Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay And Wire Jewelry

137 Pages·2009·101.92 MB·English

by  Ronna Weltman

Ronna Sarvas Weltman
31ft;)
INTERWEAVE.
IIU
interweave.com
EDITOR: KATRINA LOVING
TECHNICAL EDITOR: JAMIE HOGSETT
DESIGNER: KARLA BAKER
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: KATHERINE JACKSON
PHOTOGRAPHER: DOUG YAPLE
© 2009 by Ronna Sarvas Weltman
Photography © 2009 by Doug Yaple
All rights reserved.
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Interweave Press LLC
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Loveland, CO 80537-5655USA
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Printed in China by Asia Pacific Offset.
The author, copyright holder, and publishers have made every effort to ensure that all
instructions in this book are safe and accurate, but they cannot accept legal liability
for errors or omissions, or for any resulting injury, loss or damage to either property or
person whether direct or consequential and howsoever arising.
Polymer clays are labeled as non-toxic and are presumed safe when used appropri
ately, however it is important to follow some precautions: wash your hands after using
polymer clay; do not use your polymer clay tools with food; do not allow the clay,
baked or unbaked, to come into contact with food; take care when baking polymer clay
not to exceed the manufacturers' recommended baking temperatures as polymer clay
produces toxic fumes if burnt; always supervise children who are using and/or baking
polymer clay; never allow children to put polymer clay into their mouths.
It is also important to use caution while working with any tools with sharp edges or
points, such as cutting blades or needle tools, to avoid injury.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
This page: Eastern Burst. From the private col
lection of the author.
Weltman, Ronna Sarvas.
Page 3: Top photo: Copper Creek; bottom Ancient modern: polymer clay + wire jewelry / Ronna Sarvas Weltman.
photo: Inside the Realm. Both from the private p. cm.
collection of the author.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Page 8: One World Necklace. From the private ISBN 978-1-59668-097-5 (pbk.)
collection of the author. ISBN 978-1-59668-613-7 (eBook)
Page 9: Interlude. From the private collection of 1. Polymer clay craft. 2. Wire craft. 3. Jewelry making. 1. Title.
the author. TT297.W4872009
731' .2--dc22
2009002231
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
parents, Maynara
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 7 PROJECTS
DESIGNING JEWELRY 9 Serendipity's Sister Necklace 34
This delightful strand of beads introduces a pot
COLOR INSPIRATION 10
pourri of techniques for creating color and texture.
THE MECHANICS OF JEWELRY DESIGN 11
Nightfall in Mozambique Necklace 46
High contrast plays the starring role in this sophis
ABOUT WIRE 15
ticated blending of black and bone colors.
ABOUT POLYMER CLAY 24
Mama's Mambo Bracelet 56
Wavy spacers and rich jewel tones add to the color
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 33
ful undulating lines of this joyous piece.
Aria's Dream Necklace 60 Moondance Necklace 100
Primitive style juxtaposed with bright colors adds Colorful polymer clay pods and rings are paired
to the visual intrigue of this necklace's subtly with energetic and spontaneous wire improvisation
marbled beads. in this enchanting necklace.
Lush Sonata Necklace 68 Three-Ring Circus Brooch 106
Zebra beads contrast with whimsical peach bead Rings of color assert themselves against a neutral
caps in this inspired combination, evoking style background in this quirky composition that in
and adventure. cludes a touch of subtly textured wire.
Desert Abundance Bracelet 74 So Much and More Bracelet 114
A color palette that moves from purple to teal Extruded polymer clay forms an elegant bangle
contrasts with primitive bone spacer beads and punctuated by a striking sculptural copper wire
cogged brass heishi in this beautiful bracelet. clasp.
Springtime Afternoon Bracelet 78 Embrace Me Ring 118
A marbled pink focal bead and delicate petal-thin Circles, stripes, and arcs all contribute to the styl
disks combine with primitive dark steel wire coils ish energy of this improbable and amusing cocktail
in this funky but feminine bracelet. nng.
Dancing Bells Earrings 84 Ancient Vessel Necklace 124
Polymer clay bells and delicate wire dangles evoke An intriguing polymer clay membrane covers an
springtime blooms in these provocative earrings. elegant, primitive copper wire armature in this
pendant that is reminiscent of an ancient artifact.
Zen Earrings 88
Intriguingly textured silver disks are joined with
extruded polymer clay wrapped around wire
GLOSSARY 129
dangles.
GALLERY 130
Twice Told Story Ring 94
Words tell a beautiful story in this sublime tableau RESOURCES 134
of enigmatic script atop a gracefully shaped wire
ring. INDEX 135
5

