A Shade of Art

 Artwork is a doorway to creativity and self-expression, but unfortunately, most of the work you create can only be displayed inside an exhibit or a private home. Jewelry-making is another form of art. The craftsmanship used in this niche can help display an individual artistic vision publicly in both the art and fashion community. It can also be regarding comprehending the basic techniques to create a jewelry set or earrings, bracelets, pendants, and necklaces.

So the purpose of this blog is to cover the fundamentals of jewelry making for anyone interested in doing it as a hobby or someone who wants to take it seriously as a beginner entrepreneur.

Equipment

An artist is only as good as his tools. So let’s start with the basic hand tools that are needed to crop and edit the size of the jewelry you are making.

Pliers

Pliers are a staple instrument for jewelry making. They are used to grip and alter certain rods and metal wires. Some pliers are also designed for cutting wire.

Tweezers

Tweezers come in handy when your hands aren’t small enough to do the job. They are great when working with small items like beads.

Cutters

Cutters are straightforward. They are intended to cut any iron, copper, or metal objects.

Wire tools are used to bend, loop and wire strip your material.

Wire jig

This instrument is a must-have if you like to create your loops and craft out your designs ideas, which is essential for bracelets and necklaces.

Mandrel

A mandrel is not necessary, but it does make workflow a lot easier. The primary purpose is for shaping and forming ring objects.

Wire Straightener

A wire straightener is a tool with a small apparatus that takes crooked and imperfect wiring and straightens it with applied pressure.

Soldering tools use heat to solder and melt metal and allow pieces to melt together.  This bond is often referred to as a soldered joint.

Torch

The two common terms this tool is referred to are a Hoke torch and a solder torch. Regardless of the name you choose, they both can create extremely hot temperatures to solder metal pieces together.  

Polishing tools are the final piece of the puzzle.

The best kind of cloth to use is microfiber cloth to give your jewelry a little extra shine. They’re ideal t for silver, copper and gold-plated jewelry.

Common Items to create

String Bead Bracelets

String bead bracelets typically use thread and embroidery floss. They are beginner-friendly and sell well in local art & craft shows.

Wire wrapped rings

Wire-wrapped rings are composed of stainless steel, silver, nickel, copper, and brass.

Charms

A charm pendant can be attached to a bracelet or a necklace. The material may vary from gemstones to diamonds, but they are great additions to any basic set of jewelry.

Braided cord necklaces

Braided cord necklaces follow the same concept as beaded necklaces. All you need is thread and embroidery floss. The purpose of braiding the thread is to thicken the material to add durability to your heavier jewelry.

Beaded anklets

You can use coil floss or thread with patterned beads to create anklets, but it doesn’t have to stop there. You can use silver metal to create anklets with pendants as well.

The benefit of creating jewelry is the fact you can look fashionable at a fractional cost!  This blog was to get you started with material and a few beginner-friendly ideas. So go out and start creating now!