Part 2 of my interview with Angela Neal of Jewelry Report is now up!
This part deals with my thoughts about making and the inspirations for my designs.
Many thanks to Angela for a wonderful article!
Enjoy!
Interview with Jewelry Report – Part 1
I was recently contacted by Angela Neal of Jewelry Report, asking to interview me for an article. I’m happy and grateful for the opportunity!
Part 1 of the article was posted today, and deals with selling jewelry tutorials online.
Part 2 will be published on Thursday, and I’ll post the link then.
About Jewelry Report (from the website) The Jewelry Report is intended to be a place to find news, reviews, tools & tips, and more miscellaneous information from the jewelry making and design world, featuring articles by jewelry enthusiasts and experts. News Science brings us new materials and designers create innovative techniques every day. We look at hot new trends in jewelry making, along with what’s hot in jewelry fashion, and other news from the jewelry industry. Read about how cutting edge designers are taking jewelry to new levels and discover what trends that could lead the way for the jewelry of tomorrow. Reviews There are literally thousands of jewelry related web pages on the net. We try to bring you the best. Our writers give their opinion on some of the best supplier sites, jewelry blogs and how-to educational sites, as well as reviewing new jewelry making books and materials. Tools & Tips In this section our contributors share their own experiences and present some solutions to common jewelry making problems as well as offer up a few clever shortcuts to save you time and hassle. More Miscellaneous Information We bring you a random assortment of articles such as ‘Why jewelry making and cats don’t mix’, ‘How to find your signature jewelry style’, ‘The problems and pitfalls of pricing your work’ and many more jewelry related topics, all served up with a dash of humor and the wry wisdom that comes from getting it right only after getting it wrong. Happy reading and beading!
YOJ09-23 Standard Form Ring (Again)
Sterling silver, jasper
Constructed, cold connected
Size 10
Yes I’m posting the same project as in Week 2. At that point I had written the instructions for the tutorial, and the carnelian ring posted was the product of the writing process. This time the ring is the product of the photography process. I have now completed two of the six tutorials I need to write for my class. Number three is written and transcribed to computer; photography for that project will happen tomorrow. With any luck, number three will be done by Wednesday.
I’m now into the most challenging part of my schedule for the year. With five weeks to go until my class, I’m multitasked up to wazoo. I’ve been taking advantage of the convenience my netbook is offering me: I can sit out on the front porch and work in the warmth of a sunny day while my children play in the yard. If they are working on an educational CD doing “homework” on the clunker laptop in the kitchen, I can also sit at the table and do “my” homework.
Life is humming along…
Next week’s project will be much more spectacular, I promise. It’s in the finishing stages now, and will be on its way to the Rails End Gallery this week for the HSTA Faculty Exhibition, “Vessel”, which opens on June 30.
YOJ09-22 Viking Knit Bracelet
Fine silver, sterling silver
Nalbinding, cold connected
L 20.5 cm x W 0.4 cm
I’m hard at work on the tutorials for my class, so this week’s project is the product of that work. I’ve been doing a lot of photography, and editing and layout. I’ve been pretty much eating, sleeping and breathing the project. The first tutorial is finished, and the second is well in hand. Four to go… and six weeks until the classes start.
More photos:
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YOJ09-20 Viking Knit Ring
Fine silver, malachite, howlite
Nalbinding, single knit, constructed, cold joined
I finally got back to writing this week! I have six tutorials to write in preparation for my class in Haliburton in July. So far I have completed writing the draft on one of them. Photos and actually putting the tutorials together are still outstanding. I’m keenly aware of how quickly the time is going, so a few weeks ago I decided to put Tigger into daycare two days as week. That is giving me several hours of uninterrupted work time, since it co-incides with the days that Thumper is in school. What Heaven!
Usually I make the project, writing the steps as I go. Then I put the text aside for a week or so, come back to it and reconstruct it following my instructions. If I stumble on any part of it, that means a rewrite is in order. Refining continues as I take the photos and do the layout. Lots of work… which means I gotta start makin’ like a bread truck and haul buns…
This week, I was working on instructions for viking knitting. I experimented with incorporating 2 and 4 mm beads, which led to a screw up – err… “Design Choice” – when I went to draw the chain. I ended up having to take the chain apart, but salvaged enough to make this ring. It’s been an interesting experiment in timing myself as well – construction of enough chain to make a bracelet is taking a little over 2 hours. Adding the beads was just for my amusement, and won’t be part of the final instructions.
More photos:
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YOJ09-16 Beaded Channel Ring
Sterling silver, constructed, cold worked
Size 5 1/2
My lack of energy is starting to concern me. If this keeps up I’m going to haul my carcass off to the doctor and find out what’s going on.
For now, another simple offering this week – a beaded channel ring. The tutorial for this ring was published in “Contemporary Bead & Wire Jewelry” by Nathalie Mornu and Suzanne Tourtillot, one of two projects I contributed to the book.
YOJ09-02 Standard Form Ring
Sterling silver, carnelian
Size 10
I wasn’t intending to post this as my second entry for the YOJ, but it’s now Sunday, the due date for this week, and the piece I actually wanted to post isn’t finished. I’m “tweaking”. It feels very much like I’m doing a science experiment.
So… in the meantime…
I’m going to be teaching at Haliburton again this summer, and I have a bunch of tutorials I need to write in preparation for the class. Last fall I proposed a second level wire jewelry course, which was accepted. One of the projects is going to be the Standard Form Ring, aka Pharaoh’s Ring. (Why it’s called the “Pharaoh’s Ring” is a mystery: I haven’t been able to find any historical examples using wire. References to cast versions, yes, wire, no…). It’s called the “Standard Form Ring” because it’s one of the all-time classic wireworking ring patterns. A version of this ring was published in Moods in Wire by Ellsworth Sinclair, Beginning Wirecraft by Jessie Donnan, and in the Wire Artist Jeweller Magazine (June 2003). It’s a substantial ring, usually worn by men. I started writing my version this week, in between printing off “printing sheets” for Number 2 Son, who likes to do “homework”.
(Edit Jun. 25/09: Thanks to some excellent detective work by Helen Goga, a historical reference for the Standard Form Ring has been found! Mr. Thomas Vincent Phelan received a patent for the ring design (US Des. 150,726) in August 1948. The patent lasted for 14 years, and the design went into the public domain in 1962.)
My own personal artistic proclivities don’t lean towards classical wirework, so I haven’t made this type of ring before. I followed the WAJ instructions for my first two attempts. I often tell my students that they shouldn’t worry about what their first attempt looks like: usually with the first one, you’re just trying to get your head around the steps, so clumsiness is part of the process. It’s no different for me. This ring was attempt number 3… and I’ll likely make at least two more in the process of refining, writing and photographing the steps for the instructions.
There are useful wireworking skills to be learned from doing this project. There are definitely some “tricks” to getting it to look nice. Notes are being scribbled…
Some other views:
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Tutorial – Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls Earrings
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At long last, a new tutorial!
Double Celtic Cross & Scrolls Earrings
I created this design back in 1998, and it’s always been very near and dear to my heart! For those of you who love all things Celtic, these earrings combine a couple of classic Celtic elements: crosses and scrolls!
14 pages, 63 photos, 45 steps, plus design notes
USD $10.00
Available now from my Tutorials Page.
Tutorials Downloads – July 21-25, 2008
I will have limited access to the computer for the week of July 21-25, so if you have any download problems during that time, please just send me an email, and I’ll get back to you on July 26th.
Thank you and have a great week!
Tutorials FAQ – Refund Policy on Downloadable Products
“Can I get a refund on a tutorial I purchase from you?”
WRAPTURE tutorials are offered as fee-based, instant download documents. Documents purchased through WRAPTURE’s website are deemed immediately delivered, and non-returnable or refundable.
Unfortunately, because of the nature of electronic products, it is impossible to definitively confirm that a file has been deleted from a user’s computer and that any back up files and print copies have been destroyed. Therefore, refunds are not available or offered on any WRAPTURE tutorials.
If you have had problems with your purchase, please contact me, and I’ll do my best to work with you on a resolution.
Tutorials FAQ – Can I sell the jewelry I made from your tutorials?
I received an email today asking for clarification on the legal disclaimer on my tutorials. The sender wanted to know if she could resell items made from the tutorial.
The answer is a YES, but please don’t mass produce them! I would appreciate if design credit is acknowledged :-). I would also appreciate acknowledgment if you create derivative pieces from the tutorial.
For more information on Copyright and Trademark Notices, please see my Legal Notification.
Tutorial – QEW Earrings
QEW EarringsInspiration comes from the strangest places! This modern-looking pair of earrings was inspired by an Art Deco-era light standard I spied while driving along the Queen Elizabeth Way, in Toronto – and hence the name, QEW! I can’t remember exactly where it was – somewhere between High Park and the Humber Hump – only a quick glimpse, but it was enough!
9 pages, 26 photos, 22 steps, plus design notes
FREE
Available now from my Tutorials Page.
(Let me know what you think of the new tutorials format.)
Happy New Year!
Photo of the Day
