Color Woodcut: Multi-block

Color Woodcut: Multi-block

Adult Course | Registration opens 3/4/2025 7:00 AM MST

200 Grant Street Denver, CO 80203 United States
Printroom
All
4/7/2025-4/28/2025
5:30 PM-8:30 PM MST on Mon
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$222.00
$188.70
$24.00

Color Woodcut: Multi-block

Adult Course | Registration opens 3/4/2025 7:00 AM MST

Color woodcut printmaking with the multi-block process has many advantages. It can be tightly controlled, but offers a range of possibilities. The artist creates a "key" block, prints with a dark color, and experiments with lighter colors to complete the image. The colors can range from bright, glowing, transparent, to subtle and gradual. A fun class with lots of creativity and color exploration. Bring a color sketch to work from.


Week 1: Introductions of instructor and participants. Introduction to color woodcuts, books of woodcuts, brief video of the process. Demonstration by the instructor. Transfer of sketch to woodblock. Begin carving.
Week 2: Continue carving key block. Print proofs of key image.
Week 3: Finish carving key block. Print key image. Experiment with color, using watercolor paints. Decide on color combination for the print. Carve secondary block(s). Print background color(s)
Week 4: Print final image

Students should have some experience drawing in color.

  •  

    Learning objective:

    By completing this course, the student will be able to demonstrate proficiency with color woodcut printmaking by Transferring a drawing to a woodblock Safely cutting and carving a “key” block of the main image Printing a proof of the “key” image, to transfer to a secondary block Cutting and carving color block(s), using the key image on the block as a guide Mixing and preparing color ink, applying color ink and printing color shapes, using a registration guide Printing key image onto the printed color background Placing finished prints on the drying rack, and using slip sheets to take them home.

  • Required: color sketch of the proposed woodcut print. Pencils. Eraser. Colored pencils.

    Students must bring a drawing suitable for making a color woodcut print, sized 5 1/2” x 7 1/2”


    Quality woodcut tools and equipment will be available for use.
Keyes, Michael
Michael Keyes

Michael J. Keyes Aurora, CO 720-579-8760. Michael is a painter & woodcut printmaker, & received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Degree from Wright State University in Dayton, OH, & a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree from Ohio State University in Columbus. His areas of specialty are drawing, painting, and printmaking. He uses pencil drawing as the “entry activity” and basis for painting and printmaking. He enjoys the tactile sensation of carving blocks of wood, & developing the dramatic starkness of imagery in the prints made from them. The woodcut prints range from-black-and-white, colored multi-block, or hand-colored prints. The subject matter of the prints includes winter landscapes, rural and urban scenes & events, & domestic still life scenes. He is a member of Park Hill Art Club, Aurora Artists Guild, Art Students League of Denver, & Red Delicious Press. His recent exhibitions include one-person shows at Red Delicious Press, Kaladi Coffee DU campus, Aurora Cultural Arts District (ACAD) Gallery, & University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Health Sciences Library Gallery. Group Shows include “Traditional Printmaking,” at Core New Art Space, “Gateway to the Rockies” Exhibition at the Aurora History Museum, Members’ Exhibition at the Aurora Cultural Arts District Gallery, “Press Play,” at Lincoln Center for the Arts in Fort Collins, “Pressing Matters,” & “Saving Face” at Art Students League of Denver, Exhibition “528.0”, an exhibition of prints at the Arvada Center for the Arts, in conjunction with “MoPrint” (Month of Printmaking 2020). He won Award of Merit  (shared first place) at the Escalante Canyons Arts Festival, 'Best of Show'" at 'National Arts Program, Front Range Show', & ‘Best of Show’ at the Project Worthmore exhibition, “Our Neighbors, Our Selves".