2 Day Introduction to Letter Cutting in Wood
13-14 September: explore the various processes of letter cutting in wood as you create your own small plaque in this weekend course.
- Booking essential
Discover the art of traditional letter carving in this hands-on, full weekend course for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Guided by an expert craftsperson with over 20 years' experience, you’ll learn the fundamentals of drawing, spacing, and carving letterforms into wood using chisels and mallets. With a focus on precision, patience, and historical techniques, this course blends artistry with craftsmanship to help you create enduring inscriptions.
This course is suitable for anyone with an interest in letter cutting, either as an introduction to the craft or those wishing to extend their skills further. You will create a small plaque. Participants are asked to come with a word they would like to cut.
Your tutor is Tom Ball, an award-winning master carver working in wood and stone from his workshop at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre. Since 2008, Tom has been working in restoration, and in 2020 Tom returned to City and Guilds of London Arts School to work as a tutor. Tom's carving and conservation work can be found in renowned locations around the country.
Our class sizes are small, so you'll have a chance to engage with the tutor while you work.
All materials and tools required for the course will be provided. This course takes place over two days, on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September, 9am-5pm daily. There will be a short break for lunch each day and tea/coffee is provided.
Times
Prices
| Ticket type | Ticket category |
|---|---|
| Adult | £325.00 |
| Concession | £245.00 |
The basics
- Booking details
Call 0344 249 1895
- Suitability
Not suitable for children.
- Meeting point
The Orton Studio at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre in Coleshill village. Follow signs for the Coleshill Estate Office for the car park.
- What to bring and wear
All tools and materials included. Wear practical clothes and shoes suitable for crafting. Please bring your own refreshments (or the means to purchase these from the on-site café).
- Accessibility
Toilets on site, including accessible toilet. Level access into the teaching space. Some uneven surfaces such as cobbles due to the historic nature of the building. Please contact us if you would like to have an informal chat about access before you book.
- Other
Mess room available for course participants to use during breaks. Drinking water and facilities for making tea and coffee available. Refreshments/lunches available to purchase from on-site café. Accommodation not included.
Upcoming events
Guided Tours: Secrets of Coleshill
17 April to 11 October, 1pm and 2.30pm Thursdays and Saturdays: find out more about some of the lesser-known chapters of the estate’s history and look behind the scenes of the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre.
Open Days
10 August, 12 October: visit our exhibition and take a look behind the scenes on one of our Coleshill Village Open Days.
Bishopsland Educational Trust Summer School: Alloys
11-13 August: a 3-day, intermediate-to-advanced course to learn to alloy gold, recycle your own precious metals and gain control over the process of creating sheet and wire.
Exhibition: National Saturday Club Young Makers
12-17 August: an exhibition of work created at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre by talented young people through the National Saturday Club scheme.