Courses
We've got a great new programme of courses to delight and enthral, and they are already filling up fast, and we mean fast. In just a few days 8 courses filled up completely and we've had 75 bookings and counting so far in just over a week. Read on...
Course listings
A Beginners Guide to Letterpress
Short Course
Always wanted to try letterpress? Then this is the ideal course for you. Over 4 mornings you will be introduced to the wonders of moveable type and the magic of printing your own typeset words. Alan will share his experience and knowledge as a retired compositor to show you ‘the lay of the case’, how to set type in a composing stick, locking up your type in a chase, inking and printing. Starting with just a few words setting a business card or calling card, over the following sessions you will move on to set and print some words of your choice guided by the inimitable Alan. By week 4 you will be shown the bigger wooden type and create some larger prints/posters.
Introduction To Screenprinting (4 Friday Evenings)
Short Course
Spend 4 evenings with us at the workshop learning the art of screenprint. From mixing your water-based inks and printing using simple paper stencils you will go on to layer and build up colours. Mandy will show you how to coat and expose a photographic image onto screen, register and printyour 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.
Printing with Wooden Type
Short Course
Come and have a fun filled weekend with artist Nell Smith as she lets you loose on our newly expanded wooden type. You will be encouraged to play with letterforms as shapes to create abstract designs and to overprint to create shapes within shapes. You will be shown how to set your type, locking it into a chase or packing it with magnets to work quickly and intuitively. You can print on the Gem Press, the Albion and Columbian presses or just stamp the letters to achieve ‘the lighter touch’. On day 2 you will be able to work bigger and create posters and larger prints giving thought to space, colour and composition. You will come away with a selection of prints and posters.
Multi-Block Jigsaw Lino Printing
Short Course
Over 4 evenings learn how to create a multi-coloured, layered & richly textured linocut print. Taking inspiration from a variety of examples you will be guided through deciding on a design and sketching out a 3-colour plan to size to come out with an accurate registration before tracing the separate colour elements to be transferred onto the lino blocks ready for carving. Across the 4 sessions you will be guided through the fundamental techniques needed to accurately carve your designs & how to ink the blocks and to achieve textural effects, printing on our beautiful Albion and Columbian relief presses printing accurately on top of each layer. By the end of the course you will come away with a small edition and can go on to plan more of your own colourful multi-block relief prints.
Screenprinting with Natural Dyes
Short Course
Explore the world of sustainable screenprint with artist Nell Smith. Using a selection of foraged plant materials, kitchen waste and natural dye extracts, you will learn how to make plastic-free print pastes and how to use modifiers to unlock the magic of natural colour. Then use simple cut paper stencils to create your own designs. This course is suitable for those with a basic level understanding of screenprint who want to challenge and change their practice. On day one we will make and test colours and use modifiers to alter them. Day two will cover cutting stencils to make your own print designs.
Screenprinted Lanterns
Short Course
Learn to Screenprint your own autumnal lanterns with Textile designer and printmaker Natalie Laura Ellen. In the morning session, Natalie will teach you the basics of screenprinting on to fabric, choosing your own colour palette to create a unique print from a selection of autumnal imagery. In the afternoon, you’ll learn how to use your fabric to make two lanterns to cosy up a corner of your home just in time for Halloween and Bonfire night.
Repeat Pattern Textiles
Short Course
Learn how to turn your designs and motifs into repeat pattern fabric. Over the weekend you will be taught how to create good repeat designs and how to consider the quirks of screen printing onto fabric. You will be shown how to coat and expose a screen and go onto printing your fabric lengths on different fabrics. You will come away with one to two meters of patterned fabric which could be made up into bags or cushions, or if you prefer for creating your own wrapping paper. There are endless possibilities and applications…once you know how!
Expressive Printmaking
Short Course
Free yourself up with expressive & gestural mark-making. You will be shown how to create vibrant multilayered and multi-coloured images combining the different qualities of monoprint, drypoint and carborundum. Painterly brushstrokes can act as a counterpoint to raw scratched lines and strong tonal carborundum plates. You won’t need to worry about perfect registration. We will be working on plates bigger than the paper so you can focus on a freer way of working, reacting to each printing, and building up a variety of prints, each one with an element of surprise.
