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Jewelry Design: Principles of Composition
Jewelry
Design is the application of basic principles of artistic
expression. These principles involve:
1. COMPOSITION
2. MOVEMENT, Flow, Drapery, and Torque
3. FORMS in Relationship to the Body and the Mind,
including Functionality and Support
4. TECHNIQUES and MATERIALS
In this discussion, we focus primarily on Principles of Composition.
The jewelry artist applies these Principles of Composition
by manipulating the elements of the piece.
The reason
we learn these principles of design is to help us answer the
question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention,
and others do not?
In this discussion, we are going to evaluate 3 pieces of
jewelry in terms of 10 jewelry design principles of composition.
Two pieces are well-designed, though not perfectly. The third
piece is an entry from Land of Odds' The Ugly Necklace Contest.
ORIENTATION TO BEADS &
JEWELRY FINDINGS
The successful beader and jewelry maker is one who is prepared
to make the appropriate choices about what beads and jewelry
findings to include, and not include, and what stringing materials
would work best, given their design goals, and if they are
selling their pieces, their markting goals, as well. They
need to start with an Orientation.
The focus here is on explaining functional properties and
design issues -- functionality, durability, wearability, movability,
contextual relevance -- associated with using various kinds
of beads, metals, and stringing materials. What happens to
these materials over time? What components work well together,
and which will not? How do you balance function with appeal?
... or saleability?
Topics covered:
History of Beads
Glass Beads - Druk and Fire Polish - Czech, Japanese, Chinese
and Indian
Crystal Beads - Austrian, Czech and Chinese
Seed Beads - Czech and Japanese
Metal Beads - 14KT Gold, gold-filled, sterling, vermeil, nickel,
pewter, brass, aluminum, steel, pot metal, metalized plastic
Clasps
Stringing Materials: threads, cable wires, cable threads,
bead cords, elastic string, hard wire, memory wire
Tools
Sequencing your learning pathways for bead stringing, bead
weaving and wire working
BASICS OF BEAD STRINGING AND
ATTACHING CLASPS
Stringing beads on a cord is not difficult, but it does require
a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of the various
parts and stringing materials that you will use.
The bead stringer has several goals to achieve: You want
your piece to:
a. Look good and be appealing
b. Last, not break and be durable
c. Move well as it is worn
d. Feel good and drape good as it is worn
e. Withstand all the forces and pressures that result, when
your jewelry moves, as it is worn
f. Fit the context within which it is worn
Lots of things to manage and accomplish. You have lots of
choices to make. Probably the two most important choices,
right up front, in creating a wearable art-piece that will
be around for future generations are your:
1. Choice of Clasp
2. Choice of Stringing Material
Some basics and fundamentals discussed:
-- Understanding 3 competing approaches for teaching beading
and jewelry making
-- What these are, and the pros and cons of using any of 20+
styles of clasps
-- What these are, and the pros and cons of using any of 35+
jewelry findings -- such as crimp beads, crimp covers, horseshoes,
crimp ends, end caps, bails, bead caps, bell caps, bead tips,
cones, eyeglass holder ends, watch part components, separator
bars, ends bars, connectors and linkables, screw eyes, attach
rings, jump rings, split rings, soldered and stamped solid
rings, extender chains, safety chains, head pins, eye pins
-- More detailed discussion about how to choose clasps and
other jewelry findings
-- Creating "clasp assemblies" and “support
systems” within your piece
-- The first of several cognitive phenomena associated with
the wearing and viewing of jewelry
Then we’ll play.
-- Learning to Crimp using crimp pliers, cable wire, crimp
beads, crimp covers and horseshoes. We'll point out how to
make the "loop", how to "hold the tail",
and how to best use the crimping pliers
-- Learning to make a bracelet using needle and thread, including
how to tie a special knot
LET'S MAKE EARRINGS
Learn two different techniques for making simple dangle earrings.
First, learn to put beads on a head pin, create a simple
loop, and attach this head pin-dangle onto an ear wire.
Second, learn to put beads on piece of chain, and attach
this chain-dangle onto an ear wire.
You will be introduced to these earring components -- head
pins, ear wires, chain, jump rings, beads. You will learn
to use a chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, and side cutters.
This is a beginner level class.
INSTRUCTIONS
ONLY (downloadable .pdf file)
$1.00
LET'S MAKE EARRINGS KIT includes enough materials to make
2 pairs of earrings:
Instructions
Ear wires
Head pins
Assorted beads
Jump rings
Pieces of cable chain
OPTIONAL TOOL KIT:
Includes:
Chain Nose Pliers
Round Nose Pliers
Side Cutters
HOW TO CRIMP - INSTRUCTIONS
AND INSIGHTS
Learn How to Crimp the Smart Way.
Crimping involves 4 coordinated steps.
Brief Description:
Learn how to crimp using crimp beads, cable wire and a crimping
pliers. Learn how to use crimp covers and horseshoe wire protectors,
when you crimp.
Discussed:
- Understanding different cable wires
- Pros and cons of different types of crimps and crimp covers;
not all crimp beads are alike
- Making the "Loop"
- Holding and Positioning the "Tail"
- How to Use the Crimp Pliers to crush, then re-shape the
crimp beads; pros and cons of different brands of crimp pliers
- Other insights about Crimping
INSTRUCTIONS ONLY (downloadable .pdf file)
HOW TO CRIMP KIT includes
Instructions
20 crimp tubes
6 crimp covers
6 horseshoe wire protectors
.019" Soft Flex Cable Wire (1 30ft spool)
Crimping Pliers
Flex Wire Cutters
MAKING SIMPLE AND COILED LOOPS
Etruscan SQUARE STITCH BRACELET
Etruscan COLLAR
Etruscan BUTTERFLY BRACELET
