Skip to main content
    Admissions
    Find all the information you need about applying to PNCA in one place. Take the next step and start your application.
Admitted Students
Enrolling Students
International Students
    Cost & Aid Overview
    Get the latest information about tuition costs and financial aid opportunities available to PNCA students.
Tuition & Fees
Types of Aid
Steps to Financial Aid
Calculate Your Cost (NPC)
    Academics Overview
    Learn more about our distinct art and design programs. Find out about our unique opportunities, studio-based classes, and dedicated faculty.
All Programs and Degrees
Career Design
Study Abroad
Pre-College Program
    Culture Overview
    Get a feel for life at PNCA. From campus culture to the surrounding Portland area, learn how we make aspiring artists feel at home.
Watershed
Galleries and Exhibitions
Online Galleries
Symposium
Community Events
Notable Alumni
Request Info Visit Apply Give
About News Alumni Parents Academic Calendar
Willamette University

MFA in Printmaking

Our multidisciplinary printmaking program allows students to explore all mediums and encourages students to combine different practices to design their own pathways.

Program Snapshot

Degree Type

Master of Fine Arts

Program Type

Graduate

Credit Hours

60

Time to complete

2 Years

Campus

Portland

Request Info
A PNCA student in the printmaking studio

Our MFA in Printmaking

The MFA in Printmaking program supports the multidisciplinary exploration of a wide array of traditional and emerging print-making techniques and methodologies. From Letterpress to 3D printing, students have the opportunity to experiment with different technology as they discover their creative voices.

Throughout their time in the program, students engage in both individual and collaborative work. We encourage experimentation, challenging students to push the limits of what a print can be and how printmaking can impact the world. This often involves engaging with the community, leading to deep ties and meaningful connections. 

Focus on traditional printmaking techniques or combine printmaking with painting, video, installation, sculpture, performance, or any other artistic medium. Whether you aspire to create prints for the fine art or commercial spheres, our program will equip you with the skills and expertise needed to set yourself up for a successful printmaking career.

Why choose an MFA in Printmaking at Pacific Northwest College of Art?

  • Professional grade facilities. We offer our students one of the largest and best-equipped academic printmaking studios in the country. 
  • Watershed Center. The Watershed Center for Fine Art Publishing and Research is the research and education extension of the printmaking lab at PNCA. Meet visiting artists, find unique professional experiences, build community connections, and work alongside printmaking professionals.
  • Visiting artists and printers. Every year, we welcome visiting artists and master printers to campus for extended working residencies, giving students the opportunity to learn from innovative creators.

Schedule a Visit

Request Information

Do you have questions about the MFA in Printmaking program at PNCA? Fill out this form and we'll get in touch!

Loading...

Student Work

Graduate students are encouraged to experiment with their practice. By taking advantage of the professional grade studios, labs, and equipment on campus, they have created innovative work. Our program offers support for those who wish to pursue traditional printmaking and those who want to explore technological advances through their work.
/
9

Alumni Stories

Alumni of our graduate program have explored paths as artists, professional printmakers, educators, and entrepreneurs. They’ve taken their variety of printmaking techniques and applied it to a range of professional opportunities. Learn more about how our graduates are having an impact.

  • Brandi Kruse MFA '16

    Brandi Kruse is a multidisciplinary artist known for creating non-places through print, photography, and poetics. She has exhibited widely and currently works as a teaching artist, jewelry designer, and adjunct professor. Her work was featured in the group exhibition REFLECT in Vancouver, WA. She co-founded a zine-publishing writers' collective and has received residencies at Caldera Arts Center and The Städelschule in Germany.

    Portrait of a person with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black top, silver necklace, and long earring.

  • Harry Schneider MFA ‘16

    Harry Schneider is a co-director at Mullowney Printing. He also taught as an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University, PNCA printmaking department, and was an artist-in-residence at Portland's Creative Technology Lab. He held a recent residency at LeLand Ironworks and had work exhibited at IPCNY's Edging Forward: New Prints 2018/Winter.

    Man operating a vintage printing press in a well-lit printmaking studio, surrounded by jars and supplies on shelves.

Introducing Some of Our Faculty

PNCA’s faculty is made up of professional printers who have explored printmaking through a variety of media. They serve as mentors to our students and guide their inquiry as they develop a professional practice. The graduate school also brings in visiting artists to lead talks and offer additional feedback.

  • Meet Yoshihiro Kitai

    Yoshihiro Kitai, Chair of BFA and MFA Printmaking Department,  Professor of Printmaking at PNCA, combines Western abstraction and Japanese metal leafing in his work, reflecting his perspective as an immigrant in the U.S. With an MFA from Washington University and a BFA from PNCA, his art is featured in various public and private collections.

    Headshot of Yoshihiro Kitai

  • Meet KP Bradshaw

    KP Bradshaw, explores poetic expression through various mediums. With degrees from Yale University, Brown University, and Converse College, her students are encouraged to explore writing through investigation and observation.

    Headshot of Kristin P Bradshaw

  • Meet Matthew Letzelter

    Matthew Letzelter is a master printer and artist who explores his practice through works on paper, print, paintings, and photography with a focus on abstracted landscapes. Matthew utilizes his experience as an educator and professional printer to inspire his students.

