Learn Metal Clay with Julia Rai

Angel Wing Earring Tutorial by Julia Rai

Beginners Metal Clay Classes

Julia teaches a wide range of metal clay classes from beginner level to advanced level, Certifications and Diplomas in her home studio in Rushden, Northampton.

To arrange for Julia to come and teach a beginners class in your venue or to organise a private class with Julia, visit the contact page.

Hinged Mandela box by Julia Rai
Lentil Pot by Julia Rai

Intermediate and Advanced Metal Clay Classes

Julia teaches a range of more advanced metal clay classes.

Julia teaches advanced level metal clay students box making, both lidded and open. She teaches a number of ways to add lids including friction fit lids, hinged lids and screw-on lids.

She also teaches hollow forms to intermediate and advanced level metal clay students. These include bead making, lockets and other hollow forms. Supported and unsupported hollow forms are included.

What do you want to do?

Often students contact Julia to cover a number of things in a private class. This can include full projects from start to finish or a range of techniques with no final objective. Contact Julia to discuss your ideas. She’ll give you an idea of what can be achieved in the time you have. Often with private classes, more ground can be covered so they can be very cost effective. Plus you set the agenda!

To book a private, bespoke class, contact Julia.

Art Clay Diploma with Julia Rai

Julia has been teaching the Art Clay Diploma level 1 and 2 since 2007. To arrange for Julia to come and teach these classes at your venue, please use the Contact page.

You can also take the Art Clay Diploma in several ways with Julia. Most popular is the private one-to-one classes. More experienced metal clay users can also take the Level 1 and 2 Diploma classes back-to-back as an intensive six day course.

She is a certified Art Clay Senior Instructor authorised by Art Clay World UK to deliver this training.

Art Clay Level 1 Projects
Art Clay Level 1 Leaves

Art Clay Level 1 Diploma with Julia Rai

The updated Art Clay Diploma replaced the previous Art Clay Certification in January 2013. At Level 1 students complete six projects during the three day course and must meet the required standards. This is not a beginner level course; you must have worked with silver clay before attending.

A Beginners Metal Clay one day class with Julia would be sufficient to prepare you for this course although you will need to have practiced working with the clay at home after the course to be really ready. If you have attended a beginners or introductory silver metal clay class somewhere else, this may also be sufficient. If you are in doubt, please call Julia to discuss in more detail.

On successful completion of this course, you will be eligible for a 15% discount on Art Clay from the official distributors.

The projects you will complete are:-

  • Impressions pendant
  • Natural leaf pendant
  • Filigree earrings
  • Syringe decorated ring
  • Brooch with mirror polish
  • Ring with moulded element and pearl

This class will cover:-

  • Using textures
  • Setting embeddable, fire-in-place stones and findings
  • Using paste to paint a leaf
  • Using syringe to create a filigree effect
  • Using cork clay to support hollow forms
  • Ring making including calculating ring shrinkage
  • Using syringe and paste for decoration
  • Polishing and finishing to a high standard including mirror polishing
  • Using two part moulding compound
  • Embedding fine silver wire to attach pearl after firing
  • On successful completion of this Level, you will be eligible to progress to Art Clay Diploma Level 2. You can take the Level 2 class any time after passing Level 1.

Pre-requisites for attending this class

You must be a confident user of silver metal clay. You should have attended an introduction to silver metal clay before you attend this course.

Julia Rai is Certified by Art Clay World UK to deliver Art Clay Certification classes.

Art Clay Level 2 Projects

Art Clay Level 2 Diploma with Julia Rai

The updated Art Clay Diploma replaced the previous Art Clay Certification in January 2013. At Level 2 students complete four complex projects during the three day course and must meet the required standards.

You must have attended and passed the Art Clay Diploma Level 1 before attending this course. If you attained the Level 1 with another instructor, you should bring your Certificate with you.

The projects you will complete are:-

  • Balance ring
  • Glass lentil pendant
  • Colours of nature pendant/brooch
  • Copper and silver riveted pendant

This class will cover:-

  • Making a D-profile ring
  • Using glass with metal clay
  • Bezel setting natural stones
  • Adding gold using Keum-Boo
  • Using Art Clay Copper
  • Riveting
  • Polishing and finishing to a high standard

On successful completion of this Level, you will be eligible to progress to the Art Clay Higher Diploma. This level has no classes; you are required to design and make three pieces to set criteria without guidance from a teacher. You will need to wait six months from the date of your Level 1 class before submitting your pieces for the Higher Diploma.

The Higher Diploma holder gets 30% discount on Art Clay products and can teach Level 1 and 2 Diploma classes.

Adding Colour to Metal

Much of Julia’s work includes the use of colour so if you’d like to explore adding colour to metal clay, contact Julia to book a private class.

Julia offers adding colour classes as bespoke private classes. You can choose what you want to learn in a day or more, one-to-one with Julia. 

