The Arienas Collective

We offer two options for our advanced sketching workshop with artist Mark Kirkham, known locally as The Edinburgh Sketcher. Option One: Georgian Landscapes While walking around our local Georgian streets and lanes, focusing on two illustrations, you will learn how to use composition and perspective to draw the eye into your painting. Option Two: People and Crowds In this workshop you will capture both crowds on the streets of Edinburgh, and also close up portraits from within the famous Scottish Portrait Gallery. Using ink and watercolour, and under the close...

Join us for a fun evening of art and wine with Edinburgh artist Suzanne Kemplay. We offer 3 different themed workshops chosen by Suzanne because they have a special meaning to her: Scottish Colourists; Georgia O'Keeffe; and The Impressionists. On each workshop you will learn how to create your very own still life or landscape painting with hands-on help from Suzanne. And we think you'll be amazed at what you can achieve. This workshop is suitable for beginners and no experience is needed. Suzanne will talk you through the process,...

A collaborative workshop inspired by house plants and the everyday run by Edinburgh based Bookbinder Cass Barron and Sketcher Mark Kirkham, aka ‘Bookbinding with Cass’ and ‘The Edinburgh Sketcher’. Cass and Mark join forces for this collaborative workshop that will equip you with the skills to make a series of hand-bound sketchbooks and inspire you to start using them straight away. During lockdown both Cass and Mark came to appreciate the everyday, particularly their house plants and the nature on their doorstep – this workshop takes inspiration from the very...

Local artists Cass Barron and Mark Kirkham share some of their favourite bookbinding and sketching techniques in this collaborative workshop. The day will be split between The Arienas Collective workspace and local points of interest around Edinburgh's New Town, including the National Portrait Gallery. Over the course of the day, Cass will introduce a range of book making techniques, including single sheet Japanese Stab binding, concertina fold books and a more substantial leather bound sketchbook. With Mark’s guidance you will add colour washes to your pages before taking them out...

The Arienas Collective support local artists, designers and makers to earn a living through delivering workshops where they can share their talents, skills and passions with others. We are always looking for new creatives to join our Collective to add to our creative workshop offer. The Collective provides admin and marketing support including selling via an online shop and promotion via website and social media platforms. Our space is also available for booking as a private group. We offer birthday parties, hen parties, family group bookings, and so on. Most...

During this introduction to lino printing workshop with local artist Suzanne Kemplay, you will explore ways of creating simple, striking images for printing onto a range of papers and cards, or onto fabric.   This is a hands-on, practical and fun workshop where you will learn how to create an original design, cut your design on to lino ready for adding paint and printing. You will gain the confidence you need to create beautiful prints at home without the need for expensive equipment.    On the paper-based lino printing workshop, you will...

Learn how to screen print using paper stencils with local artist and printer Lou Davis. On this workshop you will experiment with screen printing using paper stencils, learning how to screen print onto paper using the hand cut stencil method. You’ll learn to design for screen printing, thinking about layers and colours. You’ll cut stencils by hand from paper, mix ink, set up a screen, get your registration right and print ten A4 size prints onto printmaking paper ready to take home. ​ The Arienas Collective workshops are run from...

On this full-day introductory workshop - suitable for beginners or those that have taken our silver clay jewellery taster workshop - you will learn how to design, make, fire and polish three different pieces of jewellery.   Using silver clay, a material made up of recycled silver particles, an organic binder and water that can easily be used at home with little need for equipment, Edinburgh jeweller and silver clay specialist Anna Campbell will take you through all the steps needed to create your own pieces ready for firing.   The dried...

On this full-day intermediate workshop - suitable for those that have taken any of our Silver Clay beginners workshops - you will learn how to make two different types of fine silver ring.   Using silver clay, a material made up of recycled silver particles, an organic binder and water that can easily be used at home with little need for equipment, Edinburgh jeweller - and silver clay specialist - Anna Campbell will take you through all the steps needed to create your own pieces ready for firing. You will make...

On this Introduction to speed sketching workshop with the Edinburgh Sketcher, Mark Kirkham, you will meet at our private mews home from where you will begin a walk around the stunning local Georgian architecture of Edinburgh's New Town whilst creating ink and watercolour drawings. You will choose your favourite piece to mount. A wet weather option is made available when necessary. Please note that our workshop space is based on the first floor of a Georgian mews house and unfortunately we do not have lift access.

On this full day Introduction to soap-making workshop with local designer-maker Jenny Smith of The Scottish Soapworks, you will learn how to make traditional cold-process soap as well as melt and pour organic glycerine soap.   Jenny will begin by explaining the properties of the natural soaps and selection of essential oils that you will be working with. You will then choose a cold process recipe to make from a range of options. Jenny will demonstrate how to mix the reactive ingredients. You will then work together to measure and blend...

