Classes

Second State Press offers a variety of classes exploring printmaking techniques.   Class sizes are limited to no more than 8 students.

New Spring Classes!

Down and Dirty Screen Printing

Class Date: April 28th
Class Time: Noon- 6:30, with a 30 minute break
Instructor: Jennifer McTague

Screen Printing is just like riding a bike…Once you’ve made a few you’ll never forget how it’s done. Just find yourself a pressure washer to remove that old stencil from your screen, get out the scoop coater to spread emulsion on your screen (oh yeah, you’ll need emulsion), track down a reliable UV light source, do a bunch of exposure tests with a variety of film positives, build a hinged registration system, replace the dry-rotted blade that’s in your squeegee, and make sure you’re in printing in a space that will support the volume of prints you’re about to pull. Yup, it’s just like riding a bike.

Second State Press Co-founder and FMW printer, Jennifer McTague, will guide you through the steps of making a screen print. Students enrolled in the class can expect to explore various stencil making techniques, discuss registration methods, and review the printing process.  This is a great class if you are new to the medium or just need a refresher.

Class Cost: $72.00 / $86 non-member
Material Fee: $65

Chine-Collé Workshop

Class Dates:  Saturday, May 5th
Class Time: 12:00pm – 5:30pm (with a half-hour  break)
Instructor: Zach Lindenberger

In 1862 General Ignacio Zaragosa Seguin “stuck it to” a formidable French occupation by defeating their military forces in the Battle of Puebla on the 5th day of May.  Join Second State Press as it celebrates Cinco De Mayo and takes on printmaking’s second most popular French term “Chine-Collé”*.  Developed as a means to introduce paper tonality to plate areas, the Chine-Collé technique involves adhering a thin piece of paper to a heavier backing sheet while simultaneously printing an image.  Part collage, part color technique, and part magic, this process will yield more interesting prints.

In this survey of the technique, we’ll start by discussing process appropriate papers and the wide variety of adhesives that work with them.  We’ll then demonstrate an array of collé approaches which will allow you to respond to diverse printing scenarios with greater success.

Students are encouraged to bring a previously etched plate so that the techniques discussed during the class can be practiced.  If you can’t find one, Zach will lend you one of his.

*(“A la Poupée” is printmaking’s most popular French term)

Class Cost: $62.00 member/ $75.00 non-member
Material fee: $10 (covers papers used during the class which you can take home if you don’t use)

Woodcut Workshop

Class Dates: Saturday, May 19th & Sunday, May 20th
Class Time: 12:00pm – 5:30pm (with a half-hour  break)
Instructor: Christopher Hartshorne

Philadelphia artist, Chris Hartshorne, will be visiting Second State Press on May 19th and 20th to shed some light on the fundamental processes related to relief printmaking.  This beginner or refresher course will introduce students to essential tools, image development, mark making techniques, and printing strategies. Chris is known far and near for his sprawling, hand printed compositions and the unique use of stencil that he employs in his prints.  His demonstration of these advanced techniques will provide students with a glimpse of the possibilities afforded by the versatile relief process.

The $30 material fee will cover all the supplies you’ll need to create your prints during the class.

Class Cost: $125.00 member/ $150.00 non-member
Material fee: $30.00

Crash Course Plate Lithography

Class Dates:  Saturday, June 2nd & Saturday, June 9th
Class Time:  12:00pm – 5:30pm (with a half-hour  break)
Instructor:  Jeremy Leckenbusch

Second State Press is pleased to offer a crash course in plate lithography guided by Tamarind trained printer, Jeremy Leckenbusch.  This class is perfect for the artist that wants to learn how to properly print a lithographic edition.  If you’ve already learned how to make lithographs, but are feeling a little rusty, you’ll also appreciate the succinct nature and pace of this class.  Students can expect to learn the basics of plate preparation, drawing techniques, etching, press set up and editioning.

The course fee includes an additional 5 out-of-class hours to use shop for etching and rolling up your plate (in preparation for printing during the final class).  If you don’t use it all during the between June 2nd and June 9th, you’re welcome to “bank it” for future projects at SSP.

The material fee covers almost everything you need for the class.  It buys you a set of lithographic pencils, a ball grained plate to draw on, an assortment of brushes, and 5 sheets of paper to print your edition.

Class Cost: $180.00 member / $216.00 non-member
Material Fee: $65.00