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I have a small business for paper craft / scrapbook classes.
Till now I had one-time classes (mini albums, altered canvas, cards, pop up cards, scrapbook layouts, iris folding, etc). Many of them I taught many times.
I want to start a weekly sessions (for beginners) - women who will come every week and learn something new. Session length 2-2.5 hours.
Can you suggest what should I teach?
I think the level should start with beginners, and move on - time by time, and improve skills...
At the first lessons I can pre-cut / prepare more, and as time passes - they will cut / fold by themselves.
I think that if you truly want to start at the beginning, then laying some groundwork would be useful:
Terminology (scoring, embossing, cardstock, dp, other unfamiliar terms that are specific to papercrafts)
Sizes - A2, A7, "scraplings", ATCs, etc.
Different types of paper and their uses
Introduction to tools and their uses
Basic skills like measuring, cutting, scoring, folding, inking up a stamp, stamping, cleaning the stamp, etc.
After they grasp some of these things you could move on to simple techniques like embossing, matting and layering, etc. I would let them learn hands-on, though, rather than pre-cutting and such.
Think about how you would have liked to learn when you were starting out, and let that guide your choices in preparing coursework for your students...
I was introduced to scraplings back in the Holiday Challenge Extravaganza in 2008. They were the serendipitous discovery of who-knows-who when they trimmed an A2 card down to 4 1/4" square. It's a little 1 1/2" x 4" skinny card, and here's a gallery for them: scrapling - Homemade Cards, Rubber Stamp Art, & Paper Crafts - Splitcoaststampers.com. THEY ARE SO FUN!!!
That's my intention - to teach the basics, but I think that as you wrote - via experience by doing "finished product". I mean I don't think some one will come to learn the basics and leave with just the knowledge of measuring & cutting.
By creating a card - they can learn stamping, inking (different types of inks), paper piecing, edging, matting, etc. When they learn matting - they will learn to measure & cut (trimmer / ruler & knife...).
I guess any project will be good enough to teach all the above...
Depending on the size of your class, not any design will be nice for you as the teacher. Big class-I would go pretty simple in the beginning.
People like to hear they will leave with finished cards from classes.
But you can explore a lot of aspects of things. Take Embossing. There is dry with folders-both embossed and debossed, borders, sanding if you use a core paper...using a frame emboss, cutting out sections.
Heat embossing is on different materials.
So each topic could result in several cards and a good foundation understanding of it. You could introduce a few tools each time if you dont want to do what Sue suggested and have a dedicated tool class.
We all know how overwhelming this can get for newbies. Imho, if they feel like they have mastered a skill, they will feel empowered and want to go on.
I just ran across a sheet with a series I designed but never taught. I called it Rubber Stamp Boot Camp-A 6 week introduction to Rubber Stamping. I think I envisioned hour long classes so each was less involved than yours could be 1)Card Layout and Cutting 2)Two step stamping *popular at that time 3)Ways to Watercolor 4) Sponging & Special Effects 5)Easy Embossing 6)Embellishing Extras
I had a 4 week series for those with basic skills to build upon also1) Masking, Omitting with Markers, Spotlight Coloring 2)Reverse Image Stamping 3) Advanced Embellishing *I think I would do dry embossing extras now 4) Stamp Kissing * I might do a few different bg techniques instead
I'm no longer a demo but seeing this gave me the itch to teach. Just might have to approach someone to start up a class somewhere
Depending on the size of your class, not any design will be nice for you as the teacher. Big class-I would go pretty simple in the beginning.
People like to hear they will leave with finished cards from classes.
But you can explore a lot of aspects of things. Take Embossing. There is dry with folders-both embossed and debossed, borders, sanding if you use a core paper...using a frame emboss, cutting out sections.
Heat embossing is on different materials.
So each topic could result in several cards and a good foundation understanding of it. You could introduce a few tools each time if you dont want to do what Sue suggested and have a dedicated tool class.
We all know how overwhelming this can get for newbies. Imho, if they feel like they have mastered a skill, they will feel empowered and want to go on.
I agree - it's very different to teach 3-5 / 8-10 / 15-20.My classes are going to be limited to 6 students.
