Painterly Paper Lithography

Experience the magic of lithography! 

Spend a fun, hands-on day making quick, cheap, colourful lithograph prints using photo-paper as a matrix – no specialist lithography equipment required! You’ll learn the basic principles of lithography, creating painterly hand-drawn images on inkjet photo-paper using acrylic ink. Plates are processed with gum arabic and cola, and once dry can be printed from straight away using oil-based ink and an etching press.  

This process lends itself to bold, expressive marks – subtle washes and tonal detail can be trickier to achieve, so we’ll explore alternative approaches using binary mark-making techniques such as stippling and dry brushing. All the materials used on this course are widely available and low-toxicity. Editions of 10+ can be achieved, and your plates can be cleaned ready to reprint again at a later date. Photographic images can also be used, but we’ll keep the focus mainly on hand-drawing. 

No need to plan images in advance – we’ll begin with some quick drawing exercises to loosen-up, and then work directly onto plates to generate compositions, exploring both positive and negative mark-making. (If you’d like to bring source material such as sketchbooks or photographs, you’re very welcome to.) 

From there, we’ll translate your drawings into colourful, layered paper lithograph prints. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a stack of A4 prints to take home, and perhaps a newfound (or rekindled) love of printmaking. 

This one-day course is taught by our Print Technician Kate Desforges, and stems from her ongoing research into alternative, accessible methods of lithography. 

Who is this course for?

Anyone; from beginners to experienced. This course is an excellent introduction for beginners who want to dip a toe into the world of lithography, or for those with some print experience who want to learn something a little bit different. It would also suit teachers, (secondary and above), who’d like to learn an accessible method of lithography to pass on to students in the classroom. (Please note a printing press is needed). 

What to prepare in advance and bring?

All materials will be provided. We’ll be working on A5-size plates, and printing on A4 size paper. 
You don’t have to do any preparation for the course – you can just make marks, let the process guide you, and see what happens! But it may be useful to bring some reference material with you for ideas. 

Useful to bring:  

• Notebook, (handouts will be provided but you might wish to take extra notes) 
• Phone / camera (many people find it useful to take process photographs to jog memory, but please be respectful of others who many not want to be in them) 
• Pens/pencils, ruler, apron. 
• A sturdy folder/portfolio to take your work home in – although you can also buy these from us on the day should you wish.  

Itinerary:

• AM: Welcomes, introductions, explanation of technique with examples. Short drawing exercises to loosen-up.  Drawing onto plates using positive and negative processes. Drying and processing plates.  
• PM: After a demonstration of printing a paper lithograph, students will spend the afternoon printing their plates, building up multi-layered experimental prints.   

Pace and Accessibility:

This workshop is designed to be relaxed, supportive and accessible, with a maximum of eight participants to ensure everyone receives individual guidance. You’ll be taken through each stage of the process step by step, with opportunities to work either seated or standing as you prefer. Regular breaks will be included throughout the session. This workshop will take place in our Gallery space which has level access and an accessible toilet. If you have any additional access or support needs, please get in touch before the workshop so we can do our best to accommodate them. 

Your tutor: Kate Desforges

Kate is our resident Print Technician here at WYPW, and in her own practice she uses print experimentally, often incorporating elements of printed matter into her unique mixed-media pieces, which carry echoes of elemental forces and half-glimpsed, half-remembered places. Trained as a printmaker, with a strong background in drawing, she approaches her pieces through that lens – building up subtle layers of paint, applying traces of pigment, layers of collaged print, carving, sanding back, and embracing the incidental.     

Her work is held in public and private collections in the UK, including the Tate Library artist book collection. She trained at Kingston University, and has undertaken artist residencies at Intaglio Printmaker, London, Mi-LAB, Japan, and a Post Graduate Lithography Fellowship at Leicester Print Workshop. She exhibits widely, most recently in London with Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair and No Place Art. Her practice is closely interwoven with her adjacent career as a printmaking technician and tutor, which continues to inform and evolve her approach to making. 

See more on her tutor profile here: https://wypw.org/tutors/kate-desforges/

What’s next?

After attending this course you can join our workshop as a member and continue to use our facilities to make and develop your own work. The sooner the better, as the longer you leave it the more you are likely to forget! If you join up within one month of attending the course you will receive a £5 discount. Find out more about the benefits of membership here: https://www.wypw.org/shop/standard-membership/

Cancellation Policy:

• If you have to cancel:

If you are unable to attend your booked course, we may accept the fee paid as payment towards a place on the same or another course that takes place within the same financial year (running 1 April-31 March) following the originally booked event. Such a transfer will be on condition that we are informed in writing of your intentions four weeks prior to the originally booked event. Bookings can only be transferred once. If you are unable to attend, and not in a position either to transfer to another event, then the following charges will apply: Cancellation charges

• 16-12 weeks before the course: 50 % of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Less than 12 weeks before the course: 100% of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Please note that full payment is required for non-attendance on a booking that has been transferred.

If you have any further questions about our cancellation policy, please contact us on info@wypw.org

• If we have to cancel:

West Yorkshire Print Workshop reserves the right to cancel or re-arrange courses if there are insufficient participants enrolled to run a viable course or for other unforeseen circumstances. We will do our best to give those who have already enrolled at least one weeks’ notice of cancellation. In such circumstances you will be offered a free transfer to another course date or a full refund of fees paid. By enrolling in our courses, participants agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined above. 

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