A Textile Study Group CPD Weekend With Jo Norman

By Sheila Mortlock, 12 October 2026

Our CPD weekends are always varied and enjoyable—especially when led by an artist and teacher as professional and experienced as Jo Norman. Based in Somerset, Jo is an artist printmaker and illustrator who introduced us to risograph printing, a method developed in Japan in the 1980s. Using soy-based inks, it is an environmentally friendly way to produce print runs; typical prints look like a vibrant cross between a screen print and a photocopy.

Jo’s brief was to guide us in creating zines using imagery inspired by our forthcoming exhibition, Implement. To start, she asked us to produce sheets of mark-making and textural effects intended to add depth and interest to our designs. We used a wide range of tools, inks, paints, pens, and rubbings to create these textures—and even if I didn’t use everything I made on the day, I’m sure they will come in handy later. I could make marks all day! Linking the workshop directly to promoting Implement focused our subject matter brilliantly and gave everyone a unique perspective on their zine.

Once we had our textured surfaces ready, we began building the first colour layer, following the step-by-step roadmap Jo provided. It has to be said: the sheer size of the printer, complete with all its ink cartridges, and the fact that Jo managed to bring it all in her car was incredibly impressive and a true testament to her professional organisation!

As we queued to see our first colour prints, there was a palpable sense of excitement in the room watching the copies emerge from the machine. Everyone received three or four copies of their base layer to begin planning their second colour—initially experimenting on tracing paper.

Alongside mark-making, Jo encouraged us to incorporate stitch, fabric, or other mixed-media items brought from home if it suited our individual themes. All of these creative elements contributed to wonderfully distinct results.

Where the second colour overlapped with the base layer, it produced a third colour, opening up endless design possibilities. My second layer was a bit too limited to create as many third-colour variations as I would have liked, and time was against me to make adjustments—however, I have plans. Watch this space!

By the end of the weekend, I left feeling thoroughly inspired by the potential this form of printing offers. Having studied printed textiles at art college, I still love the process of layering colour and print. The examples created around the room were fantastic—especially those using neon pink! While mine was a bit more muted, I firmly believe that you leave the best workshops brimming with new ideas and a drive to build on what you've learned.