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Before I became obsessed with laser cutting I was a stone lithographer. In its day, lithography—which uses a printing method where greasy drawings are created on and printed off of blocks of limestone—was cutting edge technology. My obsessions have changed with the times. Like other artists today, I am finding ways to merge traditional printmaking methods with new technology, including laser cutters.
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At the SGC International printmaking conference earlier in March my collaborator Mike Smoot and I spoke on a panel about laser engraving techniques for lithography or, as we like to call it, Laser-Litho.
We were joined by my panel co-chair Brendan Baylor and fellow panelists Miguel Aragon, Phyllis Merriam, and Michael Stradley.
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In this newsletter I'll share our research and introduce you to two other artists, Hannah Smith and Patrick Wagner, who are also expanding traditional printmaking with digital means.
Want to learn laser cutting? I'm offering a workshop this summer:
Laser Cutting Boot Camp for Printmakers. The workshop is designed for printmaking faculty looking to incorporate laser cutting into their courses. The first session filled up quickly but there is still room in the second session, July 8 - 12, 2019. For more information and registration, visit my website.
Feeling inspired? Have a project idea? Let's chat!
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A 160-million-year-old stone, a 122-year-old press, and a robot walk into a print shop ...
Patrick Wagner and Ernst Hanke met up last month at The Lithographic Museum in Sweden to collaborate on a series of stone lithographs using a Polargraph drawing machine.
The resulting multi-layered colored prints combined digital drawing, appropriated digital images, and hand drawing.
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Watch Patrick go from digital file to multi-colored lithograph
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Laser-Litho
Mike Smoot and I have been experimenting with how to expand lithography though laser engraving.
Our first experiment was with laser engraving into litho stones (right).
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While there are multiple ways to apply laser engraving to litho stones, the real magic began when we started working with waterless litho plates—metal plates coated with silicone. The laser engraves away the silicone, leaving an open area for the ink to stick (left).
The great thing about this method is that you can work back into the plates with additive and subtractive methods almost indefinitely to create multi-color prints.
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Laser-Vitreography
I'm guessing that most of you have never heard of vitreography, an intaglio printmaking technique using glass plates. One of the reasons vitreography is relatively obscure is because the equipment needed to engrave the plates is more likely to be found in a glassblowing shop or sculpture studio than a print shop.
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Hannah Smith wanted to find a way to make vitreography more accessible.
Enter the laser cutter and laser engraved glass plate
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FreeFall Laser Workshops: Spring/Summer 2019
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Laser Cutting Boot Camp for Printmakers
Session 2: July 8 - 12, 2019 OPEN
Session 1: June 11 - 14, 2019 FULL
FreeFall Laser in North Adams, MA
Gain a foundation in laser-cutting for printmakers in this 4-day hands-on intensive.
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Learn how to:
operate a laser cutter • make laser-ready files •create woodblocks and intaglio plates • make a material sample book • laser engraving alternative surfaces (paper, prints, fabric) • tips & tricks •identify laser safe materials • best practices and efficient work-flow •connect with faculty and brainstorm curriculum development
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Laser Engraved Woodblocks with Sarah Pike
Saturday, April 27, 2019, 10 am to 5 pm
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$125 Zea Mays members
$140 non-members
$10 materials fee includes one laser engraved block on birch plywood
Workshop is offered through Zea Mays Printmaking and takes place at FreeFall Laser in North Adams, MA
Have you ever wondered how to create laser engraved woodblocks but didn’t know where to start? This one-day workshop will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how to create laser engraved woodblocks from start to finish. Learn the basics of creating laser-ready files from drawings, laser cutting terminology, and how the laser cutter works. Through hands-on demonstrations, learn tips and tricks about how to plan laser friendly images that are cost-effective to produce. We will also discuss how to combine laser engraving with hand carving to create dynamic blocks that incorporate the best of traditional methods and new technology.
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