Jewelery Design is the process of creating a piece of jewelry from an idea. It involves a combination of engineering and artistic skills to create sketches, 3-D images and product prototypes of various styles and types of jewelry. It is a fulfilling career choice for artistically inclined students with an interest in fashion and style.
Jewelry designers often work with independent jewelers, retail stores and private clients to design one-of-a-kind pieces. They also may be employed by large-scale manufacturers to create line expansions of existing concepts/models of their company’s jewelry. They also may start their own independent businesses to design and sell their own collections of jewelry under their own name.
Whether it’s an engagement ring, wedding band or men’s chain, the creation of each jewelry item follows a similar process that begins with inspiration. The design of the piece is derived from the initial concept, whether it be an actual photo, illustration or a drawing. This is then manipulated in a computer program (CAD) to refine the shape and dimensions and to determine how the jewelry will be made. The resulting file is then 3D printed to form a resin prototype of the finished product. This helps to identify the flaws in a design, which can then be corrected before moving forward with production.
It seems there are two camps of jewelry makers: those who jump straight to the metal with a hammer and those who go straight to the sketchbook with a pencil. Jewelery designer Helen Boyd is in the latter camp, saying that sketching equals thinking for her. It’s the way she gets the moving, spinning, intangible thought in her head down to her hand and out onto a page.
When it comes to determining size for a bracelet, there are many different ways to do it, but the most accurate and simplest is to use a piece of string or measuring tape around your wrist. This will give you a good indication of what size bangle, charm or other type of bracelet you need to make.
A bracelet that is too tight can put pressure on the wrist, which can cause it to get uncomfortable and even swollen. It’s best to opt for a looser fit when it comes to bangles, especially those with lots of beads or other embellishments.
Learn how to master the basics of jewelry-making design with these tools and easy techniques. From learning how to sketch and explore form, texture and color, to preparing domino pieces, you’ll walk away with new tools that will elevate your jewelry-making skills to the next level.
Anyone can combine raw materials to create a piece of jewelry, but it takes more than that to be a successful jewellery designer. A strong background in engineering, art and engineering is necessary to develop a design and then bring it to life. A jewelry designer has to consider everything from the cost of material, structural integrity and wearability to how a piece will be manufactured and sold.
