I will be teaching a Woodblock Printmaking Class for all skill levels, age 12+, on August 27, 2022!
The class will be $80 and is from 1-4 pm at the Catalyst Arts Collaborative, within the Gem Center for the Arts at 2417 W Bank Dr, Suite B2, Boise, ID 83704. Students must be able to independently use both hands to carve using sharp chisels, given instruction on safe use.
What to Expect
I have a background in teaching art classes, and this is my first collaboration with Catalyst! Catalyst Arts Collaborative offers a wealth of art classes, and is perhaps the only organization of its kind in the Treasure Valley. It is run by artists and arts educators who believe in the power of art for every person.
Here’s a little about what to expect in my class: We will be carving 6″x8″ blocks of basswood using 2 types of chisels. Basswood is a really fine-grained, soft wood, excellent for carving.
How It Works
One chisel is small for detail work, and one is bigger for carving away material more quickly. You will be able to choose your design from some I will be providing (including the Bluebird), or you are welcome to bring your own drawn 6″x8″ image. We will be transferring drawings from paper onto the wood using graphite paper. And what you print will always be a mirror image of the block image. (Good to keep in mind for letters or numbers especially.)
We will be learning about positive and negative spaces. For example, the positive spaces in the above Bluebird print are the black inked parts, and the negative spaces are where the white paper shows through, where the wood has been carved away. Artists consider positive and negative spaces when composing their works. Both positive and negative spaces function best if care is taken to make them each interesting in the ways they relate to their opposite.
After you’ve carved your block, you will roll black ink on it using a brayer (roller), align your block on the white paper you will be printing on, and rub the back of the paper with the back of a spoon to transfer the inked image onto the paper. The best part is peeling off the paper to see the magic of what you have created!
And the woodblock can then be used to create a work of art itself!
Sign Up Today!
To learn more, and to sign up for my class, click here or click the below button below!
While you’re there, you can check out what other classes Catalyst is offering, as part of the beating heart of local art!
Thank you for supporting the arts!