Hello everyone,I am looking for books on creating jewelry,such as designs, ideas,etc .
I have trouble deciding, finding ideas.im a visual person,I have a collection of a variety of stones, baguettes,but can’t get any ideas that would be pleasing to the eye,
I hope this is the right place or format for this request,it’s my first post
Thanks, cheers Marc
Look at some of the industry specific magazines and periodicals. Lapidary Journal and Instore come to mind. Other readers will have suggestions too…Rob
Thats funny I just happen to see this post the same day realizing purchasing 2 of the same book from Sarah Thompson " woven in wire", in which I adore! She does beautiful wirewrapping , you may not be looking in this medium but I assure you, this book shows the beauty weaving wires together can accomplish in an elegant and pleasing way. Figured I’d throw that out there since it needs a home.
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hi Marc,
interesting question!…but a bit broad
in terms of design, i could suggest a few:
Jewelry making and design, by Augustus F Rose and Antonio Ciruno (design thru variation)
The art of jewelry design, from idea to reality. by Elizabeth Olver
The handbook of ornament, by Franz Sales Meyer
The grammer of ornament, by Owen Jones
(any of the Dover books)
do you have a favorite designer you are drawn to?
ie: i love Buccellati
do you have an idea of what inspires you?
what types of jewelry?
…ie: minimalist…modern…contemporary…natural…organic…humanistic…art jewelry…antiquities…India…
what ages or periods in time?
ie: certain periods…georgian…Victorian…edwardian…art deco…art nouveau…arts and crafts…retro…native american…russian…italian…
what jewelry making techniques?
ie: engraving, enameling, granulation, micro mosaic , chasing and repousse, silversmithing forming anticlastic synclastic fold forming, stonesetting, stone inlay, wax carving, metal fabrication…patinas, textures, color, volume…mixed media…story telling…boxes lockets…scrimshaw…carving…chainmaking…wire crochet…
what types of materials?
gold, silver, platinum, steel, titanium, leather, wood, bone, plastic, glass
rings…pendants…necklaces…bracelets…tiaras…
men, women, unisex, …
are you thinking big colorful cocktail rings, bridal, high end…moderate…big and bold…statement…understated feminine…whimsical…everyday…special occasion…elegant…
just thinking out loud…
julie
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Not books or magazines, but look at You Tube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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Hello Marc,
I have a few books I could send you for cheap, including a copy of Rose & Cirino. Just give me a call at (865) 368-6081 or email at rkerseyATtdsDOTnet. -royjohn
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Hi again, Marc…I also forgot to mention that you should look at <discoverbooks.com> and <thriftbooks.com> for any jewelry titles that interest you as their prices usually are free shipping. Some scarce titles are a bit expensive, but many of the plentiful titles are just $5 or so…-royjohn
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Hi Royjohn,thanks for all the info and the books offer,jhow much are you asking for them and how can we proceed with it,I’m living in Ottawa Canada,you could send them cod if that works for you
I’d go to a library as well. Another source is pinterest. Near Christmas time, I go to Barnes and Noble to see their selections of cheaper coffee table books. They will have the jewelry industry leaders both designers and manufacturers sprinkled with the big name stores on sale for very reduced prices. These books are near the check out line, in the bargin books.
Take a sketchbook and some pencils and get out into nature.
Go to forests and parks (especially any wild areas). Take long visits to your local botanic garden. Look at leaves, plant forms, flowers. The patterns of trees’ limbs against the sky are often very interesting.
Go to your local zoo, especially an aviary or a butterfly or other insect exhibit. Birds are especially good inspirations. Fish also reward observation, either at an aquarium or a pet shop that has a good selection of tropical fish.
If you’re near the ocean look for interesting shells; observe the play of the waves and the patterns the tide leaves on the sand.
Since you mention that you have a collection of colored baguettes I imagine you’re looking to feature them in your designs. For examples of how one can create designs in which colored stones are the primary palette look at the work of Jean Schlumberger and the 1920s-30s designs of Cartier.
And draw, draw, draw.
As one of my design professors was fond of saying, “A designer thinks with his pencil.”
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Hi Marc,
I have a copy of the Dover reprint of Jewelry Design by Rose and Cirino, an old classic full of old Arts and Crafts designs and a copy of Jewelry Making: Tips and Tricks of the Trade by Stphen O’Keefe. Both of these books show step by step silver jewelry making with elementary and somewhat more advanced projects. However, I know nothing about cheap postage to Canada from Tennessee and I see that both these titles are available on ebay.ca, the former for $5.97 and the latter for $4.98, both with free shipping. I only want a couple of bucks each for them, but the ebay.ca deal may be better than I can do with the postage. Maybe you know more about this than I do and know some cheap book rate…just let me know if you want them…email me directly so we don’t clutter up the list with personal stuff. Thx, royjohn
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I think the books by Carles Codina are eye-candy. He teaches at Escola Massana in Barcelona.
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I know you said you’re looking for books and magazines, but I have another kind of suggestion. Pinterest! There’s so, so much to see on there, and as you build boards (or kind of like virtual scrapbooks, to put it another way), it suggests other similar things for you to look at. I find it very useful when I don’t have a direction to go in. I have lots of different boards- some as broad as “oooh!” and some more specific like filigree, mixed metals, chain, sawing, etc. If I spend 15-20 minutes scrolling through, I generally put my iPad down and scurry off to try out at least three different ideas. It’s great. And it’s free, too, which is always nice.
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Thank you so much for all the info greatly appreciate the time you spent helping me out
Cheers marc
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Hi Marc
I agree with the idea of Pinterest, but don’t just limit your self to looking at jewellery, look at ceramics, glassware, nature, textures. Visit museums and look at historical pieces. Sometimes the way something is made is more useful than it’s form.
If you’re not comfortable sketching then your phone is your friend. My phone storage is full of landscapes, textures, angles of architecture, anything that catches my eye. When I get home I transfer the images to my iPad and use Procreate to work them into drawings, and drop stone shapes into the design.
Good luck.V
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