Introduction to Tetra Pak Printmaking
(Printmaking ink on cotton rag paper)
Kate has drawn and made things for as long as she can remember. Art was one of her favourite subjects at school and although she went to university instead of art college, carried on drawing and making. Motherhood and a silkscreen printing course were the beginning of her printmaking career. She loved the combination of drawing and making that printmaking offers, and the huge variety of techniques, styles and processes within the discipline.
Since that initial course over 12 years ago, Kate has become proficient in many forms of printmaking – all of them rooted in freehand drawing and hands-on analogue processes. She was delighted to have had her work selected for internationally-recognised exhibitions and galleries such as the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, Mall Galleries, the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, the Royal Automobile Club and many more.
Kate Alger is now considered one of the UK’s leading automotive artists, has been shortlisted for several printmaking prizes, won the Pressing Matters prize at Ironbridge, and was a finalist in the DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
Information about the day:
Tetra Pak Drypoints; make beautiful monochrome original prints using recyclable packaging.
We’ll begin the day with a short demonstration of printmaking with Tetra Pak packaging and looking at some of the different effects that can be achieved in the medium. You’ll then get to experiment with different ways of making marks in Tetra Pak, have a go at inking and wiping your test piece, before soaking and blotting your paper and then using a small printing press to print your piece. Afterwards, we’ll move on to creating a more detailed design, using whichever effects you liked in your test piece.
We’ll be using etching needles to scratch into the surface, and craft knives and scissors to further alter the Tetra Pak. The ink we’ll be using is thick and sticky – and likes to get everywhere… Kate will give you some handy hints about how to contain the mess but please dress in clothes you don’t mind getting (and staying) inky, just in case.
Please note that some hand strength and dexterity is needed to push into the Tetra Pak with the etching needle to create your design.
Please also note that the paper soaking, blotting and printing station will be on a different table to the scratching, cutting and inking tables.
Materials to bring:
- Please wear clothes you are happy to get ink on, just in case
- Apron
- Any black and white imagery you might like to use as inspiration for your design. We recommend printing out your imagery so it’s approximately 10x10cm or A6 size. Remember to flip the imagery before you print it out so that it’s the mirror image – this way it will be the right way round when you print it
- Glasses if you wear them
PLEASE BRING A COVER FOR YOUR TABLE
Note that the price for this workshop includes £10 for supplied materials.