Completely Self Taught or Courses?

**MuranoSilver** · 10-09-2009, 08:04 AM

I often regret that my previous career choices didn't include a Jewellery Degree (did Theology & English instead,lol) so my skill set has been learnt from:
1) Books,
2) The internet,
3) Practice and self teaching
4) A selection of courses....

The trouble I've found with books is that I sometimes get them (with good intentions) read them, then think "I'll try that it sounds good", before life happens and I never get round to it.....

The internet is a brilliant source but information is often patchy and it can take a long time to find.

Practice and self teaching - well everyone has to do this if they're going to get better but what if my technique is lacking, am I just building up bad habits?

Courses for someone like me (who hasn't done a jewellery degree) courses seemed the best option. On a degree you get a wide knowledge of lots of things but I'm not sure how much time you get to spend on each one and how much of it is actually pratical. (maybe you degree folks could help out here with your experience, there's probably younger folks who are deciding which route to take). To me the benefit of a course is your can choose to learn a specific technique or skill set when you're ready for it.
The disadvantage is there's always that nagging thought that I might be missing out on something, something I might've touched on if only I'd had the broad base of a degree to work from....

Courses have been my most invaluable source of learning but I've been lucky and had brilliant teachers. The best place I've been to so far has been "In the Studio" in Kegworth.
I've taken:
Jewellery Making Introduction:
Jewellery Making Intermediate:
Dichroic Glass:
Casting Course:

Another great Teacher is Petra from silverclay.co.uk I learnt silver clay from her (oh so long ago) and it was the best three days of learning. I went straight in the deep end with level one silver clay, but I'd recommend an intro course before anyone else does that

Pat Waddington at Pajed tought me PhotoPolymerPlate making - which I've found very very useful for making my own silverclay texture/design sheets.
All were fabulous and I'm quite happy to share my experiences....so if anyone wants feedback from them I'd be happy to oblige.

There's always more stuff to learn though and I'm sure not everyone feels like me....maybe you did the degree route, maybe books or DVD's are your thing...
I'd be really interested in any feedback anyone has of courses they've found useful AND for people who are self taught (especially those just starting out) whether you have the same worries/issues as me.

nicola x

**agent_44** · 10-09-2009, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by MuranoSilver

I often regret that my previous career choices didn't include a Jewellery Degree (did Theology & English instead,lol) so my skill set has been learnt from:
1) Books,
2) The internet,
3) Practice and self teaching
4) A selection of courses....

The trouble I've found with books is that I sometimes get them (with good intentions) read them, then think "I'll try that it sounds good", before life happens and I never get round to it.....

The internet is a brilliant source but information is often patchy and it can take a long time to find.

Practice and self teaching - well everyone has to do this if they're going to get better but what if my technique is lacking, am I just building up bad habits?

Courses for someone like me (who hasn't done a jewellery degree) courses seemed the best option. On a degree you get a wide knowledge of lots of things but I'm not sure how much time you get to spend on each one and how much of it is actually pratical. (maybe you degree folks could help out here with your experience, there's probably younger folks who are deciding which route to take). To me the benefit of a course is your can choose to learn a specific technique or skill set when you're ready for it.
The disadvantage is there's always that nagging thought that I might be missing out on something, something I might've touched on if only I'd had the broad base of a degree to work from....

Nic, I feel exactly the same with all of the above. I have unfortunately only managed to do one course, which was a general Silversmithing course at a local college when I lived in Wiltshire, and that wasn't very good, it took me 10 weeks to make a basic bezel set ring, as the teacher insisted on dealing with each of us individually for the most part, and she had favourites, of which I felt I was not one of them so it made it difficult for me!

I am starting another course in the new year, 2.5hrs a week on a Tuesday evening at Bath College. Looks better and more organised than the last one.

I'm really excited about this but I would love something part time, I could do around my job that was a few more hours per week. My other option, was their foundation degree in Craft and Design, which looked good, but was 2 days a week, and what with starting a new job (although it is flexi hours and working at home) it wasn't really an option to me.

Other than that, I haven't found much else to do in Bristol/Bath

**Di Sandland** · 10-09-2009, 08:33 AM

I feel exactly the same!

Courses taken:

City &Guilds in design and craft. I concentrated on textiles but the techniques taught were transferable to anything.

Making Jewellery from Wire. A course at the local CFE which was far too basic for my needs (or likes).

I would love to take a 'proper' course but there are various issues, including health, that make this very difficult. I do intend to learn lampworking locally, probably early next year and I have an introduction to silver clay booked for October sometime (must check out the dates!)

**ps_bond** · 10-09-2009, 08:36 AM

The trouble I've found with books is that I sometimes get them (with good intentions) read them, then think "I'll try that it sounds good", before life happens and I never get round to it.....

I usually get around to trying things (eventually), but once I've tried something a few times I've usually got a feel for whether I want to pursue it further or not.

The internet is a brilliant source but information is often patchy and it can take a long time to find.

Not to mention sometimes just plain wrong. There's a lot of misinformation around I've seen of the "one true way" variety, where the writer will claim theirs is the only way to do things. In mokume, I've seen a couple of people unwilling to accept other methods of doing things (or even suggesting that any other method "isn't mokume"), which can get a bit tiresome.

Practice and self teaching - well everyone has to do this if they're going to get better but what if my technique is lacking, am I just building up bad habits?

You need to know enough to be able to analyse the results without rose-tinted glasses. There's not a piece I've made that I'm completely satisfied by - and the more you learn, the more detailed the analysis can be.

Courses for someone like me (who hasn't done a jewellery degree) courses seemed the best option.

