From the ancient craftsmanship to the cutting-edge digital technology: HCA’s excellent facilities set us apart from other institutions.
Technical Demonstrators
Whether you are rehearsing for a performance, recording sound, editing a film, animating, making jewellery or screen printing; our technical demonstrators are on hand to help and guide you. They are all experts in their fields, and play a crucial role in your practical learning at HCA. Many of our technical demonstrators are still active designer-makers or performers in their own right. They are passionate about their disciplines, and equally passionate about passing on their knowledge and expertise.
With their help, you will be introduced to new processes and skills giving you the confidence to use a range of specialist tools, techniques, processes and practices. They will support you as you make your ideas come to life. Find our more about our dedicated team by exploring our staff page.
“I love those magic moments when you see a student realising I’ve got this.”
Ian Berrill, Senior Technical Demonstrator
At HCA we encourage the exploration of traditional processes alongside innovative techniques, and this is echoed by the variety and accessibility of our workshops and studios.
“The technical staff are amazing, nothing is ever too much trouble, they are always patient, knowledgeable and friendly”
Quote from internal HCA Survey
Ceramics Plaster and Glass
In this highly experimental workshop, you’ll learn a broad range of ceramics processes including coiling, slab building, and throwing. You will also have the opportunity to explore glass slumping and fusing. You will be encouraged to ‘play’ with a range of surface application processes such as, screen printing, photographic transfer, embossing and relief, as well as using plaster and casting methods.
Print Making
Our exceptional printmaking workshops offer a huge range of print possibilities – from relief processes such as linocutting, woodblock and letterpress, to intaglio processes such as drypoint, collagraph and etching, as well as lithography and screen printing. We also have many different print presses to use, including a prized 180-year-old Albion on which we can print with our extensive collection of vintage wooden and metal type.
Photography
Our photography workshop and dark room facilities provide an opportunity for you to gain experience using a huge variety of both digital and traditional techniques. We offer open access workshops for all levels of ability and encourage experimentation in traditional photography methods such as; pin hole, photogram, cyanotype and wet processing.
Small metals
This unique small metals workshop is our specialist area for jewellery and small-scale making. You will explore and develop ideas in form, surface decoration, and colour, in a variety of non-ferrous and precious metals. You will learn the properties of materials and the processes used to manipulate them such as, annealing, press forming, embossing, photoetching, fabrication, and hot and cold connections.
3D Fabrication
The 3D workshop is a wildly creative environment where you can explore your curiousity about materials and their properties. Here, you will discover diverse materials, tools, technologies and processes. The workshop facilities allow you to work in acrylic, metal, wood, textiles, jesmonite, small metals and also experiment with a range of vinyl, laser cutting and 3D printing machines.
A range of students use the workshop facilities to complement their practice in areas such as Textiles, Ceramics, Small Metals and Printmaking.
Textiles
This multi-disciplinary and vibrant workshop will challenge your approach to textiles. It will encourage you to be innovative and experimental. As you approach textiles and surface pattern, you’ll develop skills in stencil and UV screen printing, 3D flocking, foiling, sublimation and heat transfer printing, alongside constructed textiles such as knit, weave, stitch and material manipulation.
Animation
HCA offers used of state of the art drawing tablets: Cintiqs, excellent Stop Motion facilities including a dedicated space with lighting rig, along with an impressive range of industry standard software including Dragonframe.
Wide format and digital printing
We have a number of 3D printers and a wealth of expertise to assist you when creating 3D objects using AutoCAD. Our wide format printing studio enables you to produce high quality digital prints in excess of four meters long, print banners, high quality photographs, and print on a range of media such as: canvass, transparent film, fine art papers, and photo papers.