This book is currently part of my daily reading. I picked it up at Half Price a few years ago and I'm almost finished reading it.
Sometimes I worry that I'm stuck in the beginning stages of learning to work metals. And, in a way I am. Many of the things I've done lately have been to solidify my basic skills. Begining jewelry class at the community college. Drawing 1 and 2 over again.
And they all have been amazingly worth it. Granted, I've completely fallen behind on posting here on the blog. I know once the summer comes I'll have tons and tons of material to write about. But I've moved up a level in my jewelry and my design.
It turns out, revisiting lessons over again and from a different perspective is highly useful. When a technique isn't working the way I think it should, I go back to a different teacher and see how he or she recommends approaching it. That's exactly what I'm using the Design and Creation of Jewelry for. It's a great overview of basic jewelry metalsmithing technique. I believe it's designed as a textbook for jewelry classes. All the examples in the book are student work. (from the University of Illinois, no less. A year in their art program in 1992-3 and I never knew they offered jewelry!)
My only disappointment is the book's secion on Design falls at the end and is only one chapter in 6. As Design is first in the title, I'd expected more. This is alright. Much of jewelry design is based around the many techniques you need to master in order to create it.
I'm working my way through the design chapter now.
One thing I've loved about my jewelry classes is the instructor, Adrienne Grafton of Pearlette Jewels, is designing many different types of jewelry-from belt buckles to hair combs.
I look forward to learning even more about designing as I get to the point where I'm just creating with the exciting techniques I've learned!
-Simbelmynë
