Questions we get a lot

Molave is a printmaking studio in Makati that welcomes all skill levels, from beginners to experienced printmakers. We do monotype and drypoint on an etching press. It opened in February 2026, started by artist Aina Zulueta-Valencia to support the Philippine printmaking community. The name comes from the molave tree that grew in her garden during the pandemic.

Unit 5M, Vernida 1 Building, 120 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati. There is parking in front of the building. The back doors are closed on Saturdays, so come through the front.

Master printmaker Benjamin Torrado Cabrera, known as Benjie. He specializes in engraving. He trained at Atelier Contrepoint (formerly Atelier 17) in Paris on a study grant, earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Santo Tomas, and completed his Master of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines. He has mounted 13 solo exhibitions, including “Searching the In-Between” (2024) at The Drawing Room, and shown internationally in Korea, Japan, China, and Spain. His awards include the Grand Prize at the 2024 ASEAN Graphic Arts Competition in Hanoi and the 2025 Ani ng Dangal Award for Visual Arts.

An etching press with an 18 by 36 inch bed.

The Monotype and Drypoint class runs on Saturdays, 1 to 4 PM. Seats are limited to 8 per Saturday, so a date can fill up. When you press Reserve on the site, you will see the upcoming Saturdays and how many seats are left for each. Private Group Class runs on a weekday, Monday to Friday, by request. Open Studio (press rental) is by request too, so you send a request and we set a day with you.

Three. Monotype and Drypoint Printmaking is a 3-hour Saturday session (1 to 4 PM) for all levels at ₱2,000, taught by master printmaker Benjamin Torrado Cabrera, with up to 8 seats. Private Group Class gives your own group the whole afternoon with the studio to yourselves, on a weekday by request, starting at ₱10,000 for a small group of up to 4 and going up to ₱20,000 for a full group of 8. Open Studio is press rental at ₱1,000 for a 3-hour session, by request, for experienced printmakers who want to practice on their own without a teacher.

Open Studio is press rental, not a class. It is for practicing printmakers who already have experience on an etching press, so you can come in and work on your own without a teacher. Everyone attends a one-time orientation session before their first use of the press. It is ₱1,000 for a 3-hour session, by request: send your details on the site and we set a day with you, then email a link to pay. If you are new to printmaking, start with the Saturday Monotype and Drypoint class instead.

The Monotype and Drypoint class is ₱2,000, paid in full to reserve your seat. On the site, press Reserve, pick an available Saturday, then pay by GCash to MolaveArt at 0939 924 8789 and add the reference number or a screenshot. Open Studio is press rental at ₱1,000, by request, for experienced printmakers: you send your details and we confirm a day with you first, so you are not asked to pay right away, then we email you a link to pay. First-timers attend a one-time orientation before using the press. The Private Group Class starts at ₱10,000, on a weekday by request. You can also message us on Instagram at @molaveart.

Yes. The Private Group Class gives your own group of up to 8 the whole afternoon, 1 to 4 PM, with the studio to yourselves and the same monotype and drypoint session taught by Benjie. It runs on a weekday, Monday to Friday, by request. Pricing starts at ₱10,000 for a small group of up to 4 and goes up to ₱20,000 for a full group of 8. On the site, press Reserve, choose Private Group Class, pick your weekday, and send your request. We check the date with Benjie first, then email you a link to pay and lock it in.

Yes, that is how private groups run now, Monday to Friday, by request, since Benjie isn’t normally in on weekdays. On the site press Reserve, choose Private Group Class, pick your day, and send your request. We check with Benjie, then email you back to confirm the day or suggest another, with a link to pay. It starts at ₱10,000 for a small group of up to 4 and goes up to ₱20,000 for a full group of 8.

Cancellations on the day of the class or within 24 hours are refunded 50 percent.

Yes. The Monotype and Drypoint class is open to every skill level. Tools, inks, and paper are provided, and you go home with prints you pulled yourself.

An apron, and water or a snack if you like. For monotype, bring textured materials for your plate: lace, textured paper or thin plastic, leaves, flowers that are not bulky, doilies, woven material, stencils, or cut paper shapes. The studio also has an assortment if you have none. For drypoint, bring a clean tetra pack cut open, and a photo of an image you would like to copy onto the plate. The photo can be on your phone, there is no need to print it out.

Usually four to six prints, depending on how your work goes. Everyone cleans their own plate at the end of the day.

A monotype is a one-of-a-kind print. Oil-based ink is rolled onto a smooth acrylic plate, then layered, painted, or wiped back into an image. Textured materials like leaves, lace, and cut paper are placed on the wet ink, and the plate runs through the etching press onto dampened paper. Every pull is unique.

Drypoint is an intaglio technique. A design is scratched into a plate with a sharp tool, which raises a burr that traps the ink. Inked and run through the press, it leaves rich, soft, velvety lines. You can pull a small edition from one plate.

Message us on Instagram at @molaveart to ask what is available.

Call or text 0939 924 8789, or message @molaveart on Instagram.