Print-Media Beyond Academia

Abstract

Printmaking as an art discipline has been taught in different visual and fine arts academic programs around the world for hundreds of years. Thousands of printmaking students have graduated from different Art schools hoping to continue pursuing and fulfilling their artistic aspiration and passion, however, only handful of those, mostly university-affiliated, manage to do so. Obviously many factors may contribute to that phenomenon, however; the unavailability of printmaking equipment, which exist mainly in the educational institutions, the high cost of printmaking materials and the absences of the promotion and marketing of printmaking art, may be the most conspicuous factors that drive printmaking artists to quit. This research aims to explore new approaches that enable printmaking students to continue working in the real world after leaving the confinement of their educational institution and to investigate different possible solutions that may allow Printmaking Art and Artists to survive outside the Academic institution.

Keywords: Print-Media, Printmaking Art, Printmaking Art Education, Experimental Printmaking, Printmaking Co-Ops.