Intaglio Intensive Course

In intaglio printing, you scratch or etch lines and structures into a printing plate. The plate is then covered with printing ink and wiped clean, leaving ink in the indentations. The plate is placed against paper and run through a printing press, transferring the ink onto the paper: the print is created.

In this intensive course, you will learn three central intaglio techniques: etching, aquatint and sugar lift. Over three sessions, you'll have plenty of time and space to try out each technique at your own pace and develop a feel for how they affect your prints. The course is also designed to build your confidence in the printing process. If you already have some experience, you can refresh or deepen your skills in the course. Just bring curiosity and a willingness to experiment!

What you will learn:

• Preparing plates and transferring drawings
• Creating halftones on the plate by working with etching acid
• How to produce different textures on a plate
• Correct preparation and execution of printing for optimal results
• Experimenting with different versions of the same plate

Course structure:

Session 1: Line etching

You'll learn how to prepare printing plates for your etchings. Then you transfer your drawings onto the plates and immerse them in acid before printing. You'll apply the fundamentals of etching directly in this learning process. In this session, you'll focus on line drawings: from minimalist outlines to detailed drawings, you're free to choose your subject matter.

Session 2: Aquatint

Aquatint is an extension of etching and produces similar effects for printmaking as watercolour does for painting. Our aquatint session focuses particularly on tonal gradations. You'll learn how to create different tones on the printing plate and how to prepare it correctly for the subsequent acid bath. You'll also practise thinking in reverse – a skill that's very helpful for other printing techniques too.

Session 3: Sugar Lift

Sugar lift is a printing technique where you paint directly onto a metal plate, almost like painting on paper, yet still achieve the rich tonal quality of an etching.

In this session, you'll learn how to draw your motif onto the plate using a special sugar-based ink and then cover the plate with a protective etching ground. The drawing is then "lifted away" in a water bath, so the motif becomes visible as bare metal. Finally, the plate is finished using rosin and acid etching, achieving soft or textured tonal values.

Who is this course for?

Participants who want to learn different etching methods and deepen their knowledge of intaglio printing.

You should bring basic drawing skills, as the course focuses on translating visual ideas into printing processes.

What to bring:

• Printing plates
• Printing paper (can also be purchased on site)
• Tarlatan

For printing, it’s best if the paper is 100% cotton, acid-free, and fine-textured, with a weight of 150–300 gsm depending on the technique.Lighter paper is generally better suited for hand-printing techniques, while heavier paper works better for machine printing. 

What's included:

• Inks
• Solvents
• Newsprint

Good to know:

• Cancellations are free of charge up to 72 hours before the course begins.
• From 72 hours before the course starts, we are unfortunately unable to refund the course fee in case of cancellations or no-shows.
• Private group courses and 1:1 sessions are available upon request.