Summer School 2012
Following the major success of the 2011 Summer School, once again Craftworx is planning something bigger and better for 2012. Set over four weeks in August you will be spoilt for choice with four great courses to choose from.
You can enjoy a variety carefully planned creative’s weeks to indulge in learning the skills and techniques in metal clay.
Whether you’re a beginner or an advancing enthusiast, Summer School will have something to suit you.
In this Idyllic location set on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, overlooking the beautiful countryside, Craftworx studio is situated in a clutch of other creative artists' workshops on a farm.
Your tutor, Tracey Spurgin, is a skilled and principal Metal Clay Artist. You can be assured she will guide you and share with you all you need to know to progress your metal clay skills forward.
Each course is designed for you to progress day by day, through a series of specific project tasks, so you get the most out of the learning opportunity.
Once you have built your knowledge and skills you will be eager to unleash your creative ideas to apply to you own projects and designs.
Choose to attend the whole week or just the specific days that suit you.
Contact us to book individual days at £110 or book for the whole week for just £495
Week 1 - Beginners Week, 30 July - 3 August
Spend a week indulging in all the basic foundation skills with step by step projects to build confidence for your own designs.
Monday - Introduction to Silver Clay.
Learn all the essential skills and techniques and begin to get to grips with all the processes to achieve successful results.
Tuesday - Moulding with Metal Clay.
Making and recreating replicas can be a great addition to your metal clay designs. Learn all the top tips and tricks to make the perfect mould. In addition you can learn how to make and use stencils.
Wednesday - Rings.
There are many ways to make rings. During the day we will make two rings using different methods adding different detailed features.
Thursday - Boxing Day.
Create a wonderful box style pendant with a gem stone setting.
Friday - Your Day.
Having acquired a variety of skills and techniques over the last few days, you can now cut loose and try out something for yourself. You’ll be supported and guided all the way through your own ideas. Alternatively you can opt to take time to catch up on some of the essential “finishing” on your pieces.
We drop in lots of other top tips such as hallmarking, sSuppliers, web resources, progression routes. We even throw in some basics on working with sterling silver.
Week Two - The Chemistry of Colour on Metal Clay,
6 - 10 Aug (Intermediate Level)
Adding colour to your metal clay brings life & vibrancy to your designs. Spend a week learning about the options, products & techniques.
Each day will have a suggested project task to make in metal clay then we enhance the piece with the colouring techniques.
Monday - There are a variety of ways to add colour or “cold enamel” to your pieces. Learn the options on some of the products available and how to get the best results out of them. Just one of the options we’ll show you is Raden. This combines resin with some abalone shell to start to recreate this ancient technique with your metal clay project.
Tuesday - Explore the options with inks and dyes to see what works and what doesn’t on metals.
Wednesday - Polymer Clay inlays. Discover how to make some amazing faux cabochons using polymer clay.
Thursday - Touch of gold using another ancient technique called Keum Boo. Apply delicate highlights of gold to your designs.
Friday - Surprise surprise, this is all about the chemistry of creating colour to create patina effects that will last. But you cannot predict the results. You just have to wait and see what the effect reveals.
Why not finish the week off with the master class with our visiting guest tutor Joy Funnel on 11-12 August - Enamelled Accents on Feathered Friends
As an expert in her field, Joy’s work is inspiring. She will give a two day master class in enamelling on metal clay. Joy's unique style and technique is simple yet inspiring adding highlights of keum boo.
The two day master class is £295 andincludes a basic enamel kit. Click here for more information and how to book.
Week 3 - Mixed Metals, 13 - 17 Aug (Intermediate Level)
The metal clay family has grown, with many different brands of copper, bronze, steel and brass clay on the market. What’s’ the difference? and how do you get the best results from each. Spend a week of discovery experimenting with combinations and possibilities. We’ll give you all the hints and tips with a week to explore the combinations available.
Monday - In the beginning - starting out with base metals, Copper and Bronze
Tuesday - Introducing other base metals, Rose Bronze, White Bronze, Brass and Steel
Wednesday - New ideas for metal clay mixed metals
Thursday - Mokume Gane - silver and copper fusion
Friday - Finishing day. Having spent four days totally immersed in the creativity of making and discovering, this day will be set aside for you to finish all your projects to completion ready for a display.
Week 4 - Mixed Media, 20 - 24 Aug (Intermediate Level)
Metal clay is so versatile it will allow you to incorporate or combine it with many other media such as glass, ceramics, plastics, concrete & other materials into single pieces of jewellery. Explore the options with some suggested projects.
Monday - Making glass cabochons starts the week off with a few hours spent learning the basics of working with glass, making your own glass cabochons. Then in the afternoon we will be making an earrings and pendant set using glass cabochons.
Tuesday - Ceramics and silver will marry together really well. Let’s show you how.
Wednesday - Faux bone. These pieces intrigue the viewer. Combine faux bone with silver.
Thursday - Concrete and silver might sound a really strange combination for jewellery but it works to create stunning pieces of contemporary style.
Friday - Creative Explorer. After such a jam-packed week of discovering new techniques and skills, we give you a day to spend time to recap and experiment on your own ideas.
Here is the testimonial from one of last year’s students who travelled from Kent with her family to combine holiday with the Summer School course.
“Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for such a fantastic week at Summer School. I didn’t want to leave! We made some truly amazing pieces and I have fallen in love with metal clay even more! I had only done a fingerprint workshop last year and that got me thinking there was more to this metal clay so I searched the web and found yourself and I am very pleased I did. You have a lovely studio there and in an amazing setting. All the other artists are very welcoming and friendly and it felt like being in a little community. I have had fantastic responses from friends and family over the pieces we made and everyone knows this is where my heart is and what I want to do.
I am looking forward to joining you all again on future events and thank you again for all your help."
Angela, Kent |
