Warren Feld Jewelry

Abstract:

People have different motivations and ambitions when making jewelry. These can be as simple as an avocation or hobby, or more involved as a business or career. Jewelry making is an investment in time and materials. It requires, not only strong creativity skills, but also persistence and perseverance to take a project from inspiration to aspiration to implementation. A lot of the success in this pursuit comes down to an ability to make and follow through on many artistic and design decisions. Developing this ability — a fluency, flexibility and originality in design — means that the designer has become empowered to answer these 5 essential questions: (1) Is jewelry making a craft, an art or design? (2) How do you think creatively? (3) How do you leverage the strengths of various materials and techniques, and minimize weaknesses? (4) How do the choices you make in any one jewelry design evoke emotions and resonate? and, (5) How do you know your piece is finished and successful?

5 Essential Questions Every Jewelry Designer
Should Have An Answer For

Interested in trying your hand at jewelry design? 

Before you begin, consider the following 5 questions I pose for you…

1. Is what you do Art, Craft or Design?
2. How do you decide what you want to create?
3. What materials (or techniques) work well together, and which do not?
4. What things do you do so that your finished piece evokes an emotional
 response?
5. How do you know when your piece is done?

People have different motivations and ambitions when making jewelry. These can be as simple as an avocation or hobby, or more involved as a business or career. Jewelry making is an investment in time and materials. It requires, not only strong creativity skills, but also persistence and perseverance to take a project from inspiration to aspiration to implementation. It means understanding that jewelry can only be judged as finished and successful as the piece is worn. Jewelry design is more than the application of a set of techniques; it is a mind-set, as well. It is a way of thinking like a designer.

A lot of the achievement and accomplishment in this pursuit of jewelry design comes down to an ability to make and follow through on many artistic and design decisions. Some have to do with managing a process, which can take an extended period of time. It also comes down to being fluent, flexible and original in your thinking through design. The greater your disciplinary literacy, the more empowered and confident you become in your design work.

Susan is one example of what happens when uncertainty — that paralysis or deer-in-the-headlights feeling that we so often face — sets in. Susan felt very unsure of herself. And unsure of her jewelry. Would people like it? Was the color mix appropriate? Was the construction secure? Was the price smart and fair? She allowed all this uncertainty to affect her design work — she had difficulty finishing pieces she was working on, starting new projects, and getting her work out there.

Like many of my jewelry design and beadwork students, Susan needed to be fluent as a designer. With fluency comes empowerment, confidence and success.

_______________________________________________________

Thanks for being here. I look forward to sharing more resources, tips,
sources of inspiration and insights with you.

WarrenFeldJewelry.com
Shop.warrenfeldjewelry.com
School.warrenfeldjewelry.com
Coaching by Warren Feld

Add your name to my email list.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER
Merging Your Voice With Form

So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer’s perspective. To go beyond craft, the jewelry designer needs to become literate in this discipline called Jewelry Design. Literacy means understanding how to answer the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention, and others do not? How to develop the authentic, creative self, someone who is fluent, flexible and original. How to gain the necessary design skills and be able to apply them, whether the situation is familiar or not.

588pp, many images and diagrams Ebook , Kindle or Print formats

The Jewelry Journey Podcast
“Building Jewelry That Works: Why Jewelry Design Is Like Architecture”
Podcast, Part 1
Podcast, Part 2