Create your own map and turn it into a pop up book.

In this one day workshop Inksmith and mapmaker Chrissie Nicholls will take you through the journey of making your own unique map.

This workshop is about the art of telling a story in a map; recording an area, a memory, or a made up location. Using traditional and new mapping techniques and elements you will bring together your thoughts to create a very personal piece of work.

The workshop begins with a discussion about maps and their importance to us in our everyday lives. You will design and draw your map working towards a finished piece, when at the end of the workshop you’ll use a traditional fold to transform your flat map into a pop up one and bind it into a cover.

The day is full of instruction and information as you journey with your map. You’ll be able to bring together drawing, lettering and collage techniques with support, guidance and humour throughout the workshop.

You don’t need to be confident with your drawing or lettering, all that’s needed just an open mind to be curious.

All materials for the workshop are supplied but you are encouraged to bring your own colour pencils, watercolours or pens to the workshop. And if you have your own a bone folder bring that too. (Don’t worry if you don’t know what a bone folder is, you will by the end of the workshop!)

You will also be contacted a fortnight before the workshop with information about what to bring with you as reference on the day.

We have fun in these classes and discussion is encouraged at points through the workshop so we can learn and be inspired by each other. 

Booking here

Learn ways and tricks to document your life visually, using collage, hand lettering, illustration, maps and so much more.This packed workshop will give you the confidence to start recording not just the wonderful things that happen in life, but also the small details and the tricky moments. 

We all know journalling is good for our souls and peace of mind but not everyone can sit and write, some of us want to include drawings and some of us speak in images rather than with words. We’ll also cover sketchbook nerves and how to overcome that first mark on the page.

If you can draw, think you can’t draw, haven’t drawn for a while, then this workshop is for you. All levels welcome, everyone will learn something and take away a sketchbook and head full of ideas!

If you’ve been to one of Helen’s bookbinding classes then please bring one of your handmade books with you to use on the day.

Booking here.

Event date: 

I will be taking part in the (not so) Silent Calligraphy event on 19 October.

Members of the South London Lettering Association will again be taking part in the Bloomsbury Festival by demonstrating calligraphy inside St George’s Church.  The scribes will work for an hour or two each on their own projects using different tools and styles of lettering, taking the theme of the 2024 Bloomsbury Festival – Human.Kind – to inspire them.  

Everyone is welcome to come along, learn about calligraphy and talk to the calligraphers, both amateur and professional.  You will also be able to have a go yourself, guided by experienced calligraphers.

Entry is free.

As an Inksmith my life usually revolves around ink in some way. 

In this talk I’ll be discussing my journey that lead me to my World of Maps, Visual Diaries, Playing Cards and Artists’ Books all of which in some way incorporate hand lettering and where I am now.

Showing slides and examples of work I’ll discuss how I try to include hand lettering in every job I do, but can often be heard saying to clients “I’m not a calligrapher”! 

I’ll also touch on how the world of calligraphy rather than hand lettering terrifies me because it draws me into the need to be a perfectionist, which I’ve been trying to escape my whole creative life.

Walk (or skip!) beside me into the world of lettering.

Let’s play and draw the shapes the proper grown ups call letters.

In this workshop I’ll guide you through some modern day handwriting and calligraphic styles as well as looking at much older scripts and see how we can modernise them.
I’ll take you through understanding how letterforms are made, how holding the pen can make a difference, which pens work with which styles and how to ground ourselves so that we are in control of our writing, not the other way around!

You can develop one of these alphabets and make subtle alterations to build up characters that reflect your own personality or create your very own calligraphic style, perhaps combining the forms you’ve been working to find your own language and way of scribing.

Once you have your own style you can use it across artwork, in journals, on hand written letters, remember those?! I’m keen we all bring back letter writing as it gives so much joy. 

It may influence your own handwriting or you may use it as a calligraphic elements to accompany and work alongside your own handwriting style.

We will cover quite a lot in this one day workshop and perhaps at the end you will be looking for more help as you discover and journey with letters. As a new workshop I’m developing ways to support you as you move forward with your lettering, there will be options for more face to face workshops, or working on zoom for small classes. Either way there will be the opportunity to carry on developing and you won’t be left on your own, unless of course you’d like to be.

The workshop is designed for people who wish to explore, play and improve their hand lettering style. It is not a calligraphy class with hours of drills or for calligraphers wanting to brush up their already honed skills, it’s very much a taster class for people wanting to explore and have some fun with lettering.

Booking details will be uploaded here as soon as I have them from the organiser.

In this workshop we’ll take the lessons learnt from the Playful Lettering workshop and take a saying or short piece of writing to script in our favourite style and learn how to take this forward to an artists’ book with cutout lettering. 

