Tony Misch, Continuing Education chairperson, organized a wonderful experience on March 30th.  The docents met at the School of Visual Philosophy on the Alameda in San Jose.  They were given a brief summary of the history of printmaking before creating their own prints.

They used the drypoint techniques of engraving and intaglio printing, under the tutelage of printmaker Dana Harris Seeger.

Everyone went to work using a sharp tool to scrape a design into a plexiglas plate.  Most docents chose to trace a photo or drawing, that ranged from a complicated to simple. Once the plates were completed they inked and printed them using the intaglio method. Under the pressure of the press, the paper is forced into the engraved lines on the inked plate, lifting out the ink and producing a print with the beautiful, rich line characteristic of drypoint.

The School, with its fully equipped printmaking facility, has recently reopened in new quarters on the Alameda. Visit their website here.