    Headshot of Matthew Letzelter

Curriculum

Participate in critique seminars, lab research, and independent and collaborative work. Hone your skills in repetitive mediums such as bookmaking, intaglio, lithography, screen print, relief, risograph, photo, and digital methods in professional facilities. Connect with mentors as well as regional and national print and creative production studios. Explore both traditional and emerging techniques through our MFA in Printmaking. 

  • PRM502 Printmaking Studio with Mentor II

    Immerse yourself in a vibrant community with personalized studio practice and weekly mentorship. Work with mentors on a thesis through critique, dialogue, and assignments. Showcase your work in a culminating exhibition and thesis, reflecting your unique artistic journey.

  • PRM626 Graduate Critique Seminar IV

    Engage with a community where your artistic ideas are challenged and expanded. Participate in weekly critiques, discussions with visiting artists, and  dialogues to deepen your creative practice. Join lectures, performances, and off-campus trips to exhibitions, all led by faculty and guest experts.

Program Requirements

The MFA in Printmaking program requires several course hours dedicated to topics such as Graduate Critique Seminars, Printmaking Studios with a mentor, and a wide variety of electives. It also requires a choice of core studios, focusing on Collaboration & Research Lab or Projects & Exploration. Key milestones include a First Year Exhibition and Review, a Printmaking Internship, and a final Thesis Oral Presentation and Exhibition.

A person lining up a large piece of paper on a board

Admissions Information

Our MFA program is designed for artists looking to cultivate their professional printmaking practice and learn from master printers. Learn more about the admissions process for the Printmaking program, including portfolio requirements.

Multiple people holding a large print featuring lines and yellow colors

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies offers renewable Merit Scholarships to students who demonstrate aptitude in their areas of creative practice. Merit scholarships are assessed based on the strength of the student’s application. In awarding merit scholarships we consider each student’s portfolio (if applying to a studio-based program), personal history of scholastic achievement, as well as their contributions to culture and community. No separate application is required to be considered for merit scholarships.

A person digitally drawing in front of a Mac computer with an animated cat in a red hat that is cooking

FAQs

For those that pursue a printmaking masters degree, consider various careers such as: 

  • Artist. Create and sell original prints in galleries, exhibitions, and art fairs.
  • Art Educator. Teach printmaking techniques at schools, colleges, or community centers.
  • Printmaker. Work in studios or as a freelance printmaker, producing prints for clients or collaborations.
  • Art Conservator. Preserve and restore prints and artworks in museums or conservation studios.
  • Graphic Designer. Apply printmaking skills in graphic design, combining traditional techniques with digital media.
  • Art Therapist. Use printmaking as a therapeutic tool in clinical or community settings.
  • Museum or Gallery Professional. Curate, manage, or conserve print collections in art institutions.

Our MFA printmaking program equips you with creative, technical, and conceptual skills applicable to various fields. 

Printmaking is an artistic process in which ink is transferred from a matrix to another surface – most often paper. It encompasses various techniques such as relief printing, intaglio, screen printing, risograph, and lithography. Printmaking is a medium that allows for experimentation and personal expression. In many forms of printmaking, a matrix can be used repeatedly to make several copies of a print.

Relief printing is a printmaking technique in which an image is created by carving or cutting away parts of a surface, leaving the raised areas to be inked and transferred onto paper or another material. Relief printing includes techniques such as woodcut, linocut, and letterpress, each offering unique textures and stylistic possibilities.

Lithography printmaking is a technique based on the principle that oil and water repel each other. It involves applying a chemical solution to a slab or plate followed by oil-based ink and then transferring the image onto paper. Lithography allows for fine detail and tonal variation, making it popular for producing high-quality prints, illustrations, and artworks.

A risograph is a digital duplicator used for high-volume printing, blending characteristics of screen printing and offset printing. Risographs are known for their cost-effectiveness and distinctive aesthetic, including bright, translucent colors and unique textures. They are commonly used for art prints, zines, and limited-run publications.

Within our art and design school, students can explore a variety of academic options. Consider additional options that include:

  • MA/MFA Dual Degree - Combine your Master of Fine Arts degree with a Master of Arts degree. Enhance your graduate study through our critical studies program to develop skills in critical writing and public engagement.
  • Graduate Symposium - Connect with other artists and the larger community. Join our annual graduate symposium to expand your mind and make professional connections.
  • SGCI - PNCA sends a delegation to SGC International, the largest printmaking conference in the United States.
  • Community Collaboration - We've collaborated with Latino Art Now, Don’t Shoot PDX, Portland Art Museum, and PNCA's Students of Color Coalition. We've hosted events and supported the front lines of social justice.

Our Printmaking Lab facilities include:

  • Studios
  • Presses
  • Letterpress studio
  • Book-making equipment
  • Screenprinting studio
  • Aquatint box
  • Litho stones
  • Exposure room
  • Exposure units
  • Copper-plate
  • Risograph
  • Storage
  • Printmaking store
  • State-of-the-art ventilation
  • Print archive
  • Papermaking supplies

Students can also take advantage of the Creative Technology Lab, Digital Print Studio, and Documentation Studio. View a full list of PNCA labs, workshops, and facilities to expand your craft.

Willamette University

MFA in Printmaking