The workshop will start by working with out chosen playful lettering style and refine it, looking at the best way to join letters so that they run well together when cut out.

The design of the lettering will be considered and planned for the best visual impact, along with visual imagery to include into your artists’s book to complement the writing.

You will leave with a beautiful concertina artists’ book encased in a loose paper cover to complete your piece.

To join the Playful Lettering Part 2 workshop you will have needed to complete a Playful Lettering workshop. 

Walk beside me into the world of lettering.
Let’s play and draw the shapes the proper grown ups call letters!

In this workshop you’ll be introduced to some modern day handwriting and calligraphy styles, as well as visiting a couple of traditional styles with a modern twist.
We’ll explore and learn how your sitting position and holding the pen can make a difference, which pens work with which styles and how to ground ourselves so that we are in control of our writing, not the other way around!

We’ll look at ways to embellish a style, make subtle alterations and how we can manipulate the letter shapes for sketchbooks, letters and envelopes so you build up a personal calligraphic alphabet that you’re confident scribing.

This may influence your own handwriting or you may use it as a calligraphic elements to accompany and work alongside your handwriting.

We will cover a lot, so you’ll be tired at the end of the day!
You won’t leave being calligraphers or lettering experts, you’ll leave with your rich style to work on and develop.

The workshop is designed for people who wish to explore, play and improve their hand lettering style. It is not a calligraphy class with hours of drills, it’s very much a taster class of what you can achieve with play.

£85 Booking here.

Walk beside me into the world of lettering.
Let’s play and draw the shapes the proper grown ups call letters!

In this workshop you’ll be introduced to some modern day handwriting and calligraphy styles, as well as visiting a couple of traditional styles with a modern twist.
We’ll explore and learn how your sitting position and holding the pen can make a difference, which pens work with which styles and how to ground ourselves so that we are in control of our writing, not the other way around!

We’ll look at ways to embellish a style, make subtle alterations and how we can manipulate the letter shapes for sketchbooks, letters and envelopes so you build up a personal calligraphic alphabet that you’re confident scribing.

This may influence your own handwriting or you may use it as a calligraphic elements to accompany and work alongside your handwriting.

We will cover a lot, so you’ll be tired at the end of the day!
You won’t leave being calligraphers or lettering experts, you’ll leave with your rich style to work on and develop.

The workshop is designed for people who wish to explore, play and improve their hand lettering style. It is not a calligraphy class with hours of drills, it’s very much a taster class of what you can achieve with play.

£85 Booking here.

From the author of ‘The Diary of an Artist in Lockdown’.

Learn ways, and some tricks, to document your life visually, using collage, hand lettering illustration, maps and so much more.

This packed workshop will give you the confidence to start recording not just the wonderful things that happen in life, but also the small details and the tricky moments.
We all know journalling is good for our souls and peace of mind but not everyone can sit and write, some of us want to include drawings and some of us speak in images rather than with words.

We’ll also cover sketchbook nerves and how to overcome that first mark on the page.

If you can draw, think you can’t draw, haven’t drawn for a while, then this workshop is for you. All levels welcome, everyone will learn something and take away a sketchbook and a head full of ideas!

£85 Booking here

I’ll be giving a talk about my World of Maps particularly the ones that feature the North London area that I live in; Tufnell Park and Kentish Town, and how I got into drawing maps in the first place.
Followed by a mini map making workshop.
More details nearer the event.

From the author of ‘The Diary of an Artist in Lockdown’.

Learn ways, and some tricks, to document your life visually, using collage, hand lettering illustration, maps and so much more.

This packed workshop will give you the confidence to start recording not just the wonderful things that happen in life, but also the small details and the tricky moments.
We all know journalling is good for our souls and peace of mind but not everyone can sit and write, some of us want to include drawings and some of us speak in images rather than with words.

We’ll also cover sketchbook nerves and how to overcome that first mark on the page.

If you can draw, think you can’t draw, haven’t drawn for a while, then this workshop is for you. All levels welcome, everyone will learn something and take away a sketchbook and a head full of ideas!

£80 Booking here

Walk beside me into the world of lettering.
Let’s play and draw the shapes the proper grown ups call letters!

In this workshop you’ll be introduced to some modern day handwriting and calligraphy styles, as well as visiting a couple of traditional styles with a modern twist.
We’ll explore and learn how your sitting position and holding the pen can make a difference, which pens work with which styles and how to ground ourselves so that we are in control of our writing, not the other way around!

We’ll look at ways to embellish a style, make subtle alterations and how we can manipulate the letter shapes for sketchbooks, letters and envelopes so you build up a personal calligraphic alphabet that you’re confident scribing.

