Why take a printmaking class?

Printmaking techniques such as etching and relief printing go back for many centuries. Envision a time without computers. Or a time without copy machines. Or a time without any machines for that matter. - difficult right? Original printmaking was the only way in those times to broadcast information such a botanical images, portraits, religious imagery, cityscapes and scenes of every day life. Today, printmaking remains a tool for artists to produce affordable original art. This is very different from making reproductions of existing images. In an etching for example, the artist has to draw the image from scratch on a plate, the image is then etched and for each impression the image has to be inked and rolled through the press by hand. Although printmaking takes skill and time, it is a rewarding way to make something with your own hands rather than sitting on the computer. Since we have plates we can pull multiples which can be sold for a lot less than paintings, but the collector still enjoys the benefits of purchasing something that is original and hand-made. So, artists, give yourself the gift of a new artmaking medium. Revisit your drawing and painting skills. Learn something that is rooted in history yet that can be applied to your own style and sensibility. Invest in yourself! Our trained teachers stand by to open a brand-new world to you!