Printmaking

Faculty
James Bailey, Professor
Elizabeth Dove, Associate Professor

Program

The University of Montana Department of Art offers a B.A., B.F.A., M.A., and M.F.A. with a specialization in printmaking. Students may take courses in both traditional and experimental printmaking in relief, intaglio, silkscreen, lithography, collagraph and related photoprocesses, digital media and the book arts.

The printmaking program is committed to continuing the traditions of the graphic arts while also expanding their boundaries through the integration of digital and photographic technologies, mixed media processes, installation and the book arts.

The classes are enhanced by a printmaking visiting artist program/MATRIX Press, which brings in nationally recognized artists to work along side students in the creation of prints. The print studio maintains a large collection of print works from both visiting artists, students and faculty which is readily available to students. The printmaking students and faculty are involved in community activities such as our annual Giant Steamroller prints for the Missoula Festival of the Dead.

The printmaking program is also committed to the use of less toxic processes and materials. We strive to provide the safest work environment for both students and the environment by exploring and adopting non-toxic processes and materials, without sacrificing any traditional media. The printmaking department maintains the necessary foundation in tradition, thereby allowing for innovation in concept and technique.

The printmaking and photography areas also work collaboratively for the integration and advancement of both disciplines.

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Facilities

The printmaking is located on the fourth floor of the Fine Arts Building in a well lit studio with a beautiful view of the Bitterroot Mountains.

The University Bookstore handles a large variety of papers, inks, brayers, tools and specialty items for the printmaker and are very reasonably priced. They also do specialty orders as needed, allowing students to purchase materials quickly. The bookstore also carries copper plates and a wide variety of relief plates.

Lithography

The studio is set up to process lithographic stones, metal plates, photo-litho, waterless lithography and pronto plates.

The shop is equipped with 3 lithographic presses including a Griffin litho press with bed size 33” x 58”, Praga litho press with bed size 24” x 41”, Parks litho press with bed size 23” x 30”. The shop has numerous lithographic stones and a hydraulic lift to cart them around. We have a separate graining room and levigators, and numerous composite and leather rollers to process the work. Photo-

Processes

Two exposure units, vacuum blanket sizes 18î x 24î and 30î x 42î, each with a 1000 quartz halogen lamp.
Various plastic trays up to 30î x 40î.
Screen drying cabinet for photo emulsions.
The shop carries photo polymer film, photo lithographic plates, and waterbased screen emulsions.

Intaglio/Relief

The studio is setup to work with both traditional and acrylic grounds in intaglio. Along with all neccessary equipment for photo processes. The shop is equipped with three intaglio/relief presses including a:

Takach etching/relief press with bed size 43” x 84”,
Glen Alps electric etching/relief press with bed size 40” x 60”
Armstrong etching/relief press with bed size 30” x 66”.
18” x 24” vertical etching tank with ferric chloride, trays up to 30” x 40”
Traditional and water-based acrylic etching grounds
Photo-etching using photo-polymer films.
Linoleum, Sintra, and wood for relief carving; copper for relief etching

The shop is also equipped with a Hotplate, airbrush, numerous rollers and brayers, Plate shear 36” and Two paper soaking sinks, up to 28” x 50”. The print area has started an Annual Giant Steamroller relief printmaking event in which we carve and print 4 ‘. x 8 ‘ blocks with a steamroller.

Screenprint

The shop is equipped for doing waterbased screen printing and currently has:

100 screens from 20” x 24’ up to 48” x 48”
3 vacuum printing bases, Light safe screen drying cabinet
Waterbased inks and resists
Photographic and autographic processes
Spray booth and pressure washer

Digital

The digital lab dedicated to printmaking and photography student use, equipped with:

Macintosh computers
flatbed scanners
Nikon 4000 slide and negative scanner
Nikon Coolpix digital camera
HP 5000 laser printer
Epson 3000 ink jet printer
Epson 1520 ink jet printer running archival quad-tone black and white inks
Epson 777 proofing printer
Epson 1280 ink jet printer.

Additionally, a lab monitor is employed and always available during digital lab hours.

Additional Shop Equipment

Book press
Five drying racks up to 4 ‘. x 5 ‘.
Flat drawer files up to 36” x 48”

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Courses

ART 233 - PRINTMAKING I:

This course offers an introduction to intaglio printmaking techniques and aesthetic issues. As the semester progresses, students should gain awareness of the creative and expressive possibilities of intaglio printmaking, and begin to develop a personal vocabulary. We will cover the basics of autographic markmaking on a copper plate (drypoint, hardground, softground, and aquatint), experiment with plate reworking techniques, introduce multi-color one-plate printing, and finish with a demonstration of photo-etching. One group exchange project and the writing of an Artist Statement will complement each students individual portfolio. Group critiques will coincide with the completion of assigned projects.

This class will introduce you to the history and basic skills involved in the Intaglio process. We will also discuss these techniques and their relationship to book making.

During the first part of the term, we will discuss and explore the historical, conceptual and technical issues as they pertain to intaglio and art on a broader level.

During the second part of the term we will make use of the techniques and context to complete several independent projects using the techniques learned. We will also examine contemporary uses of the print media, and continue our technical and historical explorations.

ART 233 - PRINTMAKING I: Introduction to Relief/Screenprinting

This course offers an introduction to two printmaking disciplines - relief printing and screenprinting - and we will discuss the techniques and aesthetic issues of each. As the semester progresses, students should gain awareness of the creative and expressive possibilities of fine art printmaking, and begin to develop a personal vocabulary. We will begin with screenprinting, experimenting with both hand drawn and photo-processes. We will then explore relief, working with different materials (wood, linoleum, and Sintra) and different approaches (hand and press printing; monochrome and color printing). We finish with an Artists Book project, a final thematic group exchange portfolio combining relief and screenprinting. and write an Artist Statement. Group critiques will coincide with the completion of assigned projects.

