Taking a jewellery making course online is a great way to learn new jewellery techniques or improve your existing skills, all while in the comfort of your own home. The number of available courses has greatly increased in recent years, with programmes catering to all interests and skill levels. But with so many online jewellery courses around, how do you choose the right one for you? Here we’ll go over some of the main things to consider when you’re searching for a programme.
What do you want to learn from a jewellery design course online?
When you’re thinking about taking a jewellery design course online, the first question you should ask yourself is “what do I want to learn?”. Are you looking to work on specific skills or to get a more general panorama of jewellery making? Are you searching for a short taster course for beginners or something more professionally oriented? You should be clear on your objectives when you decide to participate in a jewellery making course online. This way it will be much easier to choose the right programme for you.
Learning the art of jewellery design is particularly well-suited to online study. If you’re more interested in design than manufacture, there are online jewellery courses focused specifically on computer aided design (CAD) to teach you the skills to create 3D models of jewellery on your computer, ready to send to a 3D printer. This is a fast-developing area of jewellery design with an exciting future. As they are fully computer based, these courses are ideal for online learning and some provide free test licenses for the software used during the programme.
How do you want to take jewellery classes online?
When you’re looking at jewellery classes online, it’s also worth thinking about how they’re going to be delivered. Some courses offer live tutoring sessions, while others rely on pre-recorded video lessons. Some use a combination of the two. Both systems have advantages, so it’s up to you to decide how to take your jewellery making course online. Live sessions are great if you want instant feedback from your tutor, while recorded lessons give you more flexibility, allowing you to set the pace of your own learning.
Some online jewellery courses give students access to dedicated e-learning environments. These online spaces can offer a variety of resources and facilitate communication both with tutors and among the learners themselves. This kind of extra support can be a real bonus when you’re taking a jewellery design course online. Not only do these environments add an extra dimension to your learning, they also allow you to construct relationships with your fellow students, bringing a social element to your online experience.
Where do you want to take a jewellery making course online?
A wide range of platforms now propose online jewellery courses, from hobby websites and subscription services to specialised jewellery schools. Each offers different benefits and price points. For the casual jeweller, a number of free resources can be found on crafting sites and Youtube, a specialist jewellery institution will be better equipped to offer you the in-depth support you need.
Some non-specialised e-learning services offer jewellery classes online. These platforms frequently boast well-developed, user-friendly online environments, and larger operations may be able to offer attractively priced packages. On the other hand, choosing to take a jewellery design course online at a specialised jewellery school is often a safer guarantee that tutors will be experts in the field. Furthermore, if you’re serious about jewellery, some schools have extensive networks of industry contacts that they can share with you, and the personalised feedback you can receive in a virtual classroom could be invaluable.
Making online jewellery courses work for you
One of the main advantages of taking jewellery classes online is that you can tailor the experience to your needs. Whichever path you end up choosing on your digital jewellery journey, make it your own and – most importantly – have fun!
For information about BAJ’s online jewellery courses, check out our courses here.