Analog :Smokestack

Analog

Smokestack Studio specializes in collaborative analog printmaking and the production of limited edition originals. We are set up for work in etching, intaglio, serigraphy/ silkscreen, relief, monoprint/ monotype, and experimental printmaking projects. Each discipline carefully executed with the both the art and craft of creating original print projects.

Each project is uniquely different and demands the time and care to make it so. We are equipped to work directly with artists through the entire process to produce projects that are truly extraordinary.

If you have an idea … let’s make it happen!

Collaborative Printing & Editions

We specialize in running limited edition prints for artists at Smokestack. Artists work hand in hand with us to create and print their work, ensuring runs that are consistent, finite, and well documented. At our studio it's all about one-on-one projects and access to a dedicated space to create!
Hand Printing

At Smokestack Studio all prints are hand produced and run one-by-one. This embraces the tradition of analog printmaking and creates impressions that are unique original works of art each and every time.
Specialty Materials

We work with the finest papers and inks available at Smokestack. We work closely with our suppliers to dive deep into the rich possibilities of material options. It's important for us to create great work using the best ingredients possible!

Tyler Bright Hilton - Etching / Aquatitnt

Etching & Aquatint

Smokestack Studio is fully set up for etching projects on copper using traditional oil-based inks. We primarily use ferric chloride to etch our plates here at the studio and within this we can open up a wide range of mark-making techniques for artists to explore within their practice. From subtle line-work to gestural and textural effects, etching is vast in its creative possibilities and outcomes. We are set up to print a maximum plate size of 30"x40" on our presses. Prints are pulled one-by-one and all by hand. Etching truly embodies the essence of original hand-pulled prints. Whether you're looking to produce an in-line etching, soft-ground etching, aquatint, sugar-lift, or spit-bite, Smokestack Studio can open up the right visual language for your project with timeless etching wizardry!
Emily Filler - "Vintage Bouquet (in rainbows)"

Screen print / silkscreen

Screen print / silkscreen offers a wide range of possibilities for artists and designers alike. It involves creating a stencil on mesh through which ink can be pulled through onto any number of surfaces including paper, wood, canvas, and other fabrics. Imagery really has no limits and can be photographic, drawn, or more experimental. Silkscreen offers a faster approach to making multiples while still embracing the beauty of analog printing. Using serigraphy, we can make multi-layered print editions, one-off monoprints, or variable editions with relative ease and quick turnaround. For those working with computer graphics tools, screen printing is often a perfect place to begin thinking about analog printmaking. At Smokestack we have the capacity to run imagery up to a maximum size of 30" x 40" and in any number of colours, on any number of surfaces!
Meaghan Hyckie - Relief Print

Relief Printing

Relief printing is the process by which ink sits on the surface of a substrate that has been rendered in relief. Woodblock and linocut are the most common examples of relief printing, however more technologically driven methods such as laser and CNC cutting are also used to make incredible relief prints, all of which can be printed on the press or by hand with more simplified means such as a barren or spoon. At Smokestack, we can print all of these methods and have worked with artists to produce a wide array of relief printed projects. For projects requiring the press, we can print blocks up to a height of 1.5" and a dimension of 30"x40". By hand,... anything goes!
Laine Groeneweg - Mezzotint / Intaglio

Intaglio

Intaglio is a term used to describe the family of printmaking disciplines including engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, and etching in all of its forms. More commonly, intaglio refers to processes that are centred around direct manipulation of plates as opposed to those that are chemical in nature. Drypoint, mezzotint and engraving would all fall into this realm and here at Smokestack we have created numerous projects with artists using these processes. Intaglio offers authentic mark making that is both rich and diverse. Artists from all walks are drawn to intaglio and its ability to fully capture the energy and emotion behind their imagery.
Nathan Carson - Monoprint

Monoprint / Monotypes

Simply put, monoprints and monotypes are "1/1" prints and are suited to creating unique "one-off" print works. They can be created in a wide variety of different ways and know very few limits with the type of mark-making that can be achieved. If you love to paint or work more fluidly, this kind of printmaking might find a perfect resonance with your work. At Smokestack we are well equipped to make all kinds of unique monoprints and monotypes, you bring the creativity!
Andrew McPhail - Experimental Print

Experimental Printing

Printmaking is not only about the final print, but also about the experimentation of making printed works from unexpected materials and unorthodox means. In the analog studio at Smokestack we welcome this kind of experimentation and are continually trying to push the limits of what can be printed. Whether it's ready-made-objects, hand-made inks or constructions that have been built, we love trying to find a way to see how it can be printed!