Skip to main content

Printmaking Curriculum


PR 211 Artist Publications

Contemporary artists and designers use printed matter, publications, and multiples in myriad ways. They engage in different models for distributing to an audience, from free take aways to using the postal service and subscription based work. This studio class will focus on printed matter, objects, and other works made in editions, sequentially, and/or serially for distribution and dispersal to a public the very definition of a publication.The course specifically asks where publications and distribution can fit into many different art + design practices. Technically, this course works across multiple media and processes, with an eye toward editioning, seriality, craft, collaboration and content. A focus will also be on how publications and modes of dispersal have been used historically and by contemporary artists. A program of lectures, discussions, field trips to local special collections, and visiting artists whose practice include publication and distribution will support student exploration. This advanced section is appropriate for students who have advanced and sophisticated background in printmaking, bookbinding, or similar.


PR 281 Intaglio and Relief

This beginning printmaking course introduces intaglio and relief printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of copperplate intaglio and relief printing. Intaglio processes will include drypoint, hard ground and soft ground techniques on copper plates. The developing, working,and reworking of plates will be supported through step etching and scraping and burnishing. Relief printing techniques will include components of both Japanese and Western carving,inking, and printing traditions. Linoleum and woodcut printing will be covered in single and multiple blocks. Image and mark-making, line and value, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of intaglio and relief printing for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 282 Screenprint + Lithography Printmaking

This beginning printmaking course introduces screen and lithography-printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition,concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of screenprinting and lithography printing. Screenprinting techniques will include hand-made, digital, and drawn stencils, as well as direct-to-screen and photo-processes. Lithography printing techniques will include drawing and printing directly from lithography stones, and the photographic capabilities of plate lithography. Image and mark making,color interaction, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of lithography and screenprinting for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures,in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 286 Letterpress + Book

This beginning printmaking course introduces letterpress & book-making techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the ways that letterpress and books can function separately or interact. Letterpress techniques will focus on myriad applications of the typesetting and printing of lead & wood type, photopolymer plates, and other image-making processes. Traditional and non-traditional bookbinding will be introduced, including sewn and adhesive bindings. Alongside technical concerns, this course introduces the historical and contemporary considerations of print, paper & book culture as well as sequencing, narrative, typography, and the relationship between text and image. Current applications in letterpress and book for artists and designers, as well as how we read prints, texts and books, will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 287 Monotype

This course introduces the monotype printmaking technique within an active studio experience that bridges the gap between painting and printmaking. Several approaches to monotype will be introduced, from reductive and additive black & white processes to the exploration of color and collage techniques, all printed by hand on a press. This course then advances to printing multiple-plate, multi-colored printing processes that might include digital and/or photo processes. Alongside technical concerns, this course introduces the historical and contemporary considerations of the monotype, as well as its history across cultures. Current applications in monotype for artists, as well as craft & fine printing, and color interaction will be focused on during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings and discussions, visiting artists, and individual and group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 288 Intro to Textile Printing Relief + Screen

This beginning, printmaking course introduces relief and screen-printing techniques on fabric within an active, hands-on studio experience. Small-scale fabric printing for applications in fine art, apparel, interiors, and more will be covered while focusing on craft and personal voice and vision. Screenprinting techniques will include hand-made, digital, and drawn stencils, as well as direct-to-screen and photoprocesses. Relief printing techniques will include components of both Eastern and Western carving, inking, and printing traditions on fabric. Linoleum and woodcut printing will be covered in single and multiple blocks. Image and mark-making, color interaction, patterns & motifs, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of printed fabric and apparel, surface design, and relief and screenprinting for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 289 Printmaking: Special Topics

Special topics courses are approved to take advantage of timely subjects, the expertise of a faculty member, or to test student interest in a topic which may later be added to the curriculum.


PR 311 Artist Publications

Contemporary artists and designers use printed matter, publications, and multiples in myriad ways. They engage in different models for distributing to an audience, from free take aways to using the postal service and subscription based work. This studio class will focus on printed matter, objects, and other works made in editions, sequentially, and/or serially for distribution and dispersal to a public the very definition of a publication.The course specifically asks where publications and distribution can fit into many different art + design practices. Technically, this course works across multiple media and processes, with an eye toward editioning, seriality, craft, collaboration and content. A focus will also be on how publications and modes of dispersal have been used historically and by contemporary artists. A program of lectures, discussions, field trips to local special collections, and visiting artists whose practice include publication and distribution will support student exploration. This advanced section is appropriate for students who have advanced and sophisticated background in printmaking, bookbinding, or similar.


