Venting about "Designers"

Jewelry Discussion
41

I agree with Lisa and Dennis–big surprise–and I’m not going to add
anything to that part of the argument. I want to point out, however,
that fully-credentialed landscape architects rarely know anything
about the conditions required by specific plants and most couldn’t
garden to save their lives. For many years, my day job was managing a
landscaping and tree care company and we did everything we could to
avoid landscape architects. Most were exactly like the jewelry
designers some of you have complained about–and snotty as hell when
you told them that planting a California oak in the middle of a lawn
would eventually result in the oak dying from summer watering.
However, nobody would have dared to deny them the right to call
themselves by the title they’d (mis)spent so much time and money
earning.

To be fair, I do know two landscape architects who started as
gardeners and were fine to work with. On the other hand, I don’t see
why starting as a gardener would be necessary. I’m no gardener–all
my knowledge about plants came from listening and reading and asking
questions. What annoyed all of us no end were the know-it-alls who
couldn’t pick up a book and/or come to us for a consultation before
starting to work on their utterly stunning designs. How many of you
would be upset by a “skill-free” jewelry designer who had carefully
studied all the books and was humbly requesting a paid consultation?
And, if you still found this hypothetical person upsetting, why
exactly would that be?

The last question is actually rhetorical–I’ve belonged to this
community long enough, and lived through enough of these discussions,
that I can probably anticipate every single answer. (Guess I’m kind
of snotty too, huh?)

Lisa Orlando
Aphrodite’s Ornaments

…holed up, sans internet access and land line, in the tiny tower of
a Victorian house in Berkeley…with a even tinier “porch”…and a
spectacular view…on a gorgeous day

42

As a “jewelry designer” a title I choose over the that of Artist. I
would like to say that although, I have trained with master
craftsmen, gotten a BFA and MFA both in Metals, and worked as a
bench jeweler… the work a designer does is much like that of a
movie director. You find the best possible specialists to help you
attain your vision. No one derides Francis Ford Copalla for not
shooting his own film. Or to use another metaphor, I would not have
my general practitioner (MD) perform my heart surgery.

To make another point, there are many trained master goldsmiths in
the jewelry community who are technical experts, but are not gifted
or trained in composition and aesthetics. Just because they have the
metalsmithing training and technical skill does not make them a
designer nor an Artist.

Nanz Aalund
Assoc. Editor
Art Jewelry Magazine
21027 Crossroads Circle
P.O. Box 1612
Waukesha, WI 53186
(262) 798-6488 ext. 228

43

I was thinking about this thread and I want to ask all you ‘designer
& fabricators’ that are complaining… What are some of the mistakes
you see ‘pure designers’ making that prevent the design from becoming
reality, or require modifications to the design to large extents to
make it work? Basically, why doesn’t the design work? Give some
examples it would be helpful to the group I think.

Thanks,

Craig
www.creativecutgems.com

44

To all that comented on this subject,

As the person who started this discussion I will attempt to have
some of the last words about it. Thankyou all who contributed, it
has been very interesting. And has changed a few of my opinions. I
still can do without the bad designer but I have to admit that I
have as little respect for the bad craftsmen. If I was getting great
designs from a person with knowledge of the materials I wouldn’t
feel so much like I was prostituting myself. It can be very
agrivating to see a picture of a piece of jewelry that you made in a
trade magazine with someone elses name on it. They did not not
really even design it they just paid for the materials, my time and
submited the pictures. This is the only time an item that I have
made has been featured in a trade magazine and my name was not on
it. I am sure there are people out there who only work in 2
dimensions that are qualified to use the title and I certainly have
no problem with a person who can and has worked the materials in 3
dimensions and now chooses to over see others in the creation of
their ideas.

And there are many bad designs that sell very well. I have several
of them sitting on my bench right now. An invisible mount diamond
ring, a nifty little 18k Italian made bezel set ring with twisted
wire that wraps around the ring from the shank to the bezel that the
wire has come loose and is unraveling and a San Marcos bracelet. The
craftsmen did not do a bad job creating them they are just bad ideas
and they prove it by being in constant need of repair.

