If you are new to the Studio, or haven’t been for some time, you will find some useful information below about your studio time.
Our Open Access sessions are run by volunteers who supervise sales of materials, access to services and take bookings. They also have a remit for any health and safety issues with the use of equipment.
OA are not teaching sessions so you should have enough experience in your chosen technique to be able to work independently. All of our printmaking workshops have had support notes and these are available on the studio for reference. You can also consult any books from the small library of printmaking books we hold for reference. We also recommend a selection on our website and if you purchase through us this way, we receive a small commission.
If you need support to be able to work independently, or wish to learn a new technique, there are a number of options available – you can take a workshop, arrange an induction to the Studio, or book one-to-one tuition. Please refer to Your Creative Practice for more information. We offer an annual programme of workshops, many of which are aimed at beginners or those in need of a refresher. Please see our current workshops here.
How to book
Open Access sessions must be booked in advance. When you first become a member, you will be invited to join a WhatsApp group if you have provided us with a mobile phone number on your application form.
Through this group you will be able to book a session on a Tuesday or Thursday morning on a regular basis and to see if a specific piece of equipment is available. Members will be notified of occasional evening /weekend sessions which can be booked through the Group. Keyholder members can use the same Group to check availability, book time and a specific piece of equipment.
If you are already a member and have not joined the group. Text Anne Gullick on 07811529926 and ask to join the group SPW Open Access booking
As the Studio is not staffed on a day-to-day basis, it is best not to contact us on the Studio landline. Instead, OA bookings can also be made by email. Please remember, that with only voluntary support in the Studio, there may be a delay before we can respond.
Please reference our Keeping in Touch page for up-to-date contact details.
You can also check the Members’ Noticeboard for any current information on availability, for example during holiday periods.
Cancellations
Please give as much notice as possible if you need to cancel any OA session. We would prefer this to be actioned through the WhatsApp group.
Your first OA session
At your first OA session, the OA supervisor will show you around the studio and its facilities, take you through the administration and Health & Safety requirements. You must book this induction with us before you can use the Studio independently. To do this please contact us through the WhatsApp group. For other ways to contact us please go to Keeping in Touch.
Paying for OA and materials
For every OA session, you will need to complete a Sales Sheet for the time spent in the studio and any materials you have used. The OA supervisor will take you through this on your first session. They will take the payment from you on the day.
Please pay by card or cash.
We aim to keep a good stock and range of materials for the processes supported by our facilities. In the studio, we provide information to help you make the best choice of materials for your process e.g. which paper to use. Please ask the OA Supervisor to show you where this information is held.
Please see the Materials List for the items we currently stock for sale. For current prices, please pick up a sales sheet from the Studio.
Collecting your Artwork from the Studio
Please NOTE: If artwork is not collected from the Studio following Open Access sessions, workshops, an exhibition or other event or activity within a reasonable period of time (usually 8 weeks maximum) and/or following notification/requests for the item to be collected, we reserve the right to either dispose of or sell as donated artwork towards our funds.
All members are responsible for their own artwork in the Studio. We have limited storage space and are volunteer-run so we do not have to the capacity to manage artwork which is left uncollected longer than a reasonable time period. (e.g. to dry).
Making the most of studio time
We want you to make the most of your studio time, and once you are familiar with a technique there are certain elements of preparation which can be done at home before your OA session.
COLLAGRAPH | Once you know what sort of materials print well, it is easy to make your plates at home so that you are ready to print when your session starts. It also ensures that the glue is thoroughly dry.
RELIEF | Any of the relief processes we cover | woodcuts | linocuts| wood engraving |vinyl | can be cut at home if you have your own set of tools.
ETCHING | Etching plates can be coated and then “cooked” in our oven. You can then spend time at home drawing on them and preparing for the etching process.
SCREENPRINTING | Trugrain positives – Any number of colours can be prepared at home using hand drawn methods. Transparencies can be prepared at home using Photoshop or other image manipulation programmes. If you have a tablet, designing for screenprint positives is easy. We use a very cheap app called SketchbookPro.