In this hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll learn how to turn your images into richly toned photopolymer etchings step by step. We’ll guide you through exposing plates using aquatint screens and acetate positives in a UV light box, then show you how to ink, wipe, and print them on an etching press using oil-based inks and beautiful cotton rag papers. You’ll also get to experiment with pigment inks, Japanese papers, and the Chine collé technique to add softness, texture, and subtle colour. Along the way, we’ll talk through calibration—exposure times, curves, and preparing acetate positives—in a clear, accessible way, so you understand the process without needing prior experience. You’ll leave with finished prints, new skills, and the confidence to keep exploring photopolymer etching on your own. Attending a workshop is a requirement of becoming a member of Birmingham Printmakers and our tutors will explain the next steps if you wish to join us.
In this hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll learn how to turn your images into richly toned photopolymer etchings step by step. We’ll guide you through exposing plates using aquatint screens and acetate positives in a UV light box, then show you how to ink, wipe, and print them on an etching press using oil-based inks and beautiful cotton rag papers. You’ll also get to experiment with pigment inks, Japanese papers, and the Chine collé technique to add softness, texture, and subtle colour. Along the way, we’ll talk through calibration—exposure times, curves, and preparing acetate positives—in a clear, accessible way, so you understand the process without needing prior experience. You’ll leave with finished prints, new skills, and the confidence to keep exploring photopolymer etching on your own. Attending a workshop is a requirement of becoming a member of Birmingham Printmakers and our tutors will explain the next steps if you wish to join us.
