16 Print & printmaking courses in Cowdenbeath

This course will introduce you to the beautiful world of colour analogue photography. Taking as a starting point the work of contemporary photographic artists working with colour, we will discuss and explore theory as well as developing core skills essential for the capture and printing of your own colour images. You will learn how to correctly expose colour negative film and learn more about the characteristics of different types of film and the effects that they can have on an image. Within Stills’ darkrooms you will learn how to process your colour film by hand and print high quality analogue C-Type prints. Day 1 Morning: Colour Theory, Inspiration and Refresher for SLR Camera Controls During the morning we will be looking at contemporary photographers and artists that have used colour to inform their practice in specific ways. We will look at the ways in which colour revolutionized the artworld and vernacular photography. We will also look at basic colour theory, exploring which colours compliment each other and why. We will also refresh basic camera controls, load cameras and head out to the streets to shoot a roll of film. Afternoon: Colour Film Processing During this session, you will learn how to hand process your colour film. We will discuss the loading of the tank and the preparation of the machine to ensure correct processing temperature. We will look at different film types, why you may want to use them and the range of effects that can be produced. Day 2 Morning: Introducing the Colour Darkroom and Contact Sheets You will be introduced to Stills colour darkooms and become familiarised with the range of equipment you will be using. You will be taught how to set up your darkroom for printing, how the colour print processor works and how to print a contact sheet for viewing your negatives. Afternoon: Printing In the afternoon you will be expected to make a series of final C-Type prints. You will be shown techniques to improve your printing skills and produce the images you desire. This last session will allow you time to print with some one-to-one attention. We will discuss some printing techniques to help you get the most from your negatives. We will also have time at the end of the day to look back on all the work produced over the course and discuss it in relation to theory we learnt at the beginning. By the end of the course you will have: Learned more about colour theory and have a knowledge of contemporary artists working with colour photography Learned to process your own colour film Experimented with a variety of specialised darkroom printing techniques Printed contact sheets and a collection of colour photographs Feel confident in a colour darkroom using specialist equipment   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.

Explore quick ways of creating simple images on this lino printing taster workshop with local artist Suzanne Kemplay at The Arienas Collective in Edinburgh City Centre

Join artist Julie Galante for an afternoon of homemade botanical inks made from foraged plants and kitchen scraps. In 2023 Julie dove into ink-making, producing more than 300 inks from over 100 different botanical sources. In this three-hour workshop, Julie will share what she’s learned from all these inky experiments, giving you the skills and knowledge to create your own library of botanical colours. She'll share her core learnings, including the best ways to extract colours, the best plants to use, and how to preserve and store your inks. We'll also cover different ways of finishing your inks depending on how you'd like to use them. Please note this workshop will take place in Julie's Stockbridge studio, which is accessible via three flights of stairs. We will also spend part of the workshop foraging outside, weather permitting, so please dress accordingly. Tea and coffee will be provided.

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.

From propaganda to advertising, posters are a ubiquitous, powerful vehicle to take a message to the masses. Over four weeks, learn how to approach poster design in a creative and practical way. Although some computer work will be introduced, it will only be used as another production tool, participants will be encouraged to experiment with analogue techniques such as collage and hand-generated type. You will learn about the history of poster design; learn to use aspects of Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop; develop approaches to letterform and layout. The emphasis of this course is on the development of a set of posters from research and design through to output. Week 1: History History of Poster Design: Looking at significant and famous posters from around the globe and their impact on society. Practical activity: After a quick introduction to InDesign we will recreate one of these posters, studying the component parts and their relationships to one another. Homework: Think of a concept for your design. What is it for? Who is your target audience? Where and how will it be displayed? Select a favourite poster to bring in or discuss with the group in week 2. Week 2: Image We will begin by discussing participant posters they have brought in to share and look at positives and potential negatives within the designs. Image selection can be a key factor to the success of your poster campaign. We will think about the choices between photography and illustration looking at examples of how this is done successfully. Think about the different ways we can generate and use images. Practical activity: Consider what medium the image might be and how it can be created. Learn about flatbed/film scanner for potential use in image creation. Week 3: Fonts We will look at how typography impacts designs and the messages that it can convey by itself. Consider various approaches to how we can generate type. How typographic selections work alongside selected images. Practical activity: Work through a few typographic workshops thinking about how typographic choices will alter the message you are trying to convey. We will consider various ways and techniques of creating type for our poster. Homework: Developing your typographic solution further, if required. Work through variations of layout. Week 4: Output Continue working on our posters making final tweaks and selecting the poster that is our most successful design for output. We will look at the various formats for output and how we prepare our posters for print. Look at usage of different poster sizes – why use one over the other?? Practical activity: Size your final poster and get it ready for output (if working analogue, scan final poster and upscale).   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).