alternative print workshops » learn; create; be inspired!

INTRO

The Alternative Print Workshop offers an educational and working environment where artists can learn, create and be inspired! A wide variety of workshops in Black and White darkroom and historical photographic processes are offered, as well as workshops with renowned artists and craft workshops such as Bookbinding, Printmaking and Marbling.

INTRO WORKSHOP TO JAPANESE BOOKBINDING

INTRO WORKSHOP TO JAPANESE BOOKBINDING

In this full-day intensive and practical workshop participants will learn the basic and most necessary bookbinding skills to create a 64 page adhesive-free limp binding book. Paper basics and tearing are discussed and demonstrated, as well as all the tools, techniques, stitching, knotting, cover assembly and binding plans associated with this beautiful handcrafted process.

INTRO WORKSHOP TO LINOCUT

INTRO WORKSHOP TO LINOCUT

Linocut is a relief printmaking technique similar to woodcut. An image is created by carving into a sheet of linoleum with appropriate linocut tools. The surface of the carved plate is then inked with a brayer and impressed onto paper by hand burnishing or with an etching press. Famed artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse used this process in their own practice.

INTRO WORKSHOP TO CYANOTYPE

INTRO WORKSHOP TO CYANOTYPE

Sir John Herschel (1792 – 1871) discovered this beautiful and simplistic printing process in 1842. Preceded by the Daguerreotype and Calotype processes, it was the 3rd successful and non-silver photographic process invented in 1842.

FOUNDATION WORKSHOP

FOUNDATION WORKSHOP

APW’s foundational Black & White workshop is directed at complete beginners as well as those who wish to rekindle and revive forgotten darkroom skills.

INTRO WORKSHOP TO PINHOLE

INTRO WORKSHOP TO PINHOLE

The Pinhole Workshop is a magical and creative exploration of the most basic form of photography. In this workshop you build your own camera from scratch, expose a number of films and print them in our darkroom.

B & W

Darkroom Workshops include Pinhole, Black and White Foundation, Lith Printing and Black & White Master Printing.
HISTORICAL

19th Century photographic processes include Cyanotype, Van Dyke Brown and Salt Paper Workshops.
CRAFT

Craft Workshops include Bookbinding and Linocut printmaking,

ALTERNATIVE PRINT WORKSHOPS ON OFFER

BLACK AND WHITE WORKSHOPS
PINHOLE WORKSHOP   BLACK AND WHITE FOUNDATION   LITH PRINTING WORKSHOP   BLACK AND WHITE MASTER PRINTING WORKSHOP

HISTORICAL WORKSHOPS
  CYANOTYPE WORKSHOP   VAN DYKE BROWN WORKSHOP   SALT PAPER WORKSHOP

CRAFT WORKSHOPS
BOOKBINDING WORKSHOP WITH ALAN JEFFREY   LINOCUT WORKSHOP   MARBLING WORKSHOP

Dennis has been in the Photographic Industry for the past 50 years, starting out as an apprentice in the repro industry and then moving on to becoming a commercial Photographer for a few years. Enjoying the technical side of the industry he then joined a reputable Repro company to start a Professional Photographic studio and Photolaboratary servicing not only Photographer’s but the advertising industry. The Photolab did all forms of analogue work utilising sate of the art equipment for Processing B/W, E6 Transparency, EP2 Colour negative and hand printing from negative to a colour print and transparency to a positive Cibachrome print. Dennis travelled to the UK, Europe and the USA many times visiting Kodak, Agfa and many highly respected Photographers and Photolabs including the biggest Photo Trade show in the world Fotokino to gain more expertise and knowledge.

Decades of hands-on experience in all forms of processing and printing, including the highly respected Kodak Dye Transfer, means Dennis is able to draw on a great wealth of photographic printing knowledge. Today he is known as a Master black and white hand printer and continues to print for photographers, artists, collectors, galleries and museums around the world. In 2008 he was presented with the Sony Profoto Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to photography. For many years Dennis was on the advisory committee for a previously disadvantaged photographic school, the Market Photo Workshop. He holds an Honorary Fellowship from the Professional Photographers of South Africa (PPSA) and is on the management team of the South African Professional Photographers (SAPP), serving as the Facilitator of Accreditation and Judging.

Dennis has been a judicator in many prestigious photographic awards both locally and internationally, including being a founder member of the prestigious World Sony Photographic Awards. After the collapse of film and the introduction of digital Photography Dennis left the analogue and started a Fine art Digital business printing a high standard of work servicing many well known and respected artists and art Photographers. It was at this time that Dennis became intrigued and interested in the Historic printing processes such as the Salt print, Van Dyke, Cyanotype and the beautiful Platinum / Palladium print, Pinhole Photography and Linocut. Dennis now has a business Alternative Print Workshop working on his own teaching and running workshops related to all analogue and Historic processes.