ART 233 - PRINTMAKING I: Introduction to Lithography/Relief

This class will introduce you to issues, processes and techniques of lithography and relief printmaking. During the first part of the term, we will discuss and explore the historical, conceptual and technical issues as they pertain to lithography, relief and art on a broader level.

ART 233 - PRINTMAKING I: Introduction to Artist Books/Relief

This course will introduce you to issues, concepts, processes and techniques of the bookarts and relief printmaking. Students will develop a series of unique one-of-a-kind, small editioned and collaborative books during the course of the semester. Students will be introduced to various book concepts revolving around, time/sequence, pagination, referencing, visual flow along with numerous traditional and non traditional approaches to book formats including, sculptural, performance, and mixed media. Along the way, we will also explore the many possibilities of the relief process.

Art 333- PRINTMAKING II: Advanced Intaglio

This course will take an advanced approach to intaglio printmaking techniques and aesthetic issues. The pace of work will be faster than in an introductory course, and expectations for the integration of content, concept and meaning into each project are higher than in a beginning class. The overriding objective is to encourage more freedom and flexibility with these print mediums; to give each student a wider set of options for working with mark, color, layers, and/or text within their imagery. We will begin by exploring color collographs; then review traditional etching techniques with a diptych project; explore the use of photographic or appropriated imagery with a photoetching project; delve into multi-plate color printmaking; and finish with an independent project that focuses on issues of the presentation of the fine art print. One thematic group portfolio exchange project and the writing of an Artist Statement will complement each students individual portfolio. Group critiques will coincide with the completion of assigned projects.

ART 333 - PRINTMAKING II: Advanced Relief/Screenprint

This course will take an advanced approach to printmaking techniques and aesthetic issues, focusing on broadening knowledge with relief and screenprinting processes. This course will be technically demanding; the pace of work will be faster than in an introductory course; and expectations for the integration of content, concept and meaning into each project are higher than in a beginning class. The overriding objective is to encourage more freedom and flexibility with these print mediums, and to give each student a wider set of options for working with mark, color, layers, and/or text within their imagery. We will cover new techniques for creating plates and screens including combining multiple layers within an image and integrating digital imagery. We will discuss the long history of protest and political activism within printmaking traditions and work on a large scale piece responding to an individual social critique. A final independent project will consider options for print presentation (such as an artists book or a suite of images). One thematic group exchange portfolio project and the writing of an Artist Statement will complement each students individual portfolio. Group critiques will coincide with the completion of assigned projects.

ART 333 - PRINTMAKING II: Photo-Printmaking

This course will take an advanced approach to printmaking techniques and aesthetic issues, with particular attention paid to the use of photographic imagery, photographic processes, and the use of digital technology within traditional printmaking practices. This course will be technically demanding, with the computer being the central tool used for developing projects that will then be typically finalized in the print studio. As the semester progresses, students should be able to combine their personal image vocabulary with various printmaking processes to realize their creative and conceptual goals. We will begin by exploring the digital lab, then integrate this technology with conventional printmaking ñ first through screenprinting, and then photoetching. We will discuss the integration of photographic or appropriated imagery with a hand drawn marks, delve into multi-plate color printmaking, use the digital lab to both initiate projects and to facilitate them during the proofing stage, and along the way begin to appreciate the individual aesthetics of each print discipline. One thematic group exchange portfolio project, a final independent project, and the writing of an Artist Statement will complement each students individual portfolio. Group critiques will coincide with the completion of assigned projects.

ART 333 - PRINTMAKING II: Advanced Lithography/Relief

This class will introduce you to advanced skills involving the color lithographic and relief processes. During the first part of the term, we will discuss and explore the historical, conceptual and technical issues as they pertain to lithography, relief and art on a broader level.

ART 433: Independent Study in Printmaking

Independent study is designed for the advanced student who wishes to explore their own visual imagery. The course is designed to further develop the students critical analysis of their work and ideas through critiques, discussions, readings and handouts.

Independent study requires a highly self motivated student. One who is able to carry on research and development on their own. Students will be required to do the majority of their work outside of class under their own supervision. They will be asked to follow and assimilate readings and other material handed out by the instructor. The role of the instructor is to merely help guide the independent study student. The instructor will meet with the student on an on going basis to check progress of the student, hand out new material, critique work or to answer questions that might have developed. In addition, the student may be asked to do research of a written sort in the form of papers or presentations.

All independent students will participate in biweekly group critiques, wherein students will take turns signing up to be critiqued on a rotating basis.

ART 533- The Art of Observation

This course is designed to pursue the exploration of varying forms of observation through the notion of “mapping”. Students will utilize a myriad of approaches including textual mappings, visual, mythic and symbolic mappings while working with a host of media ranging from printmaking and mixed media to digital imaging and performance.

The course will be divided into three components. The first part will involve a study of landscape in terms of how we perceive it, and differing views on how it has been translated and interpreted over the years by cartographers, artists and writers. The second component will explore mapping the body and images of the self. The third section will deal with issues of time/sequence and journey and its relation to mapping. The course will involve doing a range of short individual projects, collaborative group projects and several larger individual projects.

ART 533- Graduate Studio in Printmaking

Advanced Independent research designed for the student who wishes to explore their own visual imagery. The course is designed to further develop the students critical analysis of their work and ideas through critiques, discussions, readings and handouts.

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