Guidelines for on-line tutorials.

Skype and/or messenger video calls and the use of applications such as Zoom can be used for teaching parchment craft and supporting students. It is useful to set a structure for the sessions that will work for both tutor and student, whether it is to be an in-depth 1 to 1 session or for a group.


For 1 to 1 sessions, the first session will almost certainly be one of discussing the needs of the student and exactly what they require. For instance, are they beginners or more advanced students  seeking assistance with certain techniques?

Arrange suitable dates/times so you all involved are available and prepared for the session to start.

For the tutor it is essential to have a webcam that can be moved….a built in one in a laptop won’t provide the necessary depth of field. Most digital cameras can be set up with a feed into a computer.

Ensure the students mute them selves unless they need to ask a question to avoid distracting noises and background conversations.

If the tutor is also a Pergamano registered tutor it is permissible for them to use a Pergamano published design for a lesson (that is however restricted to one per lesson).

Do not share designs!  If neither a free pattern, your own original design or one as described above is available, you must ensure that the pattern used is owned legitimately by all parties and not just a copy.

In addition, do not alter a designer’s patterns in any way, that does not convert them into your originals.
There is a misconception in some countries that by altering a design by 10%, it may be claimed as an original.
That is incorrect and most definitely so in the UK.

Also it should be remembered that once a design has been published (for instance by Parchment Craft Magazine),copyright i.e the right to copy, publish sell and distribute in any format remains with the publisher and not the designer.

Please do not breach copyright.

Do not use any of the designs for the Academy course work.

By all means critique a student’s effort if they are an academy student, but do not use them during a lesson other than perhaps showing the student the work produced for the tutors own exam.

All Academy tutors do have a lesson pack which they received and that can be used.

Decide on an acceptable cost for these lessons
When the student has completed work on a design, they should send a high-resolution scan to the tutor for an in-depth assessment and feedback if required. An additional small cost could be charged for the feedback.

Tutors should be prepared to answer any query and be able to demonstrate any technique as required.