SOLAR PLATE ETCHING with Nickova Behling. A choice of workshops from a one day taster, a compact weekend or a more sustained six week course. Choose one or mix and match.

ONE DAY TASTER WORKSHOP – Saturday 14th October, 10 am – 4:30pm, £40 for BMN members, £45 for non-members.

COMPACT WEEKEND WORKSHOP – Sat+Sun 21/22 October, 10am – 4:30pm, £75 members, £85 non-members.

6 WEEKS COURSE, 3 hours session per week – starting Tuesday 24th October, 10am- 13:30, every Tuesday till 28th November. Fee £150 (£25 per 3 hour session) members, £180 non-members*

All at The Print Room, DC2, Devonshire Collective, 137-139 Seaside Road, EastbourneBN21 3PG

Small extra charge for purchase of Solarplates (see below)

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL

Join a friendly group of artists for a sociable introduction to Solar Plate Etching. The workshops will be led by Nickova Behling, an artist who specialises in printmaking, painting and photography as well as collaborative, interdisciplinary and performance art.

Solarplate is a light-sensitive steel-backed polymer material used by artists as an alternative to hazardous printmaking techniques. It is a simple, safe, and fast approach to etching and relief printing that does not use grounds, acids, or solvents.The process:An image can be created on a transparent film. The film is placed on top of a solarplate and both film and plate are exposed to the sunlight.We can also use templates of light translucent or semi-transparent material to place on top of the solarplate when exposing the plate to the sunlight.After sun exposure the plate is processed with ordinary tap water and carefully driedready to be inked and printed.

Artists can purchase plates from Nickova and will work on small formats to explore the possibilities of the techniques before creating a larger print.Plates cost £6 for A5 size, £12 for A4.No previous printmaking experience is necessary. Some materials and equipment provided e.g. general printing paper, acetate, ink, rollers, gauze, pallet knives but you may wish to bring your own as well. Creating the transparent image for the plate will be explored during the course.

* Participants of the six week course will be offered the opportunity to take part in an exhibition at DC1 Gallery in December, showing process and outcomes of the course. An additional fee will apply. (Full exhibition cost of £250 per week to be shared by participants - e.g. £42 per artist if six artist take part).

To book a place, e-mail Judith at or phone 07713 287365 with enquiries. Payment can be made:

  • by cheque payable to Blue Monkey Network sent to: Blue Monkey Network, 23 Charleston Road, EASTBOURNE, BN21 1SE or
  • by BACS transfer to our account: Blue Monkey Network, Sort Code: 30-92-86, Account number: 37901460 (please include your surname as a reference and e-mail to confirm your payment).