Making Custom Metal Jewelry for Beginners
A course by Rafaela Delbon, Jewelry Designer
Learn to create signature jewelry from scratch, from the initial sketches to the sale of the piece
Dive headfirst into the gleaming world of bespoke metal jewelry alongside jewelry designer Rafaela Delbon. Creator of the jewelry brand r.delbon, Rafaela has earned herself coverage on the network TV Globo and been featured in Harper's Bazaar magazine and the book Joias do Brasil, named one of the youngest jewelry designers of the time.
Her style is a departure from classical jewelry design and is characterized by taking risks, experimenting with new ideas, and turning apparent mistakes into solutions. In this online course, learn the fundamentals of jewelry making and discover the tools and materials you need to model and make your own custom designs. By the end, you'll have a signature piece of metal jewelry created by you, to give away, sell, or even flaunt yourself!
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 14 downloads
What's included in this course?
Start by getting to know Rafaela Delbon as she talks about how jewelry came to be a part of her life, her career so far, as well as a few of her most outstanding works and her biggest influences.
Your teacher then gives an introduction to jewelry and its foundations, including the creation process, the necessary materials and what each one offers, and the essential tools.
Next, discover all the steps to bring your own custom metal creation to life. Begin looking for reference materials to get your creative juices flowing before organizing your ideas and settling on a design. Move on to the wax model and send it to be cast in metal. Now it's time to work on the texture and finish.
Rafaela brings the course to a close showing you some other techniques for working with wax to create different pieces. She also gives some final tips on photographing your work and putting together a professional bespoke collection.
- 100% positive reviews (67)
- 4,069 students
- 14 lessons (1h 26m)
- 14 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Portuguese, English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Turkish
- Portuguese · Spanish · English · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a ring by first modeling it using wax and then transferring your design to metal.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in getting started in bespoke metal jewelry.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary to take this course. A full list of materials is given in the second unit of the course, which includes:
- A wax ring tube
- Saws and files for wax and metal
- A wax soldering iron
- Wet sandpaper (220, 400, 600)
- A jewelry polishing machine
- A compass, wooden hammer, and scales
- Ring sizers and a ring mandrel
- Essential: Access to a jewelry kiln for melting metal (a local jewelry workshop or similar).
Reviews
Rafaela Delbon
A course by Rafaela Delbon
After gaining a degree in product design from the Universidad de Bellas Artes in São Paulo, Rafaela Delbon later specialized in jewelry design and goldsmithing at the Atelier Flávio Franco. She began her professional career working at the jewelry store Mariah Rovery Joias and experienced a creative immersion with artist Jill Herlands in New York.
Her work is distinguishable by its combination of art and design. According to Rafaela, the true beauty of each piece lies in its imperfections, which is why she harnesses small details throughout the entire creative process to forge original and authentic jewelry.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Fundamentals
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The jewelry creation process
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Materials and possibilities
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Tools
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U3
Part production
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Inspiration
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The design
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The modeling
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Texture and sending to foundry
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The finish 1
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The finish 2
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U4
Finalization
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Other possibilities
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How to photograph the pieces
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How to organize a collection
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FP
Final project
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Making Custom Metal Jewelry for Beginners
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
The course is intermediate level, perfect for those with some experience in jewelry or visual arts who want to deepen their techniques, explore artistic references, and innovate in original jewelry design.
You’ll need wax for modeling, saws, files, metals like silver, measuring tools, resin, a soldering pen, a triblet, ring mandrel, and finishing and polishing supplies, plus materials for mood boards and drawing.
You’ll learn everything from researching references and artistic drawing to wax modeling, selecting and mixing materials, casting techniques, finishing, texturing, stone setting, and strategies for developing original collections.
The course covers techniques like wax modeling, casting, mixing metals with cements, acrylic painting on metal, protecting shells with resin, plus unique texturing and finishing methods.
You’ll learn how to choose, combine, and integrate silver, stones, shells, and natural elements into jewelry, with tips on protection, durability, and contemporary original aesthetics.
Yes, the course guides you from paper sketches to creating mood boards, exploring artistic references, organic shapes, and creative processes to turn inspiration into one-of-a-kind jewelry.
Yes, there are modules focused on wax modeling, cutting, filing, soldering, fixing excess material, and preparing rings and other pieces for casting.
Ella es muy buena explicando y las cosas que hace son hermosas. ¡Muy bueno el curso!
Muy bueno!
Básico, mas bem explicado. Ótimo para iniciantes. :)
Ottimo
Um curso rico em detalhes, me inspirou e me motivou a seguir nessa área.. Estava curiosa em conhecer mais sobre a modelagem em cera na joalheria e gostei muito como a professora Rafaela conduziu o curso de forma leve e criativa.