The Printmaker's Journal

Banish fear-of-the-blank-page and fill a sketchbook with mixed media and print.

In this course you’ll build up a sketch book - filling it with print, pattern and mixed media. You’ll plan colour palettes, reoccurring themes, play with mark making and overlays. Your sketchbook will quickly fill up, section by section, as you relax into a no-pressure approach to printmaking. Each session is held on Zoom and recorded, so if you can’t make a date then you can print along in your own time.

Whilst this course doesn’t directly cover sketching and drawing techniques it’ll give you the space to explore new ways of creating and thinking.

You’ll see your sketchbook quickly fill up, section by section, as you relax into a no-pressure approach to printmaking.

Sketchbook or art journal, call it what you will, this five-part course promises to kick start your creativity and get you out of a rut.

What you will need to supply for the course:

A5 size concertina sketchbook, I recommend Seawhite Concertina Sketchbooks but you can also make one yourself. Once you’re booked on I’ll send you a link to a tutorial.

Not essential but I would highly recommend purchasing a Gelli plate

If you’re not using a Gelli plate have to hand a sheet of Perspex/acrylic or something similar for rolling out and mixing paint

Rubber roller (brayer)

Water based paints such as acrylic or gouache

Various paint brushes – they don’t have to be anything special

Tracing paper or greaseproof paper

Pencil – anything from HB – 6B, whatever you have

Any other art materials and equipment you might have on hand. The idea of this course isn’t to go out and buy “more stuff” but to use what you have. You may have drawing ink, graphite pencils, water soluble graphite pencils, Posca pens, felt tip pens, ball-point pen, coloured pencils – all can be used on this course.

Objects that could make interesting imprints - bottle tops, corrugated card/plastic, fruit and vegetable nets, ring pulls, bubble wrap, feathers, lace and open weave fabric, textured wallpaper, shells, rolling pin with string or elastic bands wrapped around it, rubber stamps…use your imagination!

A selection of ephemera eg. old letters, maps, old photos, books, stamps, knitting/sewing patterns, interesting packaging, newspaper clippings, thin fabric, postcards, greetings cards, wallpapers, phone directories, etc.

The course runs on the following days. Each session is recorded so if you miss one then you can access the video for up to 60 days.

Monday 5 June 7pm – 8.30pm

Tuesday 6 June 7:30pm – 9pm

Catch-up and homework

Monday 12 June 7pm – 8.30pm

Tuesday 13 June 7.30pm – 9pm

Catch-up and homework

Final session. Thursday 15 June 7pm – 8.30pm