Photography & Digital Media

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Spring

EMBROIDERY ON PHOTOGRAPHS

Jessica Sundstrom & Mary Whalen / Computer Lab & Darkroom
Sat & Sun 5/6 & 5/7
1-4pm / Two Days
$60 / Members: $40

Spend a creative weekend learning and making! Transform an old photograph using needle and thread. We’ll coat watercolor paper with cyanotype chemistry to make a handmade photograph and/or transfer an image onto fabric to be embroidered. Students will learn tips for embroidering on photo paper, and different stitches to embellish your work. Bring photo(s), seed beads, sequins, or anything special you may want to use. Needle and thread provided. An email will be sent to participants with instructions for photo preparation for cyanotypes.

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SPRING FLOWERS

Mary Jo Asmus / Computer Lab
Wed 4/12 – 5/17
6 – 8pm / 6 weeks
$135 / Members: $115

Head outside to the garden, parks and greening spaces for this spring class with flower photo expert Mary Jo. You've seen wonderful closely detailed photos displaying color and shapes of newly blossomed flowers. This class will help you capture beautiful flower images with your equipment. Always hoping for an early spring, weather permitting, we will be outside to photograph and in the studio photographing cut flowers in natural light with various surface backgrounds. Bring your camera with manual capabilities, tripod, a 40-60 mm lens and macro gear are optional and highly recommended if you have it.

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ALTERNATIVE PHOTO PROCESS / BLUE AND BROWN

Dave Jones / Darkroom and Computer lab
Mon 4/10-5/15
6:30 - 9 pm / 6 weeks
$165 / Members: $145

Coat paper with light sensitive photochemistry to make fine art prints of your photos. Using two historical photo processes, cyanotype and Van Dyke Brown, alone and in combination for interesting results. Students will use the computer lab to generate digital negatives to contact print onto freshly coated paper. This digital negative making technique can be used for most alternative printing processes, blending digital technology with hands-on printing.

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NEXT STEPS, SEEING CREATIVELY

Mary Whalen / Computer Lab
Mon 4/10-5/15
6:30 - 8:30 pm / 6 weeks
$100 / Members: $80

Now that you have “mastered” or at least explored the capabilities of your digital camera, in this next step class you will put that knowledge into practice.Through class assignments and discussion you’ll continue to improve your technical and creative skills. We'll take a look at photographs from the KIA’s permanent collection and talk about how they did it; subject, style and print quality. You’ll explore printing, editing techniques, various types of lighting - natural and light created in the photo studio. All camera types are welcome.

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LIGHTROOM CLASSIC FUNDAMENTALS

Kelly Walkotten / Online with Zoom Pro
Tue 5/2-5/16
6-8pm / 3 weeks
Prerequisite: Lightroom Classic software installed on your computer.
$85 / Members: $65

Learn to import images from a memory card, camera, or folder into the Lightroom catalog. Create keywords and ratings and use the basic photo adjustment tools to enhance your images. You will leave this class knowing a logical workflow from import into Lightroom to export for the web, email, or print.

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POLYMER PHOTOGRAVURE

Dave Jones / Darkroom & Print Studio
Sun 4/16-5/7
12-4pm / 4 weeks
Prerequisite: Alternative Processes or Photoshop
$200 / Members: $180

Perfect blend of photography and printmaking! Create an intaglio-etched plate for high-quality images approaching those produced using traditional copperplate gravure. This process produces a beautiful photographic gradation of tones in a handmade print.

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CYANOTYPE AND COLLAGING NEGATIVES

Amelia Volwiler-Stanley / Computer Lab & Darkroom
Sat & Sun 4/22-4/23
1-4pm / Two Days
$65 / Members: $45

In this two-day workshop, you will learn two processes. First, the process of cyanotype, an analogue photo process that results in a beautiful blue image. Second: how to construct your own unique cyanotype negative using non-traditional processes rooted in the printmaking technique of collagraphy. Construct repeatable compositions for cyanotypes by collaging film negatives, pressed botanicals, found objects and hand-drawn elements. Fine art paper and fabric will be hand-coated with light sensitive cyanotype chemistry to create your one-of-a-kind sun printed artwork.

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CAMERA BASICS: MOVING PAST AUTO MODE

Amelia Falk / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Tue 4/11 - 5/16
6:30-9pm / 6 weeks
$140 / Members: $120

Learn to break free of auto mode and discover the camera’s true potential. This technical course reviews the camera manual and covers the fundamentals of how ISO, shutter speed and F-stop work together for understandable, predictable and repeatable results. Please bring a camera capable of manual settings and the owner’s manual to the first class.

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SCULPTING, PRINTING AND PAINTING MINIATURES

Kevin Wixson / Computer Lab
Thu 4/13-5/18
6:30-9pm / 6 weeks
Prerequisite: Basic computer skills
$170 / Members: $150

Learn the basics of digital sculpting using software to create models suitable for printing on a MSLA 3D printer. Seizing on the latest technology advances in stereolithography, this course will focus on utilizing these unique printers to create a work, small scale and high detail. Explore the world of miniatures used in games, toy models, and movie props while creating prints of your designs. Open to teens and adults.

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TRADITIONAL BLACK AND WHITE FILM AND PRINTING

Mary Whalen / Darkroom
(B) Tue 4/11 - 5/16
11am – 1:30 pm / 6 weeks
$160 / Members: $140

Learn how to develop film and print black &; white photographs. Through demonstrations and supervised printing sessions, participants will learn film and print development, how to control print contrast, and special darkroom techniques. This class is a perfect opportunity to print your special black and white negatives from the family archives. Students must provide their own film and paper for the class. Darkroom chemicals and equipment are provided.

