Direct-to-Plate Photopolymer Gravure
Workshop with Don MessecDirect-to-Plate Photopolymer Gravure
September 11-14, 2023 (4 days)
Workshop prints examples
Welcome support of Hahnemühle USA
Limited to 6 – Sold out – wait list
This is the way of getting the depth, fullness, detail and tonality of gravure without the need for toxic chemicals, a vacuum frame, transparencies, mess, even an exposure unit or contact frame. You will make rich soulful prints of your work like only gravure has ever produce. And when you want to go beyond a straight interpretation of your work, let the process of hand inking your plate open a world of marks or color, taking you and your work new places.
Direct-to-Plate (dtp) is a true game changer that saves time, studio space, and equipment. With any one of many inkjet printers, you will be able to place your image directly to emulsion for exposure in the sun or UV unit to great effect.
There is no pre-screening of your plates or transparencies. The screen is built into printer’s output which is printed directly on the plate, then exposed. Using either ImagOn, Solarplate or other photopolymer plates, you will spend far more time making exhibition quality prints and less time platemaking.
Whether you make photographs, draw, paint, appropriate images, collage or whatever your process of image making, all you need to accomplish dtp is getting your images into digital form so it can be printed to your plate. Then begins the process of interpreting your image with ink – real pigmented ink: blending blacks, mixing color, wiping with mark making intention or purely photographic intention. It is nearly addictive.
MakingArtSafely is Don Messec’s latest effort to bring new thinking, technology and materials to artists who do not want to literally “die for their art.” Don’s MFA is from UIUC and he began his printmaking experience at Bob Blackburn’s Printmaking Workshop in NYC in the 1980s. Sounds so long ago. Don Messec is also the founding director of the Printmaking Center for Safe and Non-toxic Printmaking, until its host college closed, it was the world leading academic studio entity for the development, cultivation, and education in low-toxic printmaking for artists and art instructors.
More print examples here.
For a short history and explanation of photopolymer gravure plus additional examples please visit here.
What’s Included
Plate size for the workshop is 8×10” that can be trimmed as needed to fit your image. EG, squares of 8×8″ can be cut from 8×10″. Your registration includes 5 Solarplates. The studio includes printing press, digital printer, etching inks and paper, a few computers for in-studio use along with all the other common tools and materials for making photopolymer plates and prints.
What to Bring
- Source materials such as digitized drawings and digital photographs in any of the following formats – PSD, jpg, TIFF, RAW. It is important that you bring original unaltered files in addition to your processed or manipulated versions. It can be more than useful to go back to an unmodified original to re-interpret or re-work the image once you and I see it here.
- Digital camera if you have one. Of course you can take pictures and video!
- Jump drive (thumb drive or other portable read/write media)
- Laptop which should have current versions of Photoshop or Lightroom or ON1 RAW or other imaging software. If you do not have any of this software please download a trial version for the workshop. We have one studio use Macs. Not enough to cover everyone’s full-time needs.
- Large enough luggage or box to pack prints with stiff protector (cardboard or matt board). Paper will be torn down to approximately 11×15” and can be return smaller to match prints
Registration includes a reasonable amount of materials and supports an extensive array of communal shop needs, costs and consumables.
That’s it! Any questions about supplies, please feel free to contact us.
Workshop Itinerary
- Monday morning begins with students arriving at the studio between 9:30-10 AM.
- Daily instruction is 10 AM to 4 PM with the studio open to students between 9:30 AM and 7 PM. Exception is Friday when the workshop ends at 4 PM.
- Bring a lunch everyday except Wednesday when we go out Dutch for a late(ish) lunch
- If opportunity and conditions collide we may get to add a photo excursion.