To think there should not be degrees in Jewellery and Silversmithing

[Brollyflower]

It's a very valid skill. It has business potential and there are some very skilled and talented jewellery-makers and silversmiths out there. But... a degree in the subject? Seriously, a degree? WHY?

Go on, AIBU?

Brolly Why not do an access to art course? it sounds like you enjoy it!Your art teacher may have had bad artistic taste

"Think loads of art teachers taught very subjectively when in fact, of course there is no right answer."

I think it is this that my poor simplistic brain struggles with . I like things which are right or wrong.

Jellycat -it's a nice idea. At the moment constraints are time and financial . I also have far too many ambitions (see recent post on lifelong ambition to have studied medicine) I'd really love to be able to make beautiful things from material. Clothing perhaps, but other things too. The Strictly Come Dancing dresses make me gibber with envy at the skill of the clever clever people who have such wonderful ideas and make such beautiful things. When I was a teenager I knew a retired lady who was doing some course at a local HE college part-time over several years and she did all sorts including felt-making, embriodery etc etc. I hung out at her house like some sort of groupie .

See, as someone who likes a right or wrong answer, a craft like dressmaking might be right up your street.

You get a pattern, follow the rules, and after some practise end up with what you were aiming for, and the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself. You might then go on to learn pattern cutting and design your own pieces, but as someone with a logical brain, I'd imagine you'd be a pretty good 'rule follower' and quite quickly be successful.

Whereas someone like me thinks, 'well, it'd look better if the sleeves/collar/hem were like this' and the whole thing goes horribly wrong.

I think we might have found your creative outlet .

I think you may just have explained why I am SO good at baking too .

Brolly .. teach yourself ,theres lots of books! you can do some things i.e knitting embroidery while watching telly!..

Think the 'teach yourself medicine' option may be a little dangerous

Whatswrong.. next time you get stuck post a HELP thread in the 'arts and crafts'! I'll help..

Thanks Jellykat - I'm attempting a plague doctor's hat for DS tomorrow so I might take you up on that!

(I've actually now gone back to painting as I've realised I need a bit of free expression in my life!)

Paintings, good for the soul!.. what do you use? A friend of mine paints' enormous seascapes, she uses oils and sand!.. can't stand oils myself.I like gouache but i haven't painted for years..

am puzzled to the max at your concern about jewellery-making being a degree course.

as someone else said, at art college (i have a painting degree), everyone specialises in second year and does a degree in their chosen area. you can study ceramics, glass, sculpture, painting, textiles, fashion, photography, film. photography etc. all equally worthy courses.

am bewildered that you think it's not worthy of a degree but say, tourism management or media studies, is.

Did you read the thread blinks?

I never said tourism management or media studies was worthy of a degree... but that's a whole other debate! (note: I a not saying they aren't, I am pointing out I made no comment on either of these subjects)

I've been using oils lately, but I hanker after effortlessly producing a bright, singing watercolour. Of course, this won't happen without A Lot of toil so that's sort of what I'm aiming for now (in between volunteering and making effing costumes and ferrying people to rugby matches/riding lessons etc.)

Actually, I'm enjoying the costume making - got the papier mache mask with added beaky thing nearly finished today .

Haven't used gouache for years.

its probably the same training people have got for centuries, but they have decided to call it a degree so they can charge 3.5k a year for it, thats why there are so many new degrees, because they can charge that for the training.

It's not a new degree.

I started my degree 25 years ago.. there were tuition fees then.. not quite centuries, but still a long time ago!

WWWY- If you use gum strip or PVA for papier mache its much quicker and more solid!

Sounds like your having a helluva lot of fun! i've been inspired! tomorrow will exorcise my creativity.The hoovering can wait!

emmmmm that makes no sense. why choose jewellery specifically then instead of tourism management or media studies?

and it's not a new degree.

most people with a degree from an art college are fully aware that it's not a vocational degree that will get you a job, but that doesn't make it pointless.

Gum strip sounds good for attaching the beaky thing - have been using newspaper with watered down PVA glue which seems fine but a quicker more sturdy method is worth a try.

blinks: eh? If you read the thread you'll see why I started it further down .

Hallo Brolly. You might want to take up knitting - you've got to be good at maths to be good at knitting, especially if you want to make your own patterns. There's a lot of 3D planning involved and I find the way different combinations of stitches bend and jut out to create 3D forms from a single length of yarn quite fascinating.

I have a degree in knitting. It's a BSc. The course involved understanding the science of fibres as well as knit structures, and also design. It sounds stupid, when you announce you have a degree in knitting, but most people wouldn't think it involved much more than 2 sticks and a ball of wool. I wouldn't ever assume a degree was pointless based on just its title.

A degree in knitting . I would never have guessed that was possible. It sounds a bit like bellringing in its theory, wonder if you can get a degree in that too. Out of interest, do you put it to use professionally?

i read the thread. i get that you think it's 'valid' etc, that's why i don't get it. you 're coming from the point of view that someone who studies for a degree in Jewellery doesn't have a similar academic experience as someone doing law or medicine. in reality, anyone studying for a degree at an art college has to study humanities, attend lectures, write essays and in their final year do a dissertation. alongside this, they are expected to produce work to a high standard and in their final year present a collection of work.

your whole way of thinking is odd.

Yes, I make and sell knitting patterns.

I also sell designs, using skills I picked up on the course.

The degree will involve studying around the subject rather than just learning how to do stuff. Simple, no?

YABU, no ones forcing you to do it are they? [hhmm]

There isn't that huge a range of apprenticeships, so a degree is a good way to learn the skills. So it seems useful to me if you intend to do jewellery design or silversmithing? Or am I missing the point of doing courses?