In the Carve a Silver Ring jewellery making workshop students are introduced to the ancient art of lost wax carving and finish the workshop with a polished sterling silver ring at our Marrickvllie studio.
Students experiment with a variety of wax working techniques and ultimately create a ring model in the wax that will be cast in metal, usually sterling silver. Students learn how to finish the casting and polish it ready to wear.
Whether you have never made jewellery before or you are a seasoned jeweller wishing to add to your repertoire, this fun moderately paced workshop is designed to provide you with new skills and a unique piece of jewellery created by you.
At A Glance
- $410 inc GST
- Learn the inspiring skill of carving for casting
- 2-Day Workshop over Two Weekends | 10 am to 4 pm
I loved this class! It was so fun and informative, and I left with a beautiful ring that I made myself. Highly recommend this workshop to anyone who has an interest in jewellery making or wants to learn a new technique.
Kit, Recent StudentABOUT THE COURSE
The Wax Carving and Casting Workshop is an intensive two-day jewellery making course during which students will learn about the process of lost wax casting, experiment with a variety of wax working techniques, model a wax ring (or another piece after discussion with the tutor) and finish the metal casting of their project. Students will be guided through technical as well as experimental techniques.
On day one, students will be guided through the technical project and have the opportunity to experiment with different types of wax and make a wax model that will be cast by a commercial caster.
On day two students will learn how to clean up their cast ring, how to remove the sprue, emery and polish it ready to wear. Students will also learn additional tips and tricks for making wax models.
Best of all, the course allows plenty of time for experimentation. Our aim is to provide you with the skills and techniques you need to continue to develop your practice and be ready to progress to the Wax Carving for Jewels | Stone Setting Workshop.
What is lost wax casting?
Lost wax carving is a traditional technique used in jewellery making and sculpture. A model is carved or shaped in wax and is then cast. To do this the wax model is ‘sprued’ to a wax tree, put into a special container and then filled with investment plaster. Once dry, the investment plaster containing the wax model is put in a kiln and the waxes are ‘burnt out’, leaving the space in the plaster where the model used to be. Molten metal is then injected into the space at high pressure and then allowed to cool. The plaster is then broken up to reveal the metal piece, which will then be cleaned and finished.
What To Expect
What You Learn
Students will learn how to carve jewellery wax to make a model of a jewellery piece, most likely a ring and how to finish the cast piece
- how to measure, mark up and make a carved wax ring model
- technical terms
- good understanding of the tools and materials needed to continue working with wax
- how to remove a sprue, file, emery and polish the metal casting finished ready to wear
- techniques learnt here are ones that can be used at home to make wax models for jewellery
What You Make
Students will make a ring design (or similar scale project in consultation with the tutor) as their first project. We encourage students to choose the ring project as it is an opportunity to learn accurate measuring and how to apply that to the wax model.
Class Size
To ensure an excellent experience for our students we cap this class at 10
Practicalities
What is Included
- All wax materials for experimentation and for the wax ring model.
- All tools and consumables such as saw blades, emery and patina.
- Delivery and collection of the wax models to and from the casting house.
- Coordination of the pieces to be cast in time for the second class.
- Your tutor will weigh your pieces during class and let you know an approximate price for each piece, this is dependent on the metal selected.
- A selection of teas, coffee and yummy biscuits for morning and afternoon tea.
What to Bring
- A notebook and pen/pencil
- Magnifying glasses or a jeweller loupe if required
- Cash for the casting (usually $20 – $70 per piece dependent on metal and weight)
- The cost of your piece will depend on the size of your model and its weight and the price of your choice of metal on the day it is cast. Your tutor will advise you on all matters relating to this process.
- Students usually spend between $20 and $70 on casting, this is dependent on the scale of the ring design and what metal is selected.
- Your ideas and creativity!
Safety
- We take safety seriously at SquarePeg.
- All students must wear enclosed shoes (no sandals or thongs), long pants or skirts and have long hair tied back.
- We provide safety equipment and training on how to use all relevant equipment.
Payment Options
- Enrol below – you can secure your place on the spot!
- Enrol early and take advantage of our payment by instalments option to spread the payments out over three payments. This option is offered at check out.
- 40% deposit followed by a 30% payment six weeks out from your course, and the final 30% payment three weeks ahead of the course start date.
2023 workshop dates
Carve a Silver Ring Workshop at SquarePeg Studios.
2023 Workshop dates:
- February presentation dates: Sunday 5th Feb & Sunday 12th Feb 2023
- June presentation dates: Saturday 3rd June & Saturday 17th June
- September/October presentation dates: Sunday 24th September & Sunday 8th October
Is the date you want sold out?
Please send us an email to register your interest and to go on a waitlist. mail@squarepegstudios.com.au
I really enjoyed this class. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the lost wax process. I left with the skills to continue making my own pieces at home. Emily is a great teacher. she explained everything clearly, gave demonstrations, answered all questions and made sure to have one on one time with each student. She also provided us with information to take home so that we could continue our learning with confidence,
Jessica, 2021Our Tutors
Why choose a jewellery making course at SquarePeg Studios?
Our courses are taught by highly experienced and passionate teachers who are practising contemporary jewellers. This is the closest to an accredited course – without the assignments, stress and cost – that Sydney has to offer. Students not only gain the satisfaction of designing and hand-making their own piece of jewellery they also have the opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at a contemporary professional jewellery studio while learning great new skills in jewellery techniques and design.
Melanie Ihnen
