Course Syllabus
Course: ART 2230
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Visual Art
Title: Relief Printmaking
Semester Approved: Fall 2021
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2026
End Semester: Summer 2027
Catalog Description: This course explores relief printmaking as a dynamic and thriving visual art medium. Students will create original prints utilizing the process of woodcut, linocut, and other carved synthetic substrates. Study will include diverse investigations into the evolution and historical significance of each process as well as contemporary trends in the ever- expanding vocabulary of printmaking. In addition to a final portfolio of prints, students will create a series of unique artist book structures created from recycled relief prints. A fee is required.
Semesters Offered: TBA
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 3
Justification: This is a studio course in process, history, and production of fine art relief prints. Printmaking is included in most higher education curriculums as a prominent visual arts medium. This course is essential for many 2D art majors and is required for many bachelor degree programs in the visual arts during the first two years of study. It is one of many courses for students to choose from to fulfill their Art Studio Electives as part of the AFA in Visual Studies degree at Snow College.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Material Proficiency: Demonstrate a proficiency in materials and techniques. Students will be exposed to a variety of black & white and color relief printmaking techniques. Through demonstration of tools, material, and process students will apply this working knowledge of hand-pulled relief prints to their own creative imagery. Adapting their own voice to their newly acquired skills and developing aesthetics in the medium, students will be able to visually communicate, through narrative and concept, in this ancient visual language. Students will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. This practical implementation of the relief printmaking process will showcase the learning that has taken place both conceptually and formally in print and book form. Also, through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique historic and modern graphic prints as well as contemporary work, enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Principles of Concept: Demonstrate an integration of conceptual principles. Through the study of contemporary and historic printmakers students will begin to utilize the medium of relief printmaking to incorporate meaningful content, visual narrative, and allegorical substance to their work. Each print created in this course will based on a provided a prompt which is initiated to project meaningful content into their creative work. Students will strive for a balance of formal design and embedded content into their creative practice. Students will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. This practical implementation of the relief printmaking process will showcase the learning that has taken place both conceptually and formally in print and book form. Also, through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique historic and modern graphic prints as well as contemporary work, enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Historical Context: Demonstrate a fluency in historical content and context. Artisans have utilized the reproductive potential of relief printmaking in every world culture for thousands of years. Thus, artistic endeavors historically transcended relief printmaking’s broader contribution to humanity through printed books. Relief technology was vital to the evolution of humanity through the development of movable type from early Asian contributions to Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century. Thus, it is incredibly important to be able to articulate where, when, and how each relief printmaking process was developed and appreciate the historical contribution of diverse cultures to the greater history of humankind. Students will be exposed to major historical figures in the history of this medium and will be able to trace the historical influence on contemporary printmakers. This historical awareness and the ability to articulate when, where, and how each relief process was developed will promote each student’s informed understanding and appreciation of where their work exists in the continuing history of the medium. Students will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. This practical implementation of the relief printmaking process will showcase the learning that has taken place both conceptually and formally in print and book form. Also, through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique historic and modern graphic prints as well as contemporary work, enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Critical Theory: Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze a work of art. Students will practice the process of critical analysis as it applies to both formal and conceptual principles within the printmaking discipline. A reciprocal critical dialog with material competency, formal composition, informed concept, narrative, historical context, and craftsmanship issues of the medium. Group critique will be conducted and students will be encouraged to practice casual discourse with their peers as they engage in a collective studio environment fostering the development and improvement of creative works. Utilizing critical analysis skills and embracing the reciprocal critical dialog, students will develop a critical eye to inform recognize success, identify weaknesses, and foster improvement in current and future work. Students will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. This practical implementation of the relief printmaking process will showcase the learning that has taken place both conceptually and formally in print and book form. Also, through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique historic and modern graphic prints as well as contemporary work, enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Creative Process: Demonstrate the application of the creative process. This course will promote unique strategies to learn to visually communicate in the graphic clarity of the relief printing process. Students will be exposed to a variety of creative methods to assist in developing narratives and concept into their prints. The creative process in this course is inclusive to a variety of image-making practices and allows for diversity in interpretation of assignment prompts. Ultimately, students will begin to integrate what they have learned into their own practice. Students will be evaluated upon the completion, artistic merit, conceptual application innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each creative studio project. This practical implementation of the relief printmaking process will showcase the learning that has taken place both conceptually and formally in print and book form. Also, through attendance at and participation in various opportunities for critical analysis, students will gain an informed ability to critique historic and modern graphic prints as well as contemporary work, enhancing their own work and the work of their peers.
Content:
Through demonstrations, slide lectures, readings, practical application, and critiques, students will integrate relief printmaking processes into their creative work. These inclusive and diverse teaching methods are tailored to accommodate unique learning styles that will culminate with a variety of rigorous experiential, creative projects. This course will include study of the following:
· Aesthetic theory, mark making, and compositional strategies as they relate to the graphic nature of the relief print;
· Demonstrations of multiple relief processes including developing imagery, the creation of the relief matrix,
registration, papers, inking, and pulling a print;
· Development of concept, narrative, and meaning to relief work through guided prompts provided by the instructor;
· Discussion and practice of pertinent ethical standards, traditions, and taboos in editioning, proofing, numbering, and signing original prints;
· Exploration of historical context, including the study of major figures and movements within the genre of printmaking;
· Group critiques designed to promote a critical dialog between the artist, the artwork and the viewer that are designed to promote improvement students to critically evaluate their own relief prints and those created by their peers;
· Practical application of relief prints through applied creative projects which encompass, but are not limited to, the following relief processes: woodcut, linocut, reductive color, key-block method, hand-tinting;
· Readings from the text to supplement information provided during demonstrations and lectures;
· Slide lectures directly related to the process, history, and contemporary application of each relief technique;
· The creation of multiple experimental book structures made from extra relief impressions made during class.
Key Performance Indicators:
A comprehensive portfolio of original editioned prints, experimental proofs, and artists’ book studies evaluated on artistic merit, innovation, and level of craftsmanship of each 80 to 90%
Participation in discussions, and critiques 10 to 20%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Printmaking: A Complete Guide to Materials & Process, Boxes. Bill Fick & Beth Grabawski, Lawrence King Publishing Ltd., current edition.
Each student will be required to provide tools, supplies, and consumables at the instructor’s discretion in addition to what is provided through the course program fee.
Pedagogy Statement:
This course will include, applied studio projects, class discussions, critiques, demonstrations, and slide lectures, as they apply to the creative discipline of relief printmaking. This diverse and multi-faceted learning environment promotes productivity and a high level of engagement and inclusion during each three-hour studio block. It also promotes a meaningful and productive work ethic as students perform independently in the studio between each class.
This course privileges a community studio environment. From the first day of class, students are encouraged to spend time collectively, not only within the structure of class time but outside of class, together in the studio working in an informal creative environment. This is where ideas flow freely between student colleagues and trust and belonging is developed amongst members of a diverse and creative team. This prepares students for the highly-collaborative and creative industry where diverse ideas are combined to problem solve. During class, casual critical dialog is practiced between students and instructor. Formal group critique strategies are tailored to enhance the worth of each student’s creative vision and to critically evaluate the work of each student in a constructive manner. Prompts for each project are designed to promote a wide range of visual interpretation and inclusion of various conceptual insights, including but not limited to, age, ethnicity, culture, gender, and religion. Visual art, in its essence, promotes inclusivity as students explore personal narratives, statements, and concepts.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture/Lab
Maximum Class Size: 12
Optimum Class Size: 12
