Courses
Going, going, gone! Expressive Printmaking, Mono-screenprinting, Intro to Screenprint and Mokuhanga are all full. There are only a couple of places left on Etching & Aquatint. The Hot Bed Art School is booking up steadily, but still a few places left. Read on. There's lots more...
Course listings
![](/storage/media-library/250_20240625103441.png)
Mono-screenprinting
Weekend Course
Mono-screenprint, led by Craig, will teach you how to transform simple images into vibrant, painterly masterpieces. Using a dynamic mix of painting and drawing directly onto the screen, you'll create unique prints by layering painterly brush marks and building depth and colour.
![](/storage/media-library/252_20240625105445.png)
Expressive Printmaking
Weekend Course
Free yourself up with a new expressive way of working. You will be shown how to create vibrant multilayered images using monoprint, drypoint and carborundum. Painterly brushstrokes can be married up with raw scratched line and strong tonal mark-making. By overprinting and building up your images ‘full bleed’, [i.e. over the edge of the paper], you won’t need to worry about perfect registration and can focus on a painterly approach to printmaking. We will also be using our ‘new’ big Rochat etching press and you will be encouraged by day 2 to ‘go large!’.
![](/storage/media-library/265_20240625124028.jpg)
Hot Bed Art School
Long Course
We are taking over the workshop as an art school! Not your run of the mill course this. We will be immersing you in different ways of working, seeing, building compositions, and discovering alternative ways to make your mark, compose an image and express yourself. Each day the workshop will be set up to inspire and challenge you, to see things in a different way and to change your artistic practice, with changing drawing observation 'set ups', plus rules of the day, inspiration and artists to look at. The morning will be broken up into different exercises and mini-sessions with two tutors, Craig & Sean, guiding and supporting you, with discussions and group chats showing how we all work in unique ways and see things differently. Every afternoon you will take the artwork produced in the morning through to a different print technique and new ways of thinking about your prints.
![](/storage/media-library/197_20230823041308.jpg)
Aquatint Etching
Evening Course
Ideal for those with a rudimentary knowledge of etching you will be guided through applying variations in tone and working directly with sugar-lift and indirectly with resists and stop-outs. Just as in the work of Norman Ackroyd and Paula Rego aquatint can be an expressive tool with no need for applying grounds and etching line. Jeni will show you sugar-lifts plus a wide range of resists including Vaseline etch, white/soap ground and various mark-making crayons and pens, which will open up your new possibilities.
![](/storage/media-library/215_20231209014708.jpg)
Introduction to Screenprint
Weekend Course
Over a weekend learn to screenprint in quick easy steps. From mixing your water-based inks and printing using simple paper stencils you will go on to layer and build up colours. On day 2 Mandy will show you how to coat and expose a photographic image onto screen and then to register and print your final key colour bringing the image together. You will come away with a small edition of screenprints and can go on to print further designs and editions.
![](/storage/media-library/274_20240625015433.jpg)
Introduction to Rubber Stamping
Short Course
In this one-day course, you will learn about the history and possibilities of rubber stamping, with a focus on its use within both contemporary art and just-for-fun craft practices. Our book arts tutor George will teach you how to carve and print your own designs, alongside demonstrating techniques such as multi-layered stamping and thermographic embossing.
![](/storage/media-library/270_20240625012130.jpg)
Introduction to Japanese Woodblock - Mokuhanga
Weekend Course
This two-day workshop is an introduction to water-based Japanese Woodblock printing, suitable for complete beginners or printmakers who want to learn a new technique. On day one you will learn how to design an image for printing, transfer designs onto ply and then carve two blocks using colour-separation. Day two will see you produce your individual prints from your carved blocks with watercolour paste and nori, using a hand-held baren onto Japanese washi. You will be shown different printing techniques that allow you to create and combine a variety of textures and achieve a number of effects, such as betazuri (flat colour), gomazuri (sesame-printing), mokume (woodgrain) and bokashi (gradation). It is worth noting that controlling the carving tools and printing without a press requires a level of dexterity and strength. Other than that, all you need is a willingness to experiment and have fun.
![](/storage/media-library/261_20240625123511.jpg)
Cyanotypes
Weekend Course
During this two-day workshop, learn how to create cyanotype prints from digital negatives of your own images. You’ll learn how to mix your own chemical solutions from scratch and explore ways to coat different paper stocks to achieve interesting brush strokes and effects. Participants will learn how to calculate exposure settings using a controlled UV exposure unit and process your images to achieve smooth gradations and optimal tonal range. Get creative as we experiment with the variables of timing and layering and learn how to create beautiful multi exposures prints. Moving beyond the blue, discover how to shift the colour of the traditional Prussian blue in new directions, by toning your prints using natural tannings, such an oak, tea, coffee and wine.
