This is a two-session class.
Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th
11:00am-3:30pm
Copper plate etching is a traditional form of printmaking that yields a wide range of rich lines, textures, and tonal variation. This intensive workshop introduces both hard ground etching and aquatint, a technique used to create areas of value and atmosphere through controlled acid exposure.
Students will learn how to etch a drawing into a copper plate using an acid resist and then expand their plate using aquatint to develop tonal fields ranging from light grays to deep blacks. Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between line and tone, allowing students to create more dynamic and resolved compositions. After etching, students will learn how to ink, wipe, and print their plates on an intaglio press. We will also cover safety, best practices, and strategies for working in a communal print studio.
Participants will leave with a set of black-and-white prints, their 5”x5” copper plate, and a strong understanding of both line-based and tonal etching processes.
No prior printmaking experience is required, and all materials will be provided. Lesson time includes a 30-minute lunch break each day.
Bonus studio time included! Intro to Etching Intensive comes with three additional hours of studio time. Use it to keep working on your plate, refine drawings, pull more prints, or just spend more time getting to know the process at your own pace. Studio time can be used anytime during SSP operating hours. Please note: this is self-guided studio time; instructors will not be on site.
Instructor: Nicole Patrice Dul
Nicole Patrice Dul holds an M.F.A. in Printmaking from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and a B.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from Tyler School of Art in Elkins Park, PA. She is an exhibiting artist with several solo exhibits and is included in numerous private collections. Nicole has participated in many national group art shows and has curated several exhibits. Currently, she is a co-president of the Cheltenham Print Guild in Cheltenham, PA, and a member of the Third Street Gallery in Philadelphia, PA. Nicole teaches art, design, and art history at Holy Family University, and instructs students of all ages at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts and Fleisher Art Memorial. She is an artist, educator, and crafty entrepreneur who collaborates with Peter McMahon in their business, Facelift Thrift LLC, also doing business as Ten Thirty-One Curios.
