Try it out: precious metal clay jewellery

About this course

The course introduces metal clay jewellery design, including ways to incorporate stones and create textured surfaces. Demonstrations cover work-area setup, tool use and techniques such as rolling, piercing, wrapping and forming clay. Participants develop and refine designs in a practice medium before making pieces in metal clay, with guidance available throughout the practical work. The course also covers firing with a hand torch, applying patinas, and sanding and polishing finished pieces.

What you'll learn

• Recognise the properties of different types of metal clay and how they should be handled
• Use tools and equipment to form a metal clay jewellery piece
• Apply textures to create designs in metal clay
• Fire a metal clay piece with a hand torch
• Apply patina to colour metal clay
• Sand and polish a metal clay piece

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for all levels, from complete novices to experienced jewellers, and may also suit bead makers and clay artists. Teaching combines demonstrations, practical work, advice and guidance. Participants should be able to follow written and verbal instructions, take part in group discussions, and use simple measurements and calculations.

• Suitable for learners approaching metal clay for the first time as well as experienced jewellers exploring the material
• Requires participation in group discussions
• Learners should be comfortable following health and safety information and simple calculations

Before you go

• General tools and equipment, polymer clay for practice pieces, 10g of Art Clay metal clay and metal clay slip are supplied.
• Bring an apron, an empty film case or clean pill bottle, plastic-coated playing cards, a notebook and pencils, and cheap fine-tipped paint brushes.
• Optional items include clay shapers, badger balm, small cookie cutters and materials for creating texture.