One of the classes I already taught was pop-up cards. In the class I taught 3 different techniques for variety of cards.
So yes - few 1-3 techniques for each topic can be good.
I just ran across a sheet with a series I designed but never taught. I called it Rubber Stamp Boot Camp-A 6 week introduction to Rubber Stamping. I think I envisioned hour long classes so each was less involved than yours could be 1)Card Layout and Cutting 2)Two step stamping *popular at that time 3)Ways to Watercolor 4) Sponging & Special Effects 5)Easy Embossing 6)Embellishing Extras
I had a 4 week series for those with basic skills to build upon also1) Masking, Omitting with Markers, Spotlight Coloring 2)Reverse Image Stamping 3) Advanced Embellishing *I think I would do dry embossing extras now 4) Stamp Kissing * I might do a few different bg techniques instead
I'm no longer a demo but seeing this gave me the itch to teach. Just might have to approach someone to start up a class somewhere
Hi Gail,
Thanks!
Looks like great series of classes you have there!
I think my classes will be more "final result-based".
For instance:
cards using stamps > I'll teach few techniques
pop up cards > few styles
mini album > pockets & interactive
cards > coloring: watercolor, chameleon, zig...
cards backgrounds > stamping, masking, and more...
home decor / cards > quilling
Many links out there in teaching beginners. (few links listed below ) Too much information can be very overwhelming for some. The idea on first classes for beginners is to make it simple. Beginner's Guide | cardmakingandpapercraft.com
I was thrilled when I learned to mask stamps using a postitnote. I could actually put a pumpkin a little bit behind and image of a boy. I went home and looked at all my stamps differently. Now I could put a present in a basket and a cat sitting on a stool. I could stamp a complicated image and get rid of the candy cane the girl was holding that I didn't like.
I've been asked to teach some ladies from church. I am starting with the Theory of Design. Something I hunted for in the beginning of my learning about card making 9 years ago. No one ever talked about it. How to start & the basic tools needed. Websites for supply & where they can enter their cards for challenges; Basically, places I like to go. Like everyone has said here before & elsewhere, the more you observe & try to imitate, you will learn! Some terminology is included & more will be learned later..... How to get by cheaper with stamping, like making your own stamp cleaner. Little things that I have found on SCS that a new beginner would enjoy, giving them more options in paper crafting--- Moo Cards, ATC's, templates, etc.! A sheet of sketches & of course the web address to Splitcoasters! LOL And I plan on teaching a technique. These women are beginning with having nothing in paper crafting! So, this is the first class & HOPEFULLY, they will take my list of supplies & start buying what they need for additional classes. I'm not charging anything for this, but I do expect that if they are serious about learning, they will buy their own supplies! Right?
You know I didn't like either of those vids. For me personally too disjointed and too many elements.
I just know I needed to have it much more broken down. I know people think they are doing basic but throwing paper and ink and stamps at people all at once...no. Not if you really want to understand it to me.
Which is why I spent 2 years trying to figure out paper and to this day still am learning specialties like vellum. Just being told heavy vs regular didn't really work out in the end for me. I needed to touch it and play with it to really get it.
So I would probably do two parts with a break in the middle. Materials in part one plus rule of threes and grounding an image, and then single layer direct to paper stamping to play with all kinds of stamps (wood, cling, clear) and different inks. Might very well do masking too. That's it, make cards. Get used to cutting and making base cards, paper weights, scoring, where you want to put your focal, how dye and pigment ink act differently. See how just that is still so many ideas? I think that alone would be good for a good hour at least. But that's just me. There's tools in there too like cutting, scoring, masking, maybe the thingamajig.
I have always taught beginner classes to my clients--sometimes I charge them, sometimes I don't depending on the time and materials involved. I've also taught "kid's stamp camp" classes and they learn faster than some adults! You just have to not put your best stuff out until you know how the kids will treat your precious stamps and ink--some are quite rough on it.
I start with the very basics and build from there. A recent class was spent just getting images right so there were no blurred edges or random ink spots of the paper! Then we moved on to stamping with markers, two step stamping and a simple masking technique that uses the new Post It Note tape that comes in a plastic roll. We also covered cutting images by tearing them out and using daubers, fussy cutting and the use of a paper trimmer.
