Jewelry-Making Articles

Design Idea 981N Necklace
by Bryan Nealy, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®

As a jewelry artist, inspiration comes from anywhere: a dream, a memory, nature or simply an image in the mind's eye. Another source of inspiration is art. Visual arts in particular can directly rouse creativity in a fellow artist's soul. Artists such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, Kahlo, Rothko, and Lichtenstein, have influenced humanity with their amazing work. Legendary artists and their work can be a great starting point for a jewelry piece.

Renaissance-Style Components

The Birth of Venus

 The Renaissance marked a passage in European culture from the Dark Ages to a more sophisticated time period. The visual arts of the Renaissance focused on creating realistic-looking images, many of them religious in nature. The Italian painter Sandro Botticelli painted The Birth of Venus in 1486, which depicts the Roman goddess of love and beauty, emerging from the sea in a shell. For this look, goddess charms and shells could combine to capture the essence of this gorgeous painting.

Shell Beads and Components

Art Nouveau is an art style inspired by harmony with nature. Organic life and many of its forms were romanticized, in fine art and architecture. A simple way to emulate this look is with black onyx beads, featuring hand-painted figures. Cloisonné beads and focals perfectly capture the spirit of Art Nouveau. Choose pieces that feature flowers, leaves, insects and other organic forms to really make this theme shine.

Design Idea A538 Necklace Cloisonné Beads and Components

The Art Deco style of the early- to mid-20th century featured geometric patterns, symmetrical designs and bold colors. Art Deco heavily influenced architecture as well as the visual arts; the Empire State Building is one of many examples in the United States. A simple way to add a geometric touch to your look is with an Art Deco, multi-shell focal. One of these focals instantly adds modern style to your design.

Multi-Shell Focals

In the mid-20th century, a style of spontaneous, often subconsciously driven painting technique became popular; the movement was coined abstract expressionism. Abstract expressionist artists would often simply drip or splatter paint onto the canvas. To get the look of an abstract expressionist painting, create with resin beads featuring similarly random patterns and inclusions.

Abstract Expressionsit Beads
 Art-Inspired Jewelry

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