-
Learn how to make choices about how to buy
beads and other jewelry findings, what goes
together with what and when, what happens
to all these pieces over time, and what
the the quality is of the pieces you are
using, whether beads, metals, or stringing
materials, and, finally, how to relate this
to design goals, and if you are selling
your stuff, your marketing goals as well.
18 Learning Modules, Over 5 1/2 hours of Introductory Material for the novice beader and jewelry maker, as well as for the more experienced designer as a great refresher.
Then,
explore the various Interest Areas listed below with classes, kits, tutorials and articles
There
is an art and skill to stringing beads on cord. First, of
course, is the selection of beads for a design, and the selection
of the appropriate stringing material. Then is the selection
of a clasp or closure, appropriate to the design and use of
the piece. This continues with choosing the strategy for stringing
beads with cord, including choices about knotting, braiding,
using multiple strands and a single tie-off, multiple strands
with multiple tie-offs.
Learning
Goals for
Bead Stringing
CRITICAL
SKILLS TO LEARN:
- Knowing what all the parts (jewelry findings)
are, how they are used, and their strengths
and weaknesses
- Knowing about the quality of beads, and
what happens to beads (and their finishes)
over time
- Knowing about the quality of metals, and
what happens to metals (and their finishes)
over time
- Knowing about stringing materials, and when
and when not to use specific ones
- Some understanding of how and when to use
different types of glues
- Some understanding of tools and needles
- Understanding how to choose clasps, and
what a "clasp assembly" and what
a "support system" are
- Learning how to use cable wires, crimp beads,
crimp covers and horseshoes in crimping
- Learning how to use needle, thread and beeswax
in bead stringing
- Learning how to put knots between beads
- Learning about wires, metals, tools to make
shapes and structural components, including
loops and coiled loops
- Learning basics of jewelry design principles
--- Learning how the bead asserts its need
for color
Bead weaving is a collection of hundreds of
different stitching techniques and strategies for creating
pieces that approximate a piece of cloth.
Stitches and beads. Create simple or elaborate forms using
different techniques for connecting, interlocking and embellishing
beads and beadwork.
That's
beadweaving, and you see the results in amulet bags, beaded
sculptures, beaded vessels, necklaces, bracelets, loomwork,
appliqués and more. Many projects attempt to emulate
a piece of cloth or textile.
Other projects are more figural or sculptural.
There are many different techniques of bead weaving. The most
popular are peyote stitch, right angle weave, loom work, brick
stitch, ndebele, square stitch, and netting.Bead weaving is a collection of hundreds of
different stitching techniques and strategies for creating
pieces that approximate a piece of cloth.
Stitches and beads. Create simple or elaborate forms using
different techniques for connecting, interlocking and embellishing
beads and beadwork.
That's
beadweaving, and you see the results in amulet bags, beaded
sculptures, beaded vessels, necklaces, bracelets, loomwork,
appliqués and more. Many projects attempt to emulate
a piece of cloth or textile.
Other projects are more figural or sculptural.
There are many different techniques of bead weaving. The most
popular are peyote stitch, right angle weave, loom work, brick
stitch, ndebele, square stitch, and netting.
Learning
Goals for
Bead Weaving
CRITICAL
SKILLS TO LEARN:
For
bead weaving, the hierarchical order of skills
to learn follows this general form and pattern:
1.
Positioning your hands and fingers, so you work
with them, as if they were an artist’s
easel
2. Holding the needle and thread and an introduction
to thread tension
3. Learning a basic stitch, and working it flat
4. Learning to increase and decrease with the
stitch
5. Learning tubular and circular variations
6. Learning to split the form or create negative
spaces
7. Learning 3-dimensionality with the stitch,
and issues of structural integrity
8. Embellishing the piece with fringes, edge
treatments and straps or connectors
9. Understanding the stitch in the context of
jewelry design principles
10. Understanding the stitch in comparison to
other stitches
11. Experimenting with the stitch, including
variations in thread tension, choice of beads,
colors, textures, patterns, stringing materials,
and integration with other stitches within the
same piece.
Working
with wires of different thickness, hardness, shape, color,
materials, strength in fashioning jewelry and other objects
is a very desirable skill. It takes experience with the feel
of wire, how it is shaped, how it's strength can be structurally
enhanced, and how it can be interlinked, interlocked and interconnected
with other wire, with beads, with other materials. This "feel"
will vary a bit with the type of metal. For example, brass
is harder than sterling silver.
Learning
Goals for
Wire Work / Wire Weaving
CRITICAL
SKILLS TO LEARN:
- Understanding wires, metals, hardness, and
measuring wire
- Understanding tools and mandrels
- Using tools and wire to make shapes; developing
Control over how to make shapes
- Using wire to build structural components
--- Learning about support systems and structural
elements/components
--- Hammering and twisting wire
--- Making coils and springs
--- Learning how to lock wires together
--- Learning how to create cradles and encaging
- Combining beads with wire
- Combining cabochons and other differently
shaped objects with wire
Jewelry
Design is the application of basic principles of artistic
expression and construction. The jewelry artist applies these
principles or rules when making choices about how best to
manipulate the elements of the piece.
These
design elements might include:
- the Positioning and/or Ordering of things
- the Volume or Area the piece takes up
- the Scale and Size of the pieces
- the Colors, Textures and Patterns of individual pieces,
and/or sets or groupings of pieces
- the Forms and Structures (identifiable sets of pieces, highly
integrated)
- the Materials – beads, stringing material, jewelry
findings
- the interplay of Light, Dark, Shadow, Reflection and Refraction
- the clasp assembly and other supporting systems
Good
Jewelry Design answers the question: Why do some pieces of jewelry draw your attention,
and others do not?
