Where Do You Find Design Inspiration?
Finding inspiration for designing jewelry can come from many places. It may come from seeing the jewelry and accessories pictured in magazines or catalogs. A visit to a local department store may inspire you to design with the clothing styles and colors shown for the current season. You may find a pattern or color combination in fabric that inspires you to create a certain design. There are a number of popular “bead” and craft magazines that may give you inspiration to create your own version of one of their projects.
Inspiration can come from anywhere you are. I find that my surroundings often influence my designs. The area where you live may dictate a larger, bolder design in color and size or the “splash” of color may be all that your design requires in your locale. Seasonal changes often influence what I design with spring and summer being one of my favorite times to design jewelry. I love the pastels and softer colors usually associated with spring and summer as well as the materials like shells, freshwater pearls, acrylics, and wood and seed beads.
I enjoy reading articles by other designers and where they say their influences come from. Different jewelry mediums seem to have a favorite style and inspiration. I recently read about some metal artists who take their inspiration from nature and natural surroundings. The rustic theme stands out in their metal work and designs.
Sometimes when I look at beads I immediately see designs or theme ideas inspired by the beads themselves. Other times I find beads that I really like for their color or texture so I buy them and have to wait for the inspiration to design something with them. What usually happens to me is I put the beads away and then forget about them for a while. When I “find” them again its a happy surprise and I’m finally ready to create something new with my “new” beads. Happy designing!
Peridot Crystals and Copper Chains
One of my new pieces, Peridot crystals, copper pearls and copper chains.
Visit Cheryl’s Jewelry Expressions (http://www.cherylsbeadjewelry.com)
or KC Bead Designs (http://www.kcbeaddesigns.com).
