The perfect Mother's Day gift! On the very cusp of British Summertime starting we’ll be spending an appropriately colourful afternoon steeped in drawing/painting Spring Flowers. The studio will be full of plants such as mini iris, grape hyacinths, tulips, primroses and daffodils. There will be cut flowers in still-life arrangements and a wealth of beautiful photo references to work from too. We’ll take inspiration from Scottish Colourist Samuel John Peploe’s tulip paintings amid an immersive, fun afternoon of Spring botanicals. All levels of artistic abilities are embraced in this workshop so it’s a great opportunity to try out a class with plant-lady tutor Suzanne Gibson. All materials and refreshments will be provided - including cake and a complimentary glass of fizz. Minimum class numbers apply.
In this session, we’ll explore how conscious breathing can help reduce stress and bring calm into any moment of the day. Through three simple steps, you’ll learn how to reconnect with your breath, soothe your nervous system, and release accumulated tension in the body. This practice is ideal for those new to breathwork as well as those looking to deepen their ability to manage stress naturally and effectively. This class is spondsored by the Lottery Community Fund, Awards for All and run by David Palacios from Essence Scotland, breathwork instructor and more. By attending this class you release the teacher, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending.
This short course will help you take your images from the screen to final professional-quality prints. We will walk through the processes and techniques needed to take the mystery out of this often daunting and overlooked part of the creative process. By the end of the day you will have gained the skills and confidence to take digital files through preparation in Photoshop, optimisation, and onto physical test printing, adjustments and final output on Stills’ large format Epson inkjet printer. We’ll cover areas critical to the desired outcome including screen and print calibration, paper choice and ICC profile use. By the end of the day you will have two A3 prints on premium Hahnemule matt or gloss papers. Participants should have a basic understanding of Photoshop and attend with a selection of their own RAW files or high resolution TIFFs to work with through the practical exercises. Morning We will begin with evaluating our images and processing the file to maximise print quality output. We will then use Adobe Bridge, Adobe Camera Raw & Adobe Photoshop for the optimisation process. Participants will be guided in preparing their images ready for test printing, before evaluating and adjusting. Discussion will cover using ICC profiles, screen and print calibration, colour rendering, canvas sizing, and sharpening for final print output on various media. Afternoon We will then put the skills we have learned into practice, producing and evaluating test prints before undertaking our final A3 digital inkjet prints. Each participant will finish the session with two finished prints. There will be plenty of opportunity for participants to ask questions at every stage, so that you feel confident and can make informed decisions throughout the whole process. This course is designed for those who are already familiar with some digital photography processes but who want to pursue a particular aspect and develop skills in a specific genre. It is the perfect follow-on from our Digital SLR training courses and will support you in building upon your existing knowledge and allow you to work confidently on your own projects. Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout.
A perfect follow-on course for those who have already completed an introductory darkroom printing course, or who have a reasonable level of B&W darkroom printing experience. Please bring B&W negatives (35mm or medium format) that relate to each other in some way (subject matter, tonal range, environment etc.) as we will be making a number of prints that can be read as a series. Please note: This course only covers the printing of images and participants should therefore bring previously processed negatives and if you have one, a printed contact sheet along to the session. All other materials (including a range of papers) will be provided. Class sizes are currently limited to 4 participants to enable social distancing throughout the course. Morning Presentation and analysis of what makes a successful series of photographs, and how the final print can be crafted to accentuate the photographer’s artistic intent Reading the negative and pre-visualising the print Re-cap of darkroom skills – including overview of single filter printing, test strips and making a work print Learning how to split-filter print Afternoon Making a printing plan Using fibre based paper Plenty of practical darkroom time to work on your images and gain confidence in the new skills and processes Finishing your prints Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout. Stills uses ILFORD PHOTO chemicals on this course that can potentially pose a risk to pregnant and breast feeding women and asthmatics. We take every care to ensure good working practices and adequate ventilation in our darkrooms. If you feel you may be adversely affected, please visit the Health and Safety section of Ilford’s website for further information. General Guidance Notes for Pregnant and Breast Feeding Women and Asthmatics: From a risk assessment standpoint, provided all necessary control measures (such as good working practices, adequate ventilation, and the use of appropriate PPE) are in place then pregnant and breastfeeding women should be able to continue to work safely with photochemical products.Inhalation is the main route by which fumes and gases enter the body, making good ventilation a high priority. Exposure to irritant chemicals that would not affect most people may provoke an asthma attack in a person who already has asthma. For example, low levels of the gas sulphur dioxide can be produced by some ILFORD PHOTO processes. Most individuals would be unaffected but asthmatics may suffer adverse affects. ILFORD PHOTO products include no known human carcinogens, and no substances to which phrase R46 (May cause heritable genetic damage) or R64 (May cause harm to breastfed babies) applies. Most ILFORD PHOTO developers use hydroquinone, and their classification therefore includes R40 (Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect) and R68 (Possible risk of irreversible effects). Some ILFORD PHOTO chemicals use boric acid or borates. These substances are classified as toxic for reproduction. As a result, the classification of some of the powder developers includes R60 (May impair fertility) and R61 (May cause harm to the unborn child).
We are all Cosmic Sparks, children of the Cosmos. The whole Universe is infinite, conscious Energy and this is our source, our home. How do you imagine your cosmic home? How could you paint it? As a portal? A shining perfect star? Maybe you would express the vision of the infinite Universe as a symbol? During painting, I will guide you if you would like to, and will give you professional advice on how to paint and draw. The artwork will be yours to keep and your memory from the workshop.
Enjoy a morning in a small circle of women, in nature, connecting to yourself & nature in a mix of mindfulness, adventure, nature connection, women & community.