Introduction to Fine-Art Digital Printmaking

This workshop is designed for photographers and digital artists interested in bringing their work to life as high-quality prints. While many artists are comfortable processing their images for a digital screen, preparing a file for print is a different undertaking. This hands-on, two-day workshop guides students through the creative and technical considerations of the digital printmaking process, starting with a raw or digital file, moving through the nuances of post-processing, and ending with ten ready-to-frame fine-art prints.

Using Adobe Photoshop and/or Lightroom, Christine Alexander guides you through the steps of translating an image from a digital file to a physical print. She takes a deep dive into Adobe print menus and settings, discusses the preferences required for different papers, and shows how the software communicates directly with the printer. An introduction to image size, resolution, and resampling is also provided, as well as a general overview of recent Adobe AI upsampling and noise reduction features. Christine then covers color management and toning, discusses color spaces and gamut, and provides the opportunity for participants to practice monitor calibration.

Through hands-on experience in the Workshops’ Digital Lab, outfitted with state-of-the-art Epson P900s, students also receive an introduction to the mechanics and functionality of fine-art inkjet printers. An overview of matte and photo fine art Epson papers is provided, and insights into the process of tailoring your edits for specific papers. Students learn how to correctly handle and load paper, discuss appropriate drying times and off-gassing, and learn the key components of archival practice and print longevity.

With direct support from Christine and the Digital Lab staff, you get to practice these workflows from start to finish, processing your own images, making test proofs, and then complete intentional, final prints.

In a world where images are consumed digitally in milliseconds, this workshop reconnects students to the process of creating tangible, artistic works that can be viewed and admired in the physical world.