Celebrate Online Learning Day with Cooksongold

National Online Learning Day falls on September 15th each year and is a great opportunity to explore some of the innovative and alternative ways in which to learn a new skill. Avoiding all face to face contact, online learning is a particularly useful resource at the moment and we offer a range of different formats as well as a huge selection of topics so there is something to suit all tastes and skill levels.

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/cooksongold/videos

We have our own YouTube channel which has scores of videos dealing with tools and techniques, so if you prefer to actually watch a demonstration of how to do something, this is the format for you. Some of my favourites include:

A Beginners Guide on How to Pierce Metal by Christine Pearson, which is a full 19minutes of detailed instructions on saw piercing out a design. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRRrqrAfn_c

Silver Clay Heart Tutorial for Beginners, which is short and sweet at only 1.40minutes but covers the entire project at double speed using subtitles and the finished product is great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhBYtG2HuxU

EFcolor Glitter Enamel Review and Demo by Tracey Jones, which demonstrates these simple but effective low fire enamel powders to great effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7i2Yr8Leqs

The Bench

The Bench is our go to destination for information and advice as well as honest reviews, tips and tutorials. It’s a good place to start when researching something new as we cover such a broad range of subjects. It contains a huge archive of articles so don’t be put off if you don’t see what you want immediately; simply use the search bar on the right to find specific topics or select from the menu across the top of the page. You will find everything here from basic workshop advice to design inspiration and project ideas so it’s well worth a visit.

Highlights for me include:

Workshop Refresh, https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/trends-and-inspiration/workshop-refresh which will help you to re-organise and rethink the layout of your workshop if things are not running smoothly.

A Guide to Simple Soldering, https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/beginners-guides/a-guide-to-simple-soldering which will walk you through the basics of soldering together a simple band ring as well as offering troubleshooting advice.

A Guide to Engraving the Inside of a Ring, https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/equipment-technique-focus/engraving-the-inside-of-a-ring which explains the process but also tells you exactly how to do it.

Let’s Make…

This is the home of our Projects to inspire and instruct at every level. Split into four groups: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Seasonal, each tutorial will take you through every process step by step, enabling you to achieve an impressive end result. There are loads of different areas and styles to choose from including;

Simplicity Collet and Ring Shank (Beginner), https://www.cooksongold.com/downloads/files/simplicity_collet_and_shank_ring.pdf. This sounds terrifying but is de-mystified beautifully by Sharon Philongene who shows just how easy it is to use our fabulous Simplicity range.

Starry Drop Earrings (Intermediate), https://www.cooksongold.com/downloads/files/Starry_Drop_Earrings_by_Diana_Deli.pdf. This striking end result is quite simply achieved so don’t be put off. The basic format can also be altered easily to create personalised designs unique only to you.

Cloisonné Earrings (Advanced), https://www.cooksongold.com/downloads/files/Cloisonn%C3%A9_Earrings_by_Aimee_Skelton.pdf. We even have projects to inspire those of you already proficient with your skills, so don’t assume they are all just for beginners.

Whatever your preference for making, we have so much on offer and all for free, so make sure you check out our fabulous online learning platforms this September. Who knows where it will take you…?

Written by Joanna Varney

Joanna has worked in and around the jewellery industry for well over 20 years. She has designed and created her own pieces as a designer maker, as well as working in jewellery retail on a much larger scale, producing designs and NPD for some of the UK’s largest high street retailers

The post Celebrate Online Learning Day with Cooksongold appeared first on The Bench.



source https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/how-to-guides/online-learning-day

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