LEARN-TO Hand Render Watercolour & Gouache [OCT]

Date: Monday 13 October, 2025

Start Time: 10:00am

End Time: 4:30pm

Venue: FORGE

Eleanor Clifford will guide you through every step of illustrating jewellery designs with gouache and watercolours, with a focus on watercolour stones, in this one day intensive hand rendering workshop. You will explore advanced techniques to create realistic gemstone and metal effects, learning how to accurately communicate your designs to clients through illustration.

See "What should I bring?" below for details of paints and brushes required for the workshop. A list of supplier options will be provided upon booking.

Special discount for FORGE Friends – enter your code at checkout.

What will I Learn?

You will produce a variety of step-by-step paintings to develop your skills in jewellery rendering, using both traditional gouache and watercolour techniques. This intensive workshop will cover:

Understanding the properties of fine watercolours and gouache to enhance jewellery illustrations

Techniques for rendering cabochon gemstones using watercolour effects

Using the wet-on-wet method for stones like amber

Applying granulating watercolour properties to depict fluorite and labradorite

Creating texture with the salt technique for lapis lazuli, moss agate, and jade

Step-by-step gouache techniques for rendering fine metal surfaces, focusing on rings

The final project will bring all these skills together in a complete hand-rendered jewellery design. By the end of the session, you will have all the tools needed to render your own jewellery pieces with confidence.

What will happen on the day?

This is an intensive day of hands-on learning. We will begin by familiarising you with the materials, ensuring you understand the characteristics of watercolours and gouache and how they can be used to their full advantage in jewellery rendering.

In the morning, we will focus on gemstone illustration, covering different techniques for various types of stones. As the day progresses, we will transition to rendering precious metals using gouache, with a particular focus on rings.

By the end of the day, you will have created a fully realised jewellery rendering using all of the techniques learned.

What skills do I need?

All levels – No previous experience is required. However, attending the LEARN-TO: Hand Render class or having some prior experience in hand rendering may be helpful.

What should I bring?

Paint Palette & Gouache Paints

Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache, 14ml tubes in the following shades:

Permanent White

Permanent Yellow Deep

Burnt Sienna

Jet Black

Watercolour Brushes

A selection of brushes in "pointed round," "round," and/or "mop" shapes, with sizes ranging from:

Smallest hair length: 0.5mm

Longest hair length: 1.5cm

Other Supplies

Notebook and pencil

What should I wear?

Clothes: Casual and not too precious, as this may be a messy class. Avoid long, loose sleeves that might interfere with your work.

Shoes: Casual flat shoes and no open toed sandals.

Hair: Tie long hair back.

Who is my instructor?

Eleanor Clifford is a goldsmith and jewellery artist from Dorset with 11 years of experience in the trade. She studied Jewellery and Silversmithing at the Birmingham Jewellery School and has and has since been simultaneously working on the bench, as a jewellery designer and tutor.

How do I get there?

See contact page for details on public transport and parking.

£140.00