Membership
Become a Member and enjoy free access to exhibitions, previews, priority booking, freshly curated content and much more.
Join today
Arts and Crafts Patterns: A Hands-On History
Short course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
.jpg)
Sold out
William Morris and the leading figures in the Arts and Crafts Movement were the most innovative and original designers in Britain in the second half of the 19th century.
Patterns for textiles and wallpapers were one of the most significant and influential areas of their work, rejecting the overblown realism and the artificial symmetry of mid-Victorian design, and introducing motifs such as colourful birds, ripe fruits and flowers in bloom inspired by the hedgerows and meadows of the English countryside.
Following in the footsteps of William Morris, course participants will discover the history, production and use of Arts and Crafts wallpapers and textiles through a mix of lectures, up-close observation and a hands-on printing masterclass. In this course you'll learn how to build layers and colours, draw motifs, play with scale to reproduce two of William Morris's most eminent designs; Strawberry Thief and Larkspur.
Membership Priority Booking opens at 10am on Friday 13 October. General booking opens at 10am on Monday 23rd October.
V&A Academy
Course Contributors
Jo Banham, Daniel Heath
Joanna Banham was an excellent speaker and clearly highly accomplished in the field. A real treat to hear her presentation. Former Student, 2018
Course overview
Day one: On day one you'll be immersed in two lectures on William Morris Wallpapers and Textiles with Jo Banham, former Head of Adult Programmes in the Learning Department, V&A. Followed by a visit to the Prints and Drawings Study room to observe collection pieces close up.
Day Two: Screen print one of William Morris’ designs on a length of paper in mono-colour. Deep dive into the equipment, design structure and carved blocks Morris would have used.
Day Three: Create a repeating design on paper. Learn how to use block repeat, half-drop to wallpaper scale. Learn how to generate a composition, how to use imagery and cut throughs to create infinite puzzle piece.
Day Four: Recreate a William Morris pattern in a multi-layered design.
Day Five: Reimagine the William Morris design in your own colourways, mix your own colour palette and understand the impact colour selection has on design.
By the end of this course you will have:
Screenprinted one of William Morris’ designs on a length of paper in mono-colour. Recreated a William Morris pattern in a multi-layered design. Created a repeating design of your own on paper.
Enrol now
Short course: Arts and Crafts Patterns: A Hands-On History
5 February 2024 - 9 February 2024
£425.00
Sold out
Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
Header image: Furnishing fabric 'Strawberry Thief' of block-printed cotton, designed by William Morris, made by Morris & Co., London, 1883