ARTS 28
Improvisational Woodcut Winter 2023

This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Woodblock printmaking-the practice of making inked impressions from the carved surfaces of wooden blocks-is an ancient medium that has proliferated through many different cultural contexts and formal iterations. In this intensive studio course students will be introduced to the fundamentals of woodcut, with an emphasis on direct hand carving, hand printing and experimental transformations of the printed multiple through collage. Students will learn how to carve their imagery into traditional shina woodblocks while also experimenting with reclaimed wood. By utilizing hand printing techniques students will have the opportunity to make prints that are of unconventional sizes and shapes. The resulting prints will be transformed and elaborated through experimentation with archival, non-toxic collage techniques, handmade papers and other found materials. This is an immersive course that meets three times per week for 2.5-hour sessions. Class meetings will include slide lectures, group discussions, technical demonstrations and studio work closely supervised by the instructor. Students will be expected to dedicate 4 to 6 additional hours per week to developing their projects. In addition to class sessions there will be open printshop hours during which students may work independently. Visits to the print collections of WCMA and the Chapin Library will introduce students to a broad sample of historical and contemporary woodblock prints. At the end of the session students will present their work in a group exhibition in the Spencer Studio Art Building. Lab fees are covered by the Book Grant for students receiving financial aid.
The Class: Format: lecture
Limit: 8
Expected: NA
Class#: 1165
Grading: pass/fail only
Requirements/Evaluation: Final project or presentation
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Preferences: A brief written statement answering the question: Why is it important for you to take this course at this moment in your time at Williams?
Unit Notes: Alyssa Pheobus Mumtaz holds an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Yale. She exhibits her work internationally and has taught printmaking, drawing, painting and design at institutions including UVA, Columbia and American University.
Materials/Lab Fee: $250-$350. Lab and materials fees for all studio art classes are covered by the Book Grant for all Williams financial aid recipients.
Attributes: EXPE Experiential Education Courses
SLFX Winter Study Self-Expression
STUX Winter Study Student Exploration

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