The FabLab in the Nerve Centre in Derry will be throwing open its doors throughout next month to welcome novice designers and makers who want to try their hand at a range of creative practices including laser-cutting and computer graphics.
The open sessions will be running as part of Derry City Council’s LegenDerry August Craft Month programme, a month long celebration of the creative arts geared towards building the profile of craft in the city.
The Council’s Craft Development Programme is part-funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Development Fund under the Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland, with support from the Resource Centre Derry and Ilex.
The FabLab has become a real hub for local businesses, community organizations and schools who can use the state of the art 2D and 3D design facilities to produce cost-effective design work and products.
Deirdre Harte, manager of Derry City Council’s Craft Development programme, said the sessions would offer a real opportunity for anyone interested in craft and design.
She added: “I am delighted that the FabLab is taking part in this year’s Craft Development programme, they provide accessible and affordable design solutions for a wide range of organisations and individuals who are interested in design.
“They offer the expertise and practical skills, as well as the latest state of the art equipment, for people who may otherwise not be able to afford these resources. I would urge people to sign up now for the introductory sessions as the places will fill up fast.”
The first of the introductory sessions begins on Friday, 15 August, and will give participants an introduction to Inkscape 2D Design Software which is a powerful open source, vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, particularly suited to the needs of the makers and craft practitioner.
Inkscape offers illustrators, designers and makers flexible drawing tools and the ability to interface with all of the machines contained within the Lab. There are ten places available for the workshop which will run from 2.00pm until 5.00pm.
On Friday, 29 August, the FabLab will host an introduction to laser cutting, which will reveal the basics of using a laser cutter for cutting and etching and ways it might fit in to your current workflow.
Anyone who would like to find out more can register for the session which takes place between 2.00pm and 5.00pm.
Anyone interested in finding out more about all the facilities on offer in the FabLab can also take a general tour on 15, 22 and 29 August at 2.15pm.
Participants in the Inkscape and Laser Cutting introductions must register in advance by contacting Eamon Durey [email protected].
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