Studio & Workshops
Printmaking
Printmaking is a transformative art form. It not only empowers artists with a stable source of income through production but also facilitates the distrubution of information to a wider audience. Prints have historically documented the struggles of the oppressed and celebrated the achievements of social reform throughout Mexican history.
Xico continues to uphold and honor these methods, drawing inspiration from the impactful work of artists like Jose Guadalupe Posada and Taller de Gráfica Popular whose influence endures to this day. We persist in pushing the boundaries of artistic expression, following in the footsteps of Los Tres Grandes (Siquieros, Rivera, and Orozco), who revolutionized Mexican art. At Xico, we strive to share knowledge about this art form with communities that identify as Chicano, Indigenous, or Latinx.
Xico's Dynamic Working Studio
Our 4,600 square foot fully-equipped studio supports an array of printmaking techniques for artists of all levels. These techniques are offered in a workshop setting or for our more advanced artists, our studio is available for independent production.
Equipment Available for Use
Etching Press
Lithopress
3-D Printer
Laser Engraver
Printmaking Techniques
Intaglio
Creating marks in a plate; ink pushed into the marks, raised areas wiped clean of ink, wet paper laid on top of plate and rolled through etching press.
Etching
Engraving
Using a burin tool to meticulously carve smooth, clean lines into a metal plate, resulting in sharp and highly precise imagery.
Aquatint
Relief
The process of carving away the negative areas from a matrix, applying ink onto the raised portions, placing dry paper on top, and then applying pressure, either manually or with a press, to transfer the image onto the paper.
