Open Studio@ Studio Terap Ulang, USM

This is an invitation from Universiti Sains Malaysia - Terap Ulang Studio --

In conjunction with Rintis, Studio Terap Ulang will hold 

an Open Studio from Monday May 20th. until Wednesday May 22nd.

All are invited to visit our studio and attend our printmaking demonstrations.

Our guests from Thaksin University, Thailand will demonstrate on

 the process of aluminium plate lithography .

What is Rintis?
http://terapulang.blogspot.com/2013/05/rintis-shift-2013.html

Prints have arrived at Macao!

AUG 30...

 "Confirm received 8 applications and the article. Thanks a lot!

We’ll have a welcome dinner on 16 Nov evening, and the opening ceremony schedule at 17:00 on 17Nov."  

... from the Printmaking Triennial organisers

And so... the excitement begins. 

To date, most of the 8 Malaysian artists have booked their flights with a return flight from Shenzhen, our stopover after Macau.  They will be visiting the Guanlan Printmaking Centre at Shenzhen.

Check some of the blogs on this centre : 
China's Printmaking City of Guanlan

The blogger comments : Never one to be outdone in anything, China decided to set up an artists' colony for printmakers. In specific, the Guanlan Centre....   The wonderful thing about this place is that it’s not just a building or two that is called an artist colony. The Center makes up a whole village! Guanlan is a 300 year old (ancient by western standards) Hakka fishing village, and in 2008, it was converted into a studio center for printmakers! How Excellent!

Guanlan, Print Original Base, Shenzhen, South China

...Unlike the surrounding cities, the Guanlan Original Print Base is in a peaceful ecological zone. From the studios the artists overlook vegetable - and strawberry fields. While they harvest one field, they plant new seedlings on the next. From morning to evening they work in the fields, watering the plants with two cans at the same time, which are hanging from a bamboo stick over both shoulders. The fields are surrounded by brooks and ponds with frogs and ducks, bridges and footpaths. The artists live in 300 years old Hakka village houses. They are built from stone. Wooden galleries and heavy doors are carefully restored. There are watch towers and decorated pediments mirror in the diverse lakes.

The print base began with it’s residency program in May 2009. Before they had already held two biennuals and art fairs. They will build a printing museum in the next three years.  






Shenzhen Guanlan Print Original Base

The entrance of Print Artist Village at Shenzhen Guanlan Print Original Industry Base on November 21, 2008. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Xu Liuliu]

Located northeast of Guanlan Town in Shenzhen, the Guanlan Print Original Industry Base is the spiritual home of Chen Yanqiao, a pioneer in contemporary Chinese printmaking. The Print Base is jointly set up by the Shenzhen Bao'an District People's Government, the China Artists Association and the Shenzhen Federation of Literary and Art Circles. It includes printmaking works, exhibitions, background information and research on the fine art. The three parties offer a platform for academic and commercial development by working on five projects including the Guanlan International Print Biennial, a Print Workshop, and the Original Print Fair. The Print Base also provides ecological and artistic inspiration for visitors who come to appreciate the works of the famous artists, the ancient Hakka houses and unique local customs.

Printmaking residency in Guanlan
A Guest Post by Evan Summer

Guanlan Print Original Industry Base in Guanlan, China. Workshop areas for etching, lithography, silkscreen and woodcut are on the first floor, individual studios on the second.

In May and June 2010 I was an Artist in Residence at the Guanlan Print Original Industry Base in Guanlan, China. After participating in the 2007 and 2009 Guanlan Biennial Print Exhibitions, they invited me to be an artist in residence. I’ve never traveled much but knew I’d regret it if I didn’t take advantage of this opportunity.
The residencies are usually between three weeks and three months. During that time artists are expected to produce prints in any of the four standard areas: etching, serigraphy, lithography and relief. They are provided with studios, basic supplies, 24/7 access to the workshop and the help of technicians.

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NOTE :  I originally wanted to post about Macau... but after learning about Guanlan... you can see  (from links above) why I'm now sooo eager to visit this place!!

Dasein's Printmaking studio

Frank asked me to help pick up Kim Ng's print for the Macao exhibition and so i headed for Sri Rampai LRT station. Dasein Academy of Art is housed in a few shoplots near Wangsa Walk.

Kim was a gracious host. He took me straight to the studios where we chatted about printmaking in Malaysia. Then he took me around all the studios in the Fine Art Dept.

Dasein's printmaking studio :

 

 

Drawing & Ceramic studios :

 

 

 Thanks, Kim..

Visit to Terap Ulang Studio, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang

I like the name Terap Ulang. "Terap" refers to press, undergoing a pressing process (ie printmaking) and "Ulang" means to repeat.  Hence, it is named "Repeated Pressed". Such a creative  and perfect name to describe the energy the students and lecturers have creating prints.

This is the first thing u see on entering the first studio. 

SAFETY first / Precautions / Procedures :
Looking at the signages around the studio / workspace, i cant help wonder whether the parents would have allowed their undergrad sons & daughters take up this disciplin,e..if they knew! ha ha.. Just in jest.

But, seriously, whenever your are using tools and chemicals (even in home science class where u can get scalded by hot oil), one must RESPECT the tools & chemicals.

Also goes to show the dedication of printmakers. Hazardous fumes, danger of spills, ..are all part of printmaking.

Manual printing press

Automated printing press (for the older ones..says Prof. Rahman)

TOOLS of the trade
Printing presses - either manually operated or automated, Just press a button & it slowly rolls the print plate & paper into the machine and out.

Drying rack

DRYING rack Once it is setup, the printing press must be run uninterupted to print as many prints as u want. Some choose do a few copies, some up to hundreds and others only, a monoprint (single). This rack helps separate the prints as the ink is still wet.

Picture A

QUIZ  1  -  What's this picture showing??

Picture B

And this ?
---> Can anyone help?. Pls write in your comments below. Picture A & B

Now we come to the next studio :

INK roller
Wow..that's a huge & heavy roller.  Here, Prof Rahman is showing me how to ink the block. Looks like you got to be strong & fit too to do printmaking. Well that's putting to good use the muscles u gain from gym workouts.

STONE lithography
This also requires heavy lifting. Some of the stone blocks are so large, they even have a forklift to carry it to the press. It's from imported limestone.   Just how is stone lithography done?

When  u finish using this image on the stone, how do u remove the image to make another... You dligently and meticulously grind it off!
 
QUIZ 2 - 

Can u explain how these TWO machines work?
Picture C & D

Picture D

Picture C

HANDMADE paper source

This patch of banana trees provide raw materials for handmade paper making, another printmaking 'resource'.


Definitely a WELL-EQUIPPED PRINTMAKING STUDIO..