Botanical Drawing to Print

Delve into the world of plants – reproduce their unique patterns, textures and shapes into handmade accordion books.

Working from your sketches, learn how to develop some of your favourite images into playful print studies using mono-etch, linocut and colour block techniques.

This weekend course is perfect for beginners or anyone who would like to take their passion for creating to another level by experimenting with new and mixed media. You don’t need to be an expert at drawing either. This course embraces playful botanical explorations – find your own style!

All materials are provided, or you are welcome to bring along your own materials and sketchbook to work from if you wish.

Day 1: Saturday 5 October 2024

•            Examples of work shared by tutor covering own sketchbooks and print studies made from observational drawings.

•            Demonstration of mark-making techniques suitable for sketching.

•            Mindful mark-making exercises using various drawing tools.

•            Construct simple handmade accordion books with hardback covers.

•            Sketching from botanic subjects onto various papers.

•            Share and discuss sketches and begin developing sketches ready for print.

Day 2: Sunday 6 October 2024

•            Demonstration of mono-etch and linocut printmaking techniques, incorporating colour blocking.

•            Short talk about linocut tool handling and safety when cutting.

•            Introduction to printmaking inks and papers.

•            How to incorporate learned printmaking techniques into prints from sketches – which printmaking technique would work best to develop sketches, considering shape and form.

•            Begin working on creating botanical sketches into prints.

•            Continuing creating book forms from sketches and printmaking at home without specialist materials.

•            Complete work, tidy up and share thoughts on work produced.

Guidance and support will be on hand throughout from the tutor as well as encouraged shared learning between the course participants.

Tutor Mandeep Dhadialla is an artist printmaker living in Leicester. Drawing inspiration from her childhood in Kenya and migrating to England in her early teens, she is fascinated by telling the story of how people and landscape are in an interconnected cyclical exchange, told through the lens of landscape, plants and colour and light play. “Plants and Place” is her overarching research theme with a current focus on “Front Gardens” – a project about what the impact on flourishing and/or loss of local urban front gardens is on the natural environment, human wellbeing and sense of community.

Mandeep teaches printmaking and bookmaking workshops and exhibits nationally. She also works with arts organisations delivering creative socially engaged projects.

This weekend course is suitable for total beginners, anyone interested in visual arts, those wanting to re-visit printmaking and creating with mixed media or for anyone who would like to take their passion for creating to another level by combining mixed media with different processes in an experimental approach.

Each day will start at 10.30am and finish at 4pm, with a 30 minute break for lunch. Our café will be open or you are welcome to bring your own refreshments.

All materials are provided.

Participants must be aged 18+.

Please ensure that you agree to our updated Terms & 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 arts-centre@le.ac.uk, pop in or call 0116 252 2455, 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.