Centre for Print Research Open Days

We were delighted to welcome university colleagues and industry collaborators to the CFPR head quarters at Frenchay Campus last month to mark the opening of our new laboratory spaces. In June of this year we moved most of our operations to UWE’s Frenchay site from Bower Ashton campus, bringing together our interdisciplinary research facilities under one roof for the first time. Over four days we welcomed hundreds of guests to the new premises in small groups, including industry partners from all areas of our research, colleagues from the faculty and new neighbours on campus. The aim was to celebrate the new space, share examples of our projects and begin new collaborations.

Professor Carinna Parraman welcomes each group

Professor Stephen Hoskins gives an overview of the history of traditional printmaking

Each open day started with a welcome from Professor Carinna Parraman, CFPR Director, who outlined the CFPR journey and our recent expansion following a UKRI Expanding Excellence in England (E3) Grant. CFPR Founder Professor Stephen Hoskins then gave a brief history of traditional printmaking, touching on some of our past collaborations such as inkjet printmaking with Richard Hamilton and intaglio printmaking with Burleigh Pottery.

Fabio D'Agnano leads the CNC room tour

Research Associate Abigail Trujillo Vazquez and her research on recreating the appearance of Maya polychrome reliefs using 2.5D printing

Technician Michael Joyce gives a demo in the ceramics lab

Discussions continue in the CFPR ceramics lab

Associate Professor Dr Susanne Klein presents her work on structural colour for print applications, such as security printing

Dr Nazmul Karim gives a tour of the graphene lab

The tours commenced and guests were guided around five research labs.

Dr Nazmul Karim gave an insight into the workings of the Graphene Application lab machines, used to conduct research into printmaking for wearable technologies, sustainable clothing and smart composites.

Dr Tavs Jorgensen and Sonny Lightfoot demonstrated the clay extruder and robotic printing for the Smart Tooling project in the ceramics lab, outlining some of the challenges and surprise outcomes of their research, and next door in the kiln room David Huson presented 3d printed ceramics from past projects.

Demo in the Ceramics Lab by Dr Tavs Jorgensen and Sonny Lightfoot

David Huson talks on CFPR ceramics projects

Guests were given a demo of the new HAAS mill in the CNC lab and a teaser insight into a new artist collaboration that required the team to explore extruding filaments in 3D using the robotic arm. Fabio D’Agnano also presented the Unesco4All project, recently selected as best practice at a flagship EU Commission event, that produced replicas for display at UNESCO World Heritage sites to aid visually impaired audiences.

In the photography studio, Dr Xavi Aure demonstrated his prototype scanner, capable of capturing minute details, textures and brush strokes and recently trialled on a Canaletto painting currently on display at the Holburne Museum.

Dr Xavi Aure introduces the 3D surface scanner

Demo in the CNC Machine Room by Fabio D’Agnano and Mike White

The tour concluded with demos and a stills exhibition in the main space where guests were invited to talk to researchers in more depth about their work. Additional projects exhibited included research into early photographic processes, structural colour for print applications, the Kind Materials project, tissue transfer printed ceramic artworks, 2.5D printing for recreating the appearance of Maya polychrome reliefs, and book-arts and publications such as the Blue Notebook Journal.

We would like to thank all those that attended and engaged with us at the open days. Please visit our people page if you would like to contact a particular member of the team, or email our admin team at cfprinfo@uwe.ac.uk.