There are all sorts of way to work with wire. You could do the ever popular wire wrapping technique or indulge in intricate wire weaving. But if you like design spontaneity, consider free form wire jewelry making.
A new Fons & Porter/F+W book, which I just received for review, encourages you to go with the flow with wire. It is Freeform Wire Art Jewelry by Gayle Bird, a Nova Scotian designer. The book contains clearl step-by-step photographs for 20 projects for earrings, rings, pendants and necklaces. There are no bracelet projects in this book.
This instructor really made an effort to help more hesitant jewelry makers by sharing tips on the design process. In the beginning of her book, she covers Color Theory which assists on color selection and particularly combinations. Most of us instinctly come up with designs but her Design Principles section was excellent because it shows you the elements - like contrast, symmetry, continuance, proximity, similarity and so which make designs much stronger. Her 5 Steps to Creating a Jewelry Design is also helpful for newbies who might be staring at empty bead boards and not know how to start!
A few of the designs are very basic. The Rosette ring though is a nice variation of the ever popular wire wrapped ring design with wire curls around the crystal. A sort of faux bezel. I also liked her Tumbling Twists necklace which featured sea glass nuggets all in a row.
Some of the final project photographs did not portray the designs well because of the shallow depth of field used. Using this technique is fine especially if backgrounds are busy. But the focusing was such that parts of the design itself were out of focus. For example, the bail area of the Double Strand pendant was blurry. This particular design really accentuated the drilled focal very well!
This book will suit those who like a more organic look to wire work and aren't afraid to go with the flow for spontaneous designing!
Giveaway
If you'd like to win a copy of Freeform Wire Art Jewelry, please make a comment below. Make sure you leave contact info below if you do not have an online shop or blog.
Email subscribers need to scroll down the post they receive, click on Share Comment and enter your comment. Pick Name/URL. If you don't have a store or blog, leave the URL blank.
This giveaway is international.
If the winner has a non-post box US address, the prize will be a physical book. Otherwise it will be an eBook.
Extra entries if you become or are a blog subscriber or follower etc. If you also do shout outs about this giveaway, those will count as additional entries too! Please say so in the comments.
It ends in a week's time at 6 pm EST Thursday, April 23, 2015 . I will pick the winner randomly and announce the results as soon as possible after. So be sure to leave a contact email if you don't have an online link or make sure you come back and check! Otherwise I will redraw in a week. Good luck!
Disclosure
Before You Go:
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
A new Fons & Porter/F+W book, which I just received for review, encourages you to go with the flow with wire. It is Freeform Wire Art Jewelry by Gayle Bird, a Nova Scotian designer. The book contains clearl step-by-step photographs for 20 projects for earrings, rings, pendants and necklaces. There are no bracelet projects in this book.
The essence of this designer's approach are the curls and double curls in the pieces. These form the basis of her free form work. She includes the directions of how to use just fingers to create these curls. This will take practice to accomplish but once mastered can be used for unique organic designs of your own and not copies of what Gayle does.
Curl Burst Earrings |
Rosette Ring |
Some of the final project photographs did not portray the designs well because of the shallow depth of field used. Using this technique is fine especially if backgrounds are busy. But the focusing was such that parts of the design itself were out of focus. For example, the bail area of the Double Strand pendant was blurry. This particular design really accentuated the drilled focal very well!
Double Strand Pendant |
Tumbling Twists Bib Necklace |
Statement Necklace |
Window Frame Earrings |
Giveaway
If you'd like to win a copy of Freeform Wire Art Jewelry, please make a comment below. Make sure you leave contact info below if you do not have an online shop or blog.
Email subscribers need to scroll down the post they receive, click on Share Comment and enter your comment. Pick Name/URL. If you don't have a store or blog, leave the URL blank.
This giveaway is international.
If the winner has a non-post box US address, the prize will be a physical book. Otherwise it will be an eBook.