This may influence your own handwriting or you may use it as a calligraphic elements to accompany and work alongside your handwriting.

This is a new class in my workshops portfolio so there will be some ebbing and flowing as the workshop settles with the individual class groups.
We’ll also cover a lot so you’ll be tired at the end of the day!
You won’t leave being calligraphers or lettering experts, you’ll leave with your rich style to work on and develop.

The workshop is designed for people who wish to explore, play and improve their hand lettering style. It is not a calligraphy class with hours of drills, it’s very much a taster class of what you can achieve with play.

£60 Booking here.

Take a Line for a Walk in this mapping workshop with Inksmith Christine Nicholls of Inkpot & Pen.

Bring an imaginative or real journey with you, design and create your own linear map with a cartouche and compass rose, finishing the workshop by binding your map into an artists’ concertina book. Christine works as both an illustrator and lettering artist, and will guide and support students throughout the workshop to create a unique personal map.

You can bring any idea with you; perhaps you’d like to record an enjoyable day, a secret walk, a holiday with all its memories, or the dream of a perfect garden. We’ll bring those ideas and memories to life. Bring any kind of reference materials along, be it newspaper cuttings, tickets or photos on your phone and your creative spirit.

£20 for members, £25 for visitors. Book early as spaces fill quickly.
To book or for further details please contact Kris on 01544 327657
Marches Scribes

Along side the Halloween Masks, Cushion Covers and Victoria Sponges, the best Dahlias and Pumpkins and I will be showing our wares.
I’ll be there with my prints and artists’ books at the Autumn Show.
If you’d like to enter some of these categories and many more, have a look here.

Along side the Mini Gardens in a Seed Tray and the Edible Jewellery, not to mention the fabulous vegetables and floral riot of colour, I’ll be showing my prints and artists’ books at the Summer Show.
If you’d like to enter some of your best cucumber or vase of sweet peas, check out the website for all the categories. If you’re not a grower there are also handicraft entries.
Highgate Horticultural Society Summer Fair.

Having sold out so quickly (within 24 hours) for the first workshop when we released dates I’m returning in July to teach the Mapping Your World workshop at The Granary.

We explore the history of maps, mapping elements, design, drawing and lettering while you create your own unique map.
The workshop finishes with you binding your maps using the traditional Turkish Map Fold to produce a pop up map.

Bring an idea with you to work with. In previous workshops we’ve covered holidays, favourite walks, family farms, family trees, well the list is endless.

I have been running this class in various UK locations for five years and each map is a discovery both for the student and myself. You’ll be surprised just how addictive mapping can be and how much you’ll find yourself concentrating on the processes, while still having a fun, I promise you, the two can happen concurrently!

I’ll also be bringing my own maps and a small selection of my own vast collection of maps to the workshop.

The Granary is a wonderful arts centre in Stapleford just a short distance from Cambridge. They have events, a gallery and a very nice café that I have (and am) regularly tested to make sure their standards remain high!

Booking here. £80

Times tbc.

Back at the wonderful Illustrator’s fair this summer in King’s Cross.
I’ll be joining wonderful illustrators as well as a healthy number of up and coming young illustrators to show my prints and artists’ books.

More information to come but put that date in your diary!

A map making workshop with a twist brought to you by Fold & Unfold; Alex Mecklenburg and Chrissie Nicholls.

Join a group of fellow creative explorers for an evening of coaching conversations and artistic storytelling. Chrissie and Alex will guide you through a joyful evening of learning about yourself and how to make a wonderful map of the land that is You.

You’ll be surprised just how powerful map making can be to help you discover yourself and what is best is that you will come away with a handmade map of yourself.

The workshop is for everybody who is curious to connect with themselves and with their creative side. There is a lot of space for fun, laughter and support as we embark on a journey of mapping ourselves. We will be working in a beautiful art studio 5 min away from London Bridge.

£65 Booking here

This ever popular workshop returns to Leigh-on-Sea

We explore the history of maps, mapping elements, design, drawing and lettering while you create your own unique map.
The workshop finishes with you binding your maps using the traditional Turkish Map Fold to produce a pop up map.

Bring an idea with you to work with. In previous workshops we’ve covered holidays, favourite walks, family farms, family trees, well the list is endless.

I have been running this class in various UK locations for five years and each map is a discovery both for the student and myself. You’ll be surprised just how addictive mapping can be and how much you’ll find yourself concentrating on the processes, while still having a fun, I promise you, the two can happen concurrently!

I’ll also be bringing my own maps and a small selection of my own vast collection of maps to the workshop.

Booking at Create98.co.uk £70

I’m taking part in the Clevedon Literary Festival’s Celebration of the Book this year.
More details to follow.