Traditional Art Shop and Unique Attraction in a 17th Century Town House in Appleby, supplying painting materials
Three days. Roman mines to your palette.
3 Immersive Days
Friday evening through Sunday afternoon in Britain's only traditional pigment alchemy workshop
4 Maximum Participant
Intimate groups ensuring personal attention from master alchemist Mark Hilsden
Your Investment
£1,400 Per person · All inclusive
Your Journey
Three Days, Twenty Centuries
Experience the complete arc from geological extraction to finished pigment, following techniques unchanged since medieval alchemists.
Day 1: Friday Evening Arrival & Foundations
Welcome reception at The Colour Makers House in historic Appleby-in-Westmorland. Introduction to pigment alchemy with hands-on demonstrations. Handle raw materials including Honister slate, North Pennines ochres, and copper compounds. Evening session exploring Roman pigment heritage and the Carlisle Tyrian Purple discovery.
Day 2: Saturday Field Expedition & Alchemy
Full-day excursion to either Honister Slate Mine or Killhope Lead Mine. Experience the landscape where your materials originate. On-site pigment making using traditional levigation and grinding techniques. Learn copper alchemy creating verdigris, or process earth pigments and Mars colors. Return to workshop for advanced grinding and binding techniques.
Day 3: Sunday Mastery & Creation
Morning session completing your personal pigment collection. Learn binding mediums and paint-making techniques. Create finished paints from the pigments you've ground. Understand how to continue the practice at home. Depart with comprehensive knowledge and your own collection of handmade pigments from the British landscape.
What Makes This Different
2000+ Years of Heritage. From Roman mining to medieval manuscripts, follow the unbroken chain of British pigment tradition
BBC Featured Expert. Learn from Mark Hilsden, Britain's leading authority on traditional pigment making
UNESCO Sites: Access exclusive locations in the Lake District and North Pennines World Heritage Sites
All Inclusive
Luxury Accommodation
Private Transportation
Private Transportation
Two nights at historic Appleby Manor Hotel with full breakfast
Private Transportation
Private Transportation
Private Transportation
Minibus excursion to heritage sites with expert commentary
All Materials & Tools
Private Transportation
Comprehensive Resources
Professional-grade glass muller and plate, use of antique bronze pestle and mortar, raw materials, and binding mediums
Comprehensive Resources
Comprehensive Resources
Historical documentation, technique guides, and continuing support
Personal Pigment Collection
Take home the pigments you've created from British geological sources
Meals Included
Saturday lunch and refreshments throughout the workshop sessions