Adult Courses

Enjoy experimenting with a variety of media and different ways to combine paper, paint and print to produce lively and interesting images. You will explore techniques for creating collaged and layered surfaces, together with simple printing methods using Gelli plates, foam, polystyrene and found objects. You will spatter, drip, glue, print and much more. No experience is necessary for this fun and informal course. The emphasis will be on making experimental samples to develop into an artist's book and individual pieces of work to use, perhaps, as cards.

This course offers you the opportunity to discover the wonderful world of mixed media using a variety of simple techniques that can easily be done at home with minimal equipment. No previous experience is needed.

Our time will be split between demonstrations & sample-making, followed by time to explore the different processes and develop your work at your own pace in a friendly and informal atmosphere.

Creating the Surface

We will make our own collage papers using gelli plates to create a range of interesting background prints to use as our starting points. These will then be collaged together with text & tissue papers to create interesting bases to work on. We will look at the use of suitable adhesives and mediums to prepare this layer for painting and printing.

Simple Printing

An overview of simple printing methods with relevant examples

We will cover :-suitable materials for making a printing block - use of polystyrene sheets for linear prints, foam for simple stamps and textural & pattern printing blocks made with everyday items such as leaves, textured card etc. We will experiment with different ways to apply colour to the printing blocks and use simple hand-printing methods to transfer the image. You may wish to collect things with interesting textures to print with such as embossed wallpaper scraps, feathers, leaves etc.

Acrylic Paint & Gel Techniques

We will have fun dripping, spattering and using washes of colour to add interest to our images. We will also look at using acrylic gel mediums for transferring Sharpie pen drawings & monoprints from wax paper or polythene sheet to our layered surfaces.

Individual work

A chance to work with the basic practices at your own pace - experimenting, layering and combining techniques to create a series of unique images or develop a theme, either as an artist's book (there will be an opportunity to make a folded zigzag book) and as individual pieces of work to make into cards etc

There will be lots of demos, one-to-one help and advice as to how to progress your work further.

PLEASE NOTE: All inks, paints & mediums used during this workshop are water-based - all cleaning up is done with soap & water. Please bring barrier cream or gloves if you know you have an allergy to any of these materials.

Contemporary artists to reference:

Cas Holmes : Mixed media with paper & textiles Katt Frank: Mixed media & collage; Kirsten Jones: Collage & Paint

Useful Books (copies of these will be available to look at during the course)

Printmaking & Mixed Media by Dorit Elisha; Making Journals by Hand by Jason Thompson; The Collage Workbook by Randel Plowman; Gelli Plate Printing by Joan Bess

Students 'To Bring' List:

Kitchen roll,old apron or shirt,

Paintbrushes if you have them, pencil, rubber,

Sketchbook / reference as starting points (good subjects might be Flowers / Seedheads / Birds / Hens / Recipes / Garden / Seashore / Travel & Places etc)

Textured paper scraps, leaves, feathers, etc - the tutor will also bring some

Text / tickets / music scores /ephemera etc -the tutor will also bring some

All other materials are supplied by the tutor.

Karen Carter

About Karen

Karen is an enthusiastic and experienced tutor specialising in printmaking and acrylics. Her method of teaching is both informal but instructional, aiming to bring out everyone's creativity in an encouraging and friendly atmosphere. Having studied design and illustration at art college she worked for many years as a commercial artist. She now divides her time between teaching and pursuing her own work, with involvement in exhibitions, studio trails, residencies and private commissions.