On this workshop you will revive a traditional skill by learning how to set metal or wooden type and make personalised, spiral bound notebooks or a set or cards (options alternate). Bring along a brief quote you love, a joke or a greeting and we’ll print it on heavyweight card stock using one of our Adana tabletop printing presses. Learn to set type into a frame (called a chase) and print it on the press. You can choose to use decorations or keep it minimal. Then you'll turn your prints...

With hands-on guidance from local artist Lucy Wayman, you will create your very own 'one of a kind' macramé plant hanger within this 3 hour beginner-level workshop.   You will learn the basic principles and techniques of macrame, and will build your confidence making small keyring designs. Using 100% cotton rope and a selection of coloured twines, you will then create your hand-crafted plant hanger.    The class size is kept small so that Lucy can give you all the support you need, and a helpful instruction manual will be provided to...

On this 5-hour Introduction to macramé workshop with local artist Lucy Wayman, you will cover all the basics included in our taster workshop plus much more. So you are still welcome to join the workshop as a complete beginner.   We will start with the basic principles and techniques of macrame, allowing you to build your confidence by creating small projects such as a key ring, before moving on to designing and creating your bespoke wall hanging.   Once you feel more confident, you will learn how to calculate rope lengths and...

On this one-day, hands-on workshop with Jenny Smith from The Scottish Soapworks, you will cover soap-making methods in detail including: ingredients; suppliers; equipment; safety issues; recipes and essential oils. And you will receive a pack of information including details of suppliers, legislation on creating recipes, and practical hints and tips. Our business workshops are arranged at a time to suit, so please contact us to arrange a date and to discuss any questions you may have. The contents of the day are flexible, and there is a choice about which...

On this well-being Self-care Sunday soap/shampoo and skincare making workshop with Jenny from The Scottish Soapworks, you will combine learning new skills with treating yourself to a relaxing day in our welcoming, home-based workshop space creating a personal pamper kit. We offer two options: you can choose to make 'melt and pour' glycerine soap or shampoo bars (dates alternate), plus lip balm and hand/body cream blending. You will learn about the properties of The Scottish Soapworks shampoo bars or glycerine soaps, lip balms and creams. On the shampoo bar option,...

Based on feedback from people attending our beginners silver clay jewellery classes, expert tutor Anna Campbell has designed this bespoke intermediate level, full-day workshop to cover what people wanted to learn next: how to make silver clay boxes and beads.   On this intermediate level boxes and beads class you will make three pieces: a shadow box pendant; a Pandora-style silver wrapped bead; and a silver lentil bead. The workshop will cover creating box pendants with flat or rounded sides, using moulds to make decorations, designing the front and back of...

In this taster workshop, you will create a pendant or pair of earrings from hallmark-quality silver with jeweller Anna Campbell.  You will learn how to make jewellery out of a material called silver clay, which is made up of recycled silver particles, an organic binder and water. Silver clay requires with very little equipment so it's perfect for those wanting to learn a new skill they can easily do at home. You will be taken through all the steps to create your own piece ready for firing. The dried clay...

This full-day intermediate workshop is suitable for anyone who has attended the beginners Silver Clay Taster or Introduction to Silver Clay Jewellery workshops, or has experience of working with metal clay.   On this workshop, taught by Edinburgh jeweller Anna Campbell, you will learn the traditional skill of soldering to advance your jewellery making skills in order to make different types of jewellery including stud earrings and cufflinks.   This is the perfect follow-on to the beginners workshops, and has been requested by our participants! It’s also the right workshop for you...

Still Life/Flowers: creating a finished still life composition This weekend course is run by local artist Suzanne Kemplay. Suzanne graduated in Painting and Drawing from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee. She works from her studio in Edinburgh, and has exhibited at a number of Scottish Galleries. Suzanne is predominantly known for her still life work and photorealist flower paintings.    The course is designed to encourage, and give confidence to, beginners, while also helping those who want to develop their painting skills further or are new to working with...

On this two-day soap-making and skin-care course with Jenny Smith from The Scottish Soapworks, you can choose from a range of products to make including traditional cold process soap, organic 'melt and pour' glycerine soap, shampoo bars, lip balms, liquid soaps and hand and body cream. You will discuss marketing ideas, ingredient and packaging suppliers, equipment, recipe creation, costs and legislation, and will receive a detailed information handout. Your cold process soap will remain with Jenny for 3 weeks for curing, and will then be cut and packaged for sending...