How do I design a new piece?

August 17, 2009
Art Nouveau nature-inspired pendant.
 

 

Inspiration is all around me in the form of nature, the sea, movies, memories, etc.

The physical process of a piece coming together can be as spontaneous as pulling colors influenced by a photo or piece of fabric, or as thought out as sketching ideas and working from a memory or some story I want to tell. Not to say spontaneous means quick! Besides bead and stone choices there are so many things to think about like style of piece in terms of length and strands or weight, colors to predominate, cost that will affect the final price, style in terms of modern or vintage or ?

This is great fun for me. Hours can go by and piles of storage trays with a faceted montana blue colored stone pulled out and a watery teal chalcedony added there... Strung temporarily and stand in front of the mirror to see if it's coming together as I think it is... Take it out in the sun to see how the colors work....

 
Sketch of an Art Nouveau pendant by Honey from the Bee
 
To show an example of designing with sketches, I've scanned in a couple pages from one of my sketch books. Most of the time I've made multiple sketches on scrap paper, but I've been just saving the one I want to work from and putting that one in my sketch book with a photo of the final piece. The other sketches hang in there with other random sketches I've made on vacation or while waiting for a doctor appointment. You never know when a flip back through my stored "mind" will take me to a sketch that just has to get out and see the light of day!
 
The sketch is a place to start and a way to work out design issues before investing in the raw materials. As I start working on the actual jewelry piece, it may not stay exactly true to the drawing. Something may look better to me done a little differently. Maybe mechanically it won't lie right without making some changes.

Silver bird pendant sketch by Honey from the Bee

 
Botswana Agate and sterling silver bird pendant by Honey from the Bee
 
Soar (SOLD)
 
I look over and see my work table is in need of some cleaning off. It's time to put away the last couple of projects' supplies and decide what's next! Another favorite step in clearing the mind and the excitement of the latest creation!