COOL CLASSES: “Lithography – Materials and Techniques”

In Hee Sook Kim’s class, students explore the foundation of offset printing, the standard before the dawn of digital printing.

Class name: “Lithography – Materials and Techniques”

Taught by: Professor of Fine Arts Hee Sook Kim

Says Kim about her class:
Combined methods with other printmaking techniques, such as paper lithography and Monotype, are explored during the course. Development of technical skills in traditional lithography and personal visual study are necessary for successful creative solutions. A strong body of work with a specific theme is encouraged. Individual discussions weekly and group critiques for midterm and final are held. Additional research on the history of printmaking is recommended. I hope students will learn the process of making prints traditionally and find their own creative solutions using this lithographic method.

Kim on why she wanted to teach this class:
Lithography is the foundation of offset printing that was widely used for printing books until the invention of digital printing. Books are the most commonly used materials for teaching, yet most students aren’t aware of how books are created.

I wanted to teach this traditional method to students who are from the digital era so they can understand a historical process and adopt this medium for their own art-making. This chemical, eye-opening transformation using water and oil for printing is often viewed as a cool process in the classroom. I want them to learn a piece of history for their own innovations.

Kim on what makes this class unique:
This course is a one-of-a-kind printmaking course in the fine arts department and shows a unique way to make art using printing methods.