At a time when boldly patterned wallpapers and textiles are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, we trace the story of pattern in British interiors. We identify the major international influences on tastes and trends over the past four centuries, with a focus on designs coming from China, India, the Middle East and West Africa. Case studies will range from the hand-painted Chinoiserie papers of the 1700s to the jazzy geometrics of Art Deco. We will investigate historical debates around pattern and ornament and understand why they have been contentious topics at times.

In the afternoon session, you will learn the fundamentals of repeat pattern design. Your tutor will demonstrate how designers could generate intricate wallpaper patterns before the aid of Photoshop and similar programmes (although you might want to move onto these). You will produce your own printing block/s. Our designs will celebrate the artistic and unexpected effects that come with handmade processes.

Skills:

• Identify the historical patterns that continue to be popular and relevant today
• Knowledge of materials and processes involved in creating different types of patterns
• Coming up with a suitable motif and knowing how much detail to include
• Generating a repeat pattern that could have a variety of applications (wallpaper, textiles, a lampshade, etc)
• Making printing blocks to correspond to different colours in a design

Outcomes - You will come away with:

• An overview of how pattern has been applied in interiors in the past 400 years
• Confidence to combine different patterns and be bolder in experimentation
• Understanding of the global origins of patterns
• Appreciation for the wider social and cultural contexts of patterns
• Tips on sourcing and incorporating historical patterns

Included

A pencil, some polyprint sheets and pre-cut cardboard squares will be provided per student, plus printing ink, tracing paper, self-adhesive foam, cartridge paper and some magazines to cut up will be shared amongst the group.

What students need to bring

• An apron
• Wear dark clothes, as we will be using printing inks in the afternoon.
• Any imagery/pattern inspiration that you would like to work from – magazine cuttings, etc.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Daily Timetable

Course teaching 11am–5.15pm
Students arrive 10.30am-11am (coffee optional)  
Morning teaching 11am-1pm
Lunch break between 1pm-2pm (lunch is not included)
Afternoon teaching 2pm-5.15pm (15 minute break, 3.30pm–3.45pm)
Teaching finishes 5.15pm  
 

Short courses are open to anyone aged 18 and over. The course fee covers tuition and materials where stated. You will need to bring all other items listed under the ‘Materials to bring’ section.

Refreshments

Coffee and tea are included in the course fee, but you will need to bring lunch with you to eat in the refreshments room. There are also plenty of other local venues to purchase food.

Access

If you have any specific access needs, we will need to know about your access requirements in advance. Please tell us about your needs in confidence by emailing: [email protected] This venue has steps to the front reception, with limited access via a side gate to the ground floor. There is a small lift to higher floors or stairs.

Safety

Short course students are required to sign a safety compliance form as part of West Dean Health and Safety regulations.

Refunds and cancellations

Please refer to our terms & conditions below.

Disclaimer

The information given is accurate at the time of publication. However, West Dean College reserves the right to cancel or amend courses if circumstances require.

Terms & Conditions