Learn anticlastic raising directly from Michael Good, internationally recognised as one of the leading practitioners of the technique.
Anticlastic raising is a metal-forming technique that transforms flat sheet metal into curved and sculptural forms using a hammer and specially shaped stake. It offers a wide range of possibilities for jewellery, vessels and sculpture, with many different forms able to be developed from the same basic pattern.
Over five days, Michael will introduce the principles of anticlastic raising through a progressive series of practical exercises, showing how flat sheet metal can be transformed into complex compound curves using hammers and sinusoidal stakes. The workshop combines structured exercises with time to explore your own ideas. Michael welcomes individual projects and, wherever possible, will adapt his teaching to suit each participant’s experience, interests and aims. The course is suitable for all levels, from those new to anticlastic raising to experienced jewellers and metalsmiths. This is a special opportunity to learn the technique directly from Michael Good and to benefit from his experience, knowledge and individual approach to the process.
This course is open to both DCCI members and members of the public.
Course Overview
- Date: 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th October 2026
- Duration: Five days; 9.30am – 4pm
- Last day to apply: 8th October 2026
- Venue: DCCIA School of Jewellery, Sessions House, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, R95 X9Y6
- Number of participants: 12
- Fee: €860
Why Attend
- Learn anticlastic raising directly from Michael Good, the internationally recognised master of the technique.
- Develop practical control of anticlastic forming.
- Understand how pattern, stretching and compression affect form.
- Explore how one pattern can produce different forms.
- Apply the technique to your own jewellery, vessel or sculptural work.
Learning Outcomes
- On completion of this workshop, participants will:
- Understand the fundamental principles of anticlastic raising.
- Learn how sheet metal responds to stretching and compression during forming.
- Develop practical skills in using hammers and sinusoidal stakes to create compound curves.
- Gain an understanding of how patterns influence the forms that can be achieved.
- Explore how a single pattern can be manipulated to produce a variety of forms.
- Develop greater control and confidence when working directly with sheet metal.
- Apply anticlastic raising techniques to personal jewellery, vessel or sculptural projects.
- Expand their vocabulary of metal-forming techniques and develop new possibilities for their own practice.
Who Should Attend
- Jewellery designers and makers
- Goldsmiths and silversmiths
- Metalsmiths and sculptors
- Jewellery and metals students
- Experienced makers looking to expand their metal-forming skills
- Anyone interested in exploring anticlastic raising, regardless of experience level
The workshop will begin by introducing the fundamental principles of anticlastic raising and the relationship between the flat sheet, pattern and finished form. Participants will explore how metal moves when subjected to controlled hammering, stretching and compression, and how these actions produce the characteristic opposing curves of an anticlastic form.
Over the five days, students will work through a series of progressively developing exercises designed to build an understanding of the process and develop practical control.
Students will work through a series of exercises, practising the basic movements before progressing to more complex forms and applications. This progressive approach is a key feature of Michael’s workshops, allowing participants time to absorb the concepts and understand how the metal responds to each stage of the process.
Particular attention will be given to the relationship between pattern and form. Participants will explore how changes to a pattern can influence the final shape, while also discovering how a single pattern can produce a variety of different forms.
As participants develop their understanding of the technique, Michael will encourage
them to explore their own ideas and projects. Where possible, the workshop will be adapted to individual interests and desired outcomes, giving participants the opportunity to apply the techniques to jewellery, vessels, sculptural forms or other areas of their own practice.
Students will be introduced to the specialist hammers and sinusoidal stakes used in anticlastic raising, developing an understanding of how different tools and approaches affect the movement and final form of the metal. Michael will provide complete anticlastic tool kits for use during his workshops, with kits also available for purchase after the course.
Know Your Instructor
Michael Good is an internationally recognised jeweller, sculptor and metalsmith whose work and teaching have played a significant role in the modern development of anticlastic raising. Michael’s exploration of anticlastic forming began in 1977, when he studied with Finnish metalsmith Heikki Seppä. Seppä introduced him to the principles of creating compound curves in sheet metal. Michael went on to develop the technique further, including finding ways to extend the compound curve into tubular and more complex three-dimensional forms.
His work received international recognition through a series of major awards, including Intergold, Diamonds Today and Diamonds International awards between 1981 and 1986. He has since developed an extensive body of jewellery and sculpture using anticlastic forming. Michael has taught workshops at professional organisations, schools and universities throughout North America and Europe, and continues to teach internationally. His workshops combine demonstration, instruction and hands-on practice, with students working through a progressive series of exercises to develop their understanding and control of the technique. This is a rare opportunity to learn anticlastic raising directly from one of the artists most closely associated with its modern development and practice. Five days with Michael is not just five days of instruction; it’s time to understand the technique properly from a true master.
