2-days workshops in Photogravure
in the heart of Copenhagen
with Toyobo Photopolymer Plates
by Henrik Bøegh
Next workshop – no workshops in July
Weekend March xx-yy | 2024 both days 10-16
MAXIMUM 4 participants | reviews of the workshops in cph
Where: Grafisk Eksperimentarium, Trepkasgade 8, kld.tv., DK-2100 Copenhagen
Who: Instructor Henrik Bøegh. The course is aimed at photographers and printmakers with or without knowledge of photogravure.
Price: EURO 400,00 including 25% tax
The workshop fee includes all materials + 1 Photopolymer Plate in A3 size (more available on the workshop). Deposit EURO 130,-
Contents: At this course, you will be sufficiently familiar with the entire workflow, so that you can continue on your own.
From image processing to final print
- The making of the perfect positive for classic photography based on your photo and optimizing the digital positive in Photoshop / levels and curves for photogravure.
- Preparation of the photopolymer plate.
- UV exposure of the aquatint screen and positive. (If the weather is sunshine, it will also be possible to try the sun as a light source).
- Developing (etching) the Photopolymer plate.
- Hardening the plate.
- Inking up and printing the plate
- Presentation of the finished photogravure (the final intaglio print).
During the workshop, we discuss all relevant topics such as types of transparent film, suitable printers, RIP software, drawing foils, printing papers, inks, etc.
We also discuss which positives are especially suitable or not for these techniques.
NEW – Direct to Plate: On this workshop I will also introduce a brand new technique where we print the positive image directly on the photopolymer plate without use of vacuum, transparent film and aquatint screen. This gives you the possibility to judge the difference between the traditional and the new method.
About the process
A photograph (digital or analog) is transferred to, or rather “etched” into a photosensitive plate. The plate is inked with intaglio ink and printed in the etching press. That is basically, what it is all about – and that’s how it has been ever since Fox Talbot invented this method to make edition of his photographs.
It was a complicated and difficult process at that time, involving many steps and toxic chemicals. But since Eli Ponsaing in the early 1990s found new ways of using photopolymer plates and “etching” with water, the technological development has made life easier for the photographer, who wants to print sublime photographs on intaglio fine art paper of the same high quality as Fox Talbot did.
On modern inkjet printers we print the positive film in 1:1 size, with ultraviolet light we transfer the image to the photosensitive emulsion on the photopolymer plate and with normal tap water, we etch the image in the plate. At the etching press, we print the hand-wiped plate on intaglio paper with soy-based etching inks.
And that and much more is exactly what you learn on this weekend course. I have been working with these techniques myself since 1992.
Henrik Bøegh
ENROLMENT
Fill out the enrolment form and send it attached to [email protected]