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This two-day course is aimed at beginners, introducing them to basic leather work techniques and skills which they can then apply to a choice of small projects which can be made over the two days, including belts, keyrings, and card wallets.

During the course we will cover

• Tanning, leather, and uses.

• Equipment and suppliers.

• Choosing leather for your projects.

• Using hardware – poppers, buckles, and rivets.

• Introducing basic pattern making, marking leather, and cutting leather.

• Finishing processes including creasing, bevelling, burnishing, and dying.

• Aftercare and cleaning.

All the tools and materials you will need for the course are supplied by the teacher. You will also receive a set of course notes, including equipment lists and suppliers, to help you continue your leatherworking journey at home. In class, we will cover the essential items you will need to create your leather working tool kit. Please be warned that leather working can be addictive.

Using traditional carving tools and a wooden spoon learn to carve and print from your own wooden print block

A short woodblock printing course introducing students to carving wooden printing blocks. Although this is a very ancient way of producing prints it has largely fallen out of favour with the availability of new materials such as lino which are easier to cut and are much more stable. This course aims to teach students how to carve low relief images for printing, in various types of wood and how to creatively exploit the surface texture, grain and imperfections of the wood to develope those printed images.

1. Designing and cutting the first test block:

Prepare your wooden printing block, then draw up  your test design on paper before being shown how to transfer it to a prepared wood surface. Using a traditional lino/ block printing v tool you will be shown how to carve out your design to create black printed lines. Using the same v tool you will be shown how to create mid tone ‘colour’ using cross hatching techniques. Then using a shallow gouge you will be shown how to remove waste material to produce white areas on the finished print.

Outcomes:

• Preparing your timber
• learn to draw your design for printing.
• learn how to transfer your drawing from paper to timber
• learn how to use woodblock printing chisels and gouges
• learn about negative and positive printing, black and white.
• Experiment with grey and mid tone colour using cross hatching with a v tool.

2. Printing your block:

students will then be introduced to the ‘wooden spoon Barren’ and be shown how to prepare it for use on the printing paper. Using a hard rubber print roller and water based printing ink students will be shown how to roller ink onto a block. Students are then shown how a printing frame holds the block and how to lay printing paper over the block (registering). Students will print the image by using the spoon Barren to rub over the paper with an even firm pressure

Prints will then be lifted from the block.

Outcomes:

• Preparing a wooden spoon Barren for use.
• Preparing printing ink for the roller.
• Fixing the block in place in the printing frame.
• Fixing and registering the printing paper.
• Using the barren to make a print.

Program of work:

Day one: Drawing for prints: A drawing exercise to explain how prints work the drawing will be the subject of the first carving
Day two: Cutting your image into the wood: using the bench hook to hold the carving, using v tools and gouges
Day three: Registering paper and fixing printing block, inking and printing Artists proof and finished print
Day four: drawing your own print block experimenting with wood texture and grain developing your own print and working on own ideas

Class Dates:

Oct ( Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

Class Times: All classes start at 9:30 and end at 16:30

Price: £250 (Deposit: £100)

Please note:  no refunds will be given if canceled 2 weeks or less before the class are scheduled to start.

Leather is one of the most amazing materials to work with.

Our Two-day introduction workshop is aimed at beginners interested in gaining a good basic understanding of the leather working skills & techniques used in making a variety of small leather goods.

Over the two days, you’ll be making 2 or 3 items, such a card holder, key-rings and a belt or a coin purse, (specific items can be chosen on the day.) These will show you the different skills and techniques required for leather working.

During the course,  you will cover the following:

• Different types of leathers and its uses
• Tanneries and suppliers
• Understanding the process of making leather goods
• Intro to pattern making.
• Cutting – Dying – Stitching and finishing the leather.
• Beveling – Creasing – Burnishing and other skills
• Leather after care
• General Q/A

You will be shown traditional methods and techniques which you will then use to make your own items and take them home. The skills and techniques learnt will help jump start your leather working journey, in addition to all tools and materials to use during the workshop along with course notes and information including recommended reading and a list of suppliers, with an opportunity to purchase a full beginners kit to take home with you (contain everything what need to get started, fixed cost of £100).

Class Dates (Saturday, Sunday):
October: 9, 10

Class Times: All classes start at 9:30 and end at 16:30

Price: £165 + £35 Material cost

The best present for Christmas is a handmade item for your loved one and a new skill for yourself.

Leather is one of the most amazing materials to work with.

Our Two-day introduction workshop is aimed at beginners interested in gaining a good basic understanding of the leather working skills & techniques used in making a variety of small leather goods.

Over the two days, you’ll be making 2 or 3 items, such a card holder, key-rings and a belt or a coin purse, (specific items can be chosen on the day.) These will show you the different skills and techniques required for leather working.

During the course,  you will cover the following:

• Different types of leathers and its uses
• Tanneries and suppliers
• Understanding the process of making leather goods
• Intro to pattern making.
• Cutting – Dying – Stitching and finishing the leather.
• Beveling – Creasing – Burnishing and other skills
• Leather after care
• General Q/A

You will be shown traditional methods and techniques which you will then use to make your own items and take them home. The skills and techniques learnt will help jump start your leather working journey, in addition to all tools and materials to use during the workshop along with course notes and information including recommended reading and a list of suppliers, with an opportunity to purchase a full beginners kit to take home with you (contain everything what need to get started, fixed cost of £100).

Class Dates (Saturday, Sunday):
December: 4, 5

Class Times: All classes start at 9:30 and end at 16:30

Price: £165 + £35 Material cost

Our Three-day intermediate workshop is geared towards those who have attended the beginners class or have some experience with fundamental understanding of basic techniques and looking to take their skills up a level. 

The class will begin by jumping straight in to create a selection of items with various different technical skill requirements such as watch straps, a small handbag or classic bifold wallet. Fundamentals will be expanded on, and more advanced techniques will be taught such as skiving leather, installing gussets and making raised leather elements for these items.

 You will be shown traditional methods and techniques which you will then use to make your own items and take them home.

 All tools and materials to use during the workshop will be supplied. 

You will have an option to purchase a full beginners kit to take home with you, along with some good quality leather and other supplies to get you started on your own (cost of £100).

Class Dates (Friday, Saturday, Sunday):
November: 19, 20, 21

Class Times: All classes start at 9:30 and end at 16:30

Price: £240 + £40 (materials)