1-Year Contemporary Relief Printmaking – PORTFOLIO COURSE

Delivered by professional artists specialising in Relief Print they will each take you through the processes with friendly advice and encourage an experimental approach.

During the first term you will learn the basic techniques of designing, cutting and printing using our traditional printing presses in the studio. You will focus on short projects exploring methods of reduction and multiblock printmaking as well as experimentations in mark making.

In the second term, you will extend your printing skills with further tuition in the art of wood engraving, along with learning how to set and print type. Following this you will learn the process of woodcutting and fabric printing.

For your final term project you will experiment with different relief techniques. As well as attend a talk from a visiting contemporary artist.

The remaining weeks will offer a chance to create your own contemporary artworks on a self-directed project using the skills and techniques you have practiced throughout the year. We hope this course will expand your ideas of contemporary print and provide you with confidence using the studio and continuing your practice at home.

You will experiment with this wonderful, traditional method of printmaking using both printing presses and hand printing to produce a series of printed works. Each term you will be encouraged to look at contemporary artists who use relief, to extend your own visual printmaking vocabulary.

No matter what your current ability for relief printing this course will be able to provide excellent starting points for beginners and improvement methods for those who have already got some experience and plenty of food for thought to take away. From expressive mark making to contemporary block printing – this course will open your mind to the beautiful world of relief printing.

Tutors

Victoria Willmott is a linocut printmaker and illustrator based in Bristol. She studied MA Multidisciplinary Printmaking at University of the West of England, Bristol and BA Illustration at Camberwell, College of Arts.  See more of her work here.

British artist and printmaker, Ben Goodman, is best known for his use of traditional wood engraving to create intricate and powerful portraits.  See more of his work here.