Phytogram & Chemigram: Painting with Chemistry

Name: Phytogram & Chemigram: Painting with Chemistry
Start: 2025-10-18T13:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-10-18T16:30:00+01:00
Location: 40A Park Street, BS1 5JG Bristol, United Kingdom

Schedule

Sat Oct 18 2025 at 01:30 pm to 04:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

40A Park Street, BS1 5JG Bristol, United Kingdom | Bristol, EN

Start date: 18 October 2025
Day: Saturday
Course length: 1 Day
Course Time: 13:30 to 16:30
Course code: SA36
Full fee: £45.00 | Over 65s: £40.50 | Benefit: £36.00
Tutor: Sophie Sherwood
Course 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.
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. 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.
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.

Materials
You are encouraged to bring along objects which can be flattened such as leaves, feathers, materials, textured papers, that you may want to use to make your prints. Please also bring an apron to protect your clothes.
Please be aware that the Folk House Darkroom is a small space and this is very much a standing workshop.
Please get in touch if you have any additional needs that would be helpful for us to know about, and we will try to arrange adjustments for you to better access the workshop. If you need to bring a carer with you, please let us know in advance so we can ensure there is enough space. Email us on [email protected] or call us on 01179262987.