Throughout this training, participants acquire the technical foundations of coppersmithing, introducing them to the fundamental techniques of stamping, planishing, and swaging. They learn to handle traditional coppersmith tools—hammers, hammers, and other rivets—and understand their specific uses depending on the desired effects.

Particular attention is paid to listening to the material: the aim is to develop a sensitive relationship with the metal, to grasp its behavior through movement, and to cultivate its regularity, rhythm, and precision. This progressive approach allows participants to understand the stages involved in manufacturing a three-dimensional object from a simple sheet of brass or copper.

Each participant is thus guided in the creation of a personal piece, the fruit of experimentation and learning, and revealing a dialogue between technique and expression.

At the end of the training, the trainee will be able to:

• Draw and create a template for the part to be made
• Cut and stamp
• Shape by shrinking
• Plane a part
• Observe deformations once the part is filled with jeweler's cement
• Perform finishing and improve the surface finish

This 5-day course offers a complete immersion in the world of coppersmithing, an ancestral skill that consists of shaping metal into volume using only the power of movement. Through progressive teaching, participants are guided step by step in their discovery of this artistic craft, combining technical rigor and personal sensitivity.

The training begins with learning the tools and basic techniques, then moves on to the creation of both an individual and a group piece. Each day alternates between demonstrations, practical exercises, discussion time, and personalized support, in a workshop atmosphere conducive to experimentation. At the end of the course, each participant leaves with a piece crafted by their own hands, demonstrating their progress and mastery of the craft.

Program

Day 1

Introduction and First Steps

• History and culture of coppersmithing: between tradition and contemporary creation
• Presentation of metals and their properties
• Handling tools: safety, ergonomics, posture
• Tracing, cutting, planing exercises, and first hammering attempts

Day 2

Shaping by hammering

• Advanced techniques: stamping, shrinking, expanding
• Creating simple three-dimensional shapes
• Working on rhythm, sound, and hammering regularity
• Guided selection of personal and group projects for the following days following

Day 3

Individual and Group Projects: Creation

• Development of the individual piece and the group project
• Work on volume, tension corrections, construction of the form
• Individualized follow-up: adaptation of the technique, understanding of the material

Day 4

Finishes and Textures

• Technical and Aesthetic Adjustments
• Exploration of Surface Textures: Material Effects, Specific Tools
• Introduction to Patina (Natural and Chemical Techniques)
• Preparation for Finishing

Day 5

Finalization and Presentation

• Final Adjustments and Finishing
• Presentation of the Pieces Completed
• Collective feedback and learning assessment
• Workshop cleanup
• Campus MaNa diploma presentation

Wilfrid Jolly

A craftsman, coppersmith, and designer for over twenty years, Wilfrid Jolly explores the expressive potential of metal through copperware, sculpture, and designer furniture. Trained in copper and brass techniques at the Olivier de Serres School of Applied Arts, he now teaches there, continuing the link between transmission and living practice.

Based in the Tarn region, he develops a unique body of work that blends traditional expertise with contemporary formal research. He regularly collaborates with designers, museums, and heritage institutions, while pursuing a sensitive and demanding personal approach. A laureate of the Rémy Cointreau Foundation, which supports exceptional artisans, he embodies a committed and poetic vision of metalworking.

His work is distinguished by a particular attention to gesture, the rhythm of hammering, and the "breathing" of the metal, seeking to reveal the inner life of the material. Wilfrid Jolly generously conveys his techniques and philosophy of making, where the intelligence of the hand meets the poetry of the material.

At Campus MaNa, he offers a lively and rigorous approach to coppersmithing, based on observation, experimentation, and attentiveness to the gesture.

• Classroom, multipurpose room, workshops with professional equipment
• Materials provided
• Individual and collaborative work
• Workshop work
• Active participation and experimentation of participants are encouraged

• Collective and personalized monitoring of work, regular updates
• Self-assessment of technical skills
• Collective feedback
• Half-day attendance sheet
• Certification of completion issued by Campus MaNa