Class is 3 days in a row, 5 hours a day, and starts every day at the time on the registration (our booking system only reflects the start day)
Intermediate Hand Engraving: The Art of Scrollwork
Take your engraving from straight lines and lettering into the flowing, ornamental world of scrollwork — the technique that defines heirloom-quality metalwork.
You've already learned to hold a graver, sharpen your tools, and cut clean lines and letters. Now it's time to develop the skill that separates beginner engravers from accomplished ones: scrollwork. This is the language of fine engraving — the curling vines, leafy flourishes, and ornamental borders you see on heirloom jewelry, custom firearms, antique silver, and high-end personalized pieces.
This three-day intermediate workshop will take you deep into the curves, sweeps, and decorative elements that make hand engraving truly come alive. You'll learn how scrolls are designed, laid out, and cut — and you'll leave with the foundational scrollwork vocabulary you need to keep developing as an engraver for years to come.
Who This Is For:
- You've completed our Intro to Hand Engraving class and you're ready to grow your skills
- You can already cut clean lines and letters, and you want to move into ornamental work
- You're a jeweler or metalsmith looking to add real decorative range to your custom and personalized pieces
- You want structured instruction in a technique that's hard to learn well from books or YouTube alone
What Makes This Different from the Intro Class:
The intro class gave you the fundamentals — tool control, sharpening, straight cuts, and lettering. This class is where the artistry begins. Scrollwork isn't just "harder lines" — it's a whole new way of thinking about how a graver moves through metal. You'll learn to rotate your work, manage curves, balance composition, and develop the kind of confident, flowing cuts that define traditional engraving.
We'll teach you the why behind classical scroll construction, so you can design your own patterns rather than just copying templates.
Skills You'll Build:
- ✦ Scroll layout and design — understanding the geometry behind classical scrolls
- ✦ Curved cutting technique — rotating your work for smooth, flowing lines
- ✦ Backbone and leaf construction — the building blocks of all scrollwork
- ✦ Shading cuts — adding depth and dimension to your designs
- ✦ Border and frame work — pulling a composition together
- ✦ Transferring complex designs onto curved and flat surfaces
- ✦ Troubleshooting and refining your cuts as you go
What You'll Create:
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Day 1: Scroll layout fundamentals and practice plates — learning the structure before cutting on a finished piece
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Days 2–3: A fully scrollwork-engraved piece in your choice of metal, designed and cut by you from start to finish
You'll leave with a finished piece that showcases real ornamental skill — plus the foundation to keep developing your scrollwork at home.
Prerequisites:
- Completion of our Intro to Hand Engraving class (or equivalent experience cutting clean lines and letters with a graver)
- Comfortable sharpening your own graver and handling basic tool setup
Class Schedule:
- Three consecutive days, 5 hours per day
- Each day begins at the start time listed on your registration (our booking system only displays the first day's start time, but the same start time applies to all three days)
What's Included:
- Access to all tools and equipment (gravers, practice plates, bench setup)
- Expert instruction and one-on-one support throughout all three days
- Practice plates and layout materials
Class Kit Cost:
- The class kit cost depends on your choice of metal for the final project (copper, brass, or sterling silver)
- Hand tools, if you'd like to purchase your graver
- Paid at the end of class
What to Bring:
Any scrollwork inspiration you love — antique pieces, photos, or designs you'd like to work toward. We'll help you translate your inspiration into something you can actually cut.
Limited Spots Available — Step Into the Tradition of Fine Engraving.
Lines and letters got you started. Scrollwork is where engraving becomes art.
