Description:

The numbers of artisan in the wire art jewelry field are increasing from time to time and this is good as it’s become more challenging but a lot of artisans nowadays do not notice that learning techniques from the basic is really essential in jewelry making.

In order to become a great wire artisan, one must have a solid base of basic techniques as this will lead you in creating a beautiful and unique jewelry instead of unique but look unattractive. The basic techniques that I mean are making spiral, loop, hammering, shaping, cutting, buffing and polishing. Not improvising and learning these techniques properly, you might not be able to create an amazing jewelry even though you had learnt the most advanced techniques such as coiling, weaving, knotting and braiding. Having the ability to create but lack of the basics is very disappointed.

In order to improve the basic skills, always spend a little more time in making spiral and frame even when you're practicing. Seek advice on how to hammer, flush cut and polish; even there are people in this website that are willing to help you on these lessons. Register yourself to forums as people always discuss and update their techniques there. Another option is keep books on the basic skills by your side. I recommend books by Linda Jones, Sharilyn Miller and Kathy Frey. These books contain a lot of tips and information. Look out for other artisan works, how they shape, hammer, or even polish their jewelry; absorb the skills while observing. One thing not to forget is to ask people to give their honest comment on your jewelry so you can correct your mistake and always take comment positively even though it’s a bad one.

As an artisan myself I had spent half of the beginning year learning to improve and perfecting the basics and it’s really worth it because every time my clients buy my jewelry they always compliment on the neatness and quality of the piece that I create even though it’s very simple. That is one of the factors that keep the clients coming back to me. Another thing that keeps me getting better on my techniques is teaching. As a teacher that teaