Fundamentals of Digital Printing
with Cotton Miller
November 11 – December 16, 2026
*
Course Description
Making fine-art digital prints in your home office or studio is easier than ever. Desktop printing technology has come a long way, and so has the software we use to create and process our images. But the underlying principles remain the same: these are tools that can be varied according to each individual artist’s needs, from budget to image type and end usage.
In this online workshop, Santa Fe Workshops master printer Cotton Miller familiarizes you with the fundamentals of digital printmaking. Cotton details the basic workflow and then introduces more technical elements as the workshop progresses. Each session covers important aspects of home printing, providing a crucial foundation for optimizing output using the best combinations of printer and paper.
In addition to examining key concepts like color management and settings that ensure consistent results, we also explore new and advanced image-processing tools in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Each participant is given the opportunity to schedule two one-on-one Zoom sessions with Cotton to discuss their own artistic needs and concerns.
As you find yourself confidently working with Lightroom and Photoshop, you develop not only a stronger understanding of digital printing technical concepts but also a better idea of why, exactly, you make the specific processing choices that transform your ideas into lovely prints.
Additional Information
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
What You Should Know:
No prior printing experience required.
Special Notes:
Class will meet 9:30 – 11:30 am (Mountain Time) on Wednesdays starting November 11 and ending December 16 (five online group sessions). No class on November 25. Enrollment is limited to 10 participants.
Zoom Video Conferencing software (available for no charge from Zoom.com) will be used to facilitate the class sessions. Further details will be emailed to registrants.
These live online sessions take place in the standard Zoom meeting format. Students can use their microphone and camera, see and hear the instructor and other students, and participate in live discussion and interaction throughout the sessions.
Santa Fe Workshops always aims to produce a high-quality experience for our online attendees. That said, variables including regional and local internet provider speeds, traffic on Zoom's servers, and your own computing hardware can contribute to a less than ideal streaming event. While we do our best to minimize the impact of these variables, they are outside the control of Santa Fe Workshops.
Policies:
View Withdrawal and Transfer Policies for online programs.
Recording class sessions using personal devices or third-party tools is not permitted. Session recordings are provided by Santa Fe Workshops and are available to enrolled students for two months after the class. This policy helps protect the intellectual property and privacy of both instructors and students.
about
Cotton Miller received his MFA in Photography & New Media in 2013 from Lesley University College of Art and Design, in Boston. In addition to being honored by The Boston Globe as one of six artists to watch in 2013, he had multiple exhibits in Boston and has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association in 2007. Cotton has also assisted with projects for Time Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Athleta, and Highsnobiety.
Cotton is the Web Manager for Santa Fe Workshops and does web and exhibition consultation projects for a variety of artists, and is Adjunct Faculty for the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts – Houston. He has designed websites for Nevada Wier, Christopher James, Alison Wright, Elizabeth Opalenik, and Santa Fe Workshops. Cotton’s personal work combines traditional printing methods with digital, alternative process, mixed media, and multimedia. He worked as a master printer for Blazing Editions in Providence and Cotton was a research assistant for The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes (third edition) by Christopher James. Cotton collaborates with many artists for not only web design, but also digital retouching, graphic design, exhibition design, exhibition production, and printing fine art editions.
Website: cottonmiller.com
Instagram: @cottonmiller
