LPW Lithography Summer school

I have been a bit quiet on the blogging front lately - largely because I have spent the past few months editioning a few of my stones and then graining them to remove the images - so not that much new to report!
During the last week of July Leicester Print Workshop was closed to members as it was running a Summer School offering 3 different print courses in letterpress (run by Sat Kalsi), etching (run by Sue Baker Kenton) and stone lithography run by Serena Smith.
The courses ran from Monday to Friday giving an opportunity for participants to immerse themselves in a printing technique in small groups of 6. I shadowed the stone lithography course and thought Id share with you some of the things the group got up to and the work they produced.
Out of the 6 participants, 5 had had some experience of lithography before (indeed one of the group had even brought one of the stones he had prepared earlier to process!). Several of the group were already members of LPW and most were local to Leicester however, one lady had travelled from as far away as Suffolk to attend.
The first day was spent with Serena explaining the lithography process and demonstrating different mark making materials - dry tusches (rubbing blocks, litho crayons etc) and  then liquid tusches, litho inks and soap solutions. Processing of the stone and first etches were shown and the group were then given several test stones to experiment mark making with. 

Trying out Korns' and Stones' liquid tusches on test stone

                                              
                                

Serena first etching test stone

Here are some of the group working on their test stones

and some close ups of the marks made:

The next days were spent further processing the test stones - second etching and proofing 

Serena rolling up test stone with Noir a Monter ink to process it

 here are some of the prints produced from their test stones

In between leaving stones to rest and proofing partcipants were also shown the graining technique (to remove the image when further prints are no longer required in order to re-use the stone again)

The wonderful Elspeth who spent many extra hours graining stones!

After processing their test stones the group were given a larger stone in order to put into practice the mark making experience gained - Here are some of their results!

All in all I think everyone had a really good week - there was a lot of information to impart and absorb in a short space of time but the whole group produced some amazing prints and I think many of them really had their appetite whetted to explore this wonderful process further. (Indeed all the members of the group who were LPW members have returned to continue working with their stones since the course finished!) On a personal note I really enjoyed the week - it refreshed my knowledge and has inspired me to use different materials in my own practice.