Learn to Print
Every year Aberystwyth Printmakers aims to run series of workshops and classes covering as many different printmaking techniques as possible. Previous workshops have included: Stone Lithography, Plate Lithography, Etching, Relief Printing, Collagraph and Drypoint. Workshops have been taught by local, national and international practitioners including Paul Croft, Judy Macklin, Gini Wade, Wuon Gean Ho, Marcelle Hanselaar, Andrew Baldwin, Brian Hindmarch and Cathy Boyle to name but just a few.
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Workshops are open to members and non-members and provide an excellent means for learning new skills and techniques and opportunity to become more familiar and confident with studio practice and procedures. Workshops can be booked by contacting the organiser as advertised.
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We also run a print club on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Tuesday evening of the month where you can learn a variety of techniques under the supervision of a skilled tutor. For more information and to book you place please visit our shop page.
Upcoming Workshops 2025/2026
Marian Haf
Saturday 15th March 2025 (one day)
£80 (members) £100 (non members)
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
An introduction to Intaglio collagraph printing, let me guide you through my printing process and practice.
This one day course will provide you with the knowledge of how to manipulate a peace of mount board into producing a beautiful fine tonal intaglio print, suitable for beginners and more seasoned printmakers looking to explore collagraphs.
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By the end of the day you will have :
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Learnt how to prepare and translate an image into an intaglio collagraph.
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How to manipulate the plate (mount board) with different tools and techniques to achieve tonal variation with contrasting linear ark making.
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To ink a plate intaglio, where the ink is applied liberally and then polished off.
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Which paper to choose and how to prepare them along with plate registration and good working practice in achieving a clean result.
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Printing with a press.
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Designed, made, inked and printed an intaglio collagraph.
I’m very much looking forward to sharing my process with you.
Maximum number of participants: 6
Jenny McCabe
Dates: Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April 2025
10am-4pm
£160 (members) £180 (non members)
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Explore the traditional art of etching in this dynamic workshop. Using a non-toxic
salt solution, you’ll etch detailed designs directly onto aluminium plates. This
technique uses wax resists and sharp scribes to create marks and textures directly
onto the surface of the plate, we can then explore ways to get interesting prints out
of the plates.
This workshop is ideal for all skill levels and allows for a range of artistic approaches.
You can work abstractly or draw images and build up tones to create artworks.
Led by Jenny McCabe, an experienced and supportive tutor, you’ll receive hands-on
guidance and all necessary materials, ensuring a focused and enjoyable creative
experience.
By the end of the 2 sessions, you’ll leave with beautiful prints and 2 plates that can
be reused in the future.
Maximum number of participants: 6
Molly Brown
Dates: Thursday 12th and Friday 13th June 2025
10am-4pm
£160 (members) £180 (non members)
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
This workshop will introduce the exciting possibilities of using caustic soda solution to etch the surface of traditional lino. This dynamic method provides opportunities for gestural mark making alongside traditional carving and produces expressive prints. Over two days participants will be introduced to methods of preparing the etching solution, using different masks and resists and working with the etch directly on the plate to produce a wide range of marks and textures.
Maximum number of participants: 6
Isobel Lewis
Dates: Sunday 20th July 2025
10am-5pm
£80 (members) £100 (non members)
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Spend the morning learning how to make a selection of decorative paste papers,
including the recipe for making the paste. Use the papers and book cloth in the
afternoon to make a portfolio which you can use to store your prints and drawings.
Maximum number of participants: 6
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Beth Knight
Dates: Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September 2025
10.30am -4pm
£160 (members) £180 (non members)
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Working from her home studio in North Pembrokeshire, Beth creates lino cut artwork
inspired by landscapes and wildlife. Aiming to capture the spirit of the natural world
and the story of the landscape in her prints she uses a variety of printmaking
methods to create pieces with depth and atmosphere, developing techniques to
capture light, distance and detail.
This workshop is designed to be an introduction for beginners to the ‘reduction’
method of printing multiple colour layers from a single block of Lino, giving you an
understanding of the step by step process and the tools and materials required.
Beth will guide you through the process of turning an image into a reduction lino cut,
you will be shown how to work with 2 or 3 layers of colour as well as being
introduced to other tips and tricks to add extra effects to your lino prints.
