Warren Feld – författare

SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER

You make jewelry.  That is what you do.

But when you think jewelry and speak jewelry and work jewelry, this is what you have become.  This is your purpose.

Becoming a Jewelry Designer is exciting.  With each piece, you are challenged with this profound question:  Why does some jewelry draw people''s attention, and others do not?   When designers turn to how-to books or art theory texts, however, these do not uncover the necessary answers.  They do not show you how to make trade-offs between beauty and function. Nor how to introduce your pieces publicly.    You get insufficient practical guidance about knowing when your piece is finished and successful.  In short, you do not learn about design.  You do not learn the essentials about how to go beyond basic mechanics, anticipate the wearer''s understandings and desires, or gain management control over the process.

So You Want To Be A Jewelry Designer reinterprets how to apply techniques and modify art theories from the Jewelry Designer''s perspective.  This very detailed book, by jewelry designer Warren S. Feld, reveals how to become literate and fluent in jewelry design.  

The major topics covered include,

1.    Jewelry Beyond Craft: Gaining A Disciplinary Literacy and Fluency in Design

2.    Getting Started

3.    What Is Jewelry, Really?

4.    Materials, Techniques and Technologies

5.    Rules of Composition, Construction and Manipulation

           Design Elements

           Color, Point, Line, Plane, Shape, Form, Theme

           Architectural Basics

6.    Design Management

7.    Introducing Your Designs Publicly

8.    Developing Those Intuitive Skills Within: Creativity, Inspiration and Aspiration,    

      Passion

9.    Jewelry In Context: Contemporary Jewelry, Fashion, Taste, Style, Cognition,

      Sexuality, Self-Care

10.Teaching Disciplinary Literacy In Jewelry Design

How dreams are made

between the fickleness of business

and the pursuit of jewelry design

This guidebook is a must-have for anyone serious about making money selling jewelry.  I focus on straightforward, workable strategies for integrating business practices with the creative design process.  These strategies make balancing your creative self with your productive self easier and more fluid. 

Based both on the creation and development of my own jewelry design business, as well as teaching countless students over the past 35+ years about business and craft, I address what should be some of your key concerns and uncertainties.  I help you plan your road map.

Whether you are a hobbyist or a self-supporting business, success as a jewelry designer involves many things to think about, know and do. I share with you the kinds of things it takes to start your own jewelry business, run it, anticipate risks and rewards, and lead it to a level of success you feel is right for you, including   

Whether hobbyist or self-supporting business, success as a jewelry designer involves many things to think about, know and do, including (1) Getting Started:  naming business, identifying resources, protecting intellectual property; (2) Financial Management: basic accounting, break even analysis, understanding risk-reward-return on investment, inventory management; (3) Product Development: identifying target market, specifying product attributes, developing jewelry line, production, distribution, pricing, launching; (4) Marketing, Promoting, Branding:  competitor analysis, developing message, establishing emotional connections to your products, social media marketing; (5) Selling:  linking product to buyer among many venues, such as store, department store, online, trunk show, home show, trade show, sales reps and showrooms, catalogs, TV shopping, galleries, advertising, cold calling, making the pitch; (6) Resiliency:  building business, professional and psychological resiliency; (7) Professional Responsibilities:  preparing artist statement, portfolio, look book, resume, biographical sketch, profile, FAQ, self-care.

Doing craft shows is a wonderful experience. You can make a lot of money at craft shows, you meet new people, you have new adventures. You learn a lot about business and arts and crafts designing.

IF... you do your homework when selecting them, and verify all information 

IF... you are very organized in preparing for them, setting up, selling and re-packing up

IF... you promote, promote, promote.

In this book, I discuss 16 lessons I learned, Including How To (1) Find, Evaluate and Select Craft Shows Right for You, (2) Determine a Set of Realistic Goals, (3) Compute a Simple Break-Even Analysis, (4) Develop Your Applications and Apply in the Smartest Ways, (5) Understand How Much Inventory to Bring, (6) Set Up and Present Both Yourself and Your Wares, (7) Best Promote and Operate Your Craft Show Business.

Learning Bead Stringing Is More Than

Putting Beads On A String And Tying On A Clasp

There is an art and skill to stringing beads. First, of course, is the selection of beads for a design, and the selection of the appropriate stringing material. Then is the selection of a clasp or closure, appropriate to the design and use of the piece.

You want your pieces to be appealing. You want them to wear well.  You want someone to wear them or buy them.   This means understanding the basic techniques, not only in terms of craft and art, but also with considerations about architecture, mechanics, and some sociology, anthropology and psychology.   

In this book, I go into depth about: (1) Choosing stringing materials, and the pros and cons of each type, (2) Choosing clasps, and the pros and cons of different clasps, (3) All about the different jewelry findings and how you use them, (4) Architectural considerations and how to build these into your pieces, (5) How better designers use cable wires and crimp, as well as, use needle and thread to string beads, (6) How best to make stretchy bracelets, (7) How to make adjustable slip knots, coiled wire loops, and silk wraps, (8) How to finish off the ends of thicker cords or ropes, so that you can attach a clasp, (9) How to construct such projects as eyeglass leashes, mask chains, lariats, multi-strand pieces, twist multi-strand pieces, and memory wire bracelets, (10)  How different teaching paradigms - craft vs. art vs. design - might influence the types of choices you make.