I do go over terminology, basic technique talk, what types of stamps are out there (I am a big fan of Photopolymer for beginners), care and maintenance of all types of stamps and how to grow your stamping resources without spending a fortune.
Once my beginners feel like they have their "stamp legs", they are ready to join my classes and keep up with the more seasoned stampers without feeling lost or out of it.
I think that if you truly want to start at the beginning, then laying some groundwork would be useful:
Terminology (scoring, embossing, cardstock, dp, other unfamiliar terms that are specific to papercrafts)
Sizes - A2, A7, "scraplings", ATCs, etc.
Different types of paper and their uses
Introduction to tools and their uses
Basic skills like measuring, cutting, scoring, folding, inking up a stamp, stamping, cleaning the stamp, etc.
After they grasp some of these things you could move on to simple techniques like embossing, matting and layering, etc. I would let them learn hands-on, though, rather than pre-cutting and such.
Think about how you would have liked to learn when you were starting out, and let that guide your choices in preparing coursework for your students...
Is there not a thread on SCS that has ALL of these basic things on stamping, or a Stamping Class 101 for those that are beginners? I know when I started stamping 9 years ago, I had NO ONE to teach me. It took me awhile to find SCS too. A Basic 101 class would be SO GOOD even for the old timers that need a refresher too. LOL Sometimes, with age, you forget! ;) It would be THE PERFECT PLACE for those wanting to learn AND SCS would draw in NEW PEOPLE that way too!
I feel your pain! LOL It has taken me YEARS to get what I have & I don't have EVERYTHING YET! I have made a list of supplies for the women, but have highlighted the very things you've mentioned on the other thread as THE MAIN PRODUCTS TO GET! LOL MAYBE, we'll ALL go shopping on our next gathering & everyone can buy the supplies THEY want? I've got quite a lesson for the first lesson... & have to come up with a technique for our first lesson. I'm thinking the Ice Crystal Technique with Epsom salts, since Christmas is coming.... Maybe, do that first, & let it dry while I talk about the other things on my list of things to teach for Card Making 101! As the crystals have to air dry!
The only thing I might toss in the ring is class time. For a beginning class that means weekly, my target might be 1.5 hours. 2.5 hours plus drive time can get you to about half a day, a fairly large commitment. Plus I'd keep it simple - one major topic (like types of ink with a handout) or a couple fundamentals or one technique - with a take-home each week.
One LSS shop has a workshop that's a prerequisite to all classes where everyone gets two small (large tag size) pieces of five (?) types of paper. Participants stamp the same image on each type, and have blank pieces to take home. It drives home the effect of paper.
Just fyi, the participant kits also include a couple popular inks, a super-sized piece of cheesecloth (?) to drape over the lap and for wiping hands, a Ranger's craft mat and a tag-sized reference guide the instructor wrote. I might have missed items. People get so happy when given their new toys. I did. ; )
How? Please not because I didn't like the vids-that is just ME. Others may be really good with them! I just need people to talk to me like I'm five when stuff is totally brand new. In fact five years old would probably sail ahead of me; for one thing they don't ask why like I would.
That was a link to an old thread with basics ;-).
I'm pretty sure there used to be a page in Resources with stamping basics, but when I finally found it, it was blank. I don't think it always was, maybe when Resources got retitled as Tutorials it went AWOL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavejumper
How? Please not because I didn't like the vids-that is just ME. Others may be really good with them! I just need people to talk to me like I'm five when stuff is totally brand new. In fact five years old would probably sail ahead of me; for one thing they don't ask why like I would.
I think that most beginning stampers are overwhelmed with the about of materials needed. I think teaching them that you can make cards without tons of stuff is important. I taught a class that was done with a dollar stamp, some cardstock and DP that was cute and yet took little cost to make. I also teach them to search Splitcoaststampers and Pinterest for ideas and then substitute what stamps they already have to make a similar card. The craft for so many needs to be affordable and if you build slowly, you can make it affordable.
weekly class for beginners
Basics 101?
