Past IAP courses

Below we have listed a selection of courses we have recently offered in London, the UK and/or abroad. These courses are one-day to one-week long.
We hope to organise some of these courses again soon. To stay updated you can subscribe to our newsletter here.

Adhesives, Consolidants and Coatings

with Velson Horie

This two day course looks at the materials which conservators use (and have used) for adhesion, consolidation and coating of objects. This short course examines the questions: Why do you use the materials you use?, What criteria do you use when selecting your choice of materials?, Is the choice based on evidence, familiarity, or custom and practice?

Architectural Photoreproductions: Identification and Conservation

with Hildegard Homburger

In this course  the major photoreproduction processes, (Cyanotypes, Vandyke prints, Ferrogallic prints, Diazotypes, Silver gelatine contact prints, Gel lithographs, Negrographs), will be explained historically and technically. Participants will examine under magnification a great number and variety of original copies and identify the photoreproduction processes. The conservation (storage, exhibition and treatment) of these different photoreproductions is discussed.

Chemistry and Conservation – a Refresher Day

with David Peggie

This one day course is aimed at practising conservators who feel that they may benefit from a day refreshing their chemistry backgound in relation to methods they or others are using in practice or that are referred to in the conservation literature. The day is divided into 4 sessions of powerpoint lectures plus discussion including exploring/confronting topics previously sent in by participants

Conservation of Glass Objects

with Stephen Koob

This practical course covers the principles and practice of historical and archaeological glass cleaning, care, conservation and restoration. Discussions centre on aspects of deterioration, restoration methods and proper conditions for storage and display.Practical sessions focus on cleaning, reconstruction, adhesion and gap filling and the use of different techniques and materials. The course is aimed at practising glass and other conservators and requires a background knowledge in conservation.

Conservation of Immovable ‘Bronze’ Objects

with Lucy Branch

This course, aimed at those persons working with collections of sculpture, public art, memorials, and architecture, focusses on the practice of dealing with the conservation and maintenance of in-situ architectural elements, sculpture, monuments etc made from ‘bronze’. Practical treatments will be explained and considered including the pros and cons of various cleaning techniques, the science behind them, patination options, the best protective coatings and ways to apply them.  Techniques will be discussed in relation to accessibility of objects and work environments, and how it can shape method statements.

Conservation of Tracing Paper

with Hildegard Homburger

The main focus of this workshop is to gain an understanding of the different treatments available for the conservation of tracing paper. Emphasis is on hands-on work on both original objects and practice pieces. While discussions will cover the manufacturing processes of tracing paper and the deterioration and damage which may be encountered, the practical sessions will include tape removal, tear mending, loss repair, dyeing and lining.

Digital Photography of Museum Objects

with Mike Halliwell

This two day practical course is for those who wish to optimise the results they are obtaining using digital equipment to record images of museum objects.  Whilst there will be discussions on the use and choice of digital cameras the emphasis will be on practical photographic and lighting techniques and on how to manipulate the resultant digital images for use in reports, exhibition catalogues etc. Topics which will be covered in more or less detail (dependant on the participants’ needs) include: Close up, Focus Stacking, Taking photographs of buildings, Flash, LED Lighting, Photoshop, Flat copy, Watermarks/Translucent Materials, Reflective Materials, Tethering, File type, Archival, Scanning, RTI, Use of a Colour Chart, Colour Temperature, UV/IR Photography.

Examining Cross-sections of Paint Layers

with Tracey Chaplin

This is an introductory course which covers the techniques necessary to investigate the decorative layer structure of an object. Participants will learn how to take appropriate samples and examine them under both reflected white light and UV light. The application of simple micro-chemical tests to identify materials will also be introduced. The techniques will be explained in a series of lectures and demonstrations, with the emphasis on learning the practical skills necessary to carry out the processes independently with confidence. Initial observations will be carried out using student quality microscopes. For detailed observations and photography participants will use professional quality microscopes.

Giltwood Frame and Object Restoration Workshop

with Sophie Woodhouse

This five-day practical course,which takes place in Jackfield, Shropshire, UK, the heart of the Industrial Revolution and bursting with museums, is aimed at all those who restore damaged giltwood artifacts (frames (picture, mirror etc.), furniture, figures, ornamentation etc.) Techniques demonstrated and worked on in the workshop include: moulding, casting and modelling small repairs; preparation of surfaces for gilding; water and oil gilding; finishing techniques.Where feasible, participants are encouraged to bring small items for restoration with them.

Hazards in Collections

with Larry Carr

The prime focus of this one day course is on the hazardous objects and hazardous materials which may be encountered by conservators, technicians, collections managers, registrars, etc. who work with museum, gallery and other collections of objects and art. The emphasis is on the evaluation of the risks posed by different materials, measures to control/minimise such risks* and the practicalities of protecting oneself and other staff against them ..including the use of warning labelling.

Humidity, Temperature and Pollution: the object, the atmosphere & collections care

with Stephen Hackney

Knowing and controlling the atmospheric conditions (relative humidity, temperature, nature and level of pollutants) surrounding objects on display and in storage is of critical importance when considering the design of buildings, display cases, policy decisions regarding exhibitions, loans, visitors etc. This one-day introductory/refresher course offered by IAP in association with The National Archives is aimed at curators, conservators, technicians and other interested parties and covers: understanding the problems: the atmosphere, moisture, pollution; the interaction between museum objects and their environment; and evidence of physical damage and chemical deterioration of historic objects due to museum activity and climate.

