Vandercooking: Image-making in Letterpress

Vandercook printing presses can be used for many image-based projects beyond traditional handset type. Each week students will learn a variety of handmade image-making techniques including pressure printing, collagraph, and linocut. Throughout this course students will also explore color, transparency, shape, and layering to create a series of prints. This class will focus on a playful and spontaneous approach to letterpress as we strive to turn our presses into paintbrushes. All levels of experience are welcome.

Students should come to class prepared with the following:
• Pencil and eraser
• exacto knife with blades or snap off utility knife
• relief carving tools (optional)
• textured materials for making collagraphs such as lace, dried or artificial leaves, yarn or string, etc.
• any special papers you will want to print on, though basic paper will be provided

About the Instructor:
Elizabeth Castaldo is an artist, printmaker, and bookbinder living and working in Peekskill, NY and New York City. She was a 2017 – 2018 Scholar in Residence at the Center for Book Arts. She has taught courses at Nassau Community College, SCAD Atlanta, the Wallkill River School, and the Center for Book Arts. Castaldo received her MFA from SCAD Atlanta where she was a Dean’s Fellow in Printmaking and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Castaldo’s work has been exhibited internationally. Her work has been collected by the Savannah College of Art and Design, Carnegie Melon University, Yale University, and other institutions.