I have a couple of jewelry orders going right now, and thinking them out was something I think others could have a good times with.
I keep a notebook where I capture jewelry designs running through my head, and where I write out pattern notes for pieces I’ve already completed. (The idea is that eventually I’ll actually print off the pictures of completed pieces and stick them on the facing page for their pre-thinking and patterns.)
For these two pieces, I pulled out the book and literally started talking out each idea. I drew a sketch of the design behind a description of the thinking behind it. It created this very interesting narrative experience that is both creative and reflective, and is going to help once I wrap up these pieces.
I’ve been trying to get comfortable with the concept of storyline in the designing of my work (jewelry or otherwise), and I think this accidental design method that took over my notebook last week is a first step in that direction. Know where a design came from, talk out the thinking process. I think the piece will take on its own life, and will hopefully catch people’s eye more easily.
