Advanced Photogravure: Layering and Color

Advanced Photogravure: Layering and Color
With Ralph Robinson

5 Sessions: Wednesdays
January 28th, February 4, 11, 18, 10AM - 3PM
Open Worktime Session w/ a TA: February 28th from 10AM - 5PM
6 participants maximum
Cost: $700 + $150 materials fee

Take your photogravure practice to the next level in this in-depth, 5-part workshop led by Ralph Robinson on a project of your choice. Designed for those who have previous experience with photogravure plate making and printing, this program offers the opportunity to develop a more ambitious project of your own. Across five studio sessions, you'll dive deep into advanced techniques focusing on chine colleé, mixed-media, and/or multi-plate printing. Choose from techniques that will be demonstrated in our class sessions to develop your project in line with your vision. Explore a range of approaches to color layering, refining the relationship between digital file preparation, traditional printmaking methods, and experimental approaches. With Ralph’s guidance, you’ll be supported to produce a cohesive project.

This workshop is for people who have experience with the Direct-to-Plate Photopolymer Photogravure process – participants must have completed a beginners Photogravure workshop and be familiar with Adobe Photoshop. If you are unsure about your previous experience, please contact us prior to booking your place.

The workshop fee covers all materials, including two 10” x 15” Green Mountain photopolymer plates & five full 22” x 30” sheets of Hahnemuhle copperplate paper, and papers for chine collé Additional plates and paper will be available for purchase during the workshop should you wish to supplement those materials.

Class Schedule and Content

Class #1 Exploring Chine Collé
In this first class Ralph will introduce you to the world of chine collé photogravure. After a brief demonstration of the technique, everyone will have the chance to practice it using one of your previously made plates. We will also review essential digital skills used to prepare your files for plate making. You will have the opportunity to present your initial ideas for creating a project that expands on your current practice. If your project is taking shape, and your image files are ready by the end of the session, the plates can be made for you between classes.

Class #2 Adding Color to Photogravure
This second session will offer you the opportunity to present your project plan and seek feedback from Ralph and the group. Specific to your project, we will discuss techniques that you may want to adopt. This may include:
• Inkjet printing a background of color directly on the etching paper
• Registration of your background color image to the photogravure
• Digital chine collé: creating an additional layer of imagery to embed in your print
• Digital steps for preparing color files
• A la poupée: a painterly technique for inking your plate with multiple colors

Class #3 Multi-plate Photogravure
We will show and discuss ways to create duotones, tritones, and 4-color separations using multiple plates. We will address trouble-shooting and problem solving, keys to successful multi-layer photogravure projects. Depending on your project, you will learn advanced studio practices such as:
• Duo-tone techniques using a second plate
• Preparing multiple files to be used in multi-plate printing.
• CMYK color separations
• Registration methods for multi-plate printing

Class #4 Creating an Edition
We will concentrate on multiple ways of working with a single image or series of images, so that you leave the workshop with a set of resolved prints. This day will largely be a working session, with supervision and consultation available from Ralph and the TA.

Class #5
This will be an open studio session for all participants, under the guidance of our TA monitor.

Class is located at:
Shepherd & Maudsleigh Studio
27 Dunstan Street
West Newton, MA 02465
[email protected]