Join artist and papermaker, Lucy Baxandall, for hands-on and enjoyable days exploring visual storytelling through papermaking.
After an initial practical session running through traditional papermaking techniques, you will experiment with making and using prepared cotton, abaca and native plant pulps to form sheets, before moving on to embossing, layering, and casting the paper. Your first project will be to make sheets to create a layered tunnel book, and, during the first day, you will take a short walk to collect plant materials, so please have suitable footwear. The materials you collect will be incorporated into your papers.
The course will be taught by means of demonstrations and practical work, as well as individual attention to support your project. There will be information and handouts to allow you to take these skills further, independently, after the course. We will aim to make paper traditionally, using easily accessible processes and experimental techniques.
At the end of the course, you will have made a beautiful and intriguing tunnel book and other handmade paper artworks. You will have experimented with papermaking using a range of techniques, and you will have gained and built upon skills to take further in your own work. You will also have a selection of sheets to use in your own future projects.
Included
The course fee includes general materials, including thread and string, some inks, dyestuffs, J-cloths, use of papermaking equipment, moulds and deckles, felts, cotton pulp and fabric or cotton linters for pulping.
Please note that if you make especially large work in size and/or quantity, it may be necessary to pay extra for what you use. All other or additional materials will be purchased individually.
What students need to bring
- Please think about colours and textures found in the natural landscape, for instance the colour and texture of bark or leaves.
- A sketchbook, or a few sheets of white paper, and pencils
- We will be working with wet material and sometimes with inks, so wear older clothing and bring an apron and rubber gloves.
- A camera might be useful.
Available to buy
Available from shop:
- Paper, including handmade paper
- Muslin
- Thread
Available from tutor:
- Extra bags of pulped cotton or sheets of cotton linters for large work can be purchased at cost price from the tutor (as a guideline £3.50 per pack of cotton linters/bag of pulp).
Additional information
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no open toes or sandals).
Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-9pm (attendance is essential)
Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am-5pm
Morning session: 9.15am-12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm (lunch included)
Afternoon session: 2pm-5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Departure day - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)
Teaching finishes: 3pm
Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am.
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.