Helping
Jewelers

Create Beautiful Things

Build mad CAD skills using MatrixGold, ZBrush, AI, and more.

Unlock your CAD potential

The jewelry industry is filled with talented artisans, yet many jewelers find themselves constrained when transitioning to CAD design. Lacking a broader software background, they often learn CAD within the confines of each individual tool, limiting themselves to a very narrow set of design options. Many of the design elements do not aesthetically flow from one another resulting in designs that feel boxy, stagnant, and ultimately uninspired.

CG Nouveau helps you achieve your full potential under the guidance of Chris Mendola, a very seasoned CAD artist with expertise across multiple platforms. He will help you transcend software limitations, unlocking creativity and uniqueness in every piece. By combining the dynamic parametric commands of MatrixGold, Rhino 3D’s powerful surface modeling and SubD toolsets, and the boundless possibilities of ZBrush, he will help you unleash your fullest design potential and create truly extraordinary jewelry.

"I wanted to add to my repertoire of CAD tools and techniques and I took a 2 week intensive CAD course from Chris Mendola in the summer of 2022. This was a very valuable course. Chris introduced techniques and strategies that I have now incorporated into my personal system of CAD operations. The presentation and instruction was clear, concise, and thorough. His curriculum is exceptionally well thought out. I recommend Chris' lessons to all those passionate about the jewelry arts."

Sir Zoltan David Designer

Sir Zoltan David is a jewelry artist with 50 years of experience as a maker and designer of original couture jewelry. His career began with an 8 year’s apprenticeship with European Masters in the field of design, diamond setting and goldsmithing. He founded his eponymous Zoltan David Precious Metal Art business in 1980.

Today, his work is displayed in several renowned museums including a permanent display at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington D.C., the G.I.A. museum and the Al;fie Norville museum. His work has also received 36 national and international design awards and he holds 2 patents in metal ornamentation and jewelry mechanisms.

A Hybrid Approach

“The way I like to approach CAD is what I call, “a hybrid approach.” Coming from outside the jewelry industry, I have always used a myriad of programs to achieve the results I needed. With this type of approach you can marry the best each program has to offer into one super-program.

This approach with software not only expands your toolset and combines the strengths of each software, it leads to more precision, greater efficiency, faster workflows, better designs, and a reduction of limitations and frustrations.”

Beyond software, I subscribe, that a hybrid philosophy is very useful to jewelers regarding their techniques and material use as well. More on this can be found here in my notes from my AGTA presentation at the 2024 Tucson Gem Show.

-Chris

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The video went great and I was able to fix my problem easily with your help! Thanks again!

Margaret Athanas

In the Light of Day Jewelry

Chris makes learning CAD feel exciting and approachable with clear, easy-to-follow videos and notes. He explains the “why” behind each step, not just the “how,” which builds true confidence in student’s design skills. His focus on unique pieces with soft, hand-crafted lines brings out the artistry in every lesson, and the CG Nouveau Academy extends that experience into a supportive community where professionals learn, create, and inspire each other.

Meredithe Rechan

Meredithe Studio

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