You can get started in our workshop with various classic and digital printing techniques:

ANALOGUE PHOTOGRAPHY

The darkroom consists of a number of basic facilities for making black and white analogue photography prints and developing film. The darkroom is equipped with a Durst enlarger, darkroom lighting, sinks, development tanks (for 35 and 120 mm film) and chemicals. If you want to print something specifically, it is best to bring your own chemicals. AGA LAB has a basic stock of chemicals: developer, stop(bath) and fixer for both black and white film and paper. These can be used for a fee (€5,- per session). You will need to supply your own photo paper and negative holders.

It is also possible to apply cyanotype in the darkroom. This is an old photographic printing technique that allows direct printing on paper, wood or textile via a contact negative. A digital image can also be used for this by printing it as a negative on a transparent material. The paper is made light sensitive by brushing it in with an emulsion consisting of a combination of two iron salts. After this drying, it is possible to print on the paper via exposure with UV light. After development, a cyan-blue print is created, hence the name blueprint. You must bring your own materials, such as paper and emulsion.

PIEZO-ELECTRIC PRINTING

The digital print lab is located on the mezzanine of AGA LAB with a view on the spacious workshop. It consists of two large format digital fine art printers – for film, canvas and paper -, an A2 printer and computers with Adobe (CC) software. Here you can have your digital photography printed on high-quality ink-jet papers. This can be done on matte and glossy papers or on paper you have brought along (in consultation).

Professional Epson printers print digital images perfectly on durable high-quality papers, film and canvas. Epson UltraChrome® HD eight-color pigment inks provide intense colors. Photos are guaranteed to remain colorfast up to 75 years and in black and white up to 100 years.

  • Epson Stylus Photo 4880: This printer contains an Ultrachrome K3 ink set, set to print on matte papers. The standard papers are Hahnemuhle Photorag Satin, Hahnemuhle German Etching and Hahnemuhle Bright White. It is also possible to print from the roll up to a maximum of 42 cm (A2 format).
  • Epson Stylus Pro 9800 and 9880 per m2 (including ink): The maximum width of the roll of paper is 111.8 cm, image width is maximum 111 cm. Cannot print in descending order. Deliver images as tiff 240 dpi at 100% output with an Adobe RGB 1998 color profile or as high resolution PDF.
  • Scanner Epson Expression 10000 XL: Scan face and transparency (slides and negatives). Maximum size is A3.

It is possible to have a Digital Ground such as “Inkaid Matte inkjet coating” or “Inkaid Clear Gloss inkjet coating” printed on non-conventional materials (thin veneer, plastic, aluminum) so that they can be printed with inkjet ink.

ETCHING

There are four etching presses of different sizes. The largest (100 × 190 cm) is motorized. There are two acid baths (100 × 130 cm) and a mobile tray for very large sizes (73 × 109 cm). A metal cutter, a tray for moistening the paper (80 × 120 cm), three ovens and two elevated work tables are available. There is also an aquatint box with resin powder (70 × 80 cm) in the studio. For making toyobo prints (photopolymer etching), you can use a light box and the darkroom.

The studio is distinguished by its choice of an environmentally conscious and safe work process. Harmful solvents have been replaced by VCA / salad oil. Instead of traditional varnishes, acrylic primers are used where possible. Etching is done with copper sulphate and iron chloride which does not produce corrosive fumes. All chemical and other residues are finished or recycled.

The use of the presses, newspaper printing paper, cleaning products and the possibility of biting the plates are included in the price.

LITHOGRAPHY

We have two litho presses, a hand press (65×90 cm) and a motorized one (100×200 cm). There is a grinding machine and a grinding tray as well as a large assortment of stones (the largest size stone is 60 x 95 cm), ink rollers and a stone lift.

The lithographers pay a 10% surcharge on the entrance fee for the stone fund. The use of the presses, newspaper printing paper, resin and talc, carborundum and cleaning products are included in the price.

RELIEF PRINTING

For linocut, woodcut or letterpress you can use an offset proofing press (Havlik) whose foundation is adjustable in height. The maximum size is 60×80 cm. Relief printing is also possible on our etching press, by raising the top roll (the largest format is 100×200 cm).

We have a small stock of wooden letters. You need to bring your own linoleum, wood, paper and ink.

SILKSCREEN PRINTING

The screen printing room is well appointed with four vacuum screen printing tables in different sizes. The largest screen printing table is A0 size. In addition, there is a washroom with a high-pressure cleaner and two drying racks.

There are two textile screen printing tables available for textile printing. The large is equipped with a report system. The same prices apply for textile printing as for screen printing.

Ink, paper and / or fabric must be brought by the artist himself. In addition, water-based ink is mandatory. If you are interested in painting plants ink, please contact our cooperation partner Painting Plants.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Get started in the AGA LAB yourself, under the guidance of our technical experts and motivated volunteers who have knowledge of the technique. They have different backgrounds as, for example, visual artist, graphic designer, comic book maker or illustrator.

For most techniques, you can reserve your workplace via AGA LAB: mail admin@agalab.nl or call +31 (0)20 625 21 86. Do you want to get started with Riso? Then make an appointment via drukwerk@extrapool or call +31 (0)24 360 18 15