The course will begin with a demonstration and a chance to have a practice and get
used to the tools and equipment before we begin creating your final design. The aim
will be for each student to go home with their own Lino printed artwork!
Maximum number of participants: 6
Previous Workshops
Andrew Baldwin
Over the weekend Andrew will introduce you to the creative possibilities of his non toxic etching methods and guide you through two very different processes, including coffee and molasses lift on aluminium and faux mezzotint on copper.
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The coffee lift is a process that allows artists to work on their plates with the same techniques as if using an Indian ink i.e. paint with brush, nib, splatter marks with toothbrush. The molasses allows artists to transfer textures from other surfaces such as bark and or use it directly onto their plate plate like a thicker painting technique.
The faux mezzotint is an alternative to the traditional mezzotint with the same deep depths of tone manipulated by scraping away from black. The advantage of this method is that you can easily prepare a plate in an hour without needing to spend many rocking the plate using the traditional method or buy expensive pre prepared plates.
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Veronica Calarco
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Over the weekend, Veronica will introduce the basics of stone lithography, from drawing on the stone using different drawing materials, exploring mark making, etching the stone and printing.
Veronica Calarco completed a degree in printmaking at the Australian National University in 1996 and a PhD in printmaking at Aberystwyth University in 2021. She works in all printmaking media and works out of her studio at Stiwdio Maelor, an artist in residency retreat, in Corris.
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Flora McLachlan
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
One day Mini Relief Collagraph with Flora McLachlan.
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For details, please contact Flora by email:
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Charlotte Baxter
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Blind embossing is a technique used to create a raised design on the paper without the use of ink creating subtle textures and shapes that change with the angle of the light.
In this two-day workshop you will combine the technique of blind embossing with linocut to create a multidimensional print.
All materials will be provided.
Veronica Calarco
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Using your old prints and found string, Veronica will demonstrate how to make and develop the baskets from prints.
Veronica Calarco is a printmaker who works out of Stiwdio Maelor in Corris. About 12 years ago, Veronica started to make baskets out of her discarded prints. Other printmakers started to donate their prints and it turned into an obsessive basket making project of over 1000 prints.
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Isobel Lewis
Spend the morning creating monoprints using a variety of techniques including making stencils and foam stamps. In the afternoon your prints will be transformed into simple book structures.
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Isobel Lewis is a book artist and printmaker who lives and works in Machynlleth. Isobel makes prints and one of a kind limited edition artist books as ‘The Kelpie Press’. Her work reflects a love of typography and pattern, and is inspired by the uplands and coast of Wales woven with her quirky imagination!
Examples of Isobel’s work can be found in public and private collections both in the UK and in the USA including The Bodleian Library Oxford, The National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh Central Library.
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Judy Macklin
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July 2024
10.00am – 4.00pm
AP Studio Brogerddan (Details on how to find us are below)
This two-day workshop will begin with drawing direct from our life model and her wonderful
Whippet (Twinkle Toes), using a range of monoprint techniques to develop images and
ideas.
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Marian Haf
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
In this two day workshop we will be transforming household packaging into playful prints using the magic of printmaking, suitable for beginners and more seasoned printmakers looking to explore collagraphs, it’s also super for educators as it translates well into a classroom.
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Charlotte Baxter
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Blind embossing is a technique used to create a raised design on the paper without the use of ink
creating subtle textures and shapes that change with the angle of the light. In this workshop we will
combine the technique of blind embossing with woodcut to create a multidimensional print. No prior experience is necessary.
On the first day you will prepare your design, transfer to a lino block and carve the areas to be blind
embossed. We will soak the paper and use the etching press to press the design into the paper.
On day two you will prepare you woodblock for printing learning how to raise the grain of the
wood. You will then learn how to register the paper and print on to your embossed paper using oil-
based ink.
Artist Books Inspired by Nature
Isobel Lewis
Venue: A/P Studio, Brogerddan
Taking inspiration from flora and fauna this workshop will show you how to create content to make unique artists books. Easy drawing and printmaking techniques will be used to generate content that will then be transformed into a variety of book structures. Several simple book structures will be demonstrated along with printing techniques such as gelli plate, collograph and how to make custom stamps from craft foam.
Isobel Lewis is a book artist and printmaker who lives and works in Machynlleth. Isobel makes prints and one of a kind limited edition artist books as ‘The Kelpie Press’. Her work reflects a love of typography and pattern, and is inspired by the uplands and coast of Wales woven with her quirky imagination!
