’s responsibility to make up any studies missed and copy class notes from another student. Student should notify instructor in advance about anticipated absences and make appropriate arrangements to make up work. Students participating in athletics, with performing groups or otherwise representing Grace College, will sometimes have events scheduled in conflict with classes. Students should notify me well in advance of these dates. Attendance is mandatory for success in all of my courses. To emphasize the importance of attendance, penalties are given for missing class often. I give all students one absences for illnesses, field trips, representing Grace College, interviews, deaths in the family, and other such emergencies. As such, for insurance, I recommend that students "save up" their two excuses throughout the semester to use in case of illness and emergencies. For each absence after the first, they will lose 5% of accumulated point total at the end of the semester. Finally, attendance literally means, "to be present" for the entire duration of the class. Students arriving to class late or leaving class early may be marked as absent for the day.

Assignments & Group Critiques:
Student participation in the group critiques is mandatory. Work must be completed and dry by assigned deadlines in order to be eligible for full credit. Any project or technique may be substituted, dropped or added by the professor. Be ready to discuss your work and the work of othes students in class each week.

Bon `a tirer:
Per tradition, and as an aid in teaching future printmaking students, an edition proof or the bon à tirer is to remain with the professor. This is only when requested.

Clean Studio and Safety Responsibilities

C.....Containers: Use cardboard and paint scrapers to return all ink back into appropriate ink storage containers.
L.....Little pieces of newspaper: Wipe all extra ink off with little pieces/cardboard of newspaper. Use a circular motion. Keep a trashcan close.
E.....Emit paint thinner with spray bottle for stubborn ink: Spray paint thinner with mister spray bottle. If you refill the bottle, put the cap back on the can of thinner.
A.....All remaining loosened ink should be wiped off with newspaper.
N.....Now you can use thinner on your hands. Clean off your work area and hands with a small amount of thinner.
S.....Soap and water will clean thinner off your hands. This is the only time you work at the sink when cleaning oil-based inks.

Solvents and oil based inks:
-Are extremely flammable.
-Are extremely poisonous.
-Never pour used or extra solvents down the drain. Treat them as hazardous waste.
-Handle with great care.
-Store all solvents in metal containers and in a metal storage cabinet.

-Not all oil-based inks are compatible (rubber, vinyl).
-Ventilate the work area.

Non Toxic Cleanup:
With the toxicity of the fumes from thinners and the standard removal of such hazardous materials, an alternate method may be used (and in some situations is preferred).
*To clean oil-based ink off of copper/zinc plates, brayers, ink scrapers, follow the first two steps of the “Cleans” process. Like with using thinners, have some newspaper/rags/paper towel ready. Pour a small amount of veggie oil onto the already scraped plate/scraper/brayer. Using your fingers, gently rub the vegetable oil into the ink-covered areas. Using rags or scraps of paper, remove the standing oil. You may need to add more vegetable oil to loosen and remove the rest of the ink. Before using the Simple Green, there should be little ink remaining on the area needing to be cleaned. Spray a small amount of Simple Green on the plate and wipe clean.
*A quicker, less-damaging way to clean your hands is to use hand lotion rather than thinners. The thinners will dry out your hands and leave its strong odor behind. Hand lotion will loosen the ink as you rub it in, it’s easier to wash off, and may leave your hands smelling better and feeling softer.

Essay: Publishable Research Article:
Word Count: 1,000-2,000
Font: Times Roman Size: 14
Line Spacing: Single
Topic: Printmaking Technique, Printmaker, Printmaking Art History. Consider the below list as options for lead questions.

What was the method of printmaking?
What are some of the materials used by this artist?
What influences were mentions from other cultures, artist, surroundings, etc?
What was the artist’s background or training?
What technique does this printmaker use?
What was the theme or source for the images?
List vocabulary words and meaning that are directly associated with this printmaking technique
Explain the advantages and disadvantages the artist explained that were a part of this medium
What “tricks of the trade” or helpful hints does the artist employ?

Bibligraphy:
- Placed at the end of the essay.
- Include 3-5 reputable books or journal articles.
- Also include 5 to 15 quality links.
- Make all footnotes into endnotes.
Images:
- Include 3 or more jpeg images.
- Gain permission from any images that are not yours. Site it in the article.
- Images should be between 500 and 700 pixels wide.
- Reference the images in the article as Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Title the jpeg as follows fig-1-title.jpeg

Sketchbook:
Students are expected to keep a sketchbook/journal as an important source for developing imagery to use for this course.