PR 370 Printstallation

Printstallation is an intermediate printmaking course that examines the role of printed matter in and as installation. Students will utilize and expand upon techniques gained in beginning printmaking classes while completing print-based installation projects. This course encompasses all methods of printed media and students are encouraged to employ multiple techniques and strategies. Print-based installation through accumulation & scale, print's interaction with other media & forms, prints as objects, and the active role of printed take-aways will all be considered. Strategies around site specificity, temporality, interactivity, immersion, and distribution are also integral to this course. Historical and contemporary artists working in print-based installation will be viewed and discussed. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 371 Print Studio

Print Studio is an intermediate printmaking course where students can focus on and refine one or two printmaking techniques honing technical skills and expanding knowledge around craft, materials, and processes. Self-directed projects that employ printmaking toward personal, idiosyncratic voice and vision are supported by faculty and peers in this studio course. Building off of skills learned in beginning printmaking classes, students will propose and focus on extended projects, ideas, and print processes. Skills in professional writing, research, presentation, documentation, and exhibition will also be supported. This course is ideal for students wishing to gain a greater depth of knowledge in specific printmaking traditions while creating a focused body of work. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 372 Printing on Fabric

Printing on Fabric, an intermediate printmaking course, primarily focuses on screenprinting on fabric, but will also cover relief printing, intaglio, pochoir, and some small-batch fabric dyeing. Utilizing and expanding upon techniques gained in beginning printmaking classes, students will learn how to successfully print on fabric. Students will employ their printed fabric in multiple ways while utilizing strategies of apparel/wearables, interior design, sculpture and installation. Pattern repeats, non-repeating imagery, and printing on yardage will all be covered alongside printing on previously sewn textiles. Historical and contemporary artists/designers working in and with printed textiles will be viewed and discussed. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.~Prerequisite: 200-level Screenprint is required, 200-level Relief and/or Intaglio are recommended.


PR 381 Intermediate Intagio and Relief

This intermediate printmaking course offers continued study of intaglio and relief printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of copperplate intaglio and relief printing. Intaglio processes will include drypoint, hard ground and soft ground techniques on copper plates. The developing, working,and reworking of plates will be supported through step etching and scraping and burnishing. Relief printing techniques will include components of both Japanese and Western carving,inking, and printing traditions. Linoleum and woodcut printing will be covered in single and multiple blocks. Image and mark-making, line and value, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of intaglio and relief printing for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 382 Intermediate Screenprint + Lithography Printmaking

This intermediate printmaking course offers continued study of screen and lithography-printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition,concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of screenprinting and lithography printing. Screenprinting techniques will include hand-made, digital, and drawn stencils, as well as direct-to-screen and photo-processes. Lithography printing techniques will include drawing and printing directly from lithography stones, and the photographic capabilities of plate lithography. Image and mark making,color interaction, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of lithography and screenprinting for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures,in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 385 Experiments in Combined Print Media

Experiments in Combined Print Media is an intermediate printmaking course that focuses on strategies for creating work that combines traditional and non-traditional print based media and a wide range of image sources. In addition, students will explore ways of combining print media with non-printed media, three-dimensional objects, and time-based media. The work created in this course requests openness to the possibility of how printed media can function from a framed image on a wall to a wide variety of contexts. In addition to assigned projects and recommended readings, there will be critiques, image lectures on related work with an emphasis on contemporary practice and context.


PR 386 Intermediate Letterpress + Book

This intermediate printmaking course offers continued study of letterpress & book-making techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the ways that letterpress and books can function separately or interact. Letterpress techniques will focus on myriad applications of the typesetting and printing of lead & wood type, photopolymer plates, and other image-making processes. Traditional and non-traditional bookbinding will be introduced, including sewn and adhesive bindings. Alongside technical concerns, this course introduces the historical and contemporary considerations of print, paper & book culture as well as sequencing, narrative, typography, and the relationship between text and image. Current applications in letterpress and book for artists and designers, as well as how we read prints, texts and books, will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 389 Printmaking: Special Topics

Special topics courses are approved to take advantage of timely subjects, the expertise of a faculty member, or to test student interest in a topic which may later be added to the curriculum.


PR 411 Advanced Artist Publications

Contemporary artists and designers use printed matter, publications, and multiples in myriad ways. They engage in different models for distributing to an audience, from free take aways to using the postal service and subscription based work. This studio class will focus on printed matter, objects, and other works made in editions, sequentially, and/or serially for distribution and dispersal to a public the very definition of a publication.The course specifically asks where publications and distribution can fit into many different art + design practices. Technically, this course works across multiple media and processes, with an eye toward editioning, seriality, craft, collaboration and content. A focus will also be on how publications and modes of dispersal have been used historically and by contemporary artists. A program of lectures, discussions, field trips to local special collections, and visiting artists whose practice include publication and distribution will support student exploration. This advanced section is appropriate for students who have advanced and sophisticated background in printmaking, bookbinding, or similar.


PR 471 Print Studio

Studio Arts Special topics courses are approved to take advantage of timely subjects, the expertise of a faculty member, or to test student interest in a topic which may later be added to the curriculum. Prerequisites: Senior standing or permission of Deptartment Chair.