Text & Design Collage
Short Course
Join Cut Loose Creatives at Hot Bed Press for three evening workshops exploring collage with found and printed text. Turn magazines, newspapers, books, and ephemera into striking compositions that merge typography and design. Learn how to select, arrange, and layer text, transforming words into powerful visual compositions. Across three sessions, you’ll build from playful experimentation to developing your own collage style.
Mezzotint
Short Course
We are pleased to have guest tutor Stuart Brocklehurst with us to show the wonders of Mezzotint. You will be shown examples of mezzotints and how to rock a copper plate to prepare the mezzotint ground. You will go on to be guided through how to transfer your image to the plate and use scrapers and burnishers to gradually bring back whites from the deep and dense velvety black background. By the end of day one you will be shown how to ink and wipe the mezzotint plates for best results and see your first stage proof. Day 2 will focus on developing the plate further bringing out more delicate tones and refining your image going on to final proofs, learning the fine skills and tips of the trade along the way.
Introduction To Screenprinting (November Weekend)
Short Course
Spend a weekend being shown how to screenprint. From mixing your water-based inks and printing using simple paper stencils you will go on to layer and build up colours. Mandy will show you how to coat and expose a photographic image onto screen, 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.
Multi-plate Etching
Short Course
Working with traditional wax grounds, varnishes, resists and sugar-lift you will be shown how to create different positive and negative marks, line etches in various depths and strengths and direct and indirect painterly marks. Along the way you will be shown the wonders of aquatint and the use of nitic acid as a way of expressing tone and variations of line. The skill of registering your plates on the press to print directly on top of each other will allow you to create lively and colourful etchings with real dynamism. Jacob will show you some quick print hacks backed up by examples of multi-plate etchings of varying complexity and beauty. You will learn how to express yourself through etching and bring drawings to life.
Creative Concertina Books
Short Course
Learn how to create a simple concertina book filled with images. You will be shown different ways to fill your books using old photos, prints, stickers and found material. You will be shown alternative ways to create your concertina book to open out in different ways and to finish off by adding hard back covers.
Drawn To Screen
Short Course
Working with different drawing fluids and screen fillers you will be shown how to draw and paint directly on the screen to create your positive. No need for an expensive exposure unit or dark room, but this is not mono-screenprint or painterly screen. This is a quick, cheap, easy and extremely effective way to create a direct stencil. Lucas will show you a few different methods and products that give you scope to play and get the affects you want to achieve. You will go on to print multiple prints, change colours and overprint to create a layered mutli-coloured screenprint. Once you’ve worked with screen drawing fluid you will realise how you can vary your printing cutting out the expensive and lengthy coat and expose steps of photo-screen freeing you up to be creative and intuitive.
The Magic of Marbling
Short Course
Join artist and bookmaker Bev Doughty as she introduces you to the colourful world of paper marbling. You will be able to create your own decorative papers to use as wrapping, covers or end-papers for artists books or just lovely artwork. The day will start with a calming dip into the Japanese art of Suminagashi using water, ink and brushes. You will then move on to investigating western marbling techniques creating intricate patterns using a variety of traditional implements. You will come away with your own selection of marbled papers and the skills to continue your marbling journey.
The Complete Printmaker 2026
Long Course
We are currently taking expressions of interest for the Complete Printmaker 2026. Please send an email to andy@hotbedpress.org to receive information with an early invitation to book your place when we open up bookings for next year's intake of students. Dates will run Feb - Dec 2026. Dates are all now confirmed.
The Complete Book Artist 2026
Long Course
The Complete Book Artist 2025 is now underway. We are currently taking expressions of interest for the Complete Book Artist 2026. Please send an email to andy@hotbedpress.org to receive information with an early invitation to book your place when we open up bookings for next year's intake of students. Dates will run circa Feb - Dec 2026. Specific term times are yet to be confirmed.
The Complete Letterpress 2026
Long Course
The Complete Letterpress Printer 2025 is now underway. We are currently taking expressions of interest for the Complete Letterpress Printer 2026. Please send an email to andy@hotbedpress.org to receive information with an early invitation to book your place when we open up bookings for next year's intake of students. Dates will run circa Feb - Dec 2026. Specific term times are yet to be confirmed.
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.