Printmaking Workshop Expenses and Materials Costs

Posted December 14, 2017

Running workshops, art workshops or other, are a heap of fun, plus some hard work. I love to share my printmaking skills and studio space.

Planning my workshop program is pretty straight forward, but costing a workshop adds an administration dimension that, as an artist (albeit one with a bit of a business head), wasn’t so straight forward; and once done, proved to be a very enlightening exercise.

Workshop pricing is determined by two factors

Tuition fee; and
Materials costs

The Tuition Fee

When working out the tuition cost and materials fee for my workshops, I realised there was a lot to consider … teaching time, program and handout preparation time, venue costs, catering, promotion and advertising, preparation and cleanup and of course the materials used during the workshop.

Time

For every workshop, be it a single day or weekend workshop, and even private tuition, time is the largest resource investment. There is the time needed to actually teach a class, but there is also almost as many hours in preparation, promotion and administration of each workshop.

Coordinate student enrollment
Check and collate materials
Venue setup
The workshop itself
Venue clean and tidy up
Tools cleanup and packing

Add to that the hours of preparation, planning and development that go in to each and every workshop to ensure the best quality delivery of content and workshop experience that I can possibly deliver.

PLUS there is also the time to create and distribute promotional and advertising material, including printing flyers, newspaper and magazine advertising, social media posts and promotions and email newsletters. Oh and the website … that is one task that seems to never end – maintenance and updates on my website.

Venue and Catering

My workshops are run from my personal studio. With that is the need to cover the costs associated with workshop furniture, resources and utilities (internet, water and electricity).

I love to have a cuppa on hand while I’m working, so I assume that other printmaking enthusiasts feel the same. I provide tea, coffee, hot chocolate and a light morning and afternoon tea (biscuits and/or cake) with each workshop.

The Materials Fee

All materials are provided for every workshop.

That means you don’t have to buy anything prior to any workshop and I know you will have everything you need to complete each workshop. You will leave each workshop with a list of materials and supplies to source if you wish to continue at home, including a list of what I buy from which online or in-person art supply store.

During each workshop I talk through pricing options for different supplies and materials, catering to a range of budgets. That way you can decide what you want or need to buy, and from where.

soft brayer quality printmaking tools My attitude in life is to buy the best quality resources that you can afford at the time. I believe this to be especially true when it comes to buying art materials. Over many years in my own printmaking practice I have afforded myself a collection of quality tools, all of which I treasure (you can read about my favourite printmaking tools here).

When it comes to tools used in my workshops, I maintain a similar approach. Given the volume and multiples of items needed to run the workshops, I have purchased mid-range quality tools and resources. We print with quality printmaking papers and there is a collection of other good quality tools and resources we use during each workshop.

All the necessary materials for all workshops are covered in the Materials Fee of each workshop. I do this so people can learn a new process without having to buy everything first. That way they can explore to see if they like the process before investing in tools and equipment. During each workshop we talk about the tools and resources needed. I share what I buy what, and different prices points for different budgets.

Different workshops require different materials, but all materials are quality, and wherever possible, ‘artist quality’:

handouts and fact sheets
reference images for print inspiration
tracing paper to transfer images
pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, permanent markers, rulers, scissors, cutting knives, sticky tape
lino block for carving and printing
lino strips for practise mark-making
different mark-making tools and resources
aluminium metal plates
brayers (aka rollers)
barens, several different types
quality printmaking paper
cartridge paper
fabric swatches and silks
printmaking inks
artist quality paints
carving tools
etching tools
palette knives for preparing and mixing ink
glass for ink mixing and rolling
wipes and rags
paper soaking and washing trays
newspaper
pre-made registration boards
materials for making registration boards
foraged plant materials
cleaning and clean up materials and resources
different chemicals for different processes
gloves and safety equipment where needed
gas cookers and boiling pots
brushes for cleanup
reference books, magazines and literature
and a collection of purchase prints by other artists to share with you as examples of different styles and approaches to the medium you are learning
the list goes on but I’ll stop here, but I hope you get the idea.

In Summary

Talking money and costs can get a little awkward, but I hope this article helps with a breakdown of the costs associated with my workshops.

If at any time you have questions or want more information, please contact me directly. I am happy to answer any questions you may still have.

Ready to join a workshop?

Have a look through my workshop program here:

printmaking workshops, reduction linocut

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