| Design your own jewelry and follow your creativity by | | | | powerful tool to help you communicate mood and |
| integrating the basic design concepts when producing | | | | emotion. Color is probably the most expressive of the |
| your work. | | | | design elements and is the one that people respond to |
| Handcrafted jewelry is a passion and a way of life. | | | | first when they see a piece. Becoming familiar with the |
| The goal is to create unique and personal works of art | | | | color wheel will allow you to define the right color for a |
| that uplift the spirit of the person who is wearing the | | | | message. Consider the communication the color |
| jewelry. What separates art jewelry from the rest is | | | | combinations send, this allows you the freedom to |
| each creator's understanding and interpretation of the | | | | express your thinking and ideas in a clear and concise, |
| natural world through design. Design is an enigmatic | | | | yet powerful way. |
| word, but what defines it? All objects (art or not) share | | | | Not every piece of jewelry integrates all the elements |
| common qualities such as line, texture, shape, and color; | | | | and principle of design. There are times when the |
| these "Elements of Design" are details that structure | | | | repetition of one of the elements achieves balance. |
| the piece and separate it from others. Art happens | | | | There are other times when a focal point placed |
| when the "Principles of Design" is applied to the | | | | strategically off center brings balance and draws the |
| elements. Some examples of these abstract but | | | | human eye to appreciate the proportion and |
| reliable concepts are: rhythm, contrast, dominance, | | | | composition of the art piece. |
| harmony, and unity. These "Principles" reflect the artist's | | | | One of the many techniques that I use when I design |
| ability to convey a message. For example, Vassily | | | | relates to the "The Golden Rule" or "The Golden |
| Kandinsky uses only simple shapes and solid, primary | | | | Ratio," used extensively by Leonardo Da Vinci. I keep |
| colors, yet he arranges these elements cleverly to | | | | this drawing of the diagram in my studio design area |
| capture an emotion such as surprise and chaos. | | | | and I lay my ideas on top of the figure to ensure that |
| These design concepts apply to art jewelry because | | | | the focal point is proportional and strategically placed to |
| its purpose is expression. Jewelry aims to complement | | | | pull the human eye towards the area I want to highlight. |
| a piece of clothing, enhance a bodily feature, or | | | | In the diagram you notice that there is higher level of |
| express a mood. The end result is to make the | | | | interest in the lower right hand quadrant. This reminds |
| wearer of your jewelry feel like a work of art. As we | | | | me to not always center my work and has helped me |
| all know, each piece of jewelry does not match our | | | | rethink the way I design my pieces in order to increase |
| every mood, outfit, or feature, so the mark of a | | | | interest and balance. |
| well-designed piece is versatility. This means that your | | | | Every jewelry artist designs their own pieces based |
| client will design an outfit around your jewelry. | | | | on their understanding and interpretation of the |
| Versatility is the mark of a designer who uniquely uses | | | | elements and principles of design. Utilizing the design |
| technique and composition to create a work of art. | | | | emphasis as a specific strategy allows the jewelry |
| Mastery of these two is a lifelong process, and their | | | | artist to communicate the message they want the |
| many lessons will lead to moments of self-discovery | | | | viewer to receive. As the experience of the jewelry |
| that make jewelry-making a personal and valuable | | | | artist grows, their techniques can become simpler, and |
| experience. Technique is the ability to manipulate a | | | | the message can become more sophisticated. |
| material. Each element of jewelry requires its own | | | | Design is a visual language and it is up to the jewelry |
| special treatment and different skills are involved for | | | | artist to utilize this language to create meaningful |
| each method. Composition applies the Principles of | | | | messages. As the you practice and integrate the |
| Design with an artist's observations to create an | | | | principles and elements of design into your work, they |
| expression. As the elements and principles come | | | | become second nature and a integrated methodology |
| together in your work, it gains in composition and | | | | in which the you expresses yourself. This will increase |
| balance. | | | | your sells and the recognition as a jewelry artist and |
| When you begin to design a piece, the decision that | | | | designer. |
| you make in regards to color and texture can be a | | | | |