For Scott Ludwig, the “moment a student discovers something about their artistic abilities is the most rewarding. It keeps me coming back to the classroom.” In turn, he’s rewarded his students by making the printmaking process safer.

The professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Art has adopted contemporary applications that use water-based acrylic formulations and safer etching chemistry rather than noxious, solvent and acid-based processes.

“A few of my past professors and colleagues have experienced some ill effects from working with various photo-etching chemistry,” Ludwig explained.

Once he embraced these new printmaking techniques, “it was simply a matter of implementing (them) into the curriculum,” he said. “The contemporary media interface perfectly with various digital applications,” Ludwig said, “allowing an artist to create innovative, digital hybrid prints. The concept of a “hybrid print, a print that integrates traditional and state-of-the-art processes, is an area of creative research that has informed my work for the past decade. The creative potential that exists at the intersection of the digital and the traditional is virtually infinite.”

A proponent of experiential learning, Ludwig challenges his students to integrate their passion for art with the world around them. He has led students to Cuba, Costa Rica and the southwest United States to explore art and history related to printmaking and to develop a body of work culled from their personal observations and experiences.

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About the Department of Art

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Art at Appalachian State University prepares students to explore art, identity, expression and creative problem-solving while challenging them to go beyond their previous limits by discovering new connections to culture. The department offers degrees in art and visual culture, art education, graphic design, studio art, photography and graphic communications management, with minors in art history, studio art, photography and graphic communications management. Learn more at https://art.appstate.edu.

About the College of Fine and Applied Arts

Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance. Learn more at https://faa.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.