Using mild steel, become familiar with the basic skills of the blacksmith to develop your designs and make successful objects.
This course is intended to introduce you to the basic skills of the blacksmith, the techniques of working hot metal in the forge and to the implications of these skills for design and form.
You will work on the following: detailed use of the fire, drawing down tapers, upsetting, bending, punching, twisting, welding, and splitting.
By the end of the course, you will have had a good introduction to the techniques of the blacksmith and you should feel more competent with understanding and recognising how these techniques are applied in decorative and sculptural metalwork. You should be able to confidently undertake further explorations of this fascinating and rewarding craft.
If you wish, bring ideas with you in draft form and, if time allows, tuition will be given on a one-to-one basis according to the ideas presented. Ideas may need to be adapted for the time available.
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, 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)
Andew, an experienced artist, craftsman and tutor, trained at the Royal College of Art. He has a large portfolio of architectural and public art commissions, from sculpture to functional metalwork. Andrew has substantial teaching experience at University level and has been teaching metalwork at West Dean College since 1987.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.