Class Information

To get signed up for any of these classes contact Ray Cover .
His address is 121 Garden Lane, Arcadia, MO 63621.
His phone number is 314 808 2508.

Class hours

Unless otherwise stated, classes will run 9am to 5pm each day with a break for lunch. Students have options for lunch.  Some like to go out and eat at one of the local restaurants, others like to bring their lunch (there is a full size refrigerator and microwave in the classroom if you like to bring your lunch), others like to go back to their room or cabin for lunch.

There will usually be open studio time in the evenings after the 9-5 class day has ended. During this time the classroom will be open for students to get extra practice in. No instruction or help will be available during open studio time. It’s not required, and students don’t have to do it but it is offered.

Tools and equipment

All tools, supplies, and equipment needed for the class are provided unless otherwise stated in the class description.  There are some of the more specialized classes in which students will need to bring their own object to engrave or own tool of some kind.  If this is the case it will be made clear in the class description.  However, for most classes, the only things students need to bring with them are their own note taking materials. A camera is also a good idea. It is helpful to be able to supplement notes with photos. I do recommend note taking. A lot of information is covered in a class and notes are a valuable tool in remembering everything covered.

In the classroom I have equipment from all three of the major engraving tool companies.  I have GRS equipment, Lindsay Airgravers, and Pulse graver in the classroom for students to use or try out.

Class limits

At this time all classes are limited to eight students.  I am working to expand to ten students during 2024.  There is no longer a minimum of students.  Numbers are not a problem at this point so I removed the minimum student requirement for a class. If a class is on the schedule it is going to happen even if only one student shows up.

Classroom Tour

What to expect

Descriptions Of Classes

Five Day Basic Engraving Class

This is my entry level class designed for novice beginners. This class is also for experienced engravers who want a refresher course or a different point of view from an experienced full time bench engraver.

In this class I teach:

  • Graver making and sharpening
  • Transfer methods
  • Tool and bench set up
  • Good cutting habits
  • Intro to bright cutting
  • Lettering
  • Basic Scroll cutting
  • Background treatments
  • Line borders and decorative borders
  • Scroll shading

This is an intensive five day course. In this class I cover everything needed for the student to get started cutting basic engraving. Students will cut four engraving plates in this class. A basic skills plate consisting of lines, circles, and spirals; a bright cutting skills plate; a script lettering plate; and a scroll/borders project plate.

This is the engraving class I recommend for first time engravers as this class requires no previous skill set.

Intermediate Level Engraving Class (five days)

Once the basic skills are practiced enough to have control of the tools, the student is encouraged to move forward and take an intermediate level class. To be successful in this class, a student must have enough tool control to do the following:

  1. They must be able to cut a line to the desired depth and width cleanly and evenly.
  2. They must be able to cleanly cut scrolls, leaves, and borders.
  3. They must have a basic understanding of scrolls and shading.

In this class I teach:

  • More advanced scroll designs such as intertwined vine scrolls.
  • Wire and sheet inlay
  • Introduction to Flare cutting
  • More advanced shading than used in the basic class

This is an intensive engraving class much like the basic class but at a higher level skill set.

Inside Ring Engraving class Taught by Michelle Owens (Three days)

Want to put inscriptions on the inside of rings?  Then this is the class for you. Michelle Owens is a working jeweler who will teach you the practical techniques (and help you avoid the theoretical fluff ) to putting script inscriptions on the inside of rings. This is an intensive three day class in which you will learn to make/sharpen the gravers needed, learn how to hold the rings for engraving inside them, learn the techniques for cutting inscriptions inside a ring, etc.

Inlaying Hard Metals (five day class)

This class teaches techniques for inlaying harder metals that just won’t work using the normal traditional inlay techniques.  This class will teach you to inlay materials such as 10K and 14K golds,  iron, brass, steel, titanium, etc.   This class is geared toward inlaying harder metals for sculpting rather than for flush inlays.  However, these techniques are perfectly suited to doing flush inlays.

Watch Engraving Class (five day class)

Pretty much like the title says.  This class is going to teach you how to engrave a watch.  My concept for this class is to order a Watch Case, Crystal, Back and Watchband that the student can engrave in the class.  If the student wants they can order a movement, hands, and dial for the watch and have a watchmaker take their engraved parts from class and assemble a finished watch for them.

Please note:  The watch case, crystal, back, and band are provided as part of the class materials.  The watch movement, dial, and hands will need to be purchased separately.  I also recommend having a competent watchmaker assemble the watch if you decide to go that route.

In this class I teach:

  • How to disassemble the case, back, and crystal in order engrave the parts
  • How to lay out the engraving design for watch parts
  • How to hold the watch parts for engraving
  • How to engrave the watch
  • How to re-assemble the watch case, crystal, and back
  • What tools you need to disassemble and re-assemble the watch and how to use them

Please note: This is not a basic class. a potential student needs to already know how to sharpen gravers and  be able to use various gravers to cut with control.

Three Day Intro to Automotive/Motorcycle Engraving Class Taught by Hilario Lugo

Hilario Lugo is the Premier Automotive engraver of our time. I am very honored to have him come here to the valley and teach this course at School of Fine Art Engraving . If you have seen Hilario’s portfolio of work, you know he is THE Man to be teaching this course. In this course he will cover:

Engraving tools needed and where to source them, Basics of scrollwork, Intro to design and layout, Graver Sharpening, Work holding, Prepping the metal, Design transfer, Basic cuts, Engraving a simple design, Some tricks and tips of the trade as well as many resources to continue growing as an engraver.

If you are interested in large scale engraving, Motorcycle engraving, or Automotive engraving do not cheat yourself by missing this class.

Three Day Bulino Workshop

The three day bulino workshop is a techniques based class. In this class I cover how to create various textures and effects within engraved imagery.

In this class I teach:

  • How to do fur and animal hair
  • How to do spotted or patterned animal fur/hair
  • How to do feathers
  • How to do various types of water
  • How to do human hair
  • How to do smooth textures such as skin or metallic surfaces

Three Day Inlay Class

This engraving class covers various metal inlay techniques. Sheet inlay, wire inlay, twisted wire inlay, raised line inlay, multi-metal inlay are all covered in this workshop.

To be successful in this class a student must have enough tool control to do the following:

  1. They must be able to cut a line to the desired depth and width cleanly and evenly.
  2. They must be able to cleanly cut scrolls, leaves, and borders.
  3. They must have a basic understanding of scrolls and shading.

Three Day Sculpted Engraving Workshop

This is basically a sculpted scroll workshop. In this class I will cover:

  • Making the gravers, punches, and scrapers needed
  • Background removal
  • Initial carving techniques
  • Punching and forming techniques
  • Finishing techniques

To be successful in this class a student must have enough tool control to do the following:

  1. They must be able to cut a line to the desired depth and width cleanly and evenly.
  2. They must be able to cleanly cut scrolls, leaves, and borders.
  3. They must have a basic understanding of scrolls

Private Instruction

Ray provides private instruction as well as group classes. The advantages of private instruction are that the content can be customer tailored to the students needs. It can also be scheduled for a time that works for both the student and Ray. There are two prices for private instruction.

Semi Private Instruction

Semi private instruction is structured the same way as private instruction but it is for two people. This works well for two family members, two co-workers, or two friends who are both interested in engraving.