Parchment, Paints and Pens is a brand new course created with my friend and colleague Dr Theresa Emmerich Kamper (of Alone Season 8 fame) in Saxons River, Vermont, USA. All the details and bookings are here. May 13-14 2023.
Natural Inks and Paints for Decorating Buckskin and Leather
Click here for booking
– This one-day workshop will be given by Caroline Ross –
Course language is English
Learn how to make traditional natural permanent inks and earth paints for use on buckskin, suede, leather and parchment. Using simple techniques and ancient recipes we will create a range of beautiful colours to decorate bags, clothes and shoes, and inks with which to add fine designs to natural leathers, or to embellish vintage leather.
Using techniques and recipes from the Stone Age to the Renaissance, we will make and use our inks and paints, create drawing tools, and learn what mediums are best in which circumstances.
Many of the things we will make are also good to use on wood, fabric or paper, too.
You will learn:
- what to forage in nature and urban environmentshow to make ink
- how to refine pigments from rocks and clays
- how to make paints with various natural binders that will adhere to leathers and suedes
- make improvised tools for paint application
- learn the principles of colour making to adapt to any environment
- learn the basic chemistry and troubleshooting so that you can experiment and problem-solve on your own
- work from simple natural objects such as leaves and feathers to create beautiful designs
All materials will be provided. You’ll go home with some ink and paints, test swatches on leather. You can also bring a small buckskin or leather item to work on in the session, if you wish.
If you wish you could combine this course with the Buckskin tanning prior to this course on Monday – Wednesday; and stay on location.
Or make it a whole week long course and also enlist also for the Leather Clothing course a weekend earlier.
All three topics are closely related so it makes for a good complete learning curve!
EXTRA info
Duration: Thursday 10:00 am to ± 17:00 pm
Group size: min 5 – max 12
Prerequisites: no previous knowledge or skills needed.
Catering: this course is self catering, EXTRA provides coffee, tea and cookies
Location: The Netherlands, North-East
Included: all needed materials and coffee / tea
Not included: please bring your own lunch and warm clothes
| Upcoming in-person and online classes and courses September 2023 onwards I’ll be returning to teach my unique 5 day Found and Ground natural art materialscourse at Dartington College, Totnes, Devon, UK, 2-6 October 2023. Full details next time, but you can click the link to book already and get further details. |