Learning
Goals for
Jewelry Design
CRITICAL
SKILLS TO LEARN:
1. How "Quality" is defined, relative
to beads and other materials
2.
What the pros and cons are, of different kinds
of beads, stringing materials, clasps, finishes,
metals and the like
3.
How "Craft" differs from "Art"
differs from "Design"
4.
How to build "support systems" within
your piece
Many
people learn beadwork and jewelry-making in order to sell
the pieces they make. The elective courses here provide skills
and knowledges which will assist the student toward this end,
whether selling in bricks and mortar settings, selling at
craft shows, or selling on-line.
Learning
Goals for
Business of Craft
CRITICAL
SKILLS TO LEARN:
- Record Keeping
-
Basic Bookkeeping/Accounting
-
Getting Federal, State and Local registrations
and accounts
-
Developing Your Business Model
-
Using a Formula To Compute Prices
-
Understanding the differences among Retail,
Wholesale and Consignment
-
Marketing, Promotion, Branding
-
Web-presence - business and marketing considerations,
when going online
- Focused on teaching how to make smart choices
- Developmentally-based, where you learn skills
in an orderly way, and understand how skills
build upon each other
- Easy to follow
You may purchase:
o Written instructions for each lesson
o Kits of Supplies
o Recommended Books
o Beading Supplies
o Tools
Immerse
yourself into a week-long study of jewelry
design theories, and their applications
and manipulations with various materials,
techniques and strategies.
THEME:
TBA
Deadline:TBA
Rules: www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/wfjtapestry.htm
Winnder: $1,000 shopping spree at www.landofodds.com
Runner-Up: $400 shopping spree at www.landofodds.com
~
- ~ -
BEAD STRINGING SUPPLIES
AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND
Flex
Wire Cable wires in .010, .014, .019 and .024 thicknesses
Nymo
or C-Lon thread, in black, white and assorted other
colors in size D
FireLine
in smoke grey and crystal in size D
Size
#10 and Size #12 English beading needles
Chain
nose pliers
Round Nose Pliers
Side Cutters or Flush Cutters
Scissors
Crimping Pliers
Ruler
(marked in both inches and millimeters)
Bracelet and Necklace Sizing Cones
Bead Stoppers
Bead Board
Assortment
of:
Clasps
Jump Rings
Split Rings
Soldered Rings
End bars
Crimp beads, crimp covers and horseshoe wire protectors
Bails
Crimp ends
Clamps
Connectors and Linkables
Bic
lighter or thread zapper
Work
surface
Trays
Pen
and Paper
BEAD WEAVING SUPPLIES
AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND
Nymo,
C-Lon, and/or ONE-G thread, in black, white
and assorted other colors in sizes D and B or
AA
FireLine
in smoke grey and crystal in size D and size
B
Size
#10. Size #12, and size #13 English beading
needles
Chain
nose pliers
Round Nose Pliers
Side Cutters or Flush Cutters
Scissors
Ruler
(marked in both inches and millimeters)
Bracelet and Necklace Sizing Cones
Bead Stoppers
Bead Board
Assortment
of:
Clasps
Buttons and Large Beads to use as "clasps"
Jump Rings
Split Rings
Soldered Rings
End bars
Crimp beads, crimp covers and horseshoe wire
protectors
Bails
Connectors and Linkables
Bic
lighter or thread zapper
Bees
wax or microcrystalline was
Work surface
Trays
Pen
and Paper
WIRE WORKING SUPPLIES
AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND
An assortment of wires,
in different gauges, materials and finishes, and in
round, square and half-round. We suggest using half-hard
wire for most sizes. As the sizes get 14 gauge and
above, the dead soft is easier to use.
An assortment of glass, metal, gemstone, pearl beads
and cabochons in various sizes and shapes.
As assortment of clasps
that you like to work with, in several finishes.
Chain nose pliers
(smooth inside jaws)
Round nose pliers
Side Cutters and Flush Cutters
Jump ring pliers
Assorted mandrels (jump ring, ring, bracelet, necklace)
Steel Block
Wood Block
Anvil and dome blocks
steel wool
Chasing Hammer
Leather head hammer/mallet
Plastic head hammer/mallet
4 or 5 pin vises
Cup burr
Caliper
Nail File Set
Work surface
sharpie markers
Scissors
Ruler (marked in inches and millimeters)
Thread zapper or bic lighter
Pen and Paper
OPTIONAL
Small hand-held butane or propane torch
Jeweler's saw and blades
bees wax
JEWELRY DESIGN SUPPLIES
AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND
Sketch book
Folder of images of jewelry you like
Bead board (with
3 or more channels)
Work surface
bracelet and necklace sizing cones
Enough bead and
jewelry making supplies to approximate and artist's
palette, including beads, findings and stringing
materials.
Assorted tools,
especially chain nose pliers, round nose pliers,
flush cutters, needles
Colored pencil set
Color Wheel
Calculator
BUSINESS OF CRAFT SUPPLIES
AND TOOLS
To KEEP ON HAND
General Ledger, either
in hard copy accounting ledger form, or a spreadsheet
on your computer, or a canned accounting software
program
File folders, accordian files, storage boxes
Computer and printer
access.
Business cards
Business envelopes
2-part sales forms or printed invoice/statement form
Business checks
Credit sheet
Pricing formulas
Packaging requirements
list
Merchandising and
display requirements list
Customer contact,
mailing, emailing lists
List of suppliers/vendors,
their terms and conditions.
All
jewelry, artworks, images, designs, copy,
Copyright 2024 Warren Feld.
All rights reserved. LearnToBead.Net