Yesterday morning Lisa and I got together in the chilly Levigator Press basement studio and made some trace monotypes in preparation for the class we’re running this Saturday.
Trace monotype is an easy introduction to making beautiful prints even if you have never tried printmaking or can’t draw. Your Japanese paper is laid face down over a slab of specially prepared ink, and lines are traced on a reference image taped to the back to pick up ink. It’s a direct transfer method that yields a single, precious print, loaded with rich linework and moody, atmospheric shadows.
Here you can see my print in progress, next to the slab from which the ink was picked up.
And here are our completed prints! Lisa juxtaposed a dreamy photo of one of her children with an image of a beloved artwork in her collection, while I made a portrait of a handsome sheep named Limerick who was raised by a friend, and whose wool I used for my warm winter gloves.
There are still some spaces available in the class, happening this Saturday, 26 January, in the asil studio here in Walkerville. If you’d like more information or to sign up, visit this link: asil trace monotype class.
We’ve got a fresh lineup of classes happening at asil studio in the new year, taught by yours truly in tandem with Lisa Sylvestre of asil. We’d love for you to join us to learn something new and hone your sewing, knitting, and bookbinding skills with us! You can see all the details below, with handy links to take you over to the asil website if you’d like to sign up.
Introduction to hand sewing, a flexible six-part series.
Thursdays February 8 and 22, March 7 and 21, and April 4 and 18, 2024, 6:30 until 8 pm (6 x 1.5 hrs)
$35 individual session, $30/session for 3-5 sessions, $25/session ($150) for entire series
This six-week series is designed to cover the basics of hand stitching. Each class can be taken as a free standing class but the techniques will build from week to week.
Week 1: The basics of the basics. Learn to thread a needle and to tie a beautiful knot. You will learn the simple and versatile running and back stitches. These stitches are used as utility seam stitches, for raw edge applique, and as a decorative top stitch.
Week 2: Whip stitch. We will introduce the whip, or overcast, stitch which will expand your range both for stitching seams and finer-finish applique.
Week 3: Blanket stitch. The blanket stitch is a versatile and decorative embroidery stitch used for edging and finishing, for mending, and as another method of adding applique.
Week 4: Hemming. You will learn tips and tricks for pressing both straight and curved hems. We will introduce our favourite hand hemming techniques.
Week 5: Fasteners. In this session you will learn how to hand stitch a button hole and a button loop as well as the tailoring method of attaching a button.
Week 6: Mending. We will delve into different methods of repair using simple stitches and patches.
Saturday, January 27, 2024, 1 pm until 3 pm (2 hrs)
$40 plus $5 materials fee
Trace monotype is an easy and beautiful method for creating a mix of bold and delicate lines in your one-of-a-kind prints. It’s very responsive to the artist’s hand, giving a rich atmospheric quality to the image. In this class you will learn how to specially prepare oil based ink for trace monotype, and will create at least one beautiful print on Japanese paper. Depending on the complexity of your image, you may have time to make more than one print.
Trace monotype, as its name suggests, uses tracing, so you don’t have to be able to draw! Please bring printouts or photocopies of source material; such as a specific photo or image you wish to work from (NOT originals; these will be ruined in the monotype process!). Your finished image will be the reverse of your source image so please consider that when making your copy. We will also have plenty of source material available for you to choose from.
In this three hour class, you will learn to cast-on stitches, how to work a basic garter stitch, how to increase and decrease stitches, and how to cast off and finish. You will leave with a sturdy cotton dishcloth, a set of knitting needles and enough cotton to make a second cloth.
Saturdays, February 24, March 9 and March 23, 2024, 1 pm until 2:30 pm (3 x 1.5 hrs)
$90 plus $10 materials fee
In this three week series, we will cover the basics of hand quilting. The course is designed with ample time between sessions for you to practice and work on your hand quilted pieces. You will choose the size of your piece ranging from tea mat to place mat size.
During Week 1 we will discuss some quilting history and what makes a quilt a quilt. We will consider quilt design, material choices and cover basic hand piecing techniques.
In Week 2 you will learn basic quilting techniques including methods of basting.
Week 3 will introduce you to different methods of finishing your quilted piece.
Thursdays, May 2 and 9, 2024, 6:30 until 8:30 pm (2 x 2 hours)
$50 plus $10 materials fee
This two-week class will teach you how to print and embellish your own custom fabric. In Week 1 you will learn how to make richly coloured block prints on fabric using our collection of pre-carved blocks and design elements you can layer in different ways. In Week 2 you will add depth and detail to your piece with some simple embroidery stitches.
All materials are provided and you will leave class with a beautiful piece of embellished fabric (you may not finish your stitching during class but we will get you well on your way!). No printmaking or embroidery experience is necessary, although a basic knowledge of hand sewing will help you get started.
Retchoso bookbinding is a unique style of Japanese binding that joins folded sections of paper with a complex yet elegant stitch using one or two needles to create a slender notebook that opens perfectly flat. Sturdy multi-layer paper covers are built onto the book’s sections before binding. It’s a perfect binding for a portable notebook or sketchbook, or for chapbook publishing. All materials will be provided and you will leave with a finished book.
I’m excited to announce a few new fall workshops I’ll be teaching under the new umbrella of dandelion school house, a collaboration between asil (link: asil) and Levigator Press. We felt it was time to separate our classes from the asil gallery name, and will announce more later when we’re ready to launch properly with a full lineup of classes and a beautiful logo (I’m working on a very nice drawing but my Procreate skills are quite primitive and it’s taking me forever). For now, we’re soft launching the school with a short roster of classes. For now you can see what’s on offer at this link: dandelion school house.
On Saturday, October 28 I’ll be teaching an old favourite, Coptic bookbinding. We’ll be using fun covers cut down from old books and you’ll have your choice of a few different papers for your pages. Registration is required, and can be done on the asil website via this link: Coptic bookbinding at dandelion school house.
On two consecutive Thursday evenings, November 9 and 16, I’ll be teaching an introductory linoleum printing workshop. This is one of the most popular workshops I used to offer at the Levigator Press studio and we’re pretty excited to finally be running it again. Here’s the link to register at the asil website: Lino block printing at dandelion school house.
Here are a few of our student prints from our class at Meta Makers Cooperative. We had some challenges printing for the first time with minimal equipment in a new space, but the makerspace is coming along nicely and is already developing into a great, inspiring place to work and teach.
Our students played a bit with selective inking in multiple colours (skull circuit board print) and blending colour right on the block (after Mucha print).
