Nik,
thank you for your response to my question about waterless lithography ,which was raised in "Electro-Etching" I shall certainly investigate the reading material. I plan to contact one or both of the printmakers you mention, with a view to inviting them to the studio to enable the introduction of the method, hopefully. Its possible that Paul Croft is in Aberystwyth University, I'll try to locate him. I have done some traditional lithography, way back, when I studied at Edinburgh College of Art,forty two years ago, but the ethos of my studio is to be more environmentally sound, therefore I wish to introduce lithography following those same principles, so although I love the technique I need to re-learn.
I think , both for myself and for the others who are reading this , it would be most useful if you feel you have the time, to tell us any more relevant information .Specifically about set-up in the studio/materials/facilities etc. I don't feel able to ask specific questions, as I am not yet familiar with the technique, although I was very interested to read about your pupil's studio, and excited by the presses you both built!
My main forte is etching, my mentor and teacher is Alfons Bytautas at Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop, although I am now in Derby, and about to embark on a Masters degree at Leicester De Montford University. I look forward to your advice. everfree

I have been contacted by a print group in Bangor, North Ireland to see if I would go there to give a workshop if they could get funding. Just awhile ago they said they got the funding and if I was still interested - which I am. The director is very busy and was to get back to me, but I don't know when they have set the dates for. It will likely be this spring, when it is not too cold (I hope). Maybe you can make arrangements with them or if you could organize a workshop for your area. Travel costs could be split.

Actually I have helped many with their problems by using e-mail. A teacher in Holland, who had never done lithography, was able to teach her class waterless with the help I could give her. Now that is distance education, which I was involved with at the Extension Division at my university. Mostly it is finding suitable materials under a different name than what we have here in North America.

I would be willing to give more up-to-date information on any of my methods if I knew people were interested. I probably would rather do it on my own forum. What sort of things would printers want to know particularly?

Since you are more involved with etching, are you using copper sulfate on zinc or aluminium? Should we now move back to that subject area?

Ok Nik,
thank you for this. You are giving me a lot of different ideas.
First of all - re- introducing Lithography to my members (and me of course). I have gained initial funding which was small and only for adaptation of the new studio/ plus some marketing. There is , at present not enough unfortunately to cover costs of travel/course etc. The studio is being run on my pension! which is'nt big.I start my studies at De Montford in april all being well - it might be that we could set up a distance learning manouver - I don't yet know.As my Masters is going to be an independent study by distance learning (internet based) the printmaking department there might be very pleased to co-operate. Or do the thing by email privately perhaps - or on your own site. I'd be willing to follow your best suggestion. Unfortunately I can't travel to Ireland because of other personal commitments.
You might be interested to read about some developments on this site in the UK. You possibly are aware of it already, but just in case (and for others benefit) I list it here. I previously posted on it mentioning you and have written a piece on it - "ALCHEMY".(Now I've blown my cover)
http://printresearchnetwork.org.uk/
Now - Etching, I follow the teaching of Alfons in EPW, as I said. I use Copper Sulphate on Zinc, and Ferric Chloride on Copper. I tend not to use aluminium. My personal preference is to work with copper, using acrylic mixtures for hard grounds, and other things for aquatint and soft ground.Alfons has developed many preparations for Acrylic relief. His notes are on the EPW site. under Innovative Etching. Maybe this should be on the Etching thread? everfree.

Pensions are great but one can only do so much with them. Considering the Masters you are working on is an independent studies program using the Internet, now I am interested. Besides the Dutch professor who worked with me to teach her students waterless, there is a closer story. An adult student had taken a workshop from me at the Banff Center in Banff, Alberta, just as she was going to start on a masters program at the university of Calgary. Over the two years she kept in contact with me by e-mail to get help when she had problems, then came to work with me for a week during this time. In the end she got her masters in waterless lithography even though the university there didn't teach it or use it beyond Leanne's studies. I was named as an adviser in her written thesis as the department head accepted my input.

Considering my 27 years as media specialist with the Extension Division at our university, in which I was involved with distance eduction in some ways similar to the UK's Open University, I have a keen interest in this sort of project. I can see us working together with the De Monfort faculty. You and they can ask me questions about processes and I could post my thoughts in a special forum on my own website. This should be opened for all printmakers interested in learning more, allowing them to ask questions or voice their opinions as well. This would be completely new in eduction but should work quite well as most education issues could be covered. In a small way it could help overcome the issues discussed by the http://printresearchnetwork.org.uk/ group.

This would be in addition to my CDROM on my processes instead of getting a book published. Publishers feel there are not enough sales to cover an expensive book on such a limited subject. My background in audio/visual technology and my distance education interests should all fit in to make the project work. Since I have been putting my innovations into public domain, this is an extension of my feelings towards making them better known.

How do other printmakers feel about such an experimental venture? You would learn for the sake of knowledge and that is enough.

I, for one feel that this would be a very exciting venture. I'm not sure where we go from here. My course begins in April, when there has to be some planning on where my studies are going, and this has to take the form of an agreement between me and the university.
Perhaps I should contact you on your website? That would seem to me to be the next step. everfree.

You can contact me at <nik.semenoff@usask.ca>. We can work things out so you know better what to expect and tell the faculty.