Discover the art of printmaking in this series of Drypoint Etching Workshops led by Tony O’Connell from Liverpool Independent Art School

Inspired by the remarkable works featured in our exhibition Making A Mark: Artworks From the Studio Prints Collection, Tony (Toc) will guide you through a range of traditional techniques, where you'll learn how to create your own expressive prints using drypoint, while exploring processes including intaglio printing and chine collé.

Suitable for beginners and those with some experience, these hands-on workshops offer the opportunity to experiment, develop your skills, and take inspiration from the exhibition's diverse collection of contemporary prints, which include work by Lucian Freud.

Week 1 - Considering Drypoint

Looking at the range of linear and hatched marks in portraits from the exhibition, we’ll be making a portrait or self-portrait onto dry point plastic. Drypoint is a form of etching which is more accessible and safer than acid etch but offers much of the same quality in terms of drawing. The plastic is clear and we can even trace through from a drawing you already have.

Week 2 - Further with Drypoint.

This week we will consider other images on display in the exhibition that focus on small details. Using the process from Week 1, we will produce a small dry point of a detail you have found somewhere in the VG&M and we will introduce Chine Colle as a way of adding colour.

Week 3 - Exploring texture and tone

Looking further at Intaglio with tetra and collagraph.

This week we will consider other surfaces to print from and how recycled materials can offer a surprising range of marks and textures using any image of our choice.

Week 4 - A different family of print

This week we will look at lino as an example of relief printing. This is the opposite inking and cutting methodology to the Intaglio method and will be a noticeably different approach to print. This image will be based on portrait as well but we will be considering expression and distortion as part of that language.

Description supplied by the event organiser.