Botanical Linocuts

Be inspired by different species of leaves, plants and flowers to create a unique botanical linocut.

In this one-day workshop learn about the relief printing process, tools and techniques to carve lino and have fun experimenting with the printing process to produce your own series of nature inspired prints.

At the end of the day, you will be familiar with the basic techniques of linocut, have an understanding of how to carve a plate safely and effectively and how to print using specialist tools and equipment.

At the beginning of the workshop, you’ll start by producing drawings based on leaves and plants, then develop these into your ideas for a print, adapting and stylising your design to make an effective lino print.

You will then explore the importance of mark making in your work and learn the processes of transferring an image to lino, cutting the lino using a range of tools, and experimenting with the printing process, including hand-printing and colour layering.

Suitable for absolute beginners and those who have some experience but would like to learn more about lino printing.

Tutor Jo Shearer is an artist and art educator living and working in Leicestershire. Her belief is that art is for everyone. It is another language for expressing and communicating our experiences, thoughts and emotions which often reflect the world around us and how we fit into it. Art can demonstrate a tremendous level of skill and be aesthetically pleasing; however, the greatest strength is in its capacity to express and unite people. Jo studied Visual BA (Hons) Arts and English Literature and a PGCE in secondary art. She taught in schools and colleges in Hertfordshire and Leicestershire for over 10 years. After leaving mainstream education she continued her love of teaching through tutoring and went on to develop workshops like this one. She enjoys the freedom to work in a variety of media and has an ever-increasing love for print. She enjoys nurturing creativity and developing individuals' skills to build confidence in their own work as well as evoking a sense of calm and release of emotions through the process of making. Her personal work explores the spaces that we inhabit, the collection of experiences and emotions that connect us to a place and the inherent beauty of the natural world in all its forms.

This one-day workshop will start at 10:30am and end at 4:30pm, with a short break for lunch. Our café will be open or you are welcome to bring your own refreshments.

All materials and equipment will be provided. Please dress in old clothes and/or bring an apron as printing can get messy!

Participants must be aged 14+. Under 18s must be accompanied by a paying adult at all times.

Please ensure that you agree to our updatedTerms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable in some circumstances.

We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome - just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email, pop in or call, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

FREE PARKING FOR ALL CUSTOMERS IS AVAILABLE AFTER 5PM ON WEEKDAYS AND ALL DAY AT WEEKENDS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER CAR PARK NEXT DOOR TO ATTENBOROUGH ARTS CENTRE ON LANCASTER ROAD.

The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort Hall).