WorkshopsIn-PersonPhotopolymer Crash Course

Photopolymer Crash Course

Event Info

This in-person workshop takes place at CBA on March 23 and 24, 2024 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Saturday, March 23, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday, March 24, 10:00am – 4:00pm

Please Note: Registration for this workshop closes on March 16th, at 11:59 pm.

About the Workshop:

This in-person workshop is taught by CBA instructor Elizabeth Castaldo.

The letterpress has so many more capabilities than its classic wood and metal type uses. Photopolymer plates are a new school material that brings versatility, convenience, and a wealth of design options to the old school world of letterpress.

In this workshop, students will learn how to prepare plates from hand-drawn illustrations and/or digital images. Then students will learn how to make plates using CBA’s exposure unit. Finally, the class will set up the press and print! This workshop is designed for individuals with some letterpress experience.

Fun Fact: In the 1980’s printers discovered that light sensitive photopolymer could replace movable type, meaning they were no longer limited to the amount or kind of type they had in their shop.

Required Materials:

X-Acto Blade
Pencil & Eraser
Clothing you do mind getting dirty & close-toed shoes

Optional Materials:

Access to Photoshop or Illustrator
Image you want to work with
Opaque black drawing materials
Materials to experiment with for making transparencies

All other materials will be provided by CBA at no additional charge to the students.

About Elizabeth Castaldo

Elizabeth Castaldo is a New York based artist, printmaker, and bookbinder. Working with collage, drawing, and printmaking she creates works on paper and artist’s books that explore nature and the divine feminine. She has completed residencies at Proyecto ‘Ace in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Arquetopia in Oaxaca Mexico, the Center for Book Arts, NYC and Printmaker’s Open Forum, Oxford PA. Castaldo received her MFA from SCAD Atlanta where she was a Dean’s Fellow in Printmaking and her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been exhibited internationally including with Fundacion ‘Ace, Zuckerman Museum of Art, Center for Book Arts, Saint Joseph’s College, Oklahoma City University, Landing Contemporary, Empty Set Gallery, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She teaches printmaking and book arts at Parsons School of Design and the Center for Book Arts. Her work is held in many private and institutional collections including SCAD, The University of Alberta, Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

All images courtesy of the instructor.

Class size is limited to ensure an optimal participant to instructor ratio. Register now before spots fill up! Registration for this workshop closes on March 16th at 11:59pm. The price of this class is $420 plus a $25 materials fee.