The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, it’s time to get back in the studio and take a class with us!
Make your own Holiday gifts this year in one of our 6-week classes like Intro to Silversmithing , or Intro to Wax Carving
FALL+WINTER 2016 COURSE CATALOG
NR: My favorite musician is Macklemore…I’m more of an audiobook addict since I spend so much time in my studio. My favorite book of late is The Nightingale.
NR: I took a couple of silversmithing courses in college over 20 years ago. I made a really fun ring with lost cast wax that I was proud of at the time.
NR: My recent collection of botanical jewelry has taught me a tremendous amount about complex soldering, how to use heat syncs, how to heat just enough of the surrounding silver for the filler metal to melt perfectly into targeted seams, and how to make the most use of my pick while soldering.
NR: Yes…this one. It’s a larch cone. Soldering on each of the tiny layers presented a challenge.
NR: These poppy seed pods, primarily because it’s easy to explode a sphere while soldering on the additional components.
NR: I can’t say that I have just one favorite artist, but I’ve recently discovered the work of John Grade: http://johngrade.com. I would love to take him out for a glass or two of wine and listen to his story. As an artists, how did he reach where he is today?
Lights, camera, action … right?!
If only it were that easy. Photographing jewelry takes an appreciation for light, color, and focus and can be difficult to master let alone learn on one’s own.
Choosing the right background to make your piece pop, natural vs. studio light, props and garnishes – all of these things matter when trying to make your piece stand out.
We’re running a great four hour intensive on Sunday, September 11th with Photographer Nick Papadakis, a NYC based artist with extensive product photography experience.
Using your own jewelry and your own phone, you’ll learn how to utilize common objects and light sources to showcase your pieces in the best possible way without the use of a fancy (and expensive) professional camera.
Here are some beautiful shots from last year’s session… and yes these were taken by a smartphone! We only have 2 spots left – can’t wait for you to join us!
Next weekend we’re hosting a super fun Weekend Workshop on Etching!
Saturday + Sunday | Jun 25+26 |11am-5pm | $240 | Register Now!
In this two day weekend workshop students will discover how to create raised patterns in metal without using any special equipment! You’ll learn how to transfer images onto metal to etch a variety designs using a low toxic and safe method. Etching is the process of using chemicals to cut a design or pattern into a metal surface. Etching your own designs into metal is a fun and rewarding way to customize your jewelry!
Class covers a variety of resist processes including ink transfer techniques and free hand solutions. We will also be covering basic metalsmithing techniques like drilling, filing, refining, and a variety of polishing and sealing methods, so this class is open to beginners as well as intermediate and advanced students.
Extra materials will be provided.
We spent a little time in the studio perfecting the technique this week, here’s some fun action shots:
Here’s the pieces after they’ve come out:
And here’s a couple styles of the final products!
This weekend we’re hosting a super fun one day workshop on Salt Casting!
Saturday | Jun 11 |11am-5pm | $179 | Register Now!
Salt Casting is the art of melting metal to its molten form and then pouring it over salt. This creates spontaneous forms and unusual shapes. In this workshop we learn how to recycle metal, create many different alloys, pour metal into different forms, and fabricate jewelry out of the salt cast pieces. Your old jewelry and scraps (gold, silver, copper) can be cast into new and wondrous forms. The salt cast pieces can be made into earrings, pendants, and pins during the workshop. Extra materials will be provided.
We spent a little time in the studio perfecting the technique this week, here’s some fun action shots:
Here’s the pieces after they’ve come out:
And here’s the final products!
So you’ve taken a few jewelry making classes, have a fabulous idea for a jewelry collection and have began making samples, but wait! Have you thought about marketing? How about how to set up a business in New York? How to apply for a sales tax certificate, and when to collect it?
Running a Jewelry Business is more than designing and making jewelry. In fact, there are many more aspects to business that most designers aren’t aware of when they try to launch a new jewelry line. But don’t fret – we’ve got two classes coming up covering these topics among other valuable practical knowledge for starting and running a successful jewelry business.
Business for Designers (April 3 | Sunday | $120 | 11am-5pm) is all about learning how to start a jewelry business. You’ll learn about different types of businesses from sole proprietorship to a corporation, different laws and taxes you’ll need to know, as well as building a web presence and marketing your work.
Jewelry Production (April 3 | $120 | Saturday | 11am-5pm) is all about developing a coherent line for production, production techniques, selling retail vs. wholesale, and much more. You’ll also have an opportunity to bring in a few samples, and to discuss individual questions in a one-on-one setting with the instructor.
Take them together, and you’ll set yourself up for a successful business launch!
As artists, jewelers, crafters, and makers of all kinds we often experiment with mixed media.
Here’s a fun chart of the various types of glue out there and which ones work best in each medium! Enjoy!
So you’ve taken a few jewelry making classes, have a fabulous idea for a jewelry collection and have began making samples, but wait! Have you thought about marketing? How about how to set up a business in New York? How to apply for a sales tax certificate, and when to collect it?
Running a Jewelry Business is more than designing and making jewelry. In fact, there are many more aspects to business that most designers aren’t aware of when they try to launch a new jewelry line. But don’t fret – we’ve got two classes coming up covering these topics among other valuable practical knowledge for starting and running a successful jewelry business.
Business for Designers (October 18 | Sunday | $120 | 11am-5:30pm) is all about learning how to start a jewelry business. You’ll learn about different types of businesses from sole proprietorship to a corporation, different laws and taxes you’ll need to know, as well as building a web presence and marketing your work.
Jewelry Production (October 17 | $120 | Saturday | 11am-5:30pm) is all about developing a coherent line for production, production techniques, selling retail vs. wholesale, and much more. You’ll also have an opportunity to bring in a few samples, and to discuss individual questions in a one-on-one setting with the instructor.
Take them together, and you’ll set yourself up for a successful business launch!
A common question we get in the studio is how to size a wax ring for very small sizes. Most ring blanks come in a size 5 – so that pinky ring you’ve always wanted to make will require just a few more steps than your average ring.
How to Carve Small Ring Sizes in Wax
Suggested tools
Via Otto Frei
1. Starting with a solid wax tube in the color of your preference, cut out a ring blank to your desired width and evenly file the sides.
2. Measure the width of your ring blank.
3. Figure out the middle point by dividing the width, or diameter, by two and marking that point with a scribe.
4. Make a bulls eye
5. Using a drill bit and your flex shaft, drill a hole where the lines intersect (don’t forget your safety glasses when operating your hand drill or flex shaft!).
After drilling.
6. Widen the hole using a wax bur.
I like to do this holding the flex shaft perpendicular to the wax blank. Always hold onto your piece while drilling.
7. Continue to widen the hole more with the same wax bur, or a cylinder bur.
I like to make small and gentle circles on the inside of the hole with the bur to slowly open it up.
8. Using a ring mandrel, continuously check your work while opening up the inside. Make sure to push the piece gently down the mandrel to ensure accurate sizing.
Et Voila! A size 2 ring for a pinky ring or otherwise teeny tiny hands! Learn more wax carving techniques in our in 6 week wax class listed here.
LILOVEVE 