Dennis da Silva

Alternative Print Workshop Dennis Da Silva

workshop Testimonials

“I recently completed two courses with these two masters of the photographic process; a refresher course in B&W printing and a Master Course in B&W printing. After my long absence from the darkroom I really needed help and it was provided in the most professional and friendly way by Dennis and Janus. I am honoured to have learned from such a well-known and respected master printer as Dennis da Silva. He teaches with patience and understanding and determination. You cannot fail under Dennis’s tuition. Technique and artistic appreciation move in long bounds during these weekend courses. They are very well managed and the venue is well equipped and comfortable. Communications with the students is excellent and advice is always available long after the courses are over. Thank you guys.”

René Paul Gosselin
www.gosselin.co.za
“I really enjoyed the workshop with Roger Ballen. Thank you for making it possible to learn from such a world-class artist. I am looking forward to be part of APW’s future projects.”

Marina Louw
www.marinalouwart.co.za
“Dennis and Janus are some of the most sincere people I have ever met and their passion for alternative photography is contagious. Their workshops transfer me into a wonderful world of alchemy, light and artistic vision where I can develop my skills and ideas. I highly recommend their workshops not only to professionals but also to people who simply want to experience something magical. Their knowledge about traditional photographic processes is incredible and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for keeping this art form alive!”

Karolina Rupp
www.karolinarupp.com
“Always an amazing experience! Dennis and Janus are great guys and great teachers. Highly recommended!”

Corne van Driel
www.vandrielmedia.com
BLACK AND WHITE FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
“The Black & White Foundation is a highly recommended course with awesome guys presenting it! If you love photography you’ll have a blast and end up with beautiful printed film pics. Just do it!”

Rina Noto
BLACK AND WHITE FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
“Dennis’ and Janus’ expertise and sense of fun made this an amazing workshop! Now I shoot primarily on 35mm film thanks to them.”

Gordon Massie
www.artinsure.co.za
BLACK AND WHITE FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
“A wonderful space brimming with creativity and ideas.”

Nelly Thompson
VARIOUS WORKSHOPS
“Amazing Workshop with great people…… learnt so much.”

Mandy da Silva
VARIOUS WORKSHOPS
“I am a businessman with limited artistic ability, but over the years photography has given me a means to express the frustrated artist within me. Attending numerous of the Alternative Print Workshop courses, I have found this to be the ideal environment to take this artistic expression to the next level. Under the guidance of both Dennis and Janus I have improved my basic photographic skills and learnt numerous alternative processes. After each workshop I walk away with a sense that I have produced images that I would be proud to refer to as my own work. The workshops are always a time for me to put aside all other issues and focus on the art of the image, time flies and before I know it the day is over. Well done Dennis and Janus for developing something totally unique, you are both an inspiration.”

David O’Brien
CORPORATE AND TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS
“When taking the plunge and doing something out of your comfort zone, you couldn’t ask for better mentors than Janus and Dennis. Aside from being all-round nice guys, they’re more committed to the art and science of their craft than anyone I’ve never met. Darkroom development and printing can be a finicky and long process and we were blown away with the care and patience the APW guys showed when helping us get the perfect prints of our afternoon’s pursuits.”

Matt Suttner – Sly Creative
www.sly.co.za
CORPORATE AND TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS
“Over the last two years we have twice taken our team for a day of creativity with Janus and Denis. The workshops have proven to be a great catalyst for team creative development as we built pinhole cameras, made cyanotypes and developed black and white film. The difference to many workshops is the guidance we received from two of the country’s leading experts whilst having enormous fun. We will be back.”

Gordon Massie – ArtInsure
www.artinsure.co.za
CORPORATE AND TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS
“As part of creative inspiration, my senior creative leaders and myself attended Dennis da Silva’s Cyanotype workshop. It was a highly inspirational creative team building exercise, which left us with so much more, including our very own artistic prints!”

Pepe Marais – Joe Public
www.joepublic.co.za
CORPORATE AND TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS
“I wanted to thank Janus and Dennis for the fantastic experience that my children and I had at a Cyanotype workshop. Not only was it fascinating and fun but I was blown away by the wonderful way in which both of you interacted with the children. As a teacher I have had a lot of experience with people working with children on outings etc. I felt that you inspired the children, treated them with respect and handled all the interactions in a positive and very constructive manner. You were gentle and set positive boundaries, allowing the children to explore and experience the medium. The workshop was well-structured and provided opportunities for meaningful learning and exploration. Your passion for what you do is clear and it carries over into an amazing workshop that was enjoyable for everyone, relaxing for me and a valuable learning experience on so many different levels. Thank you both and keep on doing what you do.”

