Zinc plate etching course - August/September 2026

OVERVIEW

Tutor: Amanda Donohue

Dates: Monday 31st August, 7th September, 14th September and 21st September 2026

Time: 10am to 1pm

Cost: $250 current NPW members. $280 non NPW members

Enquiries: amanda@terrarossa.biz

Venue: Newcastle Printmakers Workshop, 27 Popran Road, Adamstown

This course requires a minimum of 4 participants to proceed.

In this course over four Monday mornings learn about zinc plate etching with artist Amanda Donohue. You will create your own unique limited edition prints and learn how to:

• Prepare the zinc etching plates

• Applying hard and soft grounds to develop an image

• Using aquatint to add tone to your image

• Etch the image into the plate using copper sulphate

• Add colour using chine colle

• Ink the plate

• Print the image using etching presses

No experience is needed for this workshop and so it's ideal for beginners but also great if you have some experience and want to learn some new techniques. Feel free to bring along any existing zinc plates you have to develop futher.

Etching is a rich medium where an image is scratched, drawn or painted onto a metal plate and the image etched into the plate. A range of marks can be created and, after etching, ink is applied to the plate. A print is created by placing dampened paper onto the plate and passing both through a press.

Materials
Participants need to provide their own zinc plates and printing paper. Paper can be purchased from the workshop. Zinc plates can be any size but anything about 150mm square will be ok. Eckersleys sometimes have zinc plate in stock but Amanda may also have some available.

All other materials are included - inks, grounds, tarlatan, brushes, aquatint materials, papers for chine colle.

What students need to bring:

Participants need to bring a zinc plate and printmaking paper, Plus some ideas for a print. If you have done some zinc plate etching before feel free to bring your existing zinc plates to develop futher.

Tea & coffee provided.

Wear covered shoes and bring an apron .

Covid Safety:

Participants must checkin, wash or sanitise their hands immediately upon entering the workshop and maintain physical distancing whenever possible during class. If you have COVID-19 symptoms or have been directed to isolate, you must not attend class.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Amanda Donohue studied printmaking at Sydney College of the Arts graduating with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours). She has been a printmaker for over twenty years, interested in etching, lino, dry point, screen printing, collagraphs, eco dyeing, shibori, felting and fabric printing. Amanda has been an active member of the Newcastle Printmakers Workshop for over ten years, is a member of the Make Space collective and exhibits on a regular basis. She has been running workshops for about 10 years and you can read some of the reviews on Google and Facebook.

Email: amanda@terrarossa.biz

Website: www.amandadonohue.org