Zinc Plate Lithography

Zinc plate lithography is one of printmaking’s most expressive processes, often described as the printmaker’s equivalent of drawing and painting. Artists work directly on a smooth metal plate using greasy drawing materials such as lithographic crayon, pencil and liquid tusche, creating marks that range from delicate lines and soft washes to rich, velvety blacks. Over four weeks, students will learn how to prepare a zinc plate, draw on it using traditional lithographic materials, chemically process the plate and print a small edition using the Takach Lithography press. The process works through the interaction of grease and water: greasy marks attract ink while damp areas of the plate repel it. This class welcomes artists of all levels. Beginners will receive clear, step-by-step guidance, while more experienced artists and printmakers will have the opportunity to explore lithographic mark-making and deepen their understanding of the process.

Class Breakdown: 

Week 1: Introduction to Lithography and Plate Preparation

• Overview of lithographic printmaking tools, materials and safety
• History and principles of lithography
• Introduction to grease and water chemistry
• Preparing and graining zinc plates
• Introduction to lithographic drawing materials including crayon and tusche

Week 2: Drawing Development and Plate Processing

• Developing imagery on the zinc plate
• Exploring lithographic drawing techniques and textures
• Introduction to tusche washes and mark-making approaches
• Processing the plate using gum arabic and lithographic etch
• Preparing plates for printing

Week 3: First Proof and Printing Fundamentals

• Washing out the drawing materials
• Introduction to rolling up lithographic ink
• Paper preparation and registration methods
• Using the Charles Brand Etching Press
• Pulling first proof prints and evaluating results

Week 4: Edition Printing and Critique

• Final adjustments to ink and water balance
• Printing a small edition of lithographs
• Editioning standards and labeling prints
• Proper printshop cleanup and plate care
• Group critique and discussion 

Key Skills Students Will Leave With

• Understanding of the zinc plate lithography workflow
• Experience preparing and graining lithographic plates
• Familiarity with lithographic drawing materials
• Knowledge of plate processing and chemical etching
• Experience printing lithographs using an etching press
• A completed small edition of lithographic prints
• Readiness for continued exploration of lithography

About the Instructor: 

Matthew Forehand is a painter and printmaker based in Miami, Florida. His art reflects a unique perspective, often patchworking elements of nature and the environment from his family home in Colombia and South Florida. He began studying art in his hometown of Pensacola, and later transferred to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Matthew is currently the PRINTshop Manager at Oolite Arts and has also had a residency at Oolite Arts and Ox-Bow School of the Arts in Saugatuck, Michigan. He has exhibited his work at Sullivan Galleries (Chicago, IL), Oolite Arts (Miami Beach, FL), and had a solo exhibition at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood (Hollywood, FL).