This “Jewelry Designer” problem seems some what unique to our
industry. You would never call someone who has an idea for a
painting but has someone else paint it an artist or a painter. And
yet I would guess that most fashion designers don’t actually sew. An
Architect does not have to know how to cut lumber or hammer nails. I
know, my son is a senior at NC State studying to be an Architect.
Some have said that this is all just semantics and I should not
worry about it. But words and titles and names have power. They
define us and people form at least first impressions about us based
on them. Time will tell if we deserve the title or whether or not we
are just blowing smoke.

John Wade
Wade Designs

45 
I have to say that I am with Janet. Dale Chihuly isn't a
glassblower, but he directs a team of blowers and assemblers to
realize his vision.

Dale Chihuly is a glassblower who was injured in an accident. I
believe he lost vision in one eye which greatly hampers depth
perception. As he was already quite accomplished prior to his
accident, it is no wonder that he is able to assemble talented
glassblowing teams that work to mutual benefit.

Donna Shimazu

46 
What are some of the mistakes you see 'pure designers' making that
prevent the design from becoming reality, or require modifications
to the design to large extents to make it work? Basically, why
doesn't the design work? Give some examples it would be helpful to
the group I think.

Craig,

I am a wholesaler that does custom work for jewelers and designers.
I haven’t been one of the complainers in this thread because, while I
sometimes get miffed at poor design and planning, I realize that
this is my living and I just let it slide…after all “they all pay
my bills.”

To give you an example of why a design may not work, as you
requested:

I recently completed a job for a designer which was a rush order ring
to be photographed as an entry into one of the more impressive
national shows to be held in our nation’s capitol. (Three days to
build and finish, two days to ship to a photographer and get
pictures expressed back, to be able to apply=A0 for entry on the day o=
f
the deadline).

The design is crisp and flowing. Visually it is a beautiful piece. In
artistic design, it is a winning piece, if all considerations of
being worn are ignored. The fabrication had to be as crisp as the
design in order to compliment the simplicity and crispness of the
design. (I.E.: no solder seams showing, all edges at 90 degrees, all
surfaces smooth and blemish free, and a high rouge polish
throughout).

The design incorporated “as light a gauge as possible” 18K palladium
white gold sheet to hold a 13mm Tahitian pearl and one channel-set
1/4 carat diamond and one inlay set 10 point diamond. The ring is an
open design, meaning the ring hole is not a complete circle, open
shanked at the top.(Akin to the “one size fits all” rings from low
end jewelry sellers and gum ball machines). It is completed with a 24
gauge sheet inner band to which the pearl is attached, using a post,
floating on a long cantilever over the gap in the shank Then come two
more bands, each 22 gauge, laminated on top of the inner band, each
narrower than the inner band and each progressively narrower than the
layer closer in, and each curling away from the inner band near the
top (front) of the ring. These form the channel for the 1/4 carat
diamond. Finally the 10 point diamond is inlayed into the outer most
layer at the point where its curl begins. So, what’s wrong with the
design???

First is the insistence on gauges to be as thin as used, so that the
laminated ring was not more than approximately 2mm thick at its sides
(between fingers when worn). This caused the cantilevered sheet (at
only 24 gauge), supporting a pearl that’s over 1/2 inch in diameter,
to be extremely weak, easily bent, and not practical for even short
term evening wear.

Next, the two sheets that curl back to form the diamond channel are
also too weak to guaranty that the channel won’t get spread allowing
the stone to fall out. With their sharp, square edges, catching them
and bending them is a high probability, thus the loss of the 1/4
carat diamond is almost assured.

Finally was the choice of metals used. The palladium white golds are
soft and can not be age hardened to any extent. Other 18K white gold
alloys would have been stiffer allowing more spring tension to
support the elements of the design better, even though that they
would be more yellow than the palladium white.

His design is beautiful art; it’s just not the wearable jewelry,
which it is intended to be sold as.

Paul Reilly
The Paul Reilly Company
Wholesale custom and restoration work to the trade.
Colorado Springs, Colorado

47

I think that this email demonstrates why it is important for
designers to do their own work, at least where juried shows are
concerned. It is fine for someone on this list to want to know “who,
what, where” but it really isn’t appropriate to dump ones feelings on
paid jobs in front of potential competitors. When I take money to do
a job my clients expect me to keep my mouth shut. I may argue with
them but never in public. It is called that strange thing called
ethics.

