Jewellery Rendering: Metal & Gemstones with Silvia Serravalle
- Date
- 16 Jul 2026 · 9:30AM - 4:30PM
- Price
- £489 (10 places), Bookings close: 30 June 2026, Course level: Beginner
- Venue
- The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London EC1M 5AD
- Programme type
- Technical Skills Training
Stand out in how you present your ideas. In an industry where CAD is often the default, the ability to produce a hand-rendered jewellery drawing remains a valuable skill. A well-executed render describes weight, surface and light with accuracy, helping others understand how a design will translate from drawing to finished object. It enables clear communication in the workshop, supports effective responses to design briefs, and builds stronger client connections by showcasing not just form and materials, but the thinking behind each piece.
In this hands-on short course, jewellery designer and gouache illustrator Silvia Serravalle will guide you step-by-step through the essential techniques used to render precious metals and gemstones. Currently teaching at L’École School of Jewellery Arts in Dubai, Silvia brings both industry experience and a structured, practical approach to learning.
Working from prepared templates and live demonstrations, you will build your understanding of colour, light and surface through gouache on grey paper. Through a series of focused exercises, you will learn how to depict different metal finishes and gemstone types, from faceted stones to cabochons, developing a clear and controlled approach to rendering.
With a small group size, this course offers a balance of demonstration, hands-on practice and individual feedback, helping you to build confidence in a skill that supports both design development and client communication.
FAQs:
Delivered in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, this course will help you:
- Communicate your ideas more clearly, both in the workshop and with clients.
- Translate designs into accurate visual references that support making.
- Strengthen your design process alongside CAD or hand sketching.
- Improve your observation and understanding of materials, light and surface.
- Present your work in a way that supports decision-making and perceived value.
- Develop a practical, transferable skill that can be applied across bespoke and production work.
Across the two days, you’ll learn:
- The fundamentals of gouache rendering using grey paper, brushes and layered colour application.
- Step-by-step techniques to render faceted and cabochon gemstones.
- How to depict different metal colours, including white, yellow and rose gold.
- How to understand and apply light, shadow and reflection.
- How to construct a clean, readable jewellery illustration suitable for presentation.
- Live demonstrations followed by guided practical exercises to reinforce each stage of the process.
Please bring:
- Notebook and pen for note-taking
What will I be provided with?
- Printed templates and visual references prepared by the tutor
- Equipment needed to produce renders, including brushes and gouache colours
- Guidance on recommended materials and resources to continue your practice beyond the course
Beginner: Limited prior experience required
This course is designed for those with a basic understanding of jewellery making or design who want to develop their rendering skills. It is particularly suited to makers, designers and those working in the trade who are looking to strengthen how they communicate their ideas visually.
We are committed to making our training programmes and events as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access requirements, please inform us as early as possible so we can make the necessary arrangements. While we will do our best to accommodate your needs, advance notice is essential to ensure we can provide appropriate support.
To discuss your requirements when booking tickets for our Goldsmiths’ Centre training programmes, please contact us at boxoffice@goldsmiths-centre.org
We believe that talent should not be held back. Here at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we are open, accessible and inclusive to all. Our Access Grants help anyone to build thriving creative careers, supporting jewellers, silversmiths and allied industry practitioners to access our training courses for free.
If you need help to cover fees for our business and technical skills short courses, please apply for one of our Access Grants. To find out more and read our application criteria, click here
The Access Grants are delivered by the Goldsmiths' Centre and funded by the Goldsmiths’ Foundation.
Who is your tutor?
Silvia Serravalle is a jewellery designer and specialised gouache illustrator. Having worked across the UK, Italy and the UAE, she has developed a focused practice in jewellery illustration and now teaches at L’École School of Jewellery Arts in Dubai. Her approach combines traditional techniques with a practical understanding of how rendering supports contemporary jewellery design and communication.