PRINTMAKING: In this class, students will learn and experiment in making an edition of reduction block prints, using their own experiences as the inspiration for their art.

Printmaking is a fine art, in which original art works is carved and inked to achieve a
“relief” process. This is achieved by cutting away the background or negative areas until the foreground or the main emphasis are left (barely uncut except for details). This will give you a high relief in which the “cut” part is lowered while the “uncut” part stays the same level giving a “raised” surface.

Reductive printmaking technique:
When the artist uses only one block, he prints the first color for the whole edition size after he finished the carving of one image. Then he must re-carve the second image into the remainder of the same block, apply the second color and print over the impressions of the first step. Thus for a 5 color print, the artist has to carve and print 5 times on the same media. At the end of this process, the lino block is reduced to the modest remains used to print the last color.

Creating an edition:
When the carving is completed, a soft rubber roller charged with ink is use to print the image. Soft paper like rice paper is placed on the inked surface and rub with wooden spoon or a “barren” (soft print applicator) on the back. This creates an image in reverse and this process can be repeated to achieve a series of the same print or “edition”. Please view the variety of themes and students creative prints.

MLR Content Standard: A. Disciplinary Literacy-Visual Arts
Students show literacy in the art of discipline by understanding and demonstrating concepts, skills, terminology and processes.