48 
What are some of the mistakes you see 'pure designers' making that
prevent the design from becoming reality...?

Hi Craig;

I tried to list some, but the list was becoming huge. You could write
a book on this, but I think it would be more useful to write a book
on good design, if anybody would read it. Fact is, design is so
intrinsic and integrated into process that just as there are endless
possibilities, there are endless considerations. Every piece of
jewelry has a potential issue. This would make a good thread here. We
could call it “good design”. Here are some topics, perhaps we could
take them on one at a time:

– Wearability issues, if that’s pertinent
– Durability questions, again, if it’s applicable
– Choice of materials, are they appropriate to wearability,
durability, method of manufacture?
– Process of manufacture, is it possible to manufacture the design,
how much technology should be resources and budgeted?
– Scale issues, what happens to the design when it’s done in actual
size?
– Cost, of materials and manufacture
– Time, which could be problematic in terms of cost, or in terms of
the marketing window, or both
– Originality, is this a marketing issue or a copyright problem?
– Formal design elements and their relationship to materials and
manufacture

So, in short, I think that these represent categories under which
there should be questions applied to a design, and any of these
categories (and others) could be exemplified with cases of problems.

David L. Huffman

49 
I may argue with them but never in public. It is called that
strange thing called ethics.

Hi Lynda;

I’ll grant you, it may not be in the best taste, but since I don’t
remember any names being posted, I don’t know if I’d call this a
breach of ethics. Fact is, I do work for a number of designers and
some of them read my posts. I’ve always assured them that if I am
doing their work, they’re not the ones I’m complaining about. When I
do occasionally try out a new designer, if I think they’re not ready
for my professional services, I have plenty of names to refer them
to. To me, taking their money when I don’t think they’re designing
work that I want to be in any way associated with is a breach of
ethics. I don’t believe it’s honest to lead people on.

David L. Huffman

50 
 I may argue with them but never in public. It is called that
strange thing called ethics.

lynda i am lost on what you are saying. did i miss part of this
thread? what are you referring to “argue in public” about a
designer?..or with a designer?

answer to craig: the biggest mistake i see that designers make is
SCAle…ie. the picture will have a stone the size of a 2ct diamond
and the actual stone will be .33ct

the second … too pointed of a part on a ring or a piece that will
catch on things (sweater, hose, etc) the third …stones set too far
down on article for the setting method they have chosen (bezel set
stones on cuff bracet_or prong head set too far down between
fingers)

and thanks to david huffman…exactly what i needed to hear,i get
too personal with these people and need to stick to business…

also amery…i think you are wise beyond your years, to be able to
delegate and already figured out not to spread yourself so thin…
good for you and your business. thanks to all responses

lisa mcconnell

51 
To me, taking their money when I don't think they're designing work
that I want to be in any way associated with is a breach of ethics.
I don't believe it's honest to lead people on.

Hello:

This is an excellent point. Part of the whole idea behind leaving
accounting and attempting to enter the jewelry world is to write my
own ticket. Producing work that you know is not going to be
structurally sound seems to me to be a bit treacherous. There was
earlier talk of the need to pay the bills, and I completely
understand that, but what about later, after the design fails?
Whos’s going to pay someone to make something after a couple of the
artist’s pieces fall apart? The customer is not going to think it’s
the designer’s fault. They will blame the manufacturer.

In regards to the gentleman who’s jewelry was featured in a trade
magazine with no credit given. Isn’t there any type of legal
protection we can offer ourselves? There are non-competition
agreements for employer/employee situations. There are copywrite
issues for photographers. Isn’t there anything that can be drawn up
to say “hey, you can’t take all the credit” so to speak? I started
my class Wed. night. One of the first things that came up was “well,
I don’t need to think of anything, I’ll just copy what I see in the
Sundance catalog” Are there no human beings out there? Why do I
spend all my time trying to original, when someone with deep pockets
is just going to copy me? Can I even bring my design ideas to class?

Kim Starbard
Cove Beads

52

hi,

kim i know exactly how you feel…here is what i did to “get over
it” i just started doing my own thing and did’nt look at other
people’s work or catologs other than trade magazines …say for the
last 4 years, now that i know my style and have a footing in
designing for myself i can look at others work and not feel one way
or the other…jewelry design is like running a race, if you look
back to see where others are it wil slow you down. …good luck
with your classes

lisa mc

53 
I'll grant you, it may not be in the best taste, but since I don't
remember any names being posted, I don't know if I'd call this a
breach of ethics.

