Introduction to Photopolymer (Solar) Plate

A weekend to explore the potential of this photo sensitive plate to create both intaglio and relief prints. You will work with photographs or hand drawn images and natural or found materials to expose onto the photo polymer plate - this is a technique with many possibilities and ways to realise your work.

Going through generating images, making the plate and then inking, you will be taken through this print technique and even shown a lovely print collage method called chine collé. A wonderful addition to any printmakers toolkit or a fantastic beginning to a new journey.

Course Structure

Day 1:

· Photopolymer examples and how to edit images on photoshop

· How to expose and develop a photopolymer plate using either hand drawn artwork or photographs.

· How to prepare plates for printing

· How to ink up and print the plate for an intaglio image and also how to achieve a duotone effect.

· Registration of plates and paper.

Day 2:

· How to make photopolymer plates using natural or found materials with the option of creating a relief plate.

· Demonstration and discussion of how to use masking, layering and chine collé to add depth and experimentation to prints.

· Recap inking techniques from previous day and also discuss a la poupée and relief inking.

About the Tutor

Robyn Maclennan joined Leicester Print Workshop as part of the technician team at the end of 2021, specialising in etching and photographic techniques. She uses multiple printmaking and photography processes to explore the landscape and our connections to it. Robyn holds an MA in Fine Art and is currently undertaking a PhD at London College of Communication where she is researching how ecoGothic theory can be used to re-examine our relationship with nature and how fear has permeated our perceptions of the non-human world.

She is particularly interested in the links between the darkness found in the ecoGothic and the necessity of darkness to her photography and printmaking practice as well as how understanding the agency of both the natural world and the works she produces can grant us a better understanding of the world around us. She has exhibited across the UK with highlights including the ‘Withheld’ exhibition in London (2022), the Derby Print Open (2023) and being featured in Somewhere in Between’s 2021 zine ‘Hmmm…Photography and Printmaking'.

You can find more of Robyn’s work here: www.robynmaclennan.com