Bristol Folk House

Phytogram & Chemigram: Painting with Chemistry

Start date: 15 February 2025

Day: Saturday

Course length: 1 Day Course

Time: 13:30 to 16:30

Course code: SA36

Full fee: £48.50 | Over 65s: £43.65 | Benefit: £38.80

Tutor: Sophie Sherwood

Courses description

Using vitamin C tablets and washing soda, you will learn how to make your very own light sensitive chemistry. This can then be applied on to light sensitive materials such as 35mm film to create unique prints. This process was discovered by the artist Karel Doing as a way for people to connect with nature more through photography. In the workshop, we will make relief prints using this process with leaves from the Folk House courtyard, after which we will process these using darkroom fixer to make them translucent. We will then use these to create darkroom prints using the chemigram method.

The chemigram is a painterly process, which can be applied to light-sensitive materials using phytogram chemistry, fixer, and resistant materials such as Vaseline. They can seem like images from another world, and often have a very psychedelic feel. In the second half of the workshop, you will learn how to create your own chemigrams in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the Folk House, and be asked to build up layers using other techniques, such as lumen printing and sabbatier in conjunction with your phytogram prints made earlier in the session.

This workshop is in the darkroom, it is very much a standing workshop and in a small space.

Student Testimonial:

This workshop was an amazing experience. I was curious to learn more about the phytogram method and its outcome. Sophie's teaching was enlightening and left me with lots of curiosities which I can't wait to experiment by myself. Really recommend this.

Sophie's other workshops:

Lumen Printing

Anthotype and Chlorophyll printing

Phytogram & Chemigram

Mud Photography

Cameraless Photography

Scanography

Please note: All 10, and 12 week courses have a half term break in the middle. For term dates please visit our Contact us page. We are not open on bank holiday Mondays and any class that falls on these days will be made up at the end of term.

Fees

You will need to have paid in full for your course or workshop to guarantee your place. We do not accept deposits or part payments. Courses and workshops are becoming increasingly popular, so please book early in order to guarantee your place.
We do offer concession rates for anyone over 65, NHS staff (blue light cards), Students or claiming the benefits listed below. As we are a self-funded organisation we receive no financial support, in order to offer these rates.
The concessionary rate is for those whose sole source of income is from a state benefit. We accept Universal Credit, Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance. Please show a recent letter or statement stating your benefit when enrolling.

Refunds

In the event that we have to cancel a course, we aim to inform you 2 working days before the start date, or at least 24 hours before a day workshop. If we have to cancel a course, then you will receive a full credit note or refund.
If you wish to cancel your place you must inform us up to 14 days before the start date of your course or workshop. In this case you will receive a refund minus a 15% admin fee.
If you give us less than 14 days notice, or your course or workshop has already started a refund will be not given.

Please see full terms and conditions for more information.

Latecomer

If a course has already started, please call the office as it may be possible to join after the start date. This may only be possible if the course is not already full, if it is not disruptive for the other students and you are aware that you have missed a percentage of the course and the tutor will not have time to catch you up. This will be at discretion of the Folk House. We run our courses termly, so it might be best to start at the beginning of the course.

Levels

You must be over 18 years old to attend a course or workshop at the Bristol Folk House.
All our courses and workshops are non-accredited and will not receive a certificate for attending.
We offer a range of courses at all levels and our tutors make every effort to accommodate your individual needs. Before choosing you may want to speak to the tutor to make sure the course is right for you. Please contact the office.
To join all of our courses you must be able to follow written and verbal instructions and you may be invited to take part in group discussions. Please look at the rest of the course outline carefully to decide if you may benefit from any additional support to help you to take part in this class. Please contact the office if you require any further information.
If you have a disability, learning difficulty or mental health issue which may affect your participation in your chosen course please contact the office prior to enrolling. If you will need to bring a career or support worker with you to the class, please inform the office when enrolling so we can make arrangements.

Access/ Parking

Much as we would like to provide access for all, the Folk House has no level access or accessible facilities.
We have no onsite car parking at the Bristol Folk House but there are many paid parking spots in the area. Please ask us for details on parking or see our website for more detail.
We are on a busy bus route and have plenty of bike racks in our courtyard garden.