Textured Jewels: Creating One-of-a-Kind Surfaces by Combining Processes

Whether implied or actual, subtle or striking, texture has a magical ability to capture the imagination and lures the viewer to take a closer look – it’s practically irresistible! This weekly class is all about building layers of surfaces by combining three separate metalworking processes: texturing, hydraulic die forming, and enameling.

Students will be led through a series of exercises that encourage experimentation and play. Each class session in the 8-week course builds on the previous, enabling students to develop a visual vocabulary of textures and forms, the tools that make them, and an understanding of “order of operations” for creating complex pieces. By the end of class, students will have a series samples as well as finished textured and enameled forms (“jewels”) ready to incorporate into jewelry.

Students are encouraged to bring additional copper or fine silver for die forming and enameling, as well as apply other forming/texturing processes they already know (such as microfolding, corrugation, etching, etc.) outside of class, as Kaitlyn will not be able to cover every process possible in the metalsmithing realm! Kaitlyn will also discuss ways to “set” finished “jewels” and help students plan for fabrication.