The British Channel Seen from the Dorsetshire Cliffs (detail) 1871

Laser Cutting Research

Facility Contact:Tom Sowden / Jesse Heckstall-Smith
e-mail Address: Jesse.Heckstall-Smith@uwe.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)117 3285864

The Centre for Fine Print Research aims to help artists, designers and manufacturers develop ideas and bring new products to the marketplace through access to digital manufacturing, workshops, knowledge transfer, advice and courses. The research centre houses a range of new technology for prototyping, manufacture and research.

Laser cutting bureau service:

As part of these services The Centre for Fine Print Research offers a bureau service in Laser Cutting. The Laser Studio has a 10w, 30w and 200w flat bed laser with a cutting area of 70 x 95cm, 40 x 60cm and 90 x 140cm respectively. Laser cutting involves the use of a powerful laser to cut, etch or engrave into textiles, paper, card, plastics, vinyl's and some types of wood (materials must be flat). A computer controls the path of the laser over the bed to melt, burn or vaporise the material.

We are trialing a new charging and booking system for the laser studio which will make more time available at only a slight increase in price. There will be four, 1.5 hours slots that you can book on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Fridays from 9.30-11am, 11.30-1pm, 1.30pm - 3pm and 3.30pm - 5pm.

The cost is £50 per slot for the 10 watt and 30 watt machines or £80 if you want to use our large 200-watt laser. This price is regardless of what is cut, so the better prepared you are, the more that you'll get done for your money. If you want to book a half day the cost is £100 for a 3 hour session on the smaller machines and £150 for the large 200 watt machine (and you can share a slot between two people).

A laser cutter can also be booked for a whole day for between £250 and £350. Groups of 2 people can hire the studio for a day (7-Hours) for £500. Groups of 3 people can hire the Studio for £600 per day.

When we take your booking we ask for a 20% deposit.

Design work is charged at £40 an hour and we have a minimum set-up charge of £25 which includes the first 15 minutes cutting (5 minutes on the 200 watt laser). We provide technical support and your session will be overseen by Tom Sowden. Tom is the AHRC Research Fellow in Artists' Books at the CFPR, he has recently been awarded funding to carry out research into the long term potential of laser cutting technology for artists. Tom also works part-time as a Senior Technical Instructor in Laser.

As there are several factors that affect the time a job will take, it won't always be possible to give a definitive quote, but a reasonable estimate will always be provided. For best results please email jesse.heckstall-smith@uwe.ac.uk your design for estimate as an Illustrator file (with only strokes and no fills or imported images). Or give us a ring on 0117 3285864. The lasers do get booked up quickly so if you are working to a deadline let us know.

Once we have agreed an estimate you can either send in your final file and we can return your cut work via the post or you can come in and work with Tom Sowden on your designs.

Recent Studio work:

Emma Moloney emma maloney
Emma has laser cut acrylic for an interactive art installation Sunken Garden Secrets at Kensington Palace, 2011, which constitutes a unique collection of personal secrets from residents past and present.

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/intransit/sunkengardensecrets.aspx

su blackwell
Su worked in the studio to create an exhibition of site specific works, ‘Remnants’ for the Bronte Parsonage Museum in 2010. Su creates book-cut sculptures – 3D paper-cut works from the pages of books, inspired by the stories inside. This exhibition featured a series of delicate installations in the historic rooms of the house, inspired by the Brontes and the museum collections. http://www.bronte.info/index

su blackwell And her solo Show ‘Happily Ever After’ at Long and Ryle Gallery, London. This exhibition explored the role of marriage within the fairytale. In many fairy tales, marriage acts as a kind of a closing sequence for the ‘happy ending’. In these works, Su examined a different type of ending. The main focus of the exhibition was a wedding dress, from which Blackwell cut a garden from the train of the dress. http://www.longandryle.com/artists/su-blackwell/

Artist residency programme:

We can provide 1 to 1 Laser cutting and engraving expertise for artists, this is typically charged at £1000 per week for use of the studio with 1 full day of technical assistance included. The Artist also pays for any materials on top of this fee. Please send applications with a project proposal, portfolio and CD of images or call us to discuss your individual requirements.

The Centre also offers Continuing Professional Development courses in laser cutting for both experienced practitioners and those new to laser cutting. The programmes are aimed at, amongst others, artists, designers, craftspeople, communicators, teachers and managers. They offer the opportunity for professional updating, for learning new skills and techniques and for intellectual stimulus. For more details and to book onto a course please see the laser CPD page or follow the link to the right.

Terms and Conditions of Deposit

The organisation or individual making a booking are required to pay a deposit of 20% of the total fee upon booking. This deposit is not re-fundable if the organisation or individual do not give UWE written notice of cancellation of the booking within 14 days of a booking date.

If the organisation or individual give more than 14 days of notice of cancellation prior to a booking date the deposit will be re-funded less any reasonable University of the West of England, Bristol (“UWE”) administration costs. If UWE has to cancel the booking at UWE’s sole discretion and through no cause of the booking organisation or individual UWE will refund the 20% deposit if paid by the organisation or individual and if UWE and the organisation or individual cannot reasonably agree a revised booking date.