Catherine Cuff
(School Testimonial)
CORPORATE AND TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS
“Janus travelled to Pretoria to do two workshops with my senior Art students. They had a lot of fun learning about cyanotypes in the one workshop and pinhole camera work in the other. It was a creative way to introduce varied photographic and print principles to them. In the Pinhole Camera workshop the students each made a camera under the guidance of Janus. They took shots and developed film and made prints. In both workshops the students learnt sufficient background theory to position the techniques within a broader context and they learnt about the application of these principles in contemporary practises throughout the world. Both workshops were invaluable from the point of view that the students were not working digitally, instead they had to consider things like light and exposure time, they had to measure chemical ratios, build their own camera’s from scratch, consider depth of field and composition, work in a darkroom with low light, take time to plan and make decisions, work with their hands, and much more. Going back to basics like this was an excellent catalyst for the students as they learnt enough to get them going on a pathway of discovery. Janus was an excellent mentor and has a way of bringing out the best in each one of them!”

Jane Knight
(School Testimonial)
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“Photographers around the world will attest to the fact that whilst the starting point for any great photograph is an image well taken behind the lens, a great deal of the success of that image does and will always depend on the ability of the printer to interpret the image faithfully and in so doing to reveal its truth and inner beauty. Whilst it is difficult to say something about Dennis da Silva that has not already been said I can say this: It is one thing to recognise the genius of legendary figure after they have moved on, but quite another to live in the presence of one. For me Dennis da Silva is that rarest of beings: a master craftsmen and a legend in his own time. His generosity, skill, and knowledge are unparalleled and it is indeed a great honour and privilege for me to have Dennis work on my images and in so doing to reveal their true potential not only to me but to the world at large!”

John Ferraz
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“Everything Dennis Da Silva executes is done with 1st World skill and quality.”

Harry De Zitter
www.dezitter.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“Dennis Da Silva has been my sole hand printer since 1982. He is a master black and white printer, one of the best in the world.”

Roger Ballen
www.rogerballen.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“I have known Dennis Da Silva for about 30 years. I can safely say that he is one of the most talented and skilled hand printers in South Africa. His professional expertise and attention to detail make it a pleasure for me to work with Dennis.”

Jurgen Schadeberg
www.jurgenschadeberg.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“Dennis da Silva has helped countless South African photographers and guided many to successful careers. At the age of 65 he has become a master black and white hand printer. His prints are housed in museums, galleries and private collections around the world.”

Garth Meyer
www.garth-meyer.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“I have been relying on Dennis’ expertise and advice for more than 2 decades. His services and reliability are unsurpassed.”

Horst Klemm
www.horstklemm.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“I have known Dennis da Silva for most of my career. He has been a consistent friend and mentor as well as THE standard for both black and white and color printing. In my career I have been fortunate to work all over the world and have access to many good craftsmen in the photographic world. No one has ever cared more about my final product than Dennis. No one has been more humble about their vast understanding of how to make the perfect print. He has consistently made me look better than I am and he has done that with ease and grace even when pushed into impossible deadlines. For me he is my first choice when I think of museum printing.”

Brent Stirton
www.brentstirton.com
PRINTING WORKSHOPS
“I have used the Services of Dennis da Silva from since 1981. Dennis, then working for Beith Process, handled all my colour and black and white processing, which included E6 and C41 processes. I hold his expertise and knowledge in highest regard, and would recommend him to any and every prospective client. There is no other laboratory in the Southern hemisphere that can match his quality of black and white printing.”

Pieter De Ras
www.photoderas.com
“The Alternative Print Workshop inspires creativity for all ages and levels and offers new techniques to incorporate in your art. Refine your knowledge on photography and have some fun while doing it!”

Adele Prins
“Met Dennis and Janus today. Awesome workshop they have. A space where you go back in time… Thank you for all the info Janus. Thank you Dennis for the ‘Blast of the Past ‘ chat we had. O! The coffee was lekker Thanx”

Marius Henning
“They are an awesome team and my children learnt so much! What a beautiful space and great learning experience!!!”

Ella Brettschneider
“Rewarding time at the studio! True genuine people and expert! Thanks a million”

Anne Laure Gauret
“Truly special experience by an awesome team!”

Craig Barendsen