Examples of Isobel’s work can be found in public and private collections both in the UK and in the USA including The Bodleian Library Oxford, The National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh Central Library.
website - www.isobelgillanbookdesign.co.uk
instagram - www.instagram.com/the_kelpie_press
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Cardboard Drypoint workshop
Stuart Evans
This introduction to making prints with the drypoint technique is for those who want to learn a simple and effective way of producing a black and white, or coloured, print. No prior experience is necessary. Day one you will prepare and mark your design onto a cardboard plate ready for printing. Day two you will apply etching ink and learn how to wipe the plate and print using one of the presses at the workshop.
All materials will be supplied but it advisable to bring sketches or ideas for what you want to draw onto your plate.
Monoprinting from Life Model
Judy Macklin
This two day workshop will begin with observation drawing from a life model using monoprint techniques and progress to using the presses to further develop images and ideas.
Marbling Workshop
Erin Hughes
In this practical workshop, led by artist Erin Hughes, learn about the history and processes of paper marbling – a method of producing surface patterns that resemble marble and other types
of stone. Together, we will explore a range of different approaches for making our own marbled papers, from ‘nonpareil’ marbling, to creating natural stone effects and diffusions of colour, to
experimenting with our own freestyle effects.
Erin Hughes is an artist living and working in mid Wales. Recent works have focused on collages of
landscapes. Her interest in ersatz materials lead to her process- based practice; which begins by
creating an assortment of hand-marbled papers incolours and textures that emulate natural marbles,rocks and stones.
Stone Lithography
Paul Croft
For this two-day workshop on stone lithography, students will be guided through every stage of the process from preparation of stones, drawing using lithographic crayons and tusche, etching, proofing and printing. Ordinarily it is possible for students to complete at least one stone printed in black and white. Depending upon time - it is sometimes possible for a second stone to be completed as well.
Paul Croft trained as a Master Printer at the Tamarind Institute of Lithography in Albuquerque in 1996. Currently he is Lecturer in Fine Art Printmaking at the School of Art Aberystwyth.
Colour Etching & Aquatint
Bronwen Sleigh
During this etching weekend class, Bronwen Sleigh will introduce the etching methods she uses in her own practice. Starting with the technique of line drawing on copper plates using hard ground and moving on to creating two images on separate plates and printing them as a layered colour image, learning how to register the plates during the printing process. We will also cover the use of aquatint to introduce shading to an etched image.
This course is aimed towards people with some etching experience.
Bronwen takes inspiration from buildings and architecture, she encourages participants to bring some sketches, photos or any reference that is of interest to them to work from during the course.
Originally from Mid-Wales, Bronwen Sleigh studied at Glasgow School of Art, The Royal College of Art and at The University of Calgary, Canada. She has worked for The Royal College of Art, The Royal Academy Schools as a Print Fellow and at Edinburgh Printmakers as their etching technician and collaborating printer. Sleigh now concentrates wholly on her art practice and exhibits widely both in the UK and overseas.
Mokuhanga Japanese Woodblock Watercolour Printing
Elspeth Lamb
Japanese woodblock prints are those images one associates with artists such as Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Utamaro and Hokusai, who produced beautiful prints of luminous colour around 150-200 years ago during the Japanese Edo (present-day Tokyo) period. This form of printmaking was known as ‘Ukiyo-e’, or ‘prints from the floating world’. The method we will use to carve the block will not differ that much from this original way of working.The class will cover the use and maintenance of Japanese tools, the Kento registration system, oriental papers, printing with a baren and the use of water-based pigments.
Elspeth Lamb taught printmaking at Edinburgh College of Art for 21 years. Since then she has been an independent artist who has run many workshops. Lamb has been interested in Mokuhanga and Japanese papermaking since she first visited Japan in 2000 as an artist in residence studying traditional techniques.
Lamb participated in the Tamarind Printer Training programme at the University of New Mexico in 1985: a demanding course which trains students to become master printers. Since then she has been on both sides of the press, collaborating with major Scottish artists.
She often exhibits at the Royal Scottish Academy and last year the Royal Academy in London selected one of her collages from the RA Summer exhibition to be reproduced in print. Her work has been exhibited, and is held in major collections in the UK and worldwide.
