News

Cultured prints

Pupils from the Blessed Thomas Holford School in Altrincham spent the day trying out print techniques with artist Alan Birch. BTEC pupils worked on a variety of collograph and dry points, whilst Year 10 pupils experimenterd with drypoints. Themes were landscape and images inspired by other cultures.  An excellent body of work was produced which […]

Bury Grammar School for Boys

Pupils from the sixth form and GCSE classes spent a day printing with Alan Birch at school. Studies from sketchbooks were used to create collographs, dry points and chine collie images. These prints will be used to compliment GCSE coursework and A Level work.

Seaside prints.

Alan Birch worked with members of Blackpool Art Society to produce a range of images using a variety of print techniques. Members were introduced to collograph, perspex drypoint, chine collie and card engraving during a busy day. Artists worked tirelessly throughout the day, many completing over 6 prints.  

Inspired by Piper

The current exhibition of  landscape paintings at the Whitworth in Manchester has inspired several groups to produce prints ay the Whitworth and Manchester Central Library. For Wellbeing week, a range of artists , some students and staff from Manchester University experienced printmaking for the first time in sessions let by Alan Birch.       […]

Lino weekend

Regular printmakers from Prospect Studio worked with Yorkshire printer Stuart Brocklehurst for a weekend in February. Over 2 days artists produced 6 colour reduction lino cuts, some printed by hand as demonstrated by Stuart.  Stuart demonstrated his hand burnishing technique and showed examples of his landscape prints. A wide variety of prints were made , […]

Printing Opportunities!

Feel the urge to print? Alan Birch will be running workshops at various locations within the North West over the next few months. Workshops will be taking place at:- Whitworth Art Gallery in March linked to John Piper exhibition  www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/    ( adults ) John Rylands Library in March and April in conjunction with the […]

Mehndi prints!

Pupils from Cavendish Primary School visited the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester to work with artist Alan birch to produce some exquisite relief  prints. The prints using patterned wallpapers, some incredibly from the Whitworth collection of sample books from over 100 years ago, took their inspiration from Mehndi body decoration. The pupils were well prepared […]

Printing Frenzy.

Teachers from Manchester Catholic secondary and sixth form colleges came together at Loreto sixth form college in Hulme to explore the world of print. Exploring the theme of landscape and pattern, and working alongside artist Helen Hallows, teachers expressed themselves freely through the technique of collograph, relief and drypoint. Using wallpapers. water based inks and […]

Printing in Sheffield

To celebrate the completion of their investigation into the world of print. year 3 pupils from Totley Primary School in Sheffield  spent a day working with printmaker Alan Birch. Pupils, teachers and artists braved the snowy weather to complete their work.The pupils had already researched the work of Guttenberg, Berwick amongst others and created relief […]

Academicians prints.

GCSE students from Accrington Academy spent an entire day with printmaker Alan Birch, working in a variety of print techniques to enhance their coursework, prior to starting their exam work. 20 pupils worked tirelessly experimenting with intaglio, relief and collaged prints. Working on the theme of natural forms the novice  printmakers, used their coursework to […]

War show comes to an end.

  Alan Birch will be showing 20 of his prints from the series of 83 etchings based on Goya’s Disasters of War. The exhibition “ War “ will be on at the Bradford Gallery, in the Yorkshire Craft Centre, Bradford College from 25th January to 22nd February 2013. The gallery is open 11am to 4 […]

Screen printing!

Alan Birch has just taken delivery of some new silk screen frames and fabric ink, should anyone be interested in organising a screen  printing workshop, please contact me. Below are some past examples of T – shirt printing.     

Rakes progress prints

In conjunction with the exhibition of etchings   ” the Rakes Progress” by David Hockney, pupils from Manchester College produced some excellent prints based on their own life experiences. As part of the portfolio development day pupils also chatted to education staff and degree students.     Hi Alan Thanks so much for getting back […]

Festive Fairs!

Congratulations and thanks to all the class members who took part in the various fairs and markets during November and December. In spite of tough times sales were buoyant at Manchester, Chorlton and Bury. Over 50 prints were sold and numerous cards found their way to new homes. Particular thanks to Chris and Lorraine for […]

Independent Prints!

Art teachers from the Liverpool Heads of Art and Design explored the potential of printmaking as part of their training day in December. Teachers  welcomed the chance to be creative  and produced intaglio , chine colle and relief prints in the art department . The day proved so successful  that other schools have enquired about […]