This course is part of our Making Skills: Degree and Diploma Taster Week, a themed series of short courses that teach foundation skills and offer an insight into studying one of our Higher Education courses at West Dean. They cover a variety of subject areas and are taught by selected tutors who teach on the Degree and Diploma courses at West Dean, giving students a real insight into the opportunities available for full or part time study. They also offer an excellent opportunity to create and build on your portfolio, often a key requirement when you apply for a higher education programme, develop you practical making skills and find out if you would like to pursue further study.

This course aims to introduce you to metal forming by raising, forging and scoring hollow work, flatware or boxes. Those with more experience have the opportunity to develop these skills further. You will learn a range of techniques through demonstration and individual tuition.

This course is primarily focused on box making techniques: forming over a pre-shaped former, scored and formed, assembly of pre-formed sides and press forming. Estimating of materials, the properties of metals, use of necessary tools, use of the gas torch for annealing and soldering and procedures for metal finishing will be covered.

Beginners should be able to accomplish a simple hinged box. Advanced students will develop their skills further.

Materials available to work with are silver, gilding metal and copper.

Making Skills: Degree and Diploma Taster Week

Other subjects and short courses on this themed week are:

Foundation Diploma in Printmaking

• Printmaking: Combined Techniques

Foundation Diploma in Tapestry

• Tapestry Weaving: The Art of Translation

Foundation Diploma in Art & Design

• Painting Inspired by Goldsworthy’s Chalk Stone Walk

BA Art & Contemporary Craft

• Object: Memory - Exploring Tactile Ways to Tell Stories
• Experimental Concrete Casting for Sculpture
• Painting Inspired by Goldsworthy’s Chalk Stone Walk

Graduate Diploma Fine Art and MFA Fine Art

• Printmaking: Combined Techniques
• Experimental Concrete Casting for Sculpture
• Tapestry Weaving: The Art of Translation

FdA Metalwork (Craft Practices)

• Silversmithing with an Emphasis on Box Making
• Blacksmithing: Fundamentals and Individual Projects

FdA Furniture (Craft Practices)

• Woodworking: Tool Control, Posture and Precision. No Plane, No Gain

FdA Books & Bindings (Craft Practices)

• Bookbinding Sampler: Designing and Creating a Sewn Notebook
• Introduction to the Conservation of Books and Archives

Graduate Diploma Conservation and MA Conservation

• Introduction to the Conservation of Books and Archives

BA (Hons) Interior Design and HE Diploma Interior Design

• Interior Design Intensive – Process, Planning and Presentation

There will also be opportunities to Meet the Tutors on Tuesday 8 September, with an evening event starting at 5:15pm in The Old Library, where each tutor will give a 10 minute talk about their practice and course. Workshop and studio tours will also be scheduled as part of the week, offering students the chance to see the full range of facilities and courses West Dean offers.

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Included

The materials used on this course are not included in the course fee. You will need to purchase silver or copper to complete your project.

What students need to bring

You will need to purchase silver or copper to complete your project. The college stock a small range for emergencies.

Please contact the bookings office at: [email protected] to speak to your tutor before starting the course to discuss the project and materials required before purchasing.

• Sketchbook, with a range of possible ideas
• 8" 2nd cut pillar file (may be borrowed from the College)
• 8" 2nd cut ½ round (may be borrowed from the College)

Available to buy

Gardens Gatehouse Craft Shop:

• Tools (some tools are available for hire from the College)
• Pencils and drawing materials
• Piercing saw blades
• Solder

Additional information

Recommended bullion suppliers: Argex Ltd, Metalor Ltd, Exchange Findings Ltd, Bloomsteins. Please note: some bullion suppliers have minimum order levels (e.g. £25). Please ask for your requirements to be checked against this before placing an order.

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio. This includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.

Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration  
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am-5pm  
Morning session: 9.15am-12.45pm including coffee/tea break  
Lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm (lunch included)  
Afternoon session: 2pm-5pm including coffee/tea break  
Teaching finishes: 5pm    
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)  
Teaching finishes: 3pm  

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am.
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

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