I’m happy to share my latest MasterClass with you, a response to one of the most frequent requests I’ve had from students.
So, here we go.
Building Better Brooches is here…
A 4-WEEK ONLINE MASTERCLASS WITH DAN CORMIER
OCT 16 – NOV 15, 2026
REGISTRATION FOR THE DEBUT OF
BUILDING BETTER BROOCHES
IS NOW OPEN!
I’ve always loved making brooches.
They’re tiny worlds of possibility: part story, part sculpture, part adornment, part engineering challenge.
A brooch isn’t simply a beautiful object with a pin stuck on the back.
It has to be designed, constructed, balanced, finished, and ultimately worn.
Over the years, I’ve explored this form in multiple ways, developing design strategies and construction approaches that allow me to make brooches that are not only visually interesting, but strong, lightweight, and wearable.
Building Better Brooches is a 4-week exploration of form, structure, connection and attachment using polymer clay to create a little work of art that you can wear.
“You have a unique way to make everything easy. Super detailed videos, precise explanations, and progressive lessons that build confidence.
I really appreciated everything and can’t wait for the next class.”
WHAT WE’LL EXPLORE
WEEK 1 — DESIGN + FORM
We’ll begin with the foundations of brooch design, exploring story, shape, form, proportion, composition and structure as we develop our first brooch.
WEEK 2 — CONSTRUCTION + CONNECTION
We’ll bring our first brooch together, exploring ways to create strong, lightweight structures and thoughtful connections between components, including how the back of the brooch becomes part of the design.
WEEK 3 — NEW APPROACHES
We’ll start a second brooch, taking a different approach to form, surface, and construction, exploring new ways to build and assemble our pieces.
WEEK 4 — POSSIBILITIES
With the fundamentals under our belts, we’ll step beyond the projects and explore some of the many directions brooch construction can take, opening up new possibilities for your own work.
“A high level of professionalism and care. Dan’s courses are an enriching experience and a model for what an online course should be. Encouraging, inspiring, and expertly organized.”
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN BUILDING BETTER BROOCHES
• a live, 4-week cohort experience designed to feel like an open studio rather than a class you rush through
• work alongside an international mix of artists, including returning MasterClass alumni and first-time students, bringing both depth of experience and fresh energy into the room
• a welcoming, engaged course community that lives in the Comments, where you can ask questions, share progress, and receive mentorship directly from me
• a Welcome Weekend, including our always-fun Meet & Greet, so you can settle in, introduce yourself, and get to know the community before diving into the work
• a shared studio window, where you can follow along with the cohort and see how others are approaching the same creative challenges
• a complete framework for thinking about brooches as wearable structures, from overall form and proportion to construction, connection and attachment
• step-by-step instruction on building strong, lightweight brooches and bringing multiple components together into a cohesive, wearable piece
• guided studio prompts that support exploration while helping you develop stronger decision-making in your own work
• my direct teaching perspective, shaped by decades of polymer clay exploration, refinement, and professional practice
• a focused, distraction-free learning environment, with no Zoom calls or scheduled sessions
• additional bonus material woven throughout the course, including thoughtful essays, foundational KnowHow lessons, and practical downloadables to support your practice
“Wonderful lessons! The videos were clear and easy to follow. The tricks of the trade and attention to detail will have me working much more professionally on future projects.”
WANT TO JOIN US?
ENROLLMENT FOR BUILDING BETTER BROOCHES IS OPEN!
$295 US$
Prefer to spread out your payments?
You can also choose a payment plan of 2 monthly payments of $150 US$
“I continue to be impressed with Dan’s adherence to good technique: no shortcuts, and the results show it. A professional, well-paced, and rewarding experience.”
DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
When I asked what you struggle with when making brooches, your answers were remarkably consistent…
“The pin back is the biggest hurdle I’ve found.”
“I want a high-end finish on the back, but I just can’t get it.”
“Making all the components join seamlessly.”
“The engineering design that helps the brooch lay properly when worn.”
“Weight is what keeps me from now wearing many of my favorites.”
“There is more to making a brooch than simply gluing a finding on the back.”
Exactly.
So that’s what we’re going to look at.
How do I keep a brooch lightweight?
A brooch can look fantastic on the worktable and still be a disappointment once you put it on.
We’ll look at weight, scale, balance and structural strategies that can help you create substantial-looking brooches without making them unnecessarily heavy or prone to sagging.
Where should the pin hardware go?
Hardware placement isn’t just a technical decision. It affects how a brooch hangs, how it sits on the body, how much stress is placed on the finding, and ultimately whether the piece feels good to wear.
We’ll explore how and why those decisions are made.
How do I make the back look as good as the front?
Commercial findings can be useful, but they don’t always look particularly elegant.
We’ll explore ways of recessing, concealing, adapting and integrating hardware so the back of the brooch feels considered rather than unfinished.
What about unusual shapes?
What happens when the brooch is curved? Dimensional? Oversized? Made from several separate sections? What if it has an opening in the middle?
