Specialist Crafts

26/09/2026

🎨 Looking for fresh inspiration for your printmaking projects?

Our latest Creative Corner blog explores 10 contemporary approaches to monoprinting and monotype, with ideas for using artists and printmaking processes to inspire student experimentation.

From portraiture and landscape to abstraction, identity, storytelling, layering and mixed media, discover new ways to introduce contemporary printmaking into the classroom.

📚 Read the full blog on the Creative Corner for ideas, inspiration and practical starting points for GCSE, A Level and Further Education projects.

👉 Read more via the link in our bio.

24/09/2026

Today’s the day! 🎨🖨️

We’re at Nottingham Contemporary for our workshop with berkshire_printmakers , getting hands-on with screen printing and exploring the process from start to finish.

It’s going to be a day of experimenting with layers, colour, ink and plenty of creative ideas. We can’t wait to see what everyone produces!

Keep an eye on our socials for some behind-the-scenes glimpses from the workshop 👀

21/09/2026

20% OFF PRINTMAKING SUPPLIES FOR SCHOOLS 🎨

Bring printmaking into the classroom for less. Save 20% on our printmaking range, including block printing inks, gel printing plates and printmaking essentials designed for creative projects in schools and educational settings.

Whether you’re teaching beginners or developing more advanced printmaking techniques, our range gives educators the materials they need to make printmaking accessible, practical and engaging.

Trusted by educators. Priced for schools.

Shop the printmaking range and save 20% today!

https://www.specialistcrafts.co.uk/art/printing

Shop lino printing supplies, screen printing inks, tools, and fabrics. Perfect for classroom printmaking, art projects, and creative workshops.

16/09/2026

Need a fresh artist reference for your next painting project? 🎨

If you’re tired of reaching for the same familiar artists, our latest Creative Corner blog could give your students some new directions.

We’ve rounded up 12 contemporary acrylic artists covering everything from portraiture and identity to colour, landscape, abstraction, mixed media and installation.

Better still, the blog isn’t just an artist list. Each artist comes with classroom ideas and practical starting points to help you turn inspiration into a lesson or project.

Perfect for KS3, GCSE and A Level Art.

👉 Read the blog on our website and find your next artist reference.

https://www.specialistcrafts.co.uk/blog/contemporary-acrylic-artists.html

14/09/2026

✨ NEW ONLINE WORKSHOP | Mixed Media with Jenny Muncaster 🎨

Ready to get creative with colour, texture and collage?

Join us online on 2nd November 2026 at 15:30 for an inspiring mixed-media workshop with professional artist Jenny Muncaster.

Known for her vibrant, expressive style, Jenny will guide you through a series of accessible techniques combining acrylics, collage and mixed media to create your own colourful finished artwork.

Throughout the workshop, you’ll explore:

🎨 Layering and colour
🖌️ Acrylic painting techniques
✂️ Collage and mixed-media processes
✨ Texture and composition
💡 Creative ideas to take into your own practice or classroom

Date: 2nd November 2026
Time: 15:30
Online workshop
Led by professional artist Jenny Muncaster

Limited places available! Don’t miss the chance to spend a creative afternoon exploring mixed media with Jenny.

Jenny is a professional mixed-media artist, author and presenter based at The Colour Factory Studios & Gallery in Wi******er. A graduate of Wi******er School of Art, she is renowned for her vibrant acrylic and mixed-media paintings and engaging teaching style.

👉 Book your place today and join Jenny for an inspiring afternoon of colour, creativity and mixed-media experimentation!

https://www.specialistcrafts.co.uk/workshops-mixed-media

10/09/2026

🎨🐠 Paint a Tropical Koi Pond in Acrylic!

Ready for your next painting project? 🌿🎨

In this step-by-step acrylic tutorial, we take you from the first stages of composition through to a vibrant tropical koi pond, exploring a range of techniques to build depth, atmosphere, texture and colour.

✨ What will you explore?
• Layering and blending
• Glazing and colour mixing
• Brushwork and texture
• Creating depth and atmosphere
• Building a detailed botanical landscape

Whether you’re working with **X2 Free Flow Acrylic**, **X4 Standard Acrylic** or **X6 Premium Acrylic**, this project offers plenty of opportunities to experiment with different materials and develop your painting skills.

🎥 **Watch the full tutorial on YouTube** and paint along from start to finish — then take the techniques into your next project.

Perfect for art teachers, students and artists, with techniques adaptable for **GCSE Art, A Level Art, BTEC Art & Design, Higher Education** or independent practice.

👉 Discover the tutorial, plus more acrylic techniques and classroom resources from Specialist Crafts

https://www.specialistcrafts.co.uk/blog/acrylic-landscape-painting-tutorial-tropical-koi-pond-step-by-step.html

07/09/2026

There are still some places for our workshop with Jenny Mason-Gunning on the 8th of October!

During the day, we’ll be exploring monoprinting across two sessions a morning and an afternoon session giving participants the opportunity to experiment with techniques, ink, texture and mark-making in a friendly studio environment.

Whether you’re new to printmaking or already have some experience, it’s a great opportunity to learn, experiment and create your own unique prints.

Sign up now!

04/09/2026

🎨🐠 Acrylic Landscape Painting Tutorial | Tropical Koi Pond

Looking for a new acrylic painting project to try in the studio or classroom?

Follow along with our step-by-step tutorial as we create a vibrant tropical koi pond, exploring layering, blending, glazing, colour mixing, brushwork and texture to build depth, atmosphere and rich colour.

Whether you’re introducing students to acrylics with X2 Free Flow Acrylic, exploring versatile painting techniques with X4 Standard Acrylic, or experimenting with expressive texture and brushwork using X6 Premium Acrylic, there are plenty of opportunities to develop skills throughout the project.

Starting with the initial composition and working through to the finished piece, this tutorial demonstrates how different acrylic techniques can be combined to create a detailed botanical landscape.

👉 Watch the full tutorial on YouTube and follow the process from start to finish, picking up techniques you can take into your next painting project.

https://www.specialistcrafts.co.uk/blog/acrylic-landscape-painting-tutorial-tropical-koi-pond-step-by-step.html

Perfect for art teachers, students and artists, with techniques that can be adapted for GCSE Art, A Level Art, BTEC Art & Design, Higher Education or independent practice.

Discover more acrylic painting tutorials, artist techniques and classroom resources from Specialist Crafts.

02/09/2026

🎨 What acrylic techniques should your students know?

From blending and layering to dry brushing, glazing and creating texture, acrylic paint offers so many possibilities for developing students’ skills, creativity and confidence.

And with X2, X4 and X6 Acrylic, there’s a paint for every stage of the creative journey:

🎨 X2 Free Flow Acrylic Paint - an ideal introduction to acrylic painting, with a smooth, easy-to-control consistency that’s great for covering larger areas and adding fine details.

🖌️ X4 Standard Acrylic Paint - a versatile classroom favourite, offering rich pigmentation, excellent mixing and smooth laydown. With 40 colours to choose from, it’s perfect for everything from first experiments to more advanced student work.

✨ X6 Premium Acrylic Paint - for students ready to explore texture and more expressive techniques. Its thick, high-viscosity consistency is perfect for impasto, retaining brushstrokes and palette-knife marks, while also working beautifully when diluted for washes.

Looking for a simple classroom reference? We’ve created a free acrylic techniques poster for teachers to download and display in the art room.

👉 Head to our website to download the poster and give your students a handy visual guide to essential acrylic techniques!