Sublimation & Foiling Workshop

Heat Press: Sublimation Printing & Foiling

Saturday 22nd November 2025 @ 10:30am-4:30pm

St John’s Hall, Surbiton (free car parking available)

A last minute place has come up for our workshop on Saturday - this was due to be run by Nicole Line but she has had to withdraw for personal reasons. An associate who works regulalry with Nicole is stepping in to run the workshop as planned and is very familiar with the programme and materials used for the day.

Participants will hand-paint and mark-make onto paper using a range of vibrant liquid disperse dyes. These designs will then be transferred onto recycled synthetic fabric using a heat press. You’ll have the opportunity to layer colours and embellish your textile surface with flat objects such as lace, string, grasses, leaves, and netting. We will also experiment with printing using used (and new) sublimation papers and fabric offcuts.

Following this, we’ll introduce foiling techniques, where you can either create standalone foil samples or layer foils onto your sublimation prints. Using paintbrushes and silk screens, you’ll experiment with different application methods to develop striking metallic effects.

Materials list:

· Sketchbook (if you have one).

· Drawing materials and paint brushes will be provided, however you may wish to also bring your own.

· Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for mess, the inks do stain clothing. Aprons will be provided.

· You are welcome to bring along your own project ideas or feel free to take inspiration from the images provided in the workshop, mainly focusing on bold shapes, pattern, colour and texture.

· Sublimation printing works best on synthetic fabrics. In the workshop we will sample print onto A5-A4 recycled synthetic material. Printers are welcome to bring along their own synthetic materials from home or the charity shop, avoid dark colours. You could also bring a white t-shirt and print onto this, see what you have at home. The t-shirt should have a mixture of cotton and synthetic within the garment.

· Do you have any flat textures at home that you would like to print with? Look for garden waste such as leaves, grasses dried flowers and random materials such as lace, string, netting etc.

· In the workshop we are also screen printing, if you have time and the recourses at home, feel free to prep a couple of paper stencils. Keep your designs A4 and use newspaper or normal printing paper. Avoid card.

· Fabric will be provided in the workshop, however if you have any scrap materials such as cotton, calico, linen, leather etc at home feel free to bring this along as the foils work on most surfaces.

Basic refreshments are provided - Please bring your own lunch as options are limited nearby.