ARTS 235
Intaglio Printmaking Fall 2022
Division I

Intaglio printmaking–also known as etching–is a graphic medium in which the surface of a metal plate is transformed, inked and pressed onto paper to create an image. From its 16th-century origins to the many innovative forms of intaglio being practiced by artists today, etching offers a surprisingly flexible and expansive array of graphic possibilities that intersect with drawing, painting, collage and arts of the book. This course will begin by surveying different approaches to transforming the surface of a copper etching plate through drypoint (drawing directly into the plate with a metal stylus); soft and hardground etching (“biting” an image into the plate using selective acid exposure); and aquatint (using acid to create a range of tonal effects). Students will learn methods for printing their etched plates in intentional and exploratory ways. As they work toward developing an individualized formal language appropriate to their subject matter and ideas, they will be encouraged to think about material decision making–their choice of inks, paper, registration, printing technique, etc.–in conceptual terms. The course will culminate with a final project in which students will develop a serial body of work exploring constellations of imagery and the idea of the multiple, taking strategic cues from collage, artist books and other forms of narrative object making. As a rigorously hands on experience, the course will foreground transformative material processes and self-directed studio practice, while also incorporating slide lectures, occasional readings and engagement with WCMA’s contemporary print collection.