Illustration Becomes Letterpress :: Scratch Negative Techniques

 Registration is closed for this event

March 17th, 2018 10:00 AM

  • Instructor: Lara Durback
  • Workshop Type: Printing
  • Workshop Status: Closed
  • Workshop Start: March 17th, 2018 10:00 AM
  • Workshop End: March 17th, 2018 3:00 PM
  • Sessions: 1

We will make a book out of one folded sheet, sampling the hand-drawn images from participants in the class. We will scratch directly onto a film negative and make our own polymer plates:  raised plastic relief plates to print directly on the flatbed cylinder press. We will use SFCB’s platemaker to create our own plates through a photopolymer process. No letterpress experience is necessary, but those more experienced in letterpress may find this to be a satisfying way of direct image-making, with a different line quality and more versatility than linoleum carving. And you never need to use a computer! Students can take home their own plate to use over and over in the future. 


Materials to Bring: a 2” x 2” drawing to trace, unless students want to quickly hand-draw something. There will be the option to also excerpt from larger drawings.

Optional: Etching needles, awls and other scratching tools are helpful but not necessary.

Workshop Fee (includes $20 materials fee): $150.00

Date & Time: Saturday, March 17, 2018 :: 10am-3pm

Location: 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Note: Please read over the SFCB Registration Policies before signing up for a class

REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THIS WORKSHOP.


About the Instructor | Lara Durback

Lara Durback teaches letterpress classes that integrate the use of foraged materials at the San Francisco Center for the Book. She has worked as the Studio Director of the Book Art Studio at Mills College. She especially enjoys fixing Vandercooks. Lara taught a letterpress course at Naropa University's Summer Writing Program, and gave a talk on printing at SFMOMA's Shop Talk series. You can see her printing and/or writing work in Bombay Gin, the UK journal Hi Zero, and The Artist's Book Yearbook 2012-13, & Tripwire, & The Elephants. She printed a lot of strange letterpress zine collaborations under the imprint NoNo Press. Her book, A Lizard, a Smashed Safe, and a Pillow (Encountered on a Walk in Oakland), was released by Publication Studio Oakland in 2016. (http://publicationstudio.cloud/a-lizard.


Past Student Reviews:

“Lara gave very clear directions, the chance to experiment with the scratching technique prior to creating final images was extremely useful, I appreciate the fact that it was a small class.”

“As always, the workshops at SFCB provide me with new ideas and methods for creating art.”

“Lara's enthusiasm and clear instruction was what I need to learn new things.”

375 Rhode Island St
San Francisco, CA 94103-5133
United States