The Conservation course is unique in its emphasis on Historical Crafts. At City & Guilds of London Art School we agree with many professional practitioners and museums that Conservation practitioners must understand materials and their properties not only from the perspective of conserving but from the perspective of the maker. For this reason we run specialist classes for our 1st year students in a whole range of processes so that they can more deeply understand artefacts and how they have been made. This involves learning to cast in plaster, gilding, wood and stone carving, fresco, modelling in clay and in this case japanning. We work with leading specialists such as Professor Alex Schouvaloff, introducing students to techniques and the aesthetic principles underlying such historical art forms.
