Texturing Metal is one of my favorite ways to create designs. I love the way texture adds to the basic metal. It gives it dimension and makes the designs more interesting. There are LOTS of ways to texture metal. Here's a peek into two of the ways I use most frequently. Corrugation. This means literally, to shape into folds or parallel and alternating ridges and … [Read more...]
Tools of the Jewelry Trade: Disc Cutter
Do you have any idea how much fun it is to get a new tool? OK, I know this sounds like a 'guy' thing... but any metals jeweler will tell you that we get so much pleasure from being able to do something creative with our new 'toy' This new disc cutter cuts squares from metal. So what you say? Now I can create my own designs more quickly. Plus I now have endless ways to … [Read more...]
Tools of the Jewelry Trade; Pipe Cutter
The other day I decided to play around with a new process... using copper piping to create a jewelry design. I had seen some designs recently that started out as tubing/pipe and then were chased with a hammer to create some awesome results. I had some 1/2" pipe and 1/4" flexible piping that I had purchased at a local Home Depot. As I brought out my Jewelers Saw to make the … [Read more...]
Photographing Jewelry… Harder than it looks!
I am a jewelry designer and yes I do my own photography. As in the case of most artists who create limited Edition and one-of-a- kind pieces.. It is not cost effective to hire a professional to photograph each design! So I decided early on to take my own photos. And I can tell you that this became a whole new learning curve for me. I read lots of comments and tutorials … [Read more...]