We’ll look at construction strategies that allow the attachment system to work with the design rather than dictate it.
How do I join separate parts?
Pins, substrates, and other structural approaches can allow you to build brooches from multiple components.
We’ll look at different ways of connecting those parts, and at how those connections can become an intentional part of the design.
What about alternatives to the standard pin back?
We’ll explore different attachment possibilities and, importantly, how the choice of attachment relates to the particular brooch you’re making.
There isn’t necessarily one perfect fastening system. When function is part of the process, each brooch reveals there’s usually one fastening system that makes perfect sense.
“I didn’t even know what to expect in Dan’s masterClass classroom, but it turned out to be a fabulous journey! The techniques were simple, the explanations perfect, and the videos amazing. I already look forward to the next one!”
HOW MY COURSES WORK
Each MasterClass is a live-event workshop, experienced in real time with a cohort of fellow students from around the world.
• weekly content drops with new prerecorded videos and supporting explanations
• no Zoom appointments where you have to show up live… you can watch and work on your own schedule
• interactive comment threads for questions, peer-to-peer support, and in-lesson feedback
• mentorship from me throughout the course run
You’ll learn at your own pace, while still being part of a vibrant, active creative community.
“Your MasterClasses are an exceptionally enjoyable experience. The videos make the content come to life. It feels as close as possible to having you in my studio working alongside me.”
WHAT THIS MASTERCLASS WILL DO FOR YOU
No matter where you are in your polymer clay journey now, here’s where you’ll be by the end of Building Better Brooches…
you’ll Think about brooches differently
You’ll see a brooch as more than a beautiful surface with a finding attached. You’ll understand how form, structure, connection, and attachment all work together.
You’ll design with greater intention
You’ll have a clearer understanding of shape, proportion, composition, and how individual components can come together to create a cohesive whole.
You’ll build with confidence
You’ll understand how to create strong, lightweight structures and how to make thoughtful decisions about construction, balance and wearability.
You’ll solve the problems behind the brooch
You’ll have a better sense of how to approach the tricky parts, from joining components and integrating hardware to creating a back that feels as considered as the front.
You’ll explore beyond the obvious
You’ll discover new possibilities for construction, connection, attachment and movement, giving you more ways to turn your ideas into wearable sculpture.
You’ll make brooches you actually want to wear
Most importantly, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of what makes a brooch work, from the first idea to the finished piece.
“Watching Dan’s demos was like watching a master magician share his secrets. The meticulous attention to detail explains why the results are flawless.”
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? HERE ARE SOME ANSWERS…
I’M A BEGINNER. IS THIS COURSE FOR ME?
Beginners are welcome.
If you have basic skills with this medium, a 'feel' for the clay, and you have the basic tools to go with that, that's a great start. I’m going to be covering the rest.
And even if you’re not a beginner to brooch-building, there’s always room to refine your skillset and up your game.
Sharing the experience with others, no matter where you are in your journey, there’s always something new to learn. That’s part of what makes our classroom community so dynamic.
WILL I NEED TO LEARN A NEW PATTERN-MAKING TECHNIQUE?
Nope.
Building Better Brooches is BYOV: Bring Your Own Veneers.
This isn’t a course about making decorative veneers. It’s about how to use them.
You can bring a favourite veneer from a previous Dan Cormier course, use a surface you’ve already developed yourself, or create something specifically for your brooch using techniques you already know.
You’ll have the opportunity to decide what kinds of veneers you want to use in your brooch during the course, so there is no need to prepare them in advance.
WILL I NEED ANY SPECIAL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, OR MATERIALS?
Other than the basic tools and materials found in a typical polymer clay studio, and the downloadable extras you will be getting as part of your tuition, you won’t need anything special.
Students will not be required to make their own metal pin backs. Instead we will explore ways to adapt commercially available findings into integrated systems for supporting our brooches.
A complete Tools & Materials List lesson will be shared closer to the beginning of the course. This list will also include recommended amounts of clay (don’t worry… it’s not much!). And we’ll be reviewing all the tools and materials together as part of our orientation once the classroom opens.
“Dan always explains each step with clear and helpful tips that led to professional results. The designs are sophisticated but achievable, and the whole experience was fun and inspiring.”
JOIN NOW!
ENROLLMENT FOR BUILDING BETTER BROOCHES IS OPEN!
$295 US$
Prefer to spread out your payments?
You can also choose a payment plan of 2 monthly payments of $150 US$
“Your teaching style makes it easy to learn. The lessons build gradually and every step adds confidence. It’s been like Christmas opening each new lesson.”
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
If you have any other questions at all about this course, I'd love to hear from you!
Please contact me and I'll reply via email.
It’s always exciting debuting a brand new MasterClass, and there’s only one chance to be in the room as a ‘first class’ student.
But Registration will only be open for a few days… don’t miss it!
Building Better Brooches is a brand new MasterClass, so the testimonials featured throughout this page are from students sharing their experiences from other MasterClasses. They reflect the teaching approach, learning environment, and community experience you can expect inside my newest classroom.