ASCUS Art & Science
Beyond the Naked Eye 2020
Microscopy Beginners Course
6.30pm – 9.00pm, Tuesdays, 10th Sept – 8th Oct 2019
Our world is full of things invisible to the human eye. Have you ever tried to see the micropatterns of everyday objects? Do you want to gain the skills and techniques necessary to see colours and details usually invisible to the naked eye?
Experience new ways of creating striking images by venturing into the unseen world of microscopy, exploring different samples and staining techniques through the medium of light.
ASCUS Lab is equipped with a wide range of microscopes that have a variety of microscopy techniques, from basic brightfield using simple white light to darkfield and polarised light techniques that alter the light path.
This workshop will cover every stage, from sample collection and preparation, taking you through the basic physics of how microscopes work along with an introduction to the different techniques of light microscopy. Explore and gain understanding of how different samples interact with light and different stains. Gain the confidence in using a range of microscopes for your own creative exploration into microscopic image making.
Try out making various samples from the world around you, from single-celled to multi-celled organisms like you, to plants, dust and everything in between. The course will explore the benefits of using different samples for making permanent slides, along with the benefits of using different contrast enhancing techniques for both scientific and creative purposes.
All participants should bring along a notebook and an insatiable curiousity, all other materials are provided.
Course Details
10th Sept – 8th Oct 2019
*Concessions are for: full time students; unemployed persons, senior citizens, residents of Summerhall, and disabled persons. If you have booked as a concession you must provide proof of status on arrival.
Course Outline
This is a series of skills workshops combining presentation, demos and hands-on learning activities for anyone interested in learning the basics of microscopy in a fun, creative and experimental environment.
What’s in store?
ANATOMY
OF A
MICROSCOPE
‘WHAT AM I SEEING?’
SAMPLE COLLECTION & MOUNTING 
‘WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER?’
SAMPLE STAINING & MOUNTING 
‘HOW DO I MAKE MY SLIDE LAST?’
DIFFERENT MICROSCOPY TECHNIQUES
‘WHY DO THEY MATTER?’
INTRO TO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES 
‘HOW FAR CAN I ZOOM IN?’
- Introduction to microscopes – refraction, reflection, magnification and scale
- The physics of microscopy – the light path
- How microscopes are built – lenses and mirrors
- Sample collection and preservation – what to consider
- Slide preparation – fixing and mounting
- Staining methods, techniques and applications – an expansive world
- How staining works – top tips for using different stains
- Scientific use – taxonomy and diagnostics
- Creative use – concepts and approaches
- Kohler illumination technique – Brightfield optimised
- Contrast enhancing techniques – adjusting the light path
- Intro to Oil immersion technique – as close up as you can get
- Microscopy image capturing – using DSLR camera to take micrographs
Who is it for?:
- anyone interested in microscopy and developing lab skills
- artists interested in using microscopes for creative projects
- scientists who don’t usually work with microscopes
- students interested in exploring the field of microscopy
- the ever curious and creative
- anyone interested in looking deeper into what lives all around us in the microscopic world!
Booking Refund Policy
Please note that purchased tickets can only be refunded in the following circumstances:
- If the event/workshop/course is cancelled, rescheduled or has changed location.
- If an event is rescheduled to another date, your tickets are still valid. If you can’t make the rescheduled date, then you’re entitled to a full refund.
- Refund requests will be accepted up until 1 week before the date of the event. We are unable to guarantee that refund requests received after this time will be possible.
- When events are cancelled or rescheduled we will do our best to inform all participants using the contact details provided when the order was made.
