Observe Nature

Having a hard time coming up with original, creative ideas?  Observe nature.  Nature has been a source for jewelry design for thousands of years—Egyptian, Medieval, and Baroque, Art Nouveau and more!  Inspiration for shape, color, line, and texture can inevitably transpire for your next jewelry piece when studying nature.   You could find a color scheme from a breathtaking sunset, or perhaps a shape outline from the thorns of your rosebush.  Trees, birds, animals, insects, the ocean, mountains, the stars, moon, and sun!   The possibilities are endless.  Jewelry design is truly an art form—think of it as such.

Don’t be afraid to experiment

You don’t have to follow any rule!  Just because a certain pattern says to do something a certain way, doesn’t mean you have to!  Play around, have fun!  You just might surprise yourself with what you come up with.  There are no limits in design and jewelry making.  Experiment with new tools , new beads , and new ideas.  Do not be afraid of failure.   Do not become your worst critic.  Imagine, take pleasure in your creativity, and try to reach beyond your perceived potential.

Study History

Study history???  What does that have to do with jewelry design?  A lot.  Fashion has proven old trends to be stylish.  Furthermore, many well-known jewelry designers take inspiration from historical jewelry pieces.  It may also be beneficial to study historic and religious symbols, such as the Celtic knot, the Egyptian Cartouche and Ankh, the Christian cross, the Irish Claddagh, the Star of David, the European torc, the Hamsa or Hamesh hand, Chinese dragons and phoenixes, and much more!  Also as you study the history of jewelry, you will find how the trends and fashion reflected a country’s social, cultural, economical, and political standing.

When first starting out in the wire-wrapping business, it may be a bit confusing about what types of wires to use for various projects.  Here are some recommendations in choosing the temper of your wire.

How to pick the hardness of your desired wire

Hardness is the measurement of the malleability or temper of a substance. When purchasing raw materials for wire-work, you will find that wire comes in several different levels of hardness, only a few of which are commonly used by jewelers. The most typical jewelry wire can be categorized into three groups:  Hard, half-hard, or dead soft.

To Find the Jewelry Wire You’re Looking For – Click Here!

Hard Wire is difficult to bend and can be stiff if trying to manipulate with bare hands.  Tools are highly recommended when using hard wire for this reason.  Hard wire is excellent for holding its shape and for making clasps and other findings that will likely be stressed.

Half-Hard Wire is malleable, but most people will need to use tools or jigs to bend it into shape. Half hard will; however, maintain a fairly intricate shape under moderate stress after it has been work hardened. It is very useful for light weight-bearing parts of wire-wrapped jewelry and is terrific for creating angular bends, wire loops, and for wrapping wire around itself.

Dead Soft Wire is extremely malleable and can be bent easily into a myriad of shapes by using the hands. It does not hold its shape in stress situations, such as clasps, until it is hardened.  Dead soft wire is great for making loops, swirls, and spirals.

Keep in mind that the gauge (thickness) of the wire will also have an effect on its hardness. For example, a piece of 12 gauge wire is relatively thick, and even at dead soft hardness will not bend as easily as 18 gauge wire of the same hardness. Large wire is not recommended for the beginner.

If you missed out on Part 2 – Click Here to Read Now!

To Find the Jewelry Wire You’re Looking For – Click Here!

Finally – some brand new, unique jewelry making patterns! And the best thing is that they are available to EVERYONE for FREE!

We are pleased to announce that the winning designs of the jewelry making contest are now available for your use! You can access the free jewelry pendant patterns by clicking on the link “2009 Pendant Contest Winners” and then by selecting which piece you would like to view.

This year’s challenge was themed on pendant making for the amateur, intermediate, and professional wire-sculptor.  All entries were based on four criteria:  Originality, Skill-Level, Creativity, and Detailed Instructions.  There was a tremendous response and we received a great deal of skilled, stunning, and artistic entries.  Thank you all who entered!

Again, allow us to mention our grand-prize winner, Joe Rushing, who won $500 for his pendant entry!  Joe created a lovely piece, using gold-filled wire that was wrapped around a mahogany obsidian ladder pendant.  He also used the coiling gizmo for this project and, as a result, created a unique wire- dangling look that compliments the pendant.  These “danglers” can also be used to construct a matching pair of earrings.

Indeed, you will be impressed with the end-product of the award-winning designs and you can obtain ALL of these patterns for free by clicking on the Contest Winners link.  Each pattern consists of a materials list, step-by-step instructions, and detailed pictures, complete for your utilization.  Enjoy!