Photography has changed. What used to take hours in the pre-digital world, now may only take seconds. This compression of time offers unexpected benefits to the printmaking process—the ability to integrate manual techniques previously limited to traditional art forms such as painting and drawing. Digital capture, rather than eliminating the hands-on practice of creating imagery, makes it easier and more enjoyable than ever.

We start this workshop by finding the sources of our creative inspiration. We examine the importance of pre-visualization and experimentation, especially as they relate to “happy accidents.” We move on to demonstrations of digital workflow, as well as techniques such as compositing, using a scanner as a camera, processing in High Dynamic Range (HDR), and creative uses of layering and blending. Then, we experiment with a wide variety of unusual and highly specialized printmaking processes, including acrylic transfer, encaustic layering, inkAid coating, and using Lazertran decal papers.

By incorporating techniques from a variety of disparate artistic disciplines this hands-on printing workshop challenges participants to think outside the usual methodologies. The results are often surprising, inevitably leading the inspired photographer to further experimentation beyond the traditional boundaries of conventional printmaking.