Hydrogels in the Cleaning of Paper and Paintings

with Matthew Cushman

This three-day course introduces participants to a variety of rigid and flexible hydrogel materials and their use in controlling the delivery of moisture and solutions for conservation cleaning applications on a variety of surfaces. This course is open to conservation professionals and students of any specialty. Although a prior understanding of aqueous cleaning principles will be helpful, formal education in aqueous cleaning techniques is not a prerequisite.

Identification of Insect Pests in Collections

with David Pinniger/Jane Thompson-Webb

This course is aimed at collection managers, conservators and others who are responsible for the monitoring and control of insect pests in collections, to enable them to identify the insects and insect larvae found in their buildings and collections. This is a practical course where specimens (including those brought by participants) will be identified both by the naked eye and under low power magnification.

Identification of Photomechanical Prints

with Hildegard Homburger

In this two day course the most important photomechanical techniques – relief, intaglio, planographic, screen and digital prints – will be examined. These different techniques (both for artistic and reproduction contexts) will be examined by studying original prints under magnification and the observing the distinctive characteristics of each technique by close inspection of these original prints.

Identification of Pigments

with Tracey Chaplin

This introductory / refresher four day course introduces the techniques necessary to identify pigments using the polarizing light microscope. The relevant theory and optical properties of materials are explained in lectures/discussions and course notes but the majority of the course is dedicated to learning in practice how to determine the optical properties of pigments and to use these to identify pigments. Reference materials (both modern and historical pigments) are examined in groups according to both their optical properties and pigment colours so that by the end of the course students feel confident in pigment identification. Time will also be given to making suitable samples for analysis from pigment libraries and decorative surfaces.

Loans in Practice: objects and paintings

with Alexandra Gent and Frances Halahan

This one day course examines the theory and practice involved in the loan of objects and paintings from collections for exhibition in other locations. Emphasis will be placed on considerations of actual practice illustrated by  case studies indicating the realities and pitfalls associated  with loans and touring exhibitions. Topics covered include: Management and documentation of loans, Preparation and planning, Condition reports, handling requirements, and Couriering and managing couriers.

The Modular Cleaning Program for Cleaning Painted Surfaces

with Chris Stavroudis

The aim of the workshop is to provide participants with the tools to use the Modular Cleaning Program – a system  developed to assist conservators in their approach to cleaning with solvents, solvent gels or water-borne systems and to formulate effective cleaning strategies. The course covers the theory and practice of formulating aqueous cleaning solutions, solvent gels, and polymer-stabilized emulsions by mixing stock solutions, working through aqueous and solvent gel test cleanings to find an optimal cleaning system for one or more test paintings.

Museum and Gallery Lighting: Theory and Practice

with David Saunders

Nanocellulose Films in Art Conservation

with Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne

This two-day intensive workshop is aimed at established paper conservators who have the theoretical and practical foundation for understanding the use of nanocellulose films in conservation. The course consists primarily of hands-on activities, but will also include a lecture, group discussions, examination of various nanocellulose films, the making of some films (microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and MFC-based nanocomposites), and the application of this new material on a selection of graphic artworks and documents.

Non-invasive Examination and Analysis of Museum Objects and Paintings

with David Saunders

The day offers a brief summary of the principles behind, and advantages of, some of the most commonly-encountered non-invasive methods and their application to the examination and analysis of different types of museum objects, including works on paper, paintings, sculpture and archaeological collections. It is not intended to provide training in their use, but rather to offer an understanding of the type of information produced by each method so that appropriate techniques can be chosen to address questions that arise during the study, conservation or analysis of museum objects. Descriptions of the principles of each method are illustrated by case studies on a broad range of different types of museum object.

Retouching Modern and Contemporary Painted Surfaces

with Rachel Barker and Rebecca Hellen

This two-day workshop, consisting of morning lectures and afternoon practical exercises, provides an overview of the materials and techniques to consider when retouching modern and contemporary painted surfaces – which may be composed of acrylic or oil paint, mixed media etc. and are often unvarnished and vulnerable to accidental or deliberate mechanical damage and chemical change. The choices of in-painting media and methods of application, aspects of durability, reversibility, surface sheen etc. are examined in theory and practice. The importance of interviewing artists in order to become familiar with their working practices is stressed, together with considerations of the artists’ moral rights and how they might affect this and many other conservation processes.

Watercolours: examination, processes and care

with Joyce Townsend

This one day course, based on British watercolours of the Golden Age (1750 – 1850), examines the painting processes of key artists working in watercolour (J.M.W. Turner and William Blake in particular) – giving insight into their techniques and the materials available to them (paper, paint, brushes, other tools, gums, pigments etc.). It will also cover both low-budget and more costly ways of identifying materials or inferring their presence, and will close with a discussion on light sensitivity, and implications for collections care.

Paper and Water – Washing Paper in Conservation

Photodegradation and Microfading of Museum Objects

Materials and Methods for Surface Cleaning and Removal of film-forming Materials

Conservation Mounting of Works of Art on Paper

Have you not found the topic you were looking for?

We also provide tailor-made courses to institutions and organisations for their own in-house training needs. For more details please emails us at info@academicprojects.co.uk