-Elisabeth Viguie Culshaw-
BOTANICAL CONTACT PRINTING ON PAPER
From July 17 to 24, 2025
Teacher's presentation
Elisabeth Viguie-Culshaw is a French born textile artist who lives in Glasgow (Scotland) where she runs a sustainable dye studio in the West end.
She was originally trained by Christie’s in conservation stencilling and curated building refurbishments for many years before turning her hands into anything Eco. She travels to Asia regularly and studied with many masters. She works with Botanical printing and a lot of Indigo techniques.
She grows a Natural dyes garden in the grounds of the Glasgow Botanical Garden #theindigoplot and she runs as well as her workshops online a global project #thetruecolourofthecotinus that is about eco-printing Cotinus leaves to create the colour blue. She specialises in Eco-printing on paper and teaches this online.
The Training
7 days (plus one day off) to learn Botanical printing on paper using natural dyes and tannins in the South of France from 17 to 24th of July 2023. Full residential at Montbrun-Bocage.
Detailed program
July 17:
Introduction to Botanical Printing and upgrading to natural dyeing and mordanting through a practical session. Inventory of plants available around the center and in the village.
Morning 9 am-1 pm: Inventory of local plants and research in the surroundings of the training center for plants that will be used during the paper printing course.
Afternoon 2pm-5pm: Identification and classification of plants collected. Inventory of natural dyes brought by the trainer, and brought back from her dyeing experiences in the Orient
July 18:
Morning 9 am-1 pm and afternoon 2pm-5pm: We will learn about paper and how to prepare it, we will talk mordants and both prepare mordant bath and dyes bath. We will mordant papers to be starting printing on 19th July.
July 19:
Botanical printing using simmering into dye bath. Preparation of the blankets for steaming.
July 20th:
FREE DAY. There will be no tuition or supervision on that day but you will have access to the studio if you must to make preparation, review your work, check your notes.
There is a possibility to visit the weekly market at Montbrun-Bocage until 2pm and the Artisan Village (to organise with La Couetch)
July 21:
Botanical printing using a steaming method and blankets with natural dyes and tannins.
July 22:
Practise of both techniques on bigger format. Participants will choose the method they prefer or a mix. We will put together a large communal print.
July 23:
Preparation and use printing botanical pastes and discharge to modify existing prints. Finishing techniques, question time, free play time. Last chance for printing (pots will be stopped on 23rd July at 5pm).
July 24:
Book making, share of techniques to use paper, setting up an exhibition. At 3pm we will go around the tables and review each participant’s work, operate a show and tell and review the results.
Monitoring of execution and evaluation methods
Attendance sheets.
Learning is supported by practical demonstrations, one-on-one consultations and illustrated help and explanations.
Training evaluation forms.
Materials available for students
Each participant will benefit from a suitable individual workstation, with individual table adjustable in height and dyeing equipment.
Large light and bright workshop, abundant library specializing in textile art and colors.
The center will provide a dyeing kit with paper, mordants and related products needed for the work, 2m of french terry per person. This kit is included in the cost of the training.
Level of prior knowledge and prerequisites
This content is suitable for beginners, this technique cannot be used on fabric as the rules of mordanting are very different.
Target audience
Designers, decorators, artists and craftsmen wishing to acquire skills in natural dyeing on paper.
Personal Financing Rate
7-day training course (49 hours): €980.
This price corresponds to 7 days of training and includes the provision of a basic dye kit for sampling.
Maximum number of students: 8
Accommodation
Our residence is the ideal place to sleep on site throughout your training. If you would like to know more, write to us at contact@feutreformationfrance.fr
Material to bring
Apron and gloves, comfortable clothes, and shoes (we will stand up a lot).
A foraging bag (a large bag to gather botanical).
All paper will be provided but you will need to take prints back with you, but you could bring small selection of your favourite paper to try it. You could also bring printed paper to try (Musical sheet etc…), some textured fabric to create shapes on your prints.
All Botanical will be provided but you could bring a few of your favourite leaves to try
Small stencils or stamps/screens to use with our print paste.
Notebook, camera (phone) to take notes.
Any natural dye from your stash you may want to try. (We will supply all dyes).
Bag to take your prints away.
Scissors, ruler, pencils and pens, needles and embroidery thread, craft knife.
The training center will provide a dyeing kit with 2m of French terry, 240gr paper, mordants and additional products necessary for the work. All other major equipment will also be provided by the center.