Monday, July 25, 2011
A sneak peek into wire wrapping and manipulations
I'll summarize wire wrapping into one sentence: the art of manipulating wire to do what you want. Yup! That's the secret! Decide what you want the wire to do for you and make it do just that!
Let me explain. Wire comes in many varieties of hardness, size, and shape. You will have to experiment on your own to figure out what you like best for which projects. Precious metals are automatically softer. Some projects can come out magnificent using twisted wires, while others will look silly and overdone. You are the artist. Your eyes must judge what works when.
Not so sure about this? Wire wrapping is all about freedom of expression. If you are the kind of person who likes to have everything exact and measured out, you might be better off going with a more regulated style of technique. Try different stringing and loom techniques. But if you enjoy being perhaps a bit rebellious, showing the world who you are... go for wire wrapping!
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 Treble Clef ring from Jazzies and Lilies Designs on etsy |
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Jade immortal cuff by Elemental Nature on etsy |
Ideas! Ideas! Ideas! That's what this form of jewelry making is all about... think of an idea and
make it happen. I wanted to collect Jerusalem
stone and make something memorable out of it. So I decided to create this statue, symbolizing
Moses praying when the Hebrews were fighting
the Amalekites. This is what I came up with.
Most of my ideas are simpler. I decide that I want random... I choose my colors and textures and create random. I decide I want uniform. I do just that.
Finding your style is the key. An artist who copies a Van Gogh may have incredible talent, but he will never be recognized. An artist is identified through his work, which is a reflection of his personality. You must create your own look, always being careful not to be taking on another artist's ideas... This is the case with any method in jewelry making, however since wire wrapping is a more freeform style, it is much more so.
Things not as simple as I make them sound? Hey, it's my job to keep things positive! Without a positive outlook and confidence in your talent, your work will not improve. Troubleshooting is a skill that comes with time. If you have any questions regarding anything, feel free to contact me. Sometimes from a failed project emerges a masterpiece. Take this piece for example.
The circle came out all wrong..
so I decided to turn it into a teardrop.
In conclusion, wire wrapping, although my favorite technique is not for everyone. If you decide to take on wire wrapping as a style you offer, keep in mind it can take you anywhere - you can use supplies you bought, found, or broke (more about that next time!) and you can choose a uniform style or a random one. With wire wrapping you can accomplish so much - almost anything is possible! Whatever you do, make sure your piece reflects
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