Artwork courtesy Dianna Miguez
Printmaking: Intro to Etching
Etching is an intaglio printmaking process, where an image is incised onto a plate, then inked and printed on a press. This 4-week class seeks to demystify etching by teaching a method that’s as simple as drawing: drypoint etching. No expensive metal plates, no acid baths! Just an etching needle, a plexiglass plate, and you. We will learn what intaglio is, the difference between traditional acid etching and drypoint, and how to ink and print an image. We will be using nontoxic etching ink, plexiglass/pvc plates, and light washi papers to learn the chine collé method of adding color. The museum’s collections and past exhibitions will be used as a source of inspiration.
This class is part of the Winter/Spring 2024 semester of Creative Classes. Registration opens at 10 am MST on the following dates: November 8 for Museum Friends, November 9 for all members, and November 10 to the public. Space is limited and advance registration is required.
Class Details
Location
This class will meet every Tuesday between March 19 and April 9, 2024, from 6 to 8 pm. Creative Classes are held in the DAM’s state-of-the-art classrooms, located inside the Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center on level 1 of the Martin Building.
Class Cancellation Policy
If a class or workshop needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather or teacher illness, a “make-up” day will be scheduled on a Friday or Saturday as the educator’s schedule allows.
Materials
Students will purchase their own materials and should expect to spend $20-60.
What to Expect
We will learn the process of incising an image onto a plate by hand, how to ink an etched plate, and how to print our plates on a press. We will also experiment with adding color to our etching using the chine collé method of layering thin, colored tissue paper. We will also go over ways that simple drypoints can even be printed by hand so the experimentation can continue at home!
Timeline
- Class 1: Learn about etching and intaglio, look at examples within and without the Denver Art Museum collection. Introduction to the materials and methods we’ll be using. Have everyone prepare and talk about the image they’ll be using. Begin etching.
- Class 2: Etching first plate! Class will largely work on getting their images etched. Go over the plate inking process.
- Class 3: Ink plates and print! Introduce chine collė.
- Class 4: Continue printing! Demonstrate how simple plates can be printed at home with elbow grease and a metal spoon or burnisher.
About the Educator
Dianna Miguez is a multimedia artist and printmaker in Denver, Colorado. She works primarily with paper and textile, and has a background in digital art and graphic design. Dianna has a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Studio Art, and she currently works in Creative and Public Engagement at the Denver Art Museum. View her art on her Instagram, @diannamiguez.
Creative Classes
Connect with professional creatives, learn a new skill, and expand your own creative practice in 1-day, 4-week, and 6-week creative classes at the Denver Art Museum. These classes are taught by practicing artists in a studio art environment in the Creative Hub, located on level 1 of the Martin Building.
