The day after you enroll, you receive a pdf with sheets containing all the letters of the upper and lower case alphabet; it comes via email. You print the sheets, trace the letters with a soft pencil on tracing paper to LEARN THE LETTERS. You should have a minimum 2-3 weeks of practice at home before the Workshop.
• DVDs TO WATCH AT HOME
Each student gets a 2-DVD set with all upper case and lower case letters DONE WITH THE DRILL, ON GLASS. These are beneficial and time-saving as you work along tracing the letters on the pdf sheets. You see Ken make every letter with the drill on flat glass.
• AIRPORTS
If you're flying in, LOVE FIELD and DFW are area airports. They are about the same distance from the HOMEWOOD SUITES hotel on Highway 75 in Allen, TX.
• TRANSPORTATION TO HOTEL
Of course you may prefer to rent a car or take a limo....but probably not. Most arrange for SUPER SHUTTLE by calling 1-800•BLUE VAN. And then, of course, there is LYFT and UBER.
• ARRIVE AT HOTEL
The Workshop is held at the Homewood Suites in Allen, Texas, about 30 miles north of Dallas. Since our groups are always small, discounted rates are not available for those attending the Ken Brown Workshop. HOWEVER, it never hurts to ask. You will probably get a better rate calling the hotel direct. You should arrive by 4:00 p.m. to settle in if arriving the day of the evening orientation.
• WORKSHOP ROOM
Student tables are set evenly on each side of Ken's table and projector as shown above. The large movie screen shows Ken's work enlarged about 30-50 times actual size. The classes are usually 4-6 people so it's almost like a private lesson. The maximum size of the class is 10 students.
• ORIENTATION
The first evening in the hotel is an orientation class from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. We meet and visit awhile before Ken's demo of setting up the equipment. Everyone is introduced to the drill and how to use it for one simple project that evening.
• EQUIPMENT
A COMPLETE SET OF LOANER EQUIPMENT IS PROVIDED FOR EACH STUDENT IN THE CLASS. Each student should purchase the KEN BROWN PROFESSIONAL ENGRAVING SYSTEM from the Utah company, TAKING AIM MARKETING, that has supplied Ken's students for over 20 years. The equipment should be purchased to arrive at your home to be there the day you return home after the class. See EQUIPMENT link below. Student must purchase a set of burs (drill bits) from the equipment supplier....approx $125., and have the set shipped to The Ken Brown Studio. We will have it at your table when you arrive.
The Ken Brown Studio provides a loaner system for every student in the class....everything except burs. The rest of your system remains at home. You WILL need the items on the list of materials; you can purchase that package from TAKING AIM MARKETING.
• THE FIRST FULL DAY 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Everyone starts making the familiar letters...after all that tracing practice at home...on lined sheets of flat picture frame glass,, provided by the Workshop. All the lower and upper case letters are done with the drill. We also work on numbers and punctuation. By the end of the first day you will have done all the letters several times, along with a couple of small projects.
• SECOND & THIRD DAYS 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
You will engrave abecedarian sentences...sentences that contain every letter of the alphabet... on flat glass and review the alphabet, making each letter many times each day. A total of 13-15 projects will be completed during the 3 days. Each day there will be discussions about marketing; Ken will share many of his ideas and experiences that worked and some that didn't. You'll benefit from his broad experience....and many additional years... at a fast, yet thorough pace in 3-1/2 days.
• PROJECTS
You will watch Ken do each project while he explains the process on a large movie screen in the Workshop room. His work from his position in the center of the room is projected and enlarged on the screen; you never have to leave your seat to see great detail. You then do the same project when he's finished. Ken circulates around to each student to monitor progress and help with hand positions, letter shapes, etc. Lots of one-on-one.
Projects include a bowl, square jar, knives, SmileStones™, candle holder, wine glasses, round dinner plate, wine bottles, and a few other misc. items to give each student the experiences of engraving a variety of surfaces, shapes, and contours. Layout techniques are shown for each.
Again, Ken does the project on-camera for all to see, then students do the same as Ken circulates, helping each student. Students' projects are shown on the screeen and critiqued so each student hears comments about every other student's work. Invaluable to everyone.
• ENGRAVED SAMPLES
There will be a display of various items Ken has engraved. You'll be encouraged to look closely at them and take photos for your future reference.
• LUNCH
Classes are always small so we drive to a nearby deli for an hour +, to eat and visit and even have a bit of Q & A as we lunch. Lunch is 11:45 - 1:00 and the cost is the student's responsibility.
• LAST DAY
The final day is devoted to only 3 or 4 of the remaining projects. There will be a couple of wine glasses, a round dinner plate, and a couple of wine bottles. Be prepared to pack up a dozen or more small items you've engraved in the class for taking or shipping back to your home. You'll need to be packed up and out of the room by 6:00 p.m. Based on that, if you flew in, you should decide whether you can fly out that evening or wait until the next morning. The trip to the airport could take 90-120 minutes at worst, to get you into security lines which could be an even longer period of time. Plan well.
