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Thread: Best Uni to get a degree in jewelry and silversmithing in UK

  1. #21
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    Thats half the thing that interests me in doing a long course like that, being with like-minded people for such a long period of time can only help the learning process. Sometimes you do get stuck when your all alone at home in your studio with only your own mistakes to learn from.

  2. #22
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    Nov 2009
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    and you don't have as many toys as you need

  3. #23
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    Romsey
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    Need or want?

  4. #24
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    Myosotis- Yes jewellery has got busy in the last few years but one of the wonderful things about making handmade jewellery is that Art is as individual as the Artisans that create it. I often buy jewellery from other Artisans (after all I appreciate the work that's gone into it). I also take on board some of their marketing ideas (like the cute little tags from Moo Cards that one of them was using).

    The more jewellery makers there are out there, the better, because it helps promote and grow the entire field. Working on the "Philosophy of Abundance" means I don't have competitors, just colleagues. If people are making their own jewellery then they're not buying "High Street" (which is great for all of us). The more unique pieces the buying public see the more they will want something unique for themselves.

    Lucy, there are a lot of PMC courses out there, some good, some not.
    Thankfully both main manufacturers do official accreditation programmes which at least guarantee the people can make to a certain standard (though passing on those skills is something else entirely). Personally I'm a big advocate of silver clay as it's an easy intro to working with metal & leads people learning more skills to add to their range and repertoire. e.g. I started in 1995 with metal clay, and have since learnt soldering,basic casting, glass work, enamelling and a whole host of other skills.

    I understand what you're saying about "new" tutors but although a year isn't a massively long time, it can be an eternity if someone has specialised and has regular bench hours (think what an apprentice stone setter might learn during a year of solid bench work).
    Sometimes if the tutor has learnt extra skills recently then they will often explain things in great detail and not miss any of the little steps out (while sometimes experienced tutors can forget there's a class of beginners in front of them lol).

    When I'm considering a course I generally find that looking at a tutors work and contacting them direct to find their "teaching style" really helps (as does recommendation).

    Having said all that the one thing I love about new courses is you can see if you like a new technique before you buy all the new toys (oops tools)
    for it.

    Nic xx
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  5. #25
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    Nov 2009
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    half and half. Bought a rolling mill on Ebay from a "fraternal" seller (won't name names) wish I'd looked into it closer but assumed it would be like the ones I used to use. There was a reason it was cheaper than Cookson's ones. Nothing wrong with it per se, just no gearing and you have to spend three days taking it apart to change rollers. Should have waited and gone for a Durston. Fool and his (or her) money and all that. Looking for a polishing motor, there's one I've seen with two speeds - normal for metal and slower for polishing plastic which would be useful. Can't get on with a Dremel after using a polishing motor and pendant drill - which is another thing still to get. Pendant drill most versatile bit of kit I ever used. Wish list is a plating machine. Argh!!! Money money money.

    Still at lease I've got most of the non plug items ie hammers, pliers, mandrels, doming block, swage block, drawplates etc and a ton of silver

  6. #26
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    mmm tools *drools*

    Nic its just when I see "certified pmc instructor" - what does that mean? it all seems a bit of a marketing ploy to me by the pmc makers? I agree that its great for getting people interested in metalsmithing in the first place though. I came from the other direction - beadwork

  7. #27
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    Lucy - I'm a tool addict too (love your workshop pics)
    If they're level 2 certified it means they've gone through some pretty intensive training and had to be at a reasonable level to make the pieces.
    (the pieces you have to make to get the certification cover a variety of techniques to a high level).
    Aside from that a senior instructor would've had to invest about £1000 of course payments to cover the 3 & 4 day courses of level 1&2 respectively.
    Really though it still comes down to looking at their work and talking to them to see how much they make from the stuff.

    I tried beading but never enjoyed it very much, so until PMC came along I'd been making stuff in polymer clay
    Nic xx
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  8. #28
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    Ahh! so I guess the glass also comes from the love of polymer clay!

  9. #29
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    Yep I'm a colour & texture girl
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  10. #30
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    Yep! I hope to make one of my next classes enameling - need a bit of color!

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