Join David Adrian Smith for his first online glass gilding course, spend over 50 hours with him learning signwriting techniques and create 12 beautiful letters step by step.
Look Inside
Online glass gilding course, have a look at whats in store…
”You're a serious wealth of knowledge and it's amazing that your willing to share it so generously.
Craig Brown
What’s included in this online gilding course?
In over 50 hours of video explainers, I will cover lots of different processes and techniques, with tips I learned from decades of devotion to the craft, sharing where to purchase the materials that will be required to create 12 beautiful gilded letters.
I will detail a list of suppliers and help you get set up at home with items such as stands/easels, brushes, abalone, gold leaf, gilding cushions, knives and paints. The suppliers I use and recommend all provide excellent prices and service. They also stock gilding kits to get you quickly started.
There will be 18 different ways for you to learn how to water gild, giving you the choice of which way you would like to learn the gilding process going forward.
You will then come on the journey with me to create 12 beautiful gilded letters, from initial drawing to completion. There are supporting PDFs, vector files and lined drawings included ready for you to print off.
Greyscale images of the 11 gilded letters and 1 numeral you’ll create during the course.
A bit about your tutor
I’m a signwriter, glass gilder and designer based in Torquay. I began my career at 15, training under three master craftsmen and completing a six-year apprenticeship.
This foundation led me to the global Letterhead movement, connecting with talented artists across the United States and beyond. In 1996, I began teaching others this traditional craft while continuing to create bespoke gilded glass signs and vintage-inspired designs for clients worldwide.
My work has appeared in newspapers, international magazines and films. A recent highlight was designing an ornate set of reverse glass signs and carved frames for Ludlow Blunt, the renowned barbershop in Brooklyn.
Today, I still enjoy hand lettering shopfronts and pubs across Torbay. In 2019, I was honoured to receive an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II.
You can see a list of clients I have worked with and read the full story here.
”I feel very privileged to have attended a Dave Smith workshop and learned from the master craftsman himself. An excellent teacher of glass work gilding with a fun sense of humour!
Paul Walters
From the comfort of your own home
This online glass gilding course means you can access the course from home, take your time to set up your home workshop and learn with me, from scratch.
Some of the early sections of the course will help you get the right equipment, detailling what is important, where to get it from and what to look out for.
No experience necessary
You don’t need to be an artist, able to draw vectors, ever painted glass or touched golf leaf – but you soon will have experience of all of these!
If you have some experience of all or any of these, then great, but I’m sure the breadth of the course will offer some valuable tips to even the experienced.
Learn at a pace that suits you
The teachable platform will lay out the course curriculum into 5-15 min video sections. You just log in and work your way at your leisure.
It will remember where you got to last time, and you can stay in (or revisit) any section forever more – Meaning you have a course for life and can truly go at your own speed.
Can I do an in-person gilding course?
Yes I have been doing in-person workshops for over 25 years, I will often have a handful of strangers spending days at a time with me, keen to learn the craft. You can find out about those here.
I have devised these online courses as a solution for those who cant afford to travel and learn with me in person. It is an affordable way to be inclusive for all.
From time to time I will do discounts and competitions, if you want to hear about those the best way is to subscribe to my mailin list below.
”High value insights gained that were so much more than expected and have had an immediate impact on my business.
Scott MartinCanada
Completed glass pieces of the 11 Gilded letters and 1 Gilded numeral you will get to make on the course.
”A true master of his craft! Dave has an incredible depth of knowledge and an amazing skill set. It's rare in this day and age to find someone with such a skill set that crosses multi design disciplines and who's down to earth and willing to share his secrets.
Will LynesSydney, Australia
Help keep the craft alive
Passion. Excitement. Curiosity. Creative pursuits require fearless endeavours.
I am a student of the craft, helping others create new careers for themselves or pass nameless hours for their own joy. I can speak from both camps and continue to devote every waking second to the trade.
Now I have done something new, I’ve created an online learning course. I feel the mix of trepidation and excitement, perhaps you feel the same. Lets journey together to keep the craft alive.
#keepthecraftalive
What others have said
I couldn’t have been more shocked and delighted by Jason’s kind words and effort to share his experience of my first online course: An introduction to glass gilding. It’s humbling to have such a great community around me all keen to keep the craft alive.
If it’s something you haven’t tried because you weren’t sure you would be able to, as Jason professes he hadn’t picked up a brush and look at the beautiful pieces he has created!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the course?
The course is currently competitively priced at £795, much cheaper than the investment to attend an in-person course.
I’ve never glass gilded before. Is this course suitable for me?
This course has been designed for everybody from absolute beginners to advanced practitioners of the craft. It provides you with the basic foundational principles of glass gilding and expands on these as you work through the course.
Is there a set time limit for the course?
The course is 100% self-paced, meaning you have access to it for as long as you need. It will always be available, and you can learn at your own pace. You can always go back and revise pictures that you need to refresh on. It’s a one-time enrolment, and you will always have access.
I can’t draw or have limited drawing ability. Can I still do the course?
You don’t need to be able to draw proficiently to do the course. All the design files are provided in the course and available for you to download and print out in many different formats, including JPEG, PDF, SVG, etc.
I don’t know what materials I will need or where to get them?
The course will take you through absolutely every piece of equipment and materials you will need to undertake the course successfully. There is also a detailed list of suppliers broken down into various regions to help you locate the materials needed.
I’m on a tight budget. Do I have to get all the materials and supplies in one go?
At the start of each project, there is a detailed list of materials and supplies you will need for that particular project. Because the course has no time limit and is self-paced, you can purchase supplies and materials as your budget allows, and you are ready to move on to the next project.
Enroll in the Course today
Head over to my teachable platform to start learning straight away
The course curriculum was released on 20th November 2022. start your 52 hour learning journey today.