Description
Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 February | 2026| 10.00 – 4.30 | 8 places only
£140 Full/Keyholder member | £160 Ordinary Member | £180 Non-member
BIG Safe Etching at SPW offers the printmaker a safer alternative in etching with the same level of creative opportunities as traditional materials without exposure to hazardous chemicals. For the beginner, BIG provides an accessible process for spontaneous and diverse mark-making. For the experienced printmaker, BIG provides a medium for consistent, excellent results.
This is a comprehensive introduction to the use of copper etching process and will include hard ground, soft ground, aquatint techniques using BIG grounds.
About the Artist
Andrew Baldwin is an award-winning, fine art printmaker. He is the owner of Trefeglwys Printmakers and the innovator and developer of non toxic printmaking centred around BIG (Baldwin’s Ink Ground)
About Baldwin’s Ink Ground (BIG) a Safer Alternative Etching Ground
“There are many alternatives to the traditional etching ground on the market, many of which advertise themselves as the safer alternative. This may be the case but from my experience this is often to the detriment of quality and practicality. This common problem has put many printmakers off from trying alternatives, preferring to stay with the reliable time honoured system. Did you know that a traditional etching ground contains arsenic, lead, mercury to name but a few toxic elements which can not only be breathed in through your airways but also absorbed through your skin. With ‘Big’ I feel I have not only provided a non toxic alternative but also a ground which is far more versatile. Because the main constituent is an ink it allows the artist printmaker to experiment with many different effects on their etching plate. Techniques ranging from soft and hard ground, photo etching, marbling, relief etching, sandpaper aquatints and coffee lift are but a few which can be explored. Big has been used at the School of Art University of Aberystwyth since 2002 and has been adopted in many other private and educational print workshops around the world. provides courses covering all the techniques which can be achieved with ‘BIG’.” Andrew Baldwin
About the Studio
You can find us in a row of terraced houses, look out for our fabulous door surround set in a green painted house front; the intercom buzzer is on the left of the entrance.
Parking is free all day outside the studio on Sundays only. On Saturday, there is 1 hour parking outside the studio, so you can park there to unload any bags. 3 hour parking is available outside of the controlled city centre zone. There are also multiple long stay car parks in the town centre.
We are close to the main shopping centre and supermarket. There are some facilities for making a hot drink and microwave if you would like to bring along your lunch.
PLEASE NOTE | If you are not a member and are considering more workshops with us, you might like to consider joining as an ordinary member for £25 and enjoy considerable savings on further workshops. Once you have joined you can book in straightaway at the reduced rate. For example, for a two-day workshop at £180 you will pay £160. Additionally you will be able to use the workshop on open access sessions to pursue work independently.
Our Cancellation Policy can be found here.
