In todays competitive jewellery industry the only way to excel is through unique and saleable designs. A strong foundation in jewellery design is the basis for many jewellery career paths.

Not sure if you can draw jewellery? With this intensive program you can learn, from first principles, the fundamentals of jewellery design. No prior design or art experience is required. By the end of this course you will complete a mini portfolio of creative designs and leave with a clear understanding of how to transfer your ideas to paper in preparation for the next important step, the manufacturing of the piece.

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What you will learn

Basic Creative Drawing

Sketching is practiced in actual size, with proportions in mind, and attention to detail specifically to negative as well as positive spaces. Quick enlargement, reduction and distortion techniques enhance even more creative variation. Understanding major shapes and forms, and an introduction to viewing jewellery in different views (top side and end) helps in communicating ideas and putting them clearly on paper.

Working With Major Forms

Major Forms are the essential building blocks of realistic drawing. Use major forms to simplify complex designs into components, making it easier for you to translate creative ideas into stunning drawings.

Designing with Gemstones

Understanding Gem cutting styles and important industry standards for length-to-width ratios, all the typical gem cuts are explored in all three views. Gem terminology is discussed as is when to use faceted, cabochon and fancy shapes to create perfect gemstone designs. Discover how to use charts which help to determine the estimated weight of gem materials in your selection.

Settings, Findings & Component parts

Settings and findings keep the gem on the metal and the jewellery attached to the wearer. Learn about the hundreds of types of findings designers use, and many exciting ways to set gemstones into your jewellery designs, each different type of setting capable of offering a different end result.

Design Principles and Course Review

Learning about the elements and principles of design provides the vocabulary and understanding to relay our jewellery designs as effective, aesthetically pleasing, or visually arresting. Knowing the Elements and Principles is yet another avenue for inspiration and for creative drawing. Experimenting with these useful tools enables us to produce design of substance and meaning.

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Course instructors

Tanja Sadow

Tanja is an award winning jewellery designer & gemmologist with more than 4 decades of experience educating the jewellery industry across 4 continents. Dean and founder of JDMIS, Tanja works with aspiring artisans as well as top jewellery brand team members to help them achieve brilliance in their careers. Read More

Students' reviews:

Learning how to draw by hand makes it easier to express your creativity when designing jewellery. Learning curve is not as steep as learning the digital software.
- Cherry T. (Singapore)
The course was very detailed and I learnt a lot while building a steady foundation for the skills I hope to achieve. Course outline and timings were great for busy adults. I love the way my lecturer Tanja conducts the lessons and I'm definitely looking forward to more classes with her.
- Tracy T. (Singapore)
It's a very well paced and fantastically organised course with lots of materials and sufficient examples for learning...A wonderful opportunity to pick up new skills and knowledge within the realm of jewellery and designing
- Wei Yeong L. (Singapore)
Even though I am not the neatest in drawing, I have learned the basics of jewellery and fundamentals of designing through this great course
-Lazima S. (Sri Lanka)
Very well organised and presented. Tanja is superb, could learn loads from her... Very excited to start making designs for myself.
- Chye Lian L.(Singapore)
I am very confident that the skills and techniques I have learned will help me immensely with finding work as a fine jewellery designer
- Carys O.
JDMIS is the the best academy to learn and study more about the jewellery industries. It provides all the useful informations and materials which I'm very sure I can't find in any other academy out there, which helps us to achieve success in this industry!
- Kassim M. (Singapore)
Focused content and lots of guided practical steps. Content is well explained.
- Soon Ping M. (Singapore)

Tools and materials

Students will receive everything they need to complete all their coursework. This course includes all the tools, drawing and reference materials needed in order to draw fantastic jewellery.
Learning path

Design
This course offers a design experience. At the end of the workshop, participants will have designed their own jewellery.
Prerequisites: None
Next Step (Classical Jewellery Design Specialisation): JD200 - Classical Jewellery Design 2: Technical drawing and Counter sketching.
Next Step (Complementary Design Specialisation): DD100 - Digital Jewellery Design 1: Fundamentals of Digital Jewellery Design (CAD).
Participants attending and completing this programme as a stand-alone certification can choose to enroll for the Fine Jewellery Design Diploma.
Duration

30 hours
1 week (Full-time), or
5 weeks (Part-time)
JDMIS runs weekday & weekend schedules for this popular course. JDMIS also has flexible make-up schedules and graduates can return for free for refresher courses (subjected to availability).
Course fee

Classroom: SGD 1,920
Blended: SGD 1,420
Online: SGD 1,120
Course fee is inclusive of GST as well as all tools and materials provided during the course.