Workshop List

The workshops all hinge around developing a good understanding of the ‘core’ materials - their characteristics, function, and versatility.   Individual products or materials will regularly be combined and ‘concocted’ to produce a further effect, and the general theme will be ‘mixed media’.    Knowledge gained should be able to be applied to almost any range of materials. 

After demonstrations of simple exercises, techniques and combinations, you will be able to get involved in practical hands-on sessions.   There will be three or four of these sessions throughout the day, each one building on the last.   By the end of the day, everyone should be able to use any of the materials in a creative and decorative way from a position of understanding.   Notes and product information sheets will be provided.   

The materials used may include combinations of any of the following depending on the subject of the workshop: papers, fabrics, Markal Paintstiks, acrylics, acrylic gels & mediums, FuseFX, foils, Angelina, Jacquard Textile Paints, Dye-na-Flow, Procion dye, Schlag (imitation gold leaf), Bronze Powders & Pearl Pigments, Lumiere (metallic fabric paint) and FibreDK (Lutradur) etc.

 

Basically Speaking
An introduction to the basic materials used in surface embellishment, concentrating on the most versatile mediums that can be adapted for all sorts of surfaces - including fabrics.
The materials covered may include Markal Paintstiks, Bronze Powders, acrylics & texture gels, dyes & paints, Angelina Fibres etc.   Their properties and processes of the materials are explained, and comparisons/contrasts to similar materials made. 

Colour ‘n’ Stuff
Could be viewed as a ‘follow-on’ from Basically Speaking.   The same basic materials will be used, with some complementary materials added, and all will be looked at in greater depth.   Using a ‘mixed-media’ approach of layering, printing, transferring and foiling explore regular and ‘novelty’ surfaces. 

Go for Gold – The Metallic Tale
Where does gold paint come from?   Why do we use it?   How do we use it?
A workshop for those who have the basic understanding of the core painting mediums (eg they know what a Markal Paintstik is and they have good idea of what to do with it!) as we will be exploring, in greater depth, the specialist area of metallics.   We will be looking at gold leafing, how to create metallic paints & effects and as many glitzy effects as time will allow. 

What Goes Around, Comes Around
A workshop that looks in depth at the individual characteristics of the core materials that are so versatile and so useful for almost any application if you really understand their potential.   This workshop is for those who have a good working knowledge of the basics of the materials listed (so that the fundamentals don’t have to be explained in detail eg how to mix Bronze Powders and how acrylics work on fabric), and would like the opportunity to look at the possibilities in greater depth.   For example: opacity and transparency is explained and demonstrated, and how those characteristics work in layering.

Mostly Markal
Discover how Markal Paintstiks are similar to, or different from, other colouring materials, and compare them to other colouring materials from the same ‘family’.  An opportunity to thoroughly explore application techniques and to discuss possible uses as a medium, and generally show why they are considered to be one of the most versatile ‘core’ mediums available to artists of all kinds. 

Not so Terrifying Sketchbooks!
Take that step - embark on a sketchbook by losing the terrifying white pages! Using a variety of creative materials very quickly colour-up backgrounds and textural effects that can complement your images, design-work or found materials.   Mark-making materials (pencils, crayons etc etc) will be introduced to complement the usual mixed media materials. 

The Ins & Outs of Discharge
Starting with dyed surfaces, explore various products that remove colour.    Then use dyes and paints to put colour back in.   But it doesn't stop there; repeat the processes in multi-layers for surprising and intriguing results.   Along the way you will learn the basics about dyes and paints.  Could be smelly – not suitable for anyone with respiratory sensitivities.

It’s All in the Print
This workshop concentrates more on the application techniques - how to get the paint onto the surface without the fear of picking up a paint-brush.   The basics of the materials used will be explained while topics like mono-printing and roller-printing; positive & negative prints and ‘squidgy-prints’ will be the subjects of the day.   Creative multi-layering will create unique surfaces and effects. 

Colour, Cut & Crease
Paint, print, mark, cut & fold your way to gems of inspiration for future work.
Using basic paint and mark-making materials with simple printing techniques, you will, as if by accident, end up with lots of ideas for print, stitch, sketchbooks, painting, cards etc.    
Methods and materials will be explained, with plenty of opportunity for experimentation - everything learnt on the day will be adaptable for a variety of surfaces and purposes.

Fuse Effects
Explore a range of individual bondable materials looking at the possible effects, and then assemble them in various combinations to create magical surfaces.
Most of the action will involve the iron (don’t worry – not for any domestic use!), non-woven synthetics, bondable materials, foils, Angelina, FuseFX and a bit of added colour.   This, by no means, will be the definitive presentation of these innovative materials – there are many highly celebrated artists incorporating them in their work – but the day should give you an insight into these modern innovative materials.

 

The workshops listed can be adapted for the individual group, and most can be taken as a one or two day (we pack a lot in to one day!).   Alternatively, custom workshops can be tailored to suit from scratch!   The materials used will be provided as part of the workshop cost, and there will be a variety of tools available to use.    There will be a Requirements List issued to the participants for the fabrics (and/or papers), basic tools and equipment, and cleaning materials to bring on the day.