ies, and plays that offer multiple story lines within the
LIKE MANY JEWELRY ARTISTS, I BEGAN
plot, because that multidimensionality is what makes
MAKING JEWELRY BY STRINGING BEADS
them intriguing. I think we respond to art in the same
and stones and finishing off my necklaces and brace
way. A piece of jewelry that can simultaneously evoke
lets with clasps I found at the bead store. Soon, how
structure and whimsy, that can suggest a solid founda
ever, I found myself wanting to make more of my own
tion coupled with a hint of folly, is going to engage and
mark on my jewelry, which led me to wire and later to
delight us on many levels.
polymer clay. I love working with materials that I can
True craftsmanship takes practice and experi
hold, wrap, bend, pinch, squish, indent, tweak, ball up,
ence. Every day I get an idea for a fabulous piece of
roll out, squish again, set aside, and go back to days,
jewelry However, when I go into the studio to make
weeks, or even years later. I love the warmth reso-
,
it, sometimes it's all wrong. But I keep plugging away,
nance, and substance that wire adds to a piece, and
and eventually I do hit the sweet spot and I really like
I find myself seduced by the infinite possibilities in
whatever it is I eventually make. So don't get discour
color, texture, and shape offered by polymer clay.
aged if not everything works out just the way you
I am particularly drawn to combining wire with
planned on your first attempt.
polymer clay because while both mediums offer me the
I hope you will use this book as a guide in helping
opportunity to craft primitive and even quirky de
you find your creative voice in jewelry design. Experi
signs, the combination achieves an aesthetic counter
ment. Explore. Be open-minded about using these
play within each piece, adding to the visual intrigue.
materials to bring forth the exciting, delightful, original
Although wire has little intrinsic color, it offers firm
ideas that are percolating inside you. The jewelry you
structure and a solid foundation. Polymer clay, on the
imagine is all right there, waiting for you to find an op
other hand, offers so many possibilities with color, tex
portunity to blend creativity and craftsmanship with a
ture, and form. It offers an opportunity to take my art to
deeper understanding of how to put it all together.
a place where whimsy, imagination, and even folly can
rule the day. People are often attracted to books, mov-

DESIGNING JEWELRY
I DESIGN JEWELRY AS ART TO WEAR.
I want it to be beautiful but also durable, practi
cal, and comfortable. All too often, jewelry design
takes place on a tabletop and doesn't necessar
ily make the transition to wrist, neck, earlobe, or
garment particularly well. The laws of physics
-gravity, in particular-can play capricious tricks
on designers. Taking the time to consider some of
those challenges will allow you to design jewelry
that looks as fabulous on the wearer as it does on
the design table.
The free-form wire embellishment along the neck wire
is similar in size and appearance to the free-form wire
Designing jewelry often feels like a largely intuitive
embellishment on the pendant, creating both balance and
process, but a careful consideration of the principles of
proportion. The necklace has an obvious focal point in the
design will help you create more beautiful pieces, particu
large center bead on the pendant, which creates empha
larly when you're feeling stuck. Those principles include
sis. At the same time, the other embellishments are large
rhythm, balance, proportion, emphasis, harmony, and
enough that they don't get lost in the overall composition,
scale.
which satisfies three of the principles; balance, proportion,
Rhythm, in the context of design, includes repetition
and scale. At the same time, the color scheme is muted,
and progression Repetition is obvious in the photo at top
which creates harmony.
right of one of my pieces, called Interlude. You can see
These few examples explore how the design prin
that I used brass spacers in each of the dangle elements,
ciples were used in this particular piece Although I don't
creating a harmonious rhythm Each of the dangles looks
necessarily think consciously about the design prinCiples
as if it is part of the whole because of the repeated use
when I'm working on a new piece of jewelry, my un
of the same elements. Progression, on the other hand,
derstanding of them informs all of the decisions I make.
is a variation on repetition- it is an ordered, systematic
However, when I am struggling with a piece, the design
sequence or transition, suggesting motion, which can be
principles become a more conscious part of the process.
very dynamiC. Interlude has five dangles hanging from a
That is when I ask myself questions, perhaps about the
wire circle. When I first made the two long, thin dangles,
balance I am achieving, or about whether there is too
they were straight The necklace looked static. By curv
little, or too much repetition. As you become more familiar
ing them into undulating lines, but keeping the remaining
with these principles and find yourself using them in your
three dangles straight, I created a progressing pattern of
jewelry design- both consciously and unconsciously
straight, curvy, straight, curvy, straight
you will delight in the growth of your own creativity
9
DESIGNING JEWELRY