I agree with you David, my concern was that the guy who posted the
rant was so specific about the design that anyone could recognize
it. I do think that if you take money from someone they have the
right to expect respect.

Lynda

54

I very much agree with the person who stated that the biggest
problem they see from designers is drawing to scale. When someone
sends me a scketch they need to remember that this is my blueprint
for making a piece of jewelry. It is my job to be as true as possible
to the sketch. If what was sent to me is not done to scale with the
stones that were sent to make it out of then what gets sent back to
the designer can look quite different from what they wanted. This
leads to arguments about who did what incorrectly, and who is going
to pay for re-doing it. To prevent the fight I have to spend a great
deal of my time talking on the phone and re-designing the piece. The
answer that has been suggested and I think has great merit is to
charge for this time to make the corrections to the design. A design
consultation fee?

John Wade
Wade Designs

55 
I do think that if you take money from someone they have the right
to expect respect.

Hi Lynda;

I do agree with you there, and although it’s difficult to discipline
yourself not to talk about one client when speaking to another
client, it’s better manners to keep confidentiality and probably
better for business in the long run. Thinking back to the original
post, it’s possible that the description of the situation would be
enough to at least make the client suspicious if she were reading it.
Your advice is well taken, on further consideration. And I sympathize
with the complainers. Like I said, I don’t have a problem with the
designers, per se, just when they don’t have the ability or
willingness to defer to the professionals when they don’t know the
limits of their knowledge.

David L. Huffman

56

Lynda,

=A0=A0=A0 I agree with you David, my concern was that the guy who po=

sted

the rant was so specific about the design that anyone could
recognize it. I do think that if you take money from someone they
have the right to expect respect

I wish you had responded to my posting with some indication that
it was my post you were referring to. Reading today’s post from you
idicates that it was. I’d like to come to my defense.

To begin: I talked to the designer who’s work I was referring to
about the design flaws of the ring a week before I posted and it was
agreed that the design was not viable in its present form. The
designer agrees that the 1/4 carater is in danger of getting knocked
loose in its setting, that the pearl mounting sheet is too thin, and
that a re-design is in order; but wanted to enter it into the show
despite that, and time was too short for a re-design. We will be
working together to re-create the ring with a heavier cross section
at the mountings which then tapers in thickness to be comfortable on
the finger and this will be the ring that goes into production for
sale.

I’d also like to point out that this post was not “dump(ing my) ones
feeling on paid jobs in front of potential competitors”. I was
answering a post I saw that I knew I had a good answer to. Had I been
“dumping” I would surely have spoken out sooner in the string. I have
had 30 years experience seeing both good and bad design during my
jewelry career. For most of this string , I simply deleted the
majority of the posts without reading them becuase I really don’t
like to hear (read) complaints about who’s a designer and who isn’t;
who’s good and who isn’t, what’s good and what isn’t. That type of
post isn’t appropriate on this forum. To set the record staight I
normally don’t even try to coach a deisgner, if the design sells and
it makes the designer and myself a living, then it’s got to be good
enough for something, at any rate. I was merely critiquing this one
design to answer what appeared to be an honest question of what
constituted a bad design.

That bring me to my ending statement: in order to answer Craig’s
question with any validity, a real life example, rather than a
hypothetical situation, seemed most appropriate. The ring description
was given accurately so that the picture of a failed design could be
envisioned easily by anyone reading the post. If there was no
accurate description, how could anyone take my personal opinion about
it and believe that I was pointing out design flaws. I tried in no
way to deniggrate the designer or the visual design…as I said,
artiscally it is a beautiful and flowing piece of art; but that it
had restrictions put on its creation which impaired its function as
intended, both in gauge and type of metal. I compliment this deigner
for his past and present accomplishments in this very competitve
field. I enjoy his art more than most I’ve worked with over the years
and I truly believe he will soon be one of the best known designers
in our country(USA); but, we all have made some errors along our
repective ways. My post should in no way be construed as a flaw of
the designer, just a flaw in this one design being referred to.
Perhaps my post, intended to be helpful but turned into an issue of
“ethics”, is one of my more recent errors. If it was a breach of
ethics, that was certainly not the post’s intent, and an apology from
me is in order.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Paul D. Reilly