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TRADITIONAL BLACK AND WHITE FILM AND PRINTING

Mary Whalen / Darkroom
(A) Tue 4/11 - 5/16
6:30 - 9 pm / 6 weeks
$160 / Members: $140

Develop your black & white film and print! Through demonstrations and supervised printing sessions, participants will learn film and print development, how to control print contrast, and special darkroom techniques. This class is a perfect opportunity to print vintage black and white negatives from the family archives. Students must provide their own film and paper for the class. Darkroom chemicals and equipment are provided.

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ENCAUSTICS TECHNIQUES; TRANSFERS & PAINTING

Laurie Pruitt / Studio 6
Sat 4/15 - 5/6
1:00 – 4:00 pm / 4 weeks
$190 / Members: $170

The encaustic medium will be used in combination with photographs, photo transfers, and collage techniques. Learn various techniques for adding color. Through the layering of color with pigment sticks and the encaustic medium, you will create transparency and depth to your imagery. Equipment, paint, medium, panels and brushes will be supplied. With additional panels available for purchase.

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Winter

BOTANICAL WINTER WONDERLAND

Deborah Mattson and Mary Jo Asmus / River Street Flowerland
Sat 2/25
1 – 4pm / One Day
$70 / Members: $50

Spend a winter afternoon in the warm atmosphere of a greenhouse bursting with inspiring vegetation, flowering plants, potted plants, greens, ornamental garden sculptures, and the general ongoing and curious growth in one of Kalamazoo’s outstanding greenhouses. You’ll find inspiration for drawing, painting and or photographing at River Street Flowerland! Individual instruction will be provided. Bring materials of your choice to work with.

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WINTER LANDSCAPE

Mark Cassino / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Tue 1/10-2/28
6:30 - 9 pm / 8 weeks
$175 / Members: $155

Explore Michigan's winter landscape to hone skills in making photographs that express each location's unique sense of place. This class is formatted around critique - students’ work shared and discussed. Embedded in these discussions will be field field techniques and post exposure finishing of images. Several sessions will be weekend field trips to locations in the Kalamazoo area where students will have the opportunity to photograph a variety of scenes. Dress for the weather!

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ENCAUSTICS / OPEN STUDIO

Laurie Pruitt / Studio 6
Sun 2/26 - 3/19
1 - 3:30 pm / 4 weeks
Prerequisite: Encaustic experience
$150 / Members: $130

Perfect Sunday afternoon to work on an encaustic project, we’ll supply the equipment and encaustic medium. Panels of various sizes will be available for purchase.

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CYANOTYPE: FABRIC + 3D FORM

Amelia Volwiler-Stanley / Computer Lab & Darkroom
Thu 2/23 - 3/30
6:30-9pm / 6 weeks
Prerequisite: A basic knowledge of Photoshop is helpful.
$185 / Members: $165

Interested in breathing new life into a thrift store find? Cyanotype is a versatile photographic medium, printable on nearly all natural fiber materials. You'll learn how to create cyanotypes on clothing and fabric, bringing form to your photographic images. You will learn how to make various sorts of film negatives and hard-painted transparencies to then map out your imagery into a 3-dimensional composition. The result will be a garment, accessory, or textile object printed with the beautiful Prussian blue, signature of the cyanotype process.

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LIGHTROOM CLASSIC FUNDAMENTALS

Kelly Walkotten / Online with Zoom Pro
Tue 3/7-3/28
6-8pm / 4 weeks
Prerequisite: Lightroom Classic software installed on your computer.
$85 / Members: $65

Learn to import images from a memory card, camera, or folder into the Lightroom catalog. Create keywords and ratings and use the basic photo adjustment tools to enhance your images. You will leave this class knowing a logical workflow from import into Lightroom to export for the web, email, or print.

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TIPS AND TECHNIQUES USING PROCREATE®

Chafe Hensley / Online with Zoom
Thu 1/12–3/30
6 – 8pm / 12 weeks
Prerequisite: iPad with Procreate® (iPencil preferred)
$220 / Members: $200

Using Procreate® for the iPad, learn to manipulate pixels to create fun and exciting digital artwork. Join your instructor virtually for a unique exploration into learning the basics of this dynamic drawing, animation, and image manipulation app. Bring your creativity and curiosity to class to develop artwork and continue your multimedia journey. Open to teens and adults.

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CAMERA BASICS: MOVING PAST AUTO MODE

Amelia Falk / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Mon. 1/9-2/13
6:30-9pm / 6 weeks
$160 / Members: $140

Learn to break free of auto mode and discover the camera’s true potential. This technical course reviews the camera manual and covers the fundamentals of how ISO, shutter speed and F-stop work together for understandable, predictable and repeatable results. Please bring a camera capable of manual settings and the owner’s manual to the first class.

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STUDIO LIGHTING FOR SMALL OBJECTS AND STILL LIFES

Amelia Falk / Photo Studio
Wed 2/15-3/22
6:30 – 9:00 pm / 6 weeks
Prerequisite: A camera capable of manual exposure and familiarity with the camera controls.
$160 / Members: $140

Learn to direct and manipulate light for the most effective results in photographing small objects or jewelry. Amelia will cover the fundamentals of lighting including; strobes (studio and on-camera flashes), reflectors, soft boxes, gels and more. In addition to demos students will be active in setting up the studio lights for the best outcome for your small subjects. Prerequisite: A camera capable of manual exposure and familiarity with the camera controls.

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