Contact Julia to discuss your requirements.

Shell pendant by Julia Rai
Green Pod Pendant by Julia Rai
Private classes with Julia Rai

Adding Colour to Metal Clay Two Day Intermediate Level Class

In this two day intermediate level class you will be exploring a wide variety of ways to add colour to your silver metal clay work. Lots of examples will be on display and you’ll have a wide range of colouring resources to experiment with.

Using acrylic paint, ceramic and glass paint and alcohol inks, you’ll explore adding subtle or vivid colour to your metal clay pieces. You’ll look at how to seal these where necessary with resin and also explore how to use colour directly with resin.

You’ll have the chance to try out waxes, pastes and cold enamel as well as effect paints. Some of these will be used on metal clay directly and some on silver blanks so you have the chance to experiment before committing to your metal clay pieces. You’ll have the opportunity to use a range of colours on fired metal clay.

Gold foil is added to metal clay using an ancient process called Keum Boo. This is detailed in Celie Fago’s book on the subject. Using a hotplate, you’ll learn how to add the gold foil to your work.

Beautiful colours can be added to your metal clay work using a patina solution like Liver of Sulphur. This can create a range of colours, from a subtle golden tone through to black.

This class will cover:-

  • Using acrylic, ceramic and glass paints
  • Using effect paints like Pebeo Fantasy Prisme and Fantasy Moon
  • Using alcohol inks
  • Using Efcolor Cold Enamel
  • Using pastes and waxes
  • Adding and sealing colour with resin
  • Adding gold using the Keum Boo technique
  • Using patina processes like Liver of Sulphur
Copper penannular brooch
Fire Necklace by Julia Rai

Adding Colour to Metal Clay Using Inks and Paints One Day Intermediate Level Class

In this one day intermediate level class you will be exploring ways to add colour to your silver metal clay work using a variety of inks and paints. Lots of examples will be on display and you’ll have a wide range of inks and paints to experiment with.

Students will be expected to make some textured sample pieces in the morning and this must be done quickly so this is not a beginner level class. Students are also encouraged to bring their own pre-fired, unpolished samples to work on.

Using acrylic paint, ceramic and glass paint, effect paints and alcohol inks, you’ll explore adding subtle or vivid colour to your metal clay pieces. You’ll look at how to seal these where necessary with resin.

Some of these will be used on metal clay directly and some on silver blanks so you have the chance to experiment before committing to your metal clay pieces.

This class will cover:-

  • Using acrylic paint and acrylic enamel
  • Using ceramic paints
  • Using glass paints
  • Using effect paints like Pebeo Fantasy Prisme and Fantasy Moon
  • Using alcohol inks
  • Sealing colour with resin
Enamel pendant by Julia Rai
Blue Pearl Earrings by Julia Rai

Torch Fired Enamel on Metal Clay One Day Beginner Level Class

Demystify the enameling process and learn to add colour to your silver metal clay work in this one day class. Enameling allows you to add permanent colour using finely ground glass to your jewellery in a process which has been used for centuries.

In this beginners level class you will learn basic metal clay techniques, learn to design for enamel and practice simple enameling on fired silver metal clay pieces.

All students will begin by making some simple metal clay jewellery pieces and after they have been fired you will learn how to add colour using enamels with just a butane torch.

We will cover working safely with enamels, what enamels to buy for guaranteed success and how to design pieces for enamel. Although we’ll be concentrating on making pieces with shallow cells to fill with enamel using the wet packing process, you’ll quickly see the potential for other ways of using enamel in your work.

No previous metal clay experience is necessary as this class includes a basic introduction to silver metal clay.

This class will cover:-

  • Basics of working with silver metal clay to make simple textured pieces
  • Design considerations when creating pieces for enamelling
  • Working safely with enamels
  • Preparing enamel
  • Wet packing enamel
  • Torch firing enamel
  • Finishing and troubleshooting
  • Next steps and where to buy supplies

Unique Texture Making

Fingerprint jewellery classes with Julia Rai

Julia teaches a number of techniques for making your own unique textures for metal clay. 

The tear away technique, photopolymer plates, carving your own texture plates or working directly into dry metal clay. 

Private Classes with Julia Rai

Unique texture making classes with Julia Rai

Julia Rai is available to teach private classes Worldwide. To arrange for Julia to come and teach a private class at your venue, please use the Contact page.

Julia also teaches private classes in a wide range of subjects.

Classes begin at £200 for a one day Adding Colour to Metal or Texture Making class. You can also take the Art Clay Diploma Level 1 or Level 2 courses with Julia.

If you prefer, you can design your own course and combine subjects to suit your level of experience or personal requirements. Private classes begin at £200 per day with materials extra depending on what you want to learn. You are also welcome to bring your own materials.

Contact Julia to discuss your needs and fast track your skills.