Enamelling for beginners and improvers with Sheila R McDonald

Enamelling

Ref: SLW30048

Location: West Dean
£480
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About this course

Discover the alchemy of enamelling by practising on copper and progressing to simple silver jewellery.

Course Description

This course aims to introduce enamelling skills to beginners and improvers to show how colour, texture and colour ideas can be translated into enamels. Learn how to translate colour and texture ideas, and the techniques of using fine wires and metal leaf.

Starting with a series of basic test pieces on copper, simple techniques are covered. This is a fine enamelling course and you will cover the washing and grinding of enamels in preparation for wet packing. This allows much more scope for controlled and detailed work. You will also work with fine wires, and gold and silver leaf. The tutor will provide a variety of enamel samples, which will encourage you to experiment.

As a beginner, you will follow small steps with copper samples and then move on to working on small silver and copper items. By the end of the course, you will have produced a small simple item of jewellery.

If you have some experience, you will be encouraged to incorporate some other techniques into your samples. You are encouraged to bring examples of your work as a starting point to discuss ideas.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

  • Enamels used by the group as a whole
  • The tutor will provide small colour fabric samples, which will give you inspiration for the test pieces.

What students need to bring

  • Apron/overall
  • Small glass/plastic containers, to contain wet enamel
  • Scissors, cutting tools
  • Fine tweezers/pliers
  • Any jewellery tools (a kit of basic tools may also be hired from the shop)
  • Any enamels you may already have

Available to buy

  • Available from shop:
  • Silver can be purchased from the College Shop, which stocks a range of sheet, wire, rod, tube and findings. These will be available in set sizes and lengths, suitable for a wide range of projects.
  • Copper sheet – 1.2mm
  • Fine paint brushes
  • Drawing materials
  • Cutting tools

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear i.e. no open-toed shoes or sandals.

Tutors

Sheila R McDonald: seed head brooch

Sheila R McDonald

Shelia R Mcdonald is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art. She works as a freelance jeweller and enameller, undertakes commissions and exhibits widely.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

Courses of interest

Interested in a career in metalwork?

Our Foundation Degree in Metalwork will enhance your employment prospects, give you the skills to set up as a self-employed craftsperson or allow you to continue to higher education. Encompassing both silversmithing and blacksmithing, you will learn practical skills, material properties, placing your work in a broader context and historic metalworking techniques. Find out more