Drawings in Drypoint

Discover the art of drypoint in this one-day hands-on workshop. Learn to create rich lines, texture, and shading on plates, experiment with mark-making, and produce your own expressive prints. Perfect for beginners or anyone looking to explore this printmaking technique.

You’ll learn the fundamentals of the technique, including how to prepare plates, use etching tools safely, and experiment with line, texture, and shading. Through guided demonstrations and practical exercises, you’ll explore a range of mark-making approaches—from delicate lines to bold, expressive scratches—and see how these translate into printed images. You will also learn how to ink, wipe, and print your plate onto paper, gaining an understanding of how pressure, ink consistency, and technique affect the final result.

By the end of the day, you’ll have your own expressive prints to take home and an understanding of drypoint techniques that you can continue to explore.

About the tutor: Tutor Jo Shearer is an artist and art educator living and working in Leicestershire. Her belief is that art is for everyone. She studied Visual BA (Hons) Arts and English Literature and a PGCE in secondary art. She taught in schools and colleges in Hertfordshire and Leicestershire for over 10 years and now runs community workshops. She enjoys nurturing creativity and developing individuals’ skills to build confidence in their own work as well as evoking a sense of calm and release of emotions through the process of making.