Leatherwork for Beginners

About

15 - 19 August 2022
Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
Nottingham Trent University
£595

This practical course will introduce you to the process of traditional, hand-crafted leatherworking and how to make belts, pouches and other accessories.

You will also explore surface decoration techniques, along with the processes of ageing and distressing leather.

This course is ideal for those who are interested in craft and accessory design who are keen to understand the processes of leatherworking and surface decoration.

It's also perfect for fashion and costume makers and is a fantastic skill for people who have an interest in battle re-enactments, live action role-playing and cosplay as the skills you'll learn are very transferrable.

During the course you will:

- learn which types of leather are suitable for different garments and accessories
- experiment with leather stamping and surface decoration
- explore leather manipulation techniques
- produce a piece of hand-tooled pattern
- try dyeing and surfacing leather to create different effects.

By the end of the course, you'll have created a leather belt with a stamped and tooled surface, as well as a hand-finished bag that you have constructed from a pattern.

Level: Beginner

Entry requirement: No experience with leather is required. Basic sewing skills will be an advantage.

Where you'll learn: You will be based in the Bonington building at the City Campus, the dedicated art and design hub.

You will have access to an excellent range of facilities and equipment in the leather and accessory design studios, with leather cutting tools, a leather embossing press and leather provided.

You'll also have access to the library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can't reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

Tutor Profile: Enda Kenny is a costume and prop designer whose work has been featured extensively in TV shows like Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials, Krypton and The Frankenstein Chronicles. He has also worked on films including Pirates of the Caribbean, King Arthur, The Wolfman and The Golden Compass. Enda is based in Northern Ireland where he works across a variety of disciplines including leatherwork, millinery, prop costume and costume design. He has extensive experience of supervising creative teams on projects in the UK, Ireland, France, Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

Need accommodation?

You can book a self-catered, single room with private bathroom on the city campus, right next door to the studios and classrooms.