Thinking about booking a workshop but not quite sure what you're letting yourself in for? Here's an honest, friendly account of what a day (or evening) with us actually looks like, so you can arrive feeling relaxed and ready to make.
Our workshops take place in our studio in Shropshire, a working creative space where we design and make our products day to day. It's a proper maker's environment: there are printing presses, inks, tools and work-in-progress pieces around the room. It feels like a studio, not a classroom, and that's very much intentional.
Honestly? Very little. We provide all material, lino blocks, cutting tools, inks, brayers, paper, everything you need to make your prints. Just bring yourself, wear something you don't mind getting a little inky (aprons are provided, but ink has a way of finding its mark), and come with an open mind.
If you have a design idea in mind, feel free to bring a rough sketch. If you don't, we'll help you develop something on the day, no prior drawing ability required.
All sorts of people. Complete beginners who've never held a lino tool. Experienced makers who want to try a new technique. People treating themselves to a creative day out. Friends coming together. People coming on their own. Partners looking for something different to do on a weekend.
The one thing everyone has in common is that they leave having made something they're genuinely pleased with, and usually a little surprised by what they were capable of.
No. This is probably the question we get asked most, and the answer is always the same: lino cutting is a craft, not a fine art. The tools do a lot of the work. Simple, bold designs often make the most striking prints. We'll guide you through the process step by step, and there's no such thing as a wrong print, happy accidents are part of what makes each piece unique.
We start with a brief introduction to the technique and the tools, how to hold them, how to carve safely, how to think about your design. Then you get straight to work on your own block, with Zoe on hand throughout to answer questions, offer guidance and help you troubleshoot if something isn't going quite to plan.
When your block is carved, we move to inking and printing, rolling ink across the block, pressing it onto paper and lifting it to reveal your print for the first time. That moment never gets old.
There's plenty of time to pull multiple prints, experiment with colour, and refine your technique. You'll go home with a small edition of your own work.
We take the making seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. There's always tea (and usually cake), and the atmosphere is relaxed and sociable. Most people arrive not knowing anyone else in the room and leave having had a genuinely lovely time.
If you've never tried lino cutting before, our Introduction to Lino Cut & Printmaking is the place to start. From there, you might want to explore colour with our Jigsaw workshop or Multiblock workshop, or commit to a longer project with our Reduction Course. And if you want a regular creative practice, Print Club is always there for you.
Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to choosing the right lino cutting course.
Browse all our workshop experiences and book your place online. We'd love to have you in the studio.
Not sure which lino cutting tools to buy? We break down the options, from Pfeil to Essdee, and explain why trying a variety in one of our Shropshire workshops is the smartest first step before spending on kit.
From complete beginners to seasoned printmakers, we run lino cutting courses to suit every level from our Shropshire studio. Here's how to choose between our Introduction, Jigsaw, Multiblock, Reduction and Print Club sessions, so you can find the right fit and get making.
