About
Ripples on water, the lay of fallen leaves, the structure of a fern, or wind moving over long grass – subjects such as these can make great woodcuts.
Woodblock printmaking is both an art and a craft, full of surprise and beauty, and a traditional art form that is also contemporary. Learn how to create woodblock prints, starting with your ideas and moving through each step: designing, cutting, offsetting, registering, printing and editioning with both translucent and opaque colours. Techniques taught in this course will draw on the tutor’s studies in China, and her own practice.
Students will develop their ideas, creating atmosphere and impact, through observation and imagination, and learn all the techniques they need in order to develop their own handwriting and voice.
We will start with exercises in cutting and working in black and white, before experimenting with multi-blocks.
Key Information
Who is this course for?
All levels of ability and experience are welcome. You must be aged 18 or over to participate in our programmes.
What should I bring to class?
All materials will be provided.
Please wear comfortable clothing that you do not mind getting slightly messy. Avoid wearing baggy clothing (especially sleeves), loose jewellery, high heels or open-toed shoes.
What days/times do I attend?
Monday – Friday, 26 – 30 October 2026, 10:00 – 16:30
How many students can attend?
10 people
Where will this course take place?
This course will take place at our studios at The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, 19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG.
FAQs
Do you offer concessions?
Yes, we offer concessions for Seniors/60+, full-time students and people who are unemployed/in receipt of benefits.
Concessions cannot be applied in retrospect. To receive a concession, please apply via our online form. We will then send you a discount code to use when booking your space.
Terms & Conditions
The School reserves the right to discontinue or suspend a Course up to fourteen (14) calendar days before the advertised start date of the Course. This course requires a minimum number of enrollments to run.
The School may take and use images of you and/or your work for course advertisement and social media purposes.
Our normal terms and conditions apply.
Tutor Biography
Merlyn Chesterman was brought up in Hong Kong and returned to England to study Fine Art under Adrian Heath and Howard Hodgkin at the Bath Academy of Art in Corsham in the 1960s. She also holds a postgraduate teaching diploma. She became a woodblock printmaker in 2000, after a visit to Northern China.
She has exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy Summer Show, the London Original Print Show at the RA, and with the Society of Wood Engravers and the Society of Painter-Printmakers. She was the signature poster artist for the Guanlan Resident International Artists in China, an invited artist at the Shanghai International Printmaking Show and conference, and studied on an Arts Council-funded trip to the Purple Bamboo Studio at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.
Merlyn was a Short Course tutor at West Dean College, Chichester for nearly 20 years and was the founding member of Pine Feroda, a collaboration of woodblock printmakers who have also exhibited at the Royal Academy and shown widely. She is also a Fellow and on the Council of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.
