Sheffield Institute of Arts

Sheffield Institute of Arts at Sheffield Hallam University is one of the oldest and most well-established centres of creative learning in Britain. Since 1843, we’ve built an excellent reputation and nurtured generations of students in a culture where anything is possible and with the resources to make it happen. To find out more about the Sheffield Institute of Art and its creative community visit the website.

Sheffield Institute of Arts gallery

The gallery offers and exciting programme of changing exhibitions of the best in art, design and creative practice. Located in the Cantor building, it hosts exhibitions throughout the year.

Print making studio

Our print making studio supports a wide range of print activities including etching, drypoint, cyanotype, lithography and screen printing.

Art and design print making studio 1

Our print making studio supports a wide range of print activities including etching, drypoint, cyanotype, lithography and screen printing.

The Digital Design Centre

The Digital Design Centre comprises a suite of 6 IT laboratories (4 PC and 2 MAC) together with the Print Output room, an area for printing medium to large format high quality output on a range of different media. The laboratories have a wide range of software supporting 2D and 3D engineering and creative design applications.

The Digital Design Centre runs a high quality computer printing facility and has the ability to print sizes between A4 and A0 and wide format banners. A3, A2, A1, A0 and Banner photo quality printing is available on a range of papers, as well as AutoCAD type plans ( B & W ) on standard paper.

The Printmaking Centre

The Printmaking Centre supports the following processes
• silk screen printing
• etching
• relief
• cyanotype (an early photo graphic process)
• bookmaking
• letterpress

The printmaking workshop is divided into process lead areas which are outlined below.

Screen print area
In this area there is everything the student needs to get a good grounding in every aspect of silk screen,
with facilities for printing onto to paper, fabric and MDF.

Resources include
• four screen beds
• large exposure unit
• wash-out and development area
• in house photo positive facilities

Intaglio and relief area
We have all the facilities on hand to give you a broad experience of traditional printmaking techniques. We offer support in dry-point and etching as well as photo etching, relief and linocut.

• large etching press (max plate size- 1060 X 715 mm)*
• medium etching press (max plate size – 770 X 935 mm)*
• medium relief press (max plate size – 565 X 820 mm)*
• small relief press (max plate size – 285 X 410 mm)*
• horizontal etching tank (for copper only/max plate size – 300 X 600 mm)
• small exposing unit for photo-etching 

Letterpress area
This area includes a printing press, cases of select fonts and smaller support equipment.

Bookbinding
Facilities for making and binding books are provided within the studio and some specialised equipment is available for students to use within the department.

Digital area
We provide a small digital suite within the printmaking workshop enabling students to make their own positives and negatives for the processes supported in the department such as silk screen, photo-etching and cyanotype. Our print facilities enable us to output a variety of different types of photographic positives in house creating an immediate bridge between digital and traditional processes. This enables you to design and make exciting print works to a high standard within one location. Resources include Two AppleMac computers with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign (CS5.5) A3 scanner, large format A0 inkjet printer, A3 b/w laser printer.

Workshop skills induction

These are specifically designed for all first year students that will require access to the workshop facilities as part of their course. The core essential techniques are covered and include both theory and practice.

Core techniques covered include
• using hand held power tools
• using a bandsaw and scroll saw – wood, foam and plastic
• using a pedestal drill – wood, metal and plastic
• sanding techniques – wood, plastic and foam
• metalworking techniques – cutting, shaping and grinding
• plastics manipulation – use of strip heater and vacuum forming

Technical support team

While you will find excellent facilities throughout, the most valuable resource you will have at your disposal is access to our extremely dedicated, highly experienced technical staff.

All the staff are there to support you during your time in the workshops. The technical team with its professionally qualified staff and practicing professionals, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise across all areas of our provision and comprises engineers, designers, silversmiths and jewellers, fine artists, media arts specialists and IT experts.

The team are committed to using their diverse range of skills and knowledge to support practical aspects of your
course work, whether solving a simple software problem, producing a complex engineering project or creating design work for an international exhibition. There are currently 50 technical staff directly supporting the Technical Resource Centres and the research institutes of the faculty.