Painterly Prints: Sugar Lift for Copper Plate Etching
Instructor: Nichol Markowitz
Date: 7/16/26 & 7/23/26
Time: 6PM - 9PM
Class fee: $250
Materials fee: $35
Sugar Lift is an etching technique, used in combination with aquatint, whereby a water soluble sugar solution is used to create expressive painterly marks that can be etched into copper. In the first session, students will learn how to prep their plates, transfer their image, make and apply their own sugar lift solution, and coat their painted plate with a liquid resist. The second session will cover how to “lift” the painted design from their plates exposing the copper underneath, apply a rosin aquatint, etch their plates, and print their original designs with oil based etching ink on Somerset cotton rag paper on our Conrad etching press. Students will leave with a small printed edition of their own design. No experience necessary, open to all skill levels.
Materials Provided:
6” x 4.5” copper plate
sugar lift solution
liquid hard ground
rosin
degreasing materials
cotton rag paper
etching ink
use of studio expendables: solvents, rags, acid, tarlatan, newsprint, etc..
1. Classes are not refunded due to failure to attend class, planned absences, minor illness, or vacations.
2. When class/workshop enrollment is below the minimum required three days before the start of class the class may be cancelled. If Moonlight Press cancels a class you will be notified two days before the first day of class and students will have the option to receive a full refund or transfer credit to another class.
3. If you drop a class at least 10 days before it starts, you will receive a 100% refund minus a $35 admin fee.
4. If you drop a class between 6 days to 1 day before the first session of class, there are no refunds. You will receive a class credit IF we are able to replace your seat with another student before the start of class. Moonlight Press will actively search for a replacement but if this is not possible, crediting will not be offered.