English
Woodcut Reduction
Umberto Giovannini
1-3 June 2018
Castle of Montefiore Conca
The woodcut reduction is one of the most popular techniques both for the European and Japanese woodcut masters, because it is the woodcut technique which allows a playful and inventive approach step by step.
The name “reduction” comes from the working process: a woodblock is carved and printed in a number of copies. The same block continues to be carved and printed in register on the same sheet, with a different color, step by step, color after color, until the block is exhausted.
This technique is wonderful to create tonal effects, such as landscapes and figures, to obtain very soft gradations of chiaroscuro.
This technique is wonderful to create tonal effects such as landscapes and figures to obtain very soft gradations of chiaroscuro.
The the workshop will include invention of the drawing for reduction, its transposition to the block, and creation of the intaglio. Attendees will be taught to use a special body posture intaglio technique, in order to develop high precision and speed. Finally, will be taught the basic techniques of inking and printing, specific for this technique.
In reduction technique is very important the use of registration: in this workshop will be used double Kento derived from the Japanese printing technique.
Umberto Giovannini After studying Graphic Communication Design, he graduated from the DAMS in Bologna and began dedicating his time to graphic art.
He is a founding member of the art group, VACA.
Since 2009, he has directed the Opificio Della Rosa low-environmental impact printmaking centre.
He is in particular attracted to woodcut, in relation to which he has developed personal carving and printing techniques.
His prints and artists’ books can be found in international collections.
His personal, study and research work is supplemented by teaching.
He is currently Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and Visiting Professor at the RUFA, Rome University of Fine Arts.
He is the president of Renate Herold Czaschka Foundation dedicated to artist book and printmaking.
As a graphics historian, he has been called upon to organize various exhibitions and has planned a series of books dedicated to engraving and illustration.
www.umbertogiovannini.it
Pop-up Paper theatres. Illustration and Linocut workshop
Ignacia Ruiz
8-10 June 2018
Castle of Montefiore Conca
Gaining popularity during the Baroque era, paper theatres where a source of fun and amusement for people of many ages. The idea of having a simple piece of printed paper transform into a world of its own has never stopped captivating people’s imagination.
This workshop is run by illustrator Ignacia Ruiz, who’s work investigates illustration in both 2D and 3D through different printmaking techniques.
Every participant will be provided with tools to draw, carve and print linoleum (Linocut) into their own personal pop up paper theatre.
Every participant will take home a small edition of their printed work.
Ignacia Ruiz is a Chilean born, London based designer and illustrator working predominantly with printmaking and drawing. She has an interest in location drawing and most of her work comes from what she records on her sketchbook.
She is currently an associate lecturer at Central Saint Martins foundation course and has run workshops for Apple UK, The Big Draw, the CASS and University of the Arts London.
ignaciaruiz.com
Breathing Life into the Page. Experimental workshop of Japanese printmaking and animation
Wuon-Gean Ho
6-8 July 2018
Castle of Montefiore Conca
Printmaking, in the most straightforward sense, involves making a matrix from which many images can be printed. It is relatively simple to make multiples which resemble each other, but which are not identical. It is also possible to alter the matrix while printing in order to transform and evolve the print. There are many ways of changing an image, for example, by using different ways of printing it, or by printing the image in different places across the page, or by changing the matrix and making a print each time it is changed. When all the different prints are layered up and shown sequentially, with a flip-book or in a computer programme, suddenly they come to life.
In this three day experimental workshop, we will use stop-frame animation to explore breathing life into our printed images. We will work with Japanese vinyl and letterpress to create relief prints and monoprints, and make basic stop frame animations. Come prepared to enjoy learning experimental ways of inking and printing a plate, and ready to make dozens of prints which will come to life!
Wuon-Gean Ho works in print, artist’s books and film, and has exhibited widely in juried, invited and solo shows for the past 20 years. She trained in water-based woodblock printmaking in Japan in 2000, and gained a distinction for her masters in Printmaking from the Royal College of Art. As a designer, she works on various projects including The UK Royal Mint Chinese Lunar calendar series of coins. As a writer, she is the news editor and regular author for the magazine Printmaking Today. She was studio technician for East London Printmakers print studio for four years. In 2009 and 2011 she coordinated the 2nd and 3rd International Printmaking Festival in Qijiang, Chongqing, China, including inviting artists and organising a symposium. She has been teaching printmaking since 2007 in London, Italy, USA and China, and is currently working as a print fellow in the Royal Academy Schools, London.
wuongean.com
Burin on copper symposium
In memory of Jürgen Czaschka
20-26 August 2018
Castle of Montefiore
This course, only for those who have practice in copper engraving techniques, is a unique chance to draw on the wealth of artistic experience that Maestro Jürgen Czaschka, who died on 9 February 2018, has fine-tuned in more than thirty years of studying and experimenting with burin technique, of which he possesses unparalleled knowledge, from the classic to contemporary developments. The students will participate at the Symposium who have worked with Jürgen for years that will transmit the teaching and secrets of the copper burin. A preliminary phase deals with preparation of the plate and methods of sharpening the tools. The central part of the course involves experimentation with different techniques of burin engraving on copper: morphology of the sign; the relationship between heavy and light signs; the rhythmicity of the hatching and the intersecting undulations of 16th century anatomy engravings; the synthetic linear sign. The course concludes with the final phase of inking, cleaning and printing the matrix.
The symposium is designed as a moment of work and artistic exchange, to keep alive an art as complex as wonderfully fascinating. We will work and live together for a week at the Castello di Montefiore Conca.
Born in Vienna, Jürgen Czaschka is unanimously acknowledged as one of the most extraordinary living burin artists. He got his artistic training in Berlin at the end of the 70’s and has created works of extraordinary technical expertise and overwhelming expressive force that make him an undisputed master of this art.
This workshop is suitable