Metalsmithing course - pieces cover image

Working with the raw materials frees you to produce exactly what you envision. Jewellery designers are often at the mercy of the metalsmiths they commission to create their pieces. Fashion jewellery artists depend on their component suppliers. As a metalsmith however, your only limit is your imagination. Roll, saw, solder, rivet and polish precious metals into unique, wearable artworks.

Course outline

Learn traditional ways to manipulate silver, copper, bronze, and metal alloys. Build confidence working with metals by piercing, drilling, forging, fusing and soldering. Apply textures, rolling your own metal sheet and draw wires to custom thicknesses. Execute perfect professional finishing techniques.

Making and Rolling Sheet Metal and Wire

Most jewellery projects begin by shaping raw materials. Learn tools and techniques to produce usable, even and malleable metal sheets and wires. Learn how wire/sheet hardness is increased and how to anneal hardened metals to regain their softness.

Sawing, Piercing and Drilling Techniques

Sawing, piercing and drilling are the most essential processes used by any metalsmith; learn to saw and pierce effectively and cleanly with minimal waste. Practice accurate drilling with hand and power tools.

Roll Printing and Texturing Metals

Practice with the use of steel punches to create textures; learn how to apply textures through the use of a rolling mill. For more unusual surface textures, master the technique of reticulation.

Hot Joining - Soldering and Fusing

Practice gas torch soldering on different metals and understand metal and solder compatibilities. Also learn fusing, the process of bonding metals together at melting point without solder.

Stone Setting

Apply traditional bezel stone setting from first principles and understand the challenges of more advanced setting techniques such as channel, flush and pavé settings...

Professional Finishing

Create mirror-finishes, unusual textures and exciting contrasts using both hand techniques and power tools to achieve perfection in your finished creation.

Sample lesson: Projects covered

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Student reviews

My favourite is still Metalsmithing at this point. I enjoy spending hours crafting beautiful pieces of arts from raw silver sheets and wires.

- Sylvia K. (Singapore)
Highly recommended course to get your hands-on experience in jewellery related education. I will use my skills for hobby projects.

- Calvin T. (Singapore)
There is a wealth of information in these courses...Tanja is a very very knowledgeable instructor with lots of patience and enthusiasm in the subject. Very infectious. The blended learning is an extremely helpful and a wonderful mode of learning. I am thoroughly enjoying this course and look forward to participating in the next level. Thank you Tanja!

- Angeline K. (Singapore)
Excellent grounding in safety, tool usage, techniques. Well worth the time.

- Eli S. (Singapore)
I think the thrill of learning metalsmithing techniques for the first time was my best experience. (JDMIS is) the best place to take a course. You will not be disappointed.

- Arathy S. (Singapore)
It's easy to make your own jewellery instead of buying. Metalsmithing for the win!

- Li Yen L. (Singapore)
I like that I can get "my hands dirty" with hands-on experience.I really enjoy metalsmithing and working with silver! I am very inspired to continue metalsmithing and learning more at JDMIS because I had a fantastic instructor.

- Ow J.W. (Singapore)
I like both New Metal and Metalsmithing courses. I like them both: very practical and hands-on and able to make jewellery pieces on my own.

- Jenny L. (Singapore)
Friendly and encouraging atmosphere...This course will help me communicate better with the goldsmiths who will be working on my jewellery designs.

- Swapna K. (Singapore)
Hands on, messy, very satisfying

- Louise (UK)
I especially like metalsmithing. I just love to fire and shape things... (Going to) create nice pieces and make some monies!

- Angie

Instructor's profile

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
Michelle Wong

From a microbiologist, Michelle ventured into jewellery crafting as a hobby but eventually wanted to turn it into a full-time career. Michelle is passionate and highly experienced in Precious Metal Arts and Fashion Jewellery Making. Read More

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Learning path

Create
This course offers a practical hands-on experience. At the end of the workshop, participants will have produced one or more pieces of jewellery.
Prerequisites: None
Next Steps: MS200 - Traditional Metalsmithing 2: Intermediate Techniques & Stone Setting.
Participants attending and completing this programme can choose to enroll for the full Precious Metal Arts Diploma
Tools and materials

Like all JDMIS courses, students receive everything they need to complete all their coursework. This course includes all the tool and reference and metalsmithing materials needed in order to immediately start producing jewellery.
You will be you taking back your jewellery bench pin, a choice of high-speed hanging rotary drill OR bench-top drill depending on your home studio setup, a torch and many tools of the trade to continue producing stunning jewellery from home.