PR 481 Advanced Intagio and Relief

This advanced printmaking course offers sophisticated study of intaglio and relief printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of copperplate intaglio and relief printing. Intaglio processes will include drypoint, hard ground and soft ground techniques on copper plates. The developing, working,and reworking of plates will be supported through step etching and scraping and burnishing. Relief printing techniques will include components of both Japanese and Western carving,inking, and printing traditions. Linoleum and woodcut printing will be covered in single and multiple blocks. Image and mark-making, line and value, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of intaglio and relief printing for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 482 Advanced Screenprint + Lithography Printmaking

This advanced printmaking course offers sophisticated study of screen and lithography-printing techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition,concept and engagement, this course explores the unique and varied visual effects and pragmatic considerations of screenprinting and lithography printing. Screenprinting techniques will include hand-made, digital, and drawn stencils, as well as direct-to-screen and photo-processes. Lithography printing techniques will include drawing and printing directly from lithography stones, and the photographic capabilities of plate lithography. Image and mark making,color interaction, strategies of layering, and composition are discussed and developed in both techniques. Current and historical applications of lithography and screenprinting for artists and designers will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures,in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 485 Combined Print Media

Studio Arts Special topics courses are approved to take advantage of timely subjects, the expertise of a faculty member, or to test student interest in a topic which may later be added to the curriculum. Prerequisites: Senior standing or permission of Deptartment Chair.


PR 486 Advanced Letterpress + Book

This advanced printmaking course offers sophisticated study of letterpress & book-making techniques within an active, hands-on studio experience. With a keen eye towards craft, composition, concept and engagement, this course explores the ways that letterpress and books can function separately or interact. Letterpress techniques will focus on myriad applications of the typesetting and printing of lead & wood type, photopolymer plates, and other image-making processes. Traditional and non-traditional bookbinding will be introduced, including sewn and adhesive bindings. Alongside technical concerns, this course introduces the historical and contemporary considerations of print, paper & book culture as well as sequencing, narrative, typography, and the relationship between text and image. Current applications in letterpress and book for artists and designers, as well as how we read prints, texts and books, will be a focus during the course. A program of demonstrations, lectures, in-class projects, readings & discussions, visiting artists, and individual & group critiques will support student exploration.


PR 489 Special Topics in Printing

Studio Arts Special topics courses are approved to take advantage of timely subjects, the expertise of a faculty member, or to test student interest in a topic which may later be added to the curriculum. Prerequisites: Senior standing or permission of Deptartment Chair.


Courses

200-level courses focus on tradition and craft while 300-400 level courses open up to introduce broader interdisciplinary methods and practices. Our curriculum is supported by a skilled, on-site print studio manager and relationships with a network of print shops, master printers, visiting artists, and galleries.

ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (9 cr. required)
IS101 Core Seminar 1 3
IS102 Core Seminar 2 3
IS106 Place-Based Inquiry 3
Applied Creative Practice (3 cr required)
ACP100 Introduction to Creative Citizenship 3
First-Year Seminar (1 cr. required)
FD100 **First Year Seminar 1
Studio Courses (3 cr required)
Studio Elective 3
Foundation Studio (15 cr. required)
FD101  Visual Elements: 2D 3
FD102 Visual Elements: Digital Tools 3
FD105  Drawing 1 3
FD111  3D Design 3
FD112  Time Arts 3
TOTAL 31
At the completion of First Year: 31 cr. earned to date 31

**FD100 First Year Seminar is required of all first-years with fewer than 30 transfer credits.

ID Course Title Course Req
Art History (3 cr. required)
IS214 History of Printed Matter 3
Integrated Studies (6 cr. required)
IS220Q Interdisciplinary Seminar (Q) 3
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
Applied Creative Practice (3 cr required)
ACP200 Creative Project Management 3
Studio Courses (18 cr. required)
Two courses from the menu: PR281 Intaglio & Relief, PR282 Screen & Lithography, or PR286 Letterpress & Book 6
PR241 Printmaking Investigations 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
IM201  Theory & Practice 200-level 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Second Year: 61 cr. earned to date 61
ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (6 cr. required)
IS220Q Interdisciplinary Seminar (Q) 3
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
Applied Creative Practice (6 cr. required)
ACP300 Creative Entrepreneurship and Career Readiness 3
ACP301 or ACP302 Applied Learning Internship or Applied Learning Elective 3
Studio Courses (18 cr. required)
PR389/489 Print Publishing 3
IM301 Theory and Practice 3
PR381/481 Intaglio & Relief, PR382/482 Screen & Lithography, or PR386/486 Letterpress & Book 3
PR341/441 Printmaking Investigations 3
Studio Elective 6
Studio Elective 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Third Year: 91 cr. earned to date 91
ID Course Title Course Req
Integrated Studies (3 cr. required)
IS200 Interdisciplinary Seminar 3
Applied Creative Practice (12 cr. required)
ACP400 Research for Creative Practice 3
ACP401 Thesis Critique Seminar 3
ACP499 Thesis Project 6
Studio Courses (15 required cr.)
PR471 Print Studio 3
PR341/441 Printmaking Investigations 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
Studio Elective 3
TOTAL 30
At the completion of Fourth Year: 121 cr. earned to date 121

Willamette University

Printmaking