![](/storage/media-library/264_20240625123831.jpg)
Hardback Sketchbook/Notebook
Short Course
Learn how to make your own A5 French-sewn, cloth-bound hardback book, complete with headbands and bookmark ribbon in just one day. The workshop is suitable for beginners or those who want a refresher. You will be introduced to materials, terms and tools used in bookbinding and then jump straight into choosing a combination of papers to start sewing your own unique book. Once the pages of the book are complete you will learn how to make a cover using greyboard and bookcloth. Finally, you will combine your pages and cover to produce a lovely book that is just waiting to be filled with notes, sketches and ideas.
![](/storage/media-library/273_20240625013404.jpg)
Ripped & Torn
Weekend Course
The art of collage with a twist. Rip, tear, cut, layer up and overprint. Craig will show you how his working practice is always moving. No print is lost, and everything leads to another composition. Working from your own old prints, misprints and collected images you will cut, tear and glue them into new compositions.
![](/storage/media-library/262_20240625123657.jpg)
Coca-Cola Litho
Weekend Course
New to Hot Bed Press we are really excited to bring you an ideal introduction to lithography. Sometimes called ‘kitchen litho’ we will be using kitchen foil as a plate and coca-cola to etch. You will be shown making the plate followed by drawing and mark-making on the foil surface with various crayons and tusches, processing the plate with cola and inking up. You can print by hand with a baren, or through the etching presses. Coca-cola litho is accessible and can be done at home. It offers subtle tonal marks with more contrasted blacks to print an edition with and will be a revelation.
![](/storage/media-library/220_20231209015623.jpg)
An Introduction to Islamic Pattern
Short Course
Come and explore the fascinating world of Islamic geometric drawing on this day-long course. Artist Shazia Sufyan will guide you step by step in creating an underlying grid using a compass and ruler to build layers of circles and lines that will emerge as an intricate Islamic pattern. You will paint your patterns with vibrant colours bringing them to life, following the same methods used in Islamic art for centuries.
![](/storage/media-library/114_20230320124437.jpg)
The Complete Letterpress
Long Course
* We will announce next year's Complete year-long courses later in the year; around August/September.
The Complete Printmaker
Long Course
We will be announcing next year's Complete year-long courses later in the year around August/September. Courses start in February 2025.
![](https://hotbedpress.org/images/static/about.png)
The Complete Book Artist 2024
Long Course
We will be announcing next year's course later in the year around August/September for a February 2025.
Introduction to Rubber Stamping
Short Course
In this one-day course, you will learn about the history and possibilities of rubber stamping, with a focus on its use within both contemporary art and just-for-fun craft practices. Our book arts tutor George will teach you how to carve and print your own designs, alongside demonstrating techniques such as multi-layered stamping and thermographic embossing. Each participant will leave with their own limited edition copy of a collaborative zine made up of the group’s stamped designs, and one wooden mounted stamp. This course is ideal for those with an interest in DIY methods and lo-fi printmaking, and suitable for anyone regardless of their experience.
Enquire about a course
faq's
We are happy to answer any questions on the phone but here are some commonly asked questions and answers below.
Do I need to be experienced to come on a course?
No experience necessary! Some courses are specifically designed for beginners; such as Introduction to Screenprint, Print or Letterpress, Painterly Screen-printing or The Art of Etching. Other courses such as Mokuhanga, Screen-printing with Natural Dyes or Photopolymer Printing are more tailored to those with some previous experience. However, if in doubt phone us to discuss.
How do I book a place on a course?
The best way to book a place is to phone us on 0161 743 3111. Our courses book up so quickly that we can be answering the phone all day whilst e-mails may take more time to get through every enquiry and still need us to phone or e-mail you back. We are a friendly bunch and can answer any of your questions when you ring to book.
Do you take a deposit to reserve a place?
No sorry, we are a small team and don't have capacity to have multiple systems in place. We only confirm bookings on full receipt of payment
What materials do I need to bring?
Nothing! We provide all materials for courses. All we need you to bring is some inspiration and clothes you don't mind getting ink on. (In Winter it is best to dress up warm too.) You will receive an introduction letter letting you know what to prepare, such as drawings, photos, photocopies, collected images, and what size you can expect to work to.
Is food provided?
If you are on a day or weekend course please bring your own food. In our small kitchen we have tea, coffee, milk, and sugar and an urn as well as a microwave. The Co-op and Sainsburys are both nearby and we have the luxury of a couple of cafes nearby now with fancy coffee.
Do you have disabled access?
We are limited in our access, with the workshop situated on the first floor and no lifts. We purchased the building in 2017 with the aim to expand and create a fully accessible facility. Unfortunately our ambitions have been set back by covid and other challenges. We are still trying to get full funding to develop the building further and be fully accessible.
Do you have any teacher training courses?
We have Wednesday evening specific CPD teacher training sessions situated under short courses or please email our education officer on education@hotbedpress.org for the details of our latest courses or to discuss bespoke courses.
Membership
Come And Join Us
We welcome new members all year round. Anyone can join. You need a little bit of experience; but that can be from doing one of our weekend or evening courses, after which you can carry on and practice what you've learnt on the course. We've got a few types of membership to suit your purse or your time. Just g to our Membership section for more details.
Send us a message!
Let us know what you are enquiring about.