I've done a course with Flux & Flame down in Dorset (who are fantastic, by the way); engraving & stone setting courses at West Dean and I did the first year of an HCFE in jewellery; probably shouldn't have gone in at the first year, modesty aside, but it did give me the kick I needed to get more structure into my working methods. That was what I was trying to achieve, that's what it accomplished. I'm (hopefully) booked to go on a short silversmithing course at West Dean soon, but that's to sort out a specific technique.

I do like DVDs for some subjects - backed up with books; sometimes the visual learning style suits me better. In the case of stone setting, I have 3 or 4 DVDs on the subject which are of varying usefulness. I still think that Blaine Lewis' DVD is unparalleled as a learning resource - the visual aids of high magnification and animation makes the process much clearer.

**AlexandraBuckle** · 10-09-2009, 08:54 AM

I painted my way through art GCSE and A-Level.

I then did an Art Foundation at Oxford Brookes - they politely told me that I should do Crafts as I wasn't a Fine Artist! and they thought I was good at designing and making 3D things.

I did a Design: Crafts degree at Staffordshire Uni and learnt lots of techniques with lots of materials. I focused on fine metal for my 3rd year and made silver tiaras and rings.
I got a very basic understanding of lots of fine metal techniques. I particularly enjoyed piercing and etching so I got good at that. I also learnt how to rivet.
i was basically taught what I needed to know to make my designs, but now i find i have huge holes in my knowledge.

I would love to do a traditional jewellery course and make some 'proper' jewellery! Like stone settings, soldered bits and bobs.

I have a few books but I've never really tried to do anything that complicated from them. To be honest I probably don't have most of the equipment i would need.

Anyone know of any good courses near me...? Or what sort of level I should approach them at? I don't really want to be doing the real basics again....

On a separate note, I have rediscoverd my paintbrushes! You can see some of my paintings at Alexandra Buckle Paintings- Home

**bustagasket** · 10-09-2009, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by ps_bond

I do like DVDs for some subjects - backed up with books; sometimes the visual learning style suits me better. In the case of stone setting, I have 3 or 4 DVDs on the subject which are of varying usefulness. I still think that Blaine Lewis' DVD is unparalleled as a learning resource - the visual aids of high magnification and animation makes the process much clearer.

I love books and i read them avidly but often cannot sink the information in my mine, like you Peter, i am much better with visual teaching, be it i person or in an instructional videa. So i really must make a point of looking for some DVD's instead of just relying on what i can find on the internet to watch (very time consuming)

As you know i am doing a basic course at my local Adult Education Centre, with the post title of "Jewellery Design and Making" but although i have only done one term, i can see that i will only do it for 1 year max as it seems to be more of a club than anything, and i already know that there is no stone setting taught other than that done in the tubes, and as you know i want to learn far more, (yes Jay that means you

), and that there is no kiln to use to try any other techniques. So i will gleen what i can from it for this year, but i think indivual specialist courses will suit me better IF i can find them and they are not too expensive to keep OH happy.

I know i am in a rush to learn everything, and thats not always good, as i need to perfect what i do know before i try other things, but i am just blody impatient lol

**mizgeorge** · 10-09-2009, 08:56 AM

I'm pretty much self taught. I made my first byzantine chain by sitting in on a class when I was a student (I had free time and was interested). Then nothing for 20 years!

I had a fantastic two days up at Bringsty Studios earlier this year, mainly because I wanted to know whether I was doing things right or not. I also used the opportunity to make our wedding rings with better equipment available than I have at home! I was due to go back for another course next month, but a broken wrist's rather got in the way, so I'll try again early next year.

I love books, the amazing resources available on the internet (and agree about the necessary pinch of salt at times) and have learned masses from forums and friends.

I hope I never stop learning. If I did, that would be the time to stop making stuff as well.

**Kalorlo** · 10-09-2009, 09:18 AM

I'm currently entirely self-taught. My degree's in computer science and physics, so that isn't really relevant! I did Fine Art at A-level, but other than one piece in clay, I painted for that. I'm glad I've found out that I love making jewellery now instead of later, but it would have been even nicer to have had a chance to discover that earlier!

I want to do some courses - I can learn fairly well from books and the internet, but there are some things I would want to be shown in person. I'd like an intensive one- to three-day course, and some evening classes (I work during the day).

Top of my list: soldering and lampworking. I would not want to be handling a torch on my own in my house for the first time! I'm a bit iffy about having one at all in the place we currently live - first floor flat above a shop, no garden or patio area for a shed. My workspace is currently half of my computer desk in our study... It's fine for beads and wire and I can do polymer clay on a bit of kitchen worktop that doesn't get used for food, but a flame? Nooooo. Far too many piles of flammable stuff around.

I accept that I'm going to be doing a lot of reinventing the wheel by being self-taught. Sometimes it's satisfying to find that the way you worked out to do something is also the way you're supposed to do it!

**Di Sandland** · 10-09-2009, 09:25 AM

Sometimes it's satisfying to find that the way you worked out to do something is also the way you're supposed to do it!

__________________

And sometimes not being hidebound by rigid rules means you will discover something wonderful that you couldn't have done otherwise.

**MuranoSilver** · 10-09-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by ps_bond

I've done a course with Flux & Flame down in Dorset (who are fantastic, by the way); engraving & stone setting courses at West Dean and I did the first year of an HCFE in jewellery; probably shouldn't have gone in at the first year, modesty aside, but it did give me the kick I needed to get more structure into my working methods. That was what I was trying to achieve, that's what it accomplished. I'm (hopefully) booked to go on a short silversmithing course at West Dean soon, but that's to sort out a specific technique.

I've heard a lot of good things about West Dean College and I just looked at their short course list....might have to go on a few of those myself. Thanks for the info Peter!

Nic xx