Extra entries if you become or are a blog subscriber or follower etc. If you also do shout outs about this giveaway, those will count as additional entries too! Please say so in the comments.
It ends in a week's time at 6 pm EST Thursday, April 23, 2015 . I will pick the winner randomly and announce the results as soon as possible after. So be sure to leave a contact email if you don't have an online link or make sure you come back and check! Otherwise I will redraw in a week. Good luck!
Disclosure
Before You Go:
- Book Review - Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry
- Book Review - Organic Wire and Metal Jewelry
- Book Review - Build Your Own Wire Pendants
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
This looks cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm a blog follower
ReplyDeleteI tweeted about your post and giveaway.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/kayzkreationz/status/588687478900436992
I am fascinated by wire work AND would love to add this to my collection. thank You.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Such gorgeous jewelry! Would love to win this book!
ReplyDeletedatmine2009@hotmail.com
I love the Rosette rings, beautiful !
ReplyDeleteWould love to win a copy of the Free Form Wire Jewelry book. Looks like fun, and more informal than how I learned. Alpert.amy@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThese designs are certainly original and give a refreshing new approach to wire forming. Would love to learn the technique of curling with fingers.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely and informative book on wire jewelry! Would love to use this to make something new.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful, iching to make one of them.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks awesome. Sign me up!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic book! Most of my wire work is free form as I am not patient enough to make both sides match! I would love a chance to win this book!
ReplyDeleteAngi Mullis dj2isme@aol.com
I am a loyal follower on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteAngi Mullis dj2isme@aol.com
I am a subscriber of your blog!
ReplyDeleteAngi Mullis
This would be perfect to enhance my wire wrapping skills. Love the sea glass Tumbling Twists Bib!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love wire work. This would be a nice technique to add to my repertoire.
ReplyDeleteekennedy0906@gmail.com
I would really like to win this book! I am a follower, subscriber and posted the give away on my Pinterest Contest board.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pearl!
zanc@att.net
This looks like an awesome book! I love the wrapping but I'm very nervous and hesitant. This looks like just the tool I need to get going.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the chaining of curls. I have so many ideas in my head, but I need some guidance how to implement!
Always something new to learn and thank you Pearl for bringing it to us. I am a blog follower: zoowatcher10@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI love making organic curls and loops in wire, it adds so much texture and detailing to the pieces
ReplyDeleteThis is some fabulous jewellery. Would absolutely love to win this book.
ReplyDeleteshw_samuel@sky.com
These are beautiful. Would love to win this book.
ReplyDeleteI would Love to have this book. I have done wire work before but nothing like this. I love all the swirls and curls. Absolutely Beautiful. Thank You for giving me the chance to win this book.
ReplyDeleteWire work is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI really like what she did with the beach stones.....
ReplyDeleteI've got a ton of them that I picked up in New Zealand. What a great idea for putting them to use!
This looks like the kind of wire work I would do. I really love the free form concept.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great book! This would be fantastic. Grinchswoman@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove all those curlecues!!
ReplyDeleteThis is what Ive been trying to do! It would be FABULOUS to win!!
ReplyDeleteI really like the rings. Would like to do that with some of the stones I have collected over the years. Contact if I win is tinareabob@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of freeform wirework. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletedoinwire at gmail dot com
sue : )
Love this style of wire work-very inspiring! Oh contact is retro-grrl@hotmail.com-fingers n toes crossed!!
ReplyDeleteI like the looks of this. I am a subscriber to your blog. Thanks for the chance to win this book.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope the ending date isn't March because I would love a copy of this book-especially for free. Love wire work and this looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteThat was my bad. I have since updated the post with the correct closing date - Thursday April 23rd. Well spotted!
DeleteLove free form, would love this book, thanks! ~~~Violet Kiss vkiss@nethere.com
ReplyDeleteHi Pearl,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win. This book looks very interesting.
