Rethinking the Art of Jewelry Making

Ever wondered why some jewelry pieces call our attention, some simply don’t?

Let’s consider two approaches to learning jewelry making: as a craft, and as an art. A brief differentiation of each approach can help us align our preferred techniques with our ultimate design goal: create jewelry that gets noticed and sells..

Although I’m equally comfortable with both approaches, I’m more inclined with the latter. The art approach helps create continuity in design because it values jewelry making as “communication”. Art communicates life as we experience it. Whereas, craft (or hobby) is something, you do to pass time, or satisfy a creative urge. It doesn’t necessarily “communicate” the way art does.

Still, however you’d prefer to make jewelry, it’s good to learn about both approaches to begin with:

Jewelry Making as a Craft

This approach thinks of creativity as consequential to techniques or skills —as a craft. It assumes that making jewelry can be taught to “everyone else” given a set of instructions to create a pre-defined piece. For instance, “techniques” in creating a particular bracelet style can be outlined in specific steps. Then the visual value of a finished jewelry piece is judged based on “replication”. Or how closely it copies a reference piece in form.

The flip side to this approach is that “everyone else” may not really be taught the design principles underlying technique and visual composition in creating a piece of jewelry. Or wearable art for that matter. Because each piece is tackled as a definite project. And so not everyone else is at liberty to define the flow and visual direction of a jewelry piece. The task of combining and arranging jewelry components becomes just an ordinary exercise of craft, not design. Artistic composition is subordinated to techniques.

Jewelry Making as an Art

Here, let’s consider art as a tool. A means to communicate. Emotions. Thoughts. Our interpretations of the world as we experience it everyday. Making jewelry as an art communicates the artist’s interpretations of these experiences visually.

For instance, jewelry collections are commonly designed in reference to seasons. Winter collections take on dark colors while summer jewelry reflect the gaiety of sunny days through happy colors. As a result, jewelry is enjoyed and experienced based on a mutual communication exchange between the artist and the viewer. We feel a jewelry piece by reacting (emotionally) as it appeals to us. We say, “This ring spoke volumes about his love” when admiring an expensive engagement ring. Thus, the jewelry piece fulfills the artist’s goal of communicating an experience of love visually.

Art has form and content. With this approach, jewelry making becomes a design process —a deliberate exercise of arranging pieces together to fit an imagined “form”, to represent “content”. Here’s where techniques come in —”the how to” connect jewelry components together into a pleasant form. Techniques act as “connectors”. Thus, the art approach allows more room for creative direction and expression, not confined to a set of instructions. A huge conceptual differentiation from “craft art”.

That said, it’s also worth thinking how both approaches can actually complement each other, as our “designing skills” progress. For only then we’re able to appreciate the art of jewelry making from both perspectives. And, yes, I think I somehow know why some jewelry “speak” to us, some don’t.

Paper Beads Making: Creative Waste Recycling

Printed a document for your report? Just bought a magazine? Did an entry in your diary? Got your welcome guest packet at a hotel? Everyday, we’re handed stacks of paper at school, or at the office, or even our home bills! But, what do we do with all these afterward?

Dump. Throw. Shoot. Right into the trash bin.

Whatever happened to our civil responsibilities ‘class’? Made mental notes. Nodded to the heated debates and discussions. Then… forgotten. Paper wastes continue to pile up everyday. The number of trees being cut down continue to grow at an alarming rate. So, let’s be mindful of the benefits that a “recycled” sheet of paper can give.

Waste recycling is one of our civil responsibilities we’ve so often taken for granted. It’s high time we get our acts together and start caring a bit more about our environment. Here is a fun and creative way to get us started with recycling waste papers: paper beads making.

All you need are recyclable materials like old magazines, or colorful paper packaging, a thin stick, scissors, super glue —and you’re all set! Make your own paper beads in three easy steps:

1. Measure and cut your paper pages into triangular strips. The widest end of a strip determines the final length (size) of the paper bead, while its length defines the paper bead’s thickness.
2. From the widest end of a strip, start winding the strip tightly around a thin stick until it’s all rolled-up to the tip. Guide the “rolling” to the center of the bead with your thumb.
3. Glue the end-tip and hold it down for a few seconds or until it’s fixed securely. Remember, it’s important to ensure the wounded strip will hold, else, the bead will break loose.

You can brush the paper beads with varnish or dip them into colorless acrylic for a glossy finish. Leave to dry in open air. Pull out the sticks from each bead to string them together. Recycled paper beads stand out among the fancy beads so common at your local bead stores simply because they’re artsy, easy-to-love, and cost less.

So, put on your “artistic” thinking caps now and start rollin’ and shapin’ some paper scraps for fun and responsible waste recycling! Got tons of paper? You know what to do now…

Creative Tip: Photographing Small Objects

Photographing jewelry, or beads for that matter, can be a daunting task to most beginners. But we all know how photos can actually make or break a sale. Right on.

So, why not treat each photo as a thing of beauty. Your special art. After all, beauty can emanate from even the simplest of things like beads. However, there are some things to consider in capturing a bead’s beauty with your favorite Nikon or even a compact point-and-shoot camera.

Here are a few practical tips that worked well for me…

• Size matters.  Macro shooting allows for showing closeup details of small objects. However, macro shots can be very misleading. So, when photographing smaller objects (like beads), it helps to use a “reference object” which, can be easily identified with and is of relative size with the object/s in focus to show scale.
• Demonstrate the object’s uses.  Surely, you’re going to use the beads for something. A model wearing the finished products such as bead-embellished bags, jewelry, and whatnot’s is a great way to show the different ways on how the beads are used to illustrate context. The beaded design can serve as your focal point.
• Be relevant.  Your composition must translate cross-culturally. Work with themes that are easily understood such as the seasons and color trends. Use props that are readily available and as much as possible, must not be offensive. Focus on how the object fits in the theme and not the other way around.

Well, a good photograph, really, is all about focus, focus, and focus. Got tips, too? Share it with us…

(Disclaimer: This post is not intended as a precise, or standard operating procedure in digital photography. The topic is lightly treated as a D.I.Y. sort of thing. Jan works for Beads and Pieces as its official photographer and graphic artist. She is passionate about digital photography and punk rock music. And oh, she loves pasta, too.)

Got the attitude? Hoop earrings -love ‘em!

Today’s fashion has undoubtedly fallen head over heels in love again with all things retro. From worn leather boots to big hoop earrings, you can’t go wrong with this season of over-the-top looks.

This has all good reasons to boot. The glamor look of hoop earrings, for one, has a timeless appeal. And it is versatile. You can put on a pair of your favorite hoops with shirt-and-jeans or even wedding and evening formals -it’s a perfect staple day in and day out.

So, for those who want to go all out retro with these, here are a few tips to start with:

• Bigger hoop earrings tend to be uncomfortable.
  So, for everyday looks, its always safe to choose smaller, more discreet styles.
• Hoop earrings always bring lots of attention to your face. Experts tell us hoops look best for oval faces. But, really, it can work great too on most face shapes and skin tones.
• It is best to wear a pair of hoop earrings with your hair out. It can easily give you a livelier yet subtly bold and beautiful look.
• Pick up a bangle bracelet or two to finish off the look with that perfect retro style glamor.
• Head turning hoop earrings are about attitude.
  If you got it, by all means flaunt it! Oh, don’t forget, hoops on bare neckline looks sexier.

Lastly, just wear these earrings with a lot of attitude. Have fun!