New surface design short courses!

This spring we’re bringing you three brand new design courses. The short evening courses, three and four weeks long, are taught by accomplished artist Nicola Corrigan and are a great opportunity to expand your art and design skills or learn a new one entirely.

The three adult design courses explore different mediums (textile and ceramic) and both focus exclusively in the design aspect. Here’s a taster of what you’ll learn in each course:

Textile Design for Hand Painting onto Fabrics

(Thursdays 19.30 - 21.00, 9th January - 30th January)

• Learn design skills for producing your own hand painted fabrics
• Produce placement patterns engineered to a shape, all over painterly patterns, pictorial paintings and amazing abstracts
• Design and develop ideas by drawing and painting from inspirational objects, textile collections and mood sheets

Design using Upcycled Fabrics, Applique and Hand Painting

(Thursdays 19.30 - 21.00, 13th February - 5th March)

• Develop design and sewing skills in this course where we will design textile pictures, products and accessories
• We will use upcycled fabrics, beads, buttons and paint
• You’ll develop drawing and design skills to interpret your ideas using stitch, applique, sewn effects and textile painting.

Ceramic Design Skills and Pattern Painting

(Thursdays 19.30 - 21.00, 12th March - 26th March)

• Design patterns for plates, tiles, mugs and other ceramics.
• Develop portfolio skills and one-off pieces
• Learn design and drawing skills to produce inspirational patterns based on decorative items, collections and still life arrangements.
• Design original creations for plain and upcycled base items.
• Use hand paint techniques to develop central patterns, borders and all over designs.

This is not a pottery or ceramics class but a design class where you will transfer your designs and ideas onto ready-made ceramic items. 

Who are these design courses for?

The courses have been designed for all levels of ability, and beginners are welcome. However, as ever, our expert tutors are brilliant at including everyone and, if you have taken a course previously or taught yourself and wish to take your skills to the next level, Nicola will also support and challenge you.

So, if you’ve taken an art, interior design or illustration course in the past, here at the Conservatoire or elsewhere, you will most certainly appreciate these specialist courses. Equally, the courses will appeal to you as well if you’re new and up for a new challenge.

You don’t need to take all the three courses. However, we find that  may of our short courses students like them so much that they enroll in more than a short course each term.

Express yourself!

If you have a distinct sense of style and like to inject your own personality in your clothes, homeware or soft furnishings, then these courses are perfect for you. You will gain the skills required to effectively upcycle and hand paint fabrics, and customize fabrics and ceramics.

About The Conservatoire

At The Conservatoire in Blackheath, we are determined to provide inspirational and life-enhancing opportunities for people of all ages to develop their creative potential.

Whatever your age, needs or previous experience, we believe that an outstanding creative education is based on:

• A positive, supportive and high expectations environment
• A love of learning and creative expression fostered by outstanding Tutors
• A culture of praise, celebration and collaboration
• An individual approach to each learner which helps you make great progress

Whatever stage you are in your creative journey, the Conservatoire has a course to challenge, inspire and enhance your life.

About Nicola Corrigan

Nicola is an accomplished multi-faceted artist / textile/ surface pattern designert. You can find out more about her on Nicola’s website Here’s the book she published in 2018, Understanding and Using A Sewing Machine.