Cheers
Vicky - victoria_farrell at hotmail dot com
Free form is awesome. I would like the book so I can learn to do it too! chrisack54@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI've just recently started following your blog Pearl. What a useful resource it is! I have some sea glass I collected on holiday last year that would look great in the "Tumbling Twists Bib Necklace". Thanks for the chance to win this free book.
ReplyDeletemary.seagrave@sympatico.ca
This book looks extremely interesting, love the idea of free form and the openness of the designs shown. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of the e-book. Stephanie
ReplyDeleteI love freeform jewellry!! Very excited for this draw :)
ReplyDeletetanyabroeckx@gmail.com
Looks like a great book. I enjoy all of the things you highlight. beadcontagion@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi pearl, I would love to win this book as I do quite a bit of free form wire art & love it to bits -- so I look forward to winning the book and sharing the designs with my friends & family - thanks heaps for offering these to international people as we sometimes miss out -- Jill - www.beadbugs.co.nz - (my contact details are on the contact page) - hear from you soon - we love you Pearl
ReplyDeleteInoreader (RSS Feed) Follower.
ReplyDeletemelodyj(at)gmail(dot)com
As I am just starting to play with wire but my intentions are serious, I'd love to win a copy :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the look of the bead and wire necklaces and am interested in learning how to do it. kaysuet@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI am a blog subscriber. kaysuet@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI have really been enjoying your News Letter which I have only just found and I love creating with wire and this book looks really exciting, as these books are hard to find. Gloria Boyd - gdboyd@xtra.co.nz
ReplyDeleteI would like a chance to win this book. I hope this is how you want us to enter. Thanks!
ReplyDeletevia email
I would love to win this great book! I am a blog subscriber too.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great new book on wire work.. would love to own this and try the techniques
ReplyDeleteCarol... carolhettenbach@msn.com
Looks like fun to me! Would love to play with this technique.
ReplyDeleteartist@kerensamere.com
I think this would be a great book for crafting parties; it doesn't seem to have very time consuming suggestions and a DYI bride could have her bridesmaids make their own jewelry.
ReplyDeleteOh what a GREAT idea!!!
DeleteSeems like a wonderful book.. Would love to win it!
ReplyDeleteAS if I didn't have enough hobbies, this would be fun to try. Actually it would provide some great additions to kumihimo.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win this book, it looks like it has a lot of great information and ideas.
ReplyDeleteI am also a loyal blog follower marlade@msn.com
I've been wanting to learn how to use wire, but was afraid it would be too hard. This looks like a great way to begin!
ReplyDeleteSuelacroix@gmail.com
Fantastic wire work! I LOVE the organic feel!
ReplyDeleteHoping I WIN!!!
What beautiful wire work! I love the artistic flow and lightness of Gayle's pieces. "Freeform Wire Art Jewelry" is definitely a book I want to read. It would be wonderful to find my hands learning to enter into the playful elegance of this style.
ReplyDeletewhat an intriguing book . I love to work with wire and this would be a wonderful addition to my library.
ReplyDeleteWow what a nice change from the structured look I usually use. Casual and swirly, definitely my kind feminine :) Thanks for the contest and I'll be sure to look for the book at the library or the book store if I don't win. I'm a big follower! suebkaus@telus.net
ReplyDeleteI love working with wire, but could use help in both technique and ideas!
ReplyDeleteFree form is really my style. Hope to win. I am blog follower.
ReplyDeletehttp://abcoraldesign.etsy.com
Wow! Would love some extra inspiration!
ReplyDeleteFaye Gates: That jewelry is so pretty and delicate looking. I'd love to win.
ReplyDeletethis book is awesome. I am new at wire working. this could help me! win it? I would buy it.
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating. Would love to try. dbuttatb27@gmail.com
ReplyDeletewould love to win this!
ReplyDeletemarlene
mlsjewel@yahoo.com
I would love to win one of these! kfrissell@mac.com
ReplyDeleteThw designs are pretty.
ReplyDeleteInoreader subscribe
ReplyDelete