Experimental Monoprinting
Ruth Hogg
Ruth Hogg studied printmaking as an undergraduate at Aberystwyth University and is currently undertaking her Masters in Fine Art. She has recently completed a qualification in Arts Facilitation in Arts in Health with Dr. Maria Hayes and is happy to welcome all members of the community to her relaxed, friendly and fun classes. If you have a learning difficulty please let her know when booking. Get in touch for accessibility information (the studio is fully wheelchair accessible & has a disabled access toilet).
Over the course of two workshops you will try various Monoprinting techniques to allow you to experiment freely. I’ll demonstrate some simple tricks for great effects, we’ll use the etching printing presses and I’ll also show you how to modify techniques for working at home without a press. Bring ideas and sketches if you have them, but don’t worry if you don’t as I’ll also bring inspiration and images to copy/trace to give you some starting points. In the second session you will complete your print to take home.
Suitable for complete beginners and also those with previous experience who want to play!
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Aluminium Etching
Flora McLachlan
Flora Mclachlan RE is an acclaimed printmaker, best known for her beautiful etchings. She is currently undertaking an MA at the School of Art, Aberystwyth. She is also an experienced workshop leader.
Aluminium Etching is a simple but very effective etching technique using aluminium plates which are etched in a mixture of copper sulphate and salt, rather than ferric or nitric acid.
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Introduction to Drypoint
Ali Greeley
Introduction to Intaglio printing through the medium of Drypoint. Veronica Calarco is an experienced teacher and artist/printmaker from Australia who is currently undertaking a Ph.D at Aberystwyth School of Art. She is bilingual in English and Welsh.
Drypoint is a printing technique often used with etching, which produces a rich velvety line. In this beginners’ workshop, Drypoint will be used on its own –a much simpler process than Etching. Participants will incise their drawings with drypoint instruments (provided) on Perspex and aluminium plates. They will then be printed as Intaglio prints. There will be etching classes run by Flora Mclachlan in February and March in case participants are tempted to develop their intaglio skills.
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Screen Printing
Jenny Fell
Jenny Fell is a highly experienced workshop leader, as well as an excellent printmaker.
Learn how to print your design onto tee-shirts, baby grows, pillowcases etc. using a basic technique
Please note these items will not be provided. Please bring preferably white or pale - coloured items.
For all abilities. No previous experience required.
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Artists’ Books for Printmakers
Linda Davies
Linda Davies is an acclaimed printmaker, book artist and teacher, who divides her time between North Wales and New York.
She will introduce techniques of constructing prints into various book formats such as maze books, Turkish map fold, lotus fold, accordian and variations on a one sheet fold, as well as basic pamphlet stitch constructions and end covers. Bring along old prints, proofs, etc to experiment with. There will plenty of experimentation to transform your pre-existing prints as well as creating templates of various structures for future projects.
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Copper, Soft Ground & Spitbite
Flora McLachlan RE
Flora Mclachlan RE is an acclaimed printmaker, best known for her beautiful etchings. She is currently undertaking an MA at the School of Art, Aberystwyth. She is also an experienced workshop leader.
She will teach participants the etching techniques of soft ground and spit bite which produce painterly and immediate marks, that were a revelation to Flora when she experimented with these techniques.
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Introduction to Stone Litho
Paul Croft RE
During this two-day Introduction to Stone Lithography, students will have the opportunity to work with Tamarind trained Master Printer Paul Croft. Since graduating from the world-renowned Tamarind Institute in 1996, Paul Croft has worked as a collaborating printer with numerous artists and has conducted workshops at several print studios across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, China, Hong Kong and Australia. Since 1999 he has headed up the Printmaking Department at the School of Art Aberystwyth University.
Over the two days of this class, students will gain full working experience of preparing stones, drawing up images and processing – etching stones for printing in black and white, and wherever possible in colour using monotype. Students will have the opportunity to develop images using lithographic crayon, pen-and-ink and tusche wash and to print limited editions.
Since its discovery and invention in 1798 by Alois Senefelder, lithography still retains its magical and alchemical allure and is especially attractive to those artists who are interested in developing prints in a more painterly manner using this most versatile and visceral medium of graphic art.
Class fee includes all necessary materials and paper. Suitable for beginners and students with previous experience.
Relief Printing, Monoprint & Collage
Jenny Fell
This is a very popular and exciting course that allows your imagination to run wild! For all abilities, no previous experience required. Jenny Fell is a highly experienced workshop leader, as well as an excellent printmaker. Suitable for adults only.
On this course you will learn how to cut and print lino incorporating elements of mono print and collage. Please bring a variety of papers with you for example magazines, newspaper, old maps, patterns from inside envelopes, any interesting surfaces to print from eg. leaves, bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard etc.
Day one
Learning the techniques of cutting and printing from lino or vinyl using simple methods which you can use at home.
Day two
Incorporating the use of collage in the printing of your lino-cut – with coloured papers, found images, printing from various surfaces to build up a variety of unique images to fill your portfolio/give as presents!
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Linocut Evening Class
Molly Brown
This is a fun and information packed course suitable for beginners or those with some printing experience. Participants will leave with a selection of prints and the knowledge to continue printing at home or in the workshop.
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To book please email mollybrown.ink@gmail.com
Aberystwyth Printmakers, Old College
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Relief printing with Japanese Vinyl
Wuon Gean-Ho
Back by popular demand, Wuon Gean will teach her repertoire of innovative relief cutting techniques on vinyl. She is currently interested in combining text with image, as well as symbolism & self -portraiture. These themes will feed in to the workshop, as well as the sheer joy of drawing and relief print.
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Aberystwyth Printmakers, Old College
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Introduction to Stone Lithography
Paul Croft
Invented in 1798 by Alois Senefelder, Stone Lithography – printing from blocks of limestone is considered by many artists to be the technique of printmaking that is closest in experience to that of drawing and painting. During this two-day workshop you will be introduced to basic techniques of stone preparation, drawing with lithographic crayon and tusche, etching and printing in black and white. This course is suitable both for beginners and those seeking to refresh their skills.
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This course will be held at the Aberystwyth School of Art
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Softground, spitbite and creeping bite aquatint
Flora McLachlan
We will use traditional techniques to make an etching on copper. The emphasis will be on expressive painterly drawing without the etching needle!
Soft ground will be used to make crayon-like drawn marks, and watercolour-like aquatint tones will be added using spit bite and creeping bite.
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Aberystwyth Printmakers, Old College
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Collagraph Printing
Charles Shearer
Charles Shearer studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and at the Royal College of Art, London. He draws and paints on location in a process he describes as ‘creative interpretation of place and experience’. He teaches numerous workshops around the UK and works on commissions for books and magazines as well as making his crisp and flowing collagraphs.
This two-day collagraph workshop will cover Charles’s own techniques of cutting, marking, inking and layering cardboard plates to make complex printed images.
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Introduction to Printmaking
Judy Macklin
This course offers a comprehensive tour of relief printing methods and encourages you to develop both traditional and experimental techniques. This is an intensive course taught in the excellent facilities at the School of Art print workshop. Both linocuts and woodcuts can be practiced first in black and white and developed in colour. Course fees include some materials and concessions are available.
Introduction to Stone Lithography
PAUL CROFT
Invented in 1798 by Alois Senefelder, Stone Lithography – printing from blocks of limestone is considered by many artists to be the technique of printmaking that is closest in experience to that of drawing and painting. During this two-day workshop you will be introduced to basic techniques of stone preparation, drawing with lithographic crayon and tusche, etching and printing in black and white. This course is suitable both for beginners and those seeking to refresh their skills.
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This course will be held at the Aberystwyth School of Art
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4 Plate Spit Bite Etching
STEPHEN LAWLOR
This two day workshop will comprise on day 1 of offsetting a bitten image from 1 plate to 3 other plates. Then stopping out and spit biting all four plates. On day 2 there will be proofing and altering of colours and burnishing away and adding to existing lines and aquatints. This way of working should lead participants towards a better understanding of how colours work in layers with an emphasis on approaching colour from each individual perspective.
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Monotype Transfer Etching
Flora McLachlan RE
Aluminium etching with copper sulphate is ideal for making prints in a quick, gestural and relatively non-toxic way. The marks are coarse but painterly.
Over the two days we will build up images with spit bite brushwork, monotype transfers, and quickly-drawn resists to create lively and experimental etchings, moving on to two-plate experiments and colour inking if time allows.