Block Printing Workshop
with printmaking artist Lance Nihei Van Cleve

Saturday, August 23, 2025
2:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: In-person at the Center
$80 Center Members, $100 General Public

The Center is happy to announce another workshop with Lance Nihei Van Cleve to teach the art of block printing to our community! This fun hands-on workshop shows you the process of relief printing starting from composition and carving techniques, all the way to finished product! Registration includes everything you need as well as a kit to take home, just be sure have some ideas/designs in mind!

For our workshop, we will be learning the technique of lino printing, using hand tools to carve our print designs from linoleum, which is very similar to traditional wood block printing but uses an inexpensive material that is much easier and faster to work with than wood. Ink is then applied to the carved design and paper pressed onto the inked relief to produce a print. The simplicity and directness of lino block printing, combined with the unique results it can produce, make it a beloved technique in both art education and professional practice. 

Block printing is favored for its ability to produce bold, graphic images with strong contrasts and textures. Artists and designers use block printing to create artworks, illustrations, and designs for posters, greeting cards, wallpapers, and fabric patterns, among other applications. It's accessible to beginners and professionals alike, providing a satisfying, tactile experience with striking visual results. Japanese woodblock printing, known as "ukiyo-e," is a centuries-old technique that originated in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). It is renowned for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and historical significance in the development of Japanese art. Some of the most well-known pieces of art from Japan include ukiyo-e block prints including iconic works like  "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai and Hiroshige's "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō."

Workshop Materials:

Registrants will receive a kit to use and take home containing the following items:

• Linoleum blocks
• Speedball Carving Tool
• Water-soluble ink
• Brayer (Roller)
• Printmaking Paper

This class is limited to 12 participants. No materials or experience is needed. Workshop fee includes all necessary materials and instruction. Workshop suitable for children with a parent/guardian present.

About Instructor Lance Nihei Van Cleve

Lance is a local printmaker based in San Francisco. He graduated from California State University Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts degree with emphasis in printmaking: lithography, relief printing, and copperplate intaglio. Lance worked at a San Francisco silk screen studio for ten years as a color technician formulating custom ink colors, matching color ways for clients and creating art for production. He now works for IKEA Communication/Interiors as a visual merchandiser.