Saturday, March 15, 10 AM-5 PM

with Julie Lapping Rivera

In this workshop we will create a small color reduction woodblock print, by exploring carving, inking, printing, and the reliable “pins and tabs” registration technique. 

When we make a color reduction print, we work with one block, and carve away successive layers, starting by carving away everything that will remain white, or the color of the paper. We then ink and print with our lightest color. Next, we carve away everything that will remain that first color, and over-print with the next color, and so on. Using transparent color allows us to create new colors through layering. 

Often artists do a lot of pre-planning to make a color reduction. We will approach this process without clearly preconceived ideas, so that we can enjoy learning about building a color image from light to dark more experimentally.

Blocks, inks, paper and basic materials will be provided by the studio. Artists will need to bring carving tools. Some loose preparatory sketches will help facilitate the process.

This workshop is geared towards artists who have at least a basic knowledge of woodcut. 

About the Instructor:

Julie Lapping Rivera works primarily in woodcut, often combined with collage. She works in series, exploring themes most often connected to the inner workings of the heart, and the world of relationships. Currently, in addition to teaching workshops at Zea Mays, Julie teaches in the art department at Smith College. She teaches workshops and exhibits her work locally, nationally and internationally.

We are grateful to McClain’s Printmaking Supplies for their partial sponsorship of this workshop.