Relief printing is one of the most enduring printmaking techniques and is renowned for its flexibility as a medium capable of a variety effects. Students will explore the process of relief printing using linoleum, wood, and/or MDF. Through presentations and demonstrations, we will cover preparation of blocks, developing and transferring designs, carving techniques, and multi-color printing including registering multiple plates and color reduction strategies. This class is appropriate for all levels, from beginners to those with more experience.
Mike Smoot currently lives in Southern Vermont and is a Professor of the Practice in Print and Paper at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. He completed Tamarind Institute’s Professional Printer Training Program in 2007 and has worked at a number of professional fine art print studios including Atelier Towson, The Experimental Print Institute, Tamarind Institute, and Landfall Press. He has taught or given lectures and demonstrations on printmaking at Towson University, Goucher College, East Carolina University, Southeast Missouri State University, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Georgia State University, Valdosta State University, UMass Amherst, Bennington College, Keene State College, and Smith College. In addition, he has worked with a number of art related community organizations. He believes printmaking’s potentials for sustained collaborative effort, the negotiation of difference, and collective creative action make it a worthwhile pursuit. Mike Smoot
