Learn to combine print techniques with drawing and collage. You will be introduced to low-tech direct ways of working with printing techniques, including block printing, monoprint (one-off prints) and collagraphs (prints from textured plates). Using these different print methods, you will explore line, surface qualities, texture and pattern. You will then develop drawing techniques through a series of exercises, experimenting with graphite, ink and wax resist. The focus is to explore the character and quality of the drawn line and the surface, and is less about picture-making. These creative explorations will inspire your ideas, as well as provide some backgrounds and collages on which to print. You will then combine the print techniques learnt with drawing and collage.

Taking your inspiration from West Dean Gardens, you will make direct observations of trees, considering shape, line, pattern and texture. Supported by your tutor, you will bring all this together – drawing, printing, materials and techniques, so that subject and process become equally important.

Throughout the course, there will be tutor demonstrations, directed practical exercises and mini projects.

By the end of the course, you will have a number of drawings and prints, which will provide a useful resource to develop further. You will have gained practical knowledge to help you develop your own work and enrich your visual language. You will also have acquired a greater understanding of materials and gained confidence in drawing and mark-making.

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Included

• The course fee includes the cost of providing some materials shared amongst the group, including:
• Polybloc and plaster blocks
• Papers to try: Japanese paper, newsprint, collagraph paper, cartridge and other papers to print on
• Fabriano paper for collagraph, cartridge and other papers to draw on, tracing paper, blotting paper
• Prepared concertina or long books to draw in
• Paste board for collagraph (some prepared with PVA and varnish)
• Starch paste, PVA (exterior), Yacht Varnish
• Carborundum/sandpaper/textures etc for collagraph
• Etching scrim, studio safe solvent, toothbrushes
• Printing inks

What students need to bring

• Aprons
• Papers: scraps or offcuts of very thin papers that you might like to include in your work, such as postage stamps, tickets, printed papers, tissue paper, thin pages from old books or magazines printed with text and illustrations of, for example, plants or trees, plus past drawings you can cut up
• Pritt Stick glue
• Parker Quink ink in black
• Soft pencils, graphite, wax/oil pastels
• Paint brushes, Zest-it (low odour solvent)
• For collagraph: textured wallpaper scraps, feathers, leaf skeletons, fine lace scraps, etc.

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• A good variety of art materials, including specialist papers, Fabriano paper, cartridge paper, blotting paper, tracing paper and newsprint, stick glue, black Parker Quink ink, soft pencils, graphite, wax/oil pastels, paint brushes, studio safe solvent, etc.
• Available from tutor:
• Any additional paper, polybloc, specialist papers, pasteboard

Additional information

On this course the tutor will supply most of the materials. Extra materials, if needed, can be purchased from the tutor or the College Shop. Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.