Book Reviews: Drawing Jewels for Fashion and Introduction to Precious Metals

My time at Penland brought me back to 'metals' reality, in that just as much as I need to work in the studio, I also need to study the properties of working with metal and sketching/designing a look.

I purchased both of these books to give me examples and lessons in understanding the finer details of fully sketching a design as well as understanding the intricate properties of how metals react to each other and the work we put them through. 

Drawing Jewels for Fashion is a beautifully made book, the sketches are precise and provide a glimpse into the designers of major fashion houses and jewelry companies and where these designers find inspiration, their design process and influence.  The binding of the book is unique too, not glossy or with a print cover that comes undone but a pressed book that feels handmade. 

Some of my favorite designers are featured, such as Solange Azagury-Patridge, Stephen Webster and several others.  I was impressed that most of the designers featured had backgrounds in GIA certification and actually made the prototypes or designed the initial pieces in wax.  

I highly recommend Drawing Jewels for Fashion for anyone that is building a jewelry library collection. 

This book can be purchase on Amazon.

Jana Brevick had Introduction to Precious Metals during our session at Penland, and she drew upon the charts and information from this book quite a bit.  Mark Grimwade is a veteran in the metalsmithing field and is constantly called upon by the Santa Fe Symposium to host workshops and demos on using precious metals.  You can tell by his thorough and indepth knowledge of metals by his detailed graphs, photos and chemistry references that Mark is an expert in the field.

I'm just into the first chapter of the book but I'll say that it is a good read, not too 'sciencey' and very, very necessary for anyone working with metals in general, doesn't even need to be just gold or silver.  It's unfortunate that my program at ECU we aren't required to read books covering metals or manipulation of materials.

This is another highly recommended book and reference tool in the studio.

Also on Amazon.

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wax on, wax off

Next project in Casting I is to make three rings with our wax ring blank.

It's been a loooooong time since I've done wax carving. It's much harder than one would think but I'm really excited about this project. I'd like to cast more than three, make some more for the holiday sale.

Here are some initial sketches and a bench shot.
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paper model

I'm finally working on that box or shall I say, the initial stages. Creating a paper model allows me to reassess the size and architecture of the box. In the past, I'd start a project straight away with the material (metal) and then find I hadn't thought it out completely. I'm getting better at being completely prepared. Pin It

several projects going on

I've got a couple of jewelry thangs goin' on. The above is a moth pendant that I acid etched and then enameled. I'm not completely happy with it but it's a good first piece. I got the inspiration from digital photos from the New York Public Library Digital Gallery.
They have fantastic images, such as the one above.

Then I began sketching this morning an idea from a setting to the stone...which I can't remember of the top of my head, I bought. Anywho, it'll be pretty cool.
And here is a blurry photo of an earring I finished with a lovely coral bead. Something funky and quick to wear this weekend while I visit my friends back in VA! Pin It

settling into my new home

It happened, I made the move to Greenville, NC to study at ECU's School of Art and design. Where many great jeweler's are studying and graduated (Amanda Outcalt, Mara Friedland, Marlene True and several others I can't even name).

I've been here for 6 days and am itching to start classes - not only to get into the groove of being a student but also to meet people! I only know 2 people here and I'm definitely beginning to miss my friends. However the solitude is just what I need but at the same time I've found myself wanting to indulge in a little vacation before all the work begins!

Needless to say, last night I sat down at my bench, after organizing all my equipment and things, and began to work on a coral necklace, using the beads my Mom gave me. In addition I drafted some initial sketches of ideas floating in my head. What I'm most looking forward to doing, now that I'll be a part time student is getting the wisdom and insight from professors and my fellow students on focusing and harnessing my design aesthetic. Sometimes I feel like I'm all over the place in terms of what I'm working on that I get lost!

So I've decided to draft a document, a personal statement, on my goals, ideas and essence behind my work. At least I'll have it down on paper.

For now, check out Emi Savacool's work, I just discovered her last night on Daily Art Muse, she creates incredible jewelry pieces inspired and in the likeness of insects, beautiful beetles and bees. She does a great job of documenting her work on her blog, check it out.
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