Itziar - Guide to the Facilities

As a student of Design Crafts, during your first year, you will be introduced to the main tools and machinery required to follow the jewellery, ceramic/glass and textile workshops. When you go to the jewellery workshop you can borrow one of the toolboxes with the basic jeweller’s tools: pliers, files, punches… In the jewellery space, you will also find a rolling mill, a fly press, a soldering area, enamelling kilns, polishing station, and all the other bits that a jeweller needs to form and finish their pieces. In textiles, you will be using sewing machines, dyes, and you will have access to the digital printer, the digital embroidery machines, felting machines, screen printing facilities… In ceramics, you will be introduced to hand-building techniques and you will also be taught to use the pottery wheels. There are several kilns, struders, glazes, oxides, and everything you can imagine creating ceramic pieces. The basic tools (knives, kidneys…) are available to use in the workshop.

Once you know the basics techniques of each discipline, the technicians will be able to induct you to the more specialized machines.

2D and 3D workshops

As a student of the Creative Arts School, you have access to any of the 2D and 3D workshops within the School. In textiles, you will learn printmaking techniques that may include the use of the Albion presses within the 2D workshop to produce block printed textile pieces. As part of your course, you will also learn to use band-saws and other wood cutting and sanding machines, and you will be encouraged to use the laser cutters, 3D printers and the vinyl cutter. The 3D metal room has a workspace with basic tools that can be used after the workshops have closed in the evening. They also have dedicated metal cutting, shaping and polishing machinery that you can be inducted too.

All the spaces run extra workshops that I would encourage you to do, as they teach you techniques that you may find especially useful one day.

The Art Shop

There is a shop in the Arts building that stores all the basics you may need during your studies. Your tutors and the technicians will also be able to recommend specialized shops and websites where you can find what you are looking for.

Loan room

Do you need a Wacom tablet? A DSLR camera? Want to try some video and you don’t have the equipment? The loan room is the place to go. They store an exceptionally large list of equipment that you can borrow for the day or a few days.

If you need to take photographs like a pro, you can also book one of the photography studios and borrow lighting… Visit the loan room and find out everything that you can borrow for future projects.

Computers and printing

The School has a few areas where you will be able to use PC or Mac computers as well as several printer/scanners. Some of the computers have the latest specialized 2D and 3D, music and film software installed.

The Learning Resource Centre (LRC)

You can find the same computing/software facilities in the LRC in case you need to work during the school closing times.

There is also a broad selection of books related to crafts and design, art and all the other disciplines that are taught within the University of Hertfordshire. It also has great facilities to work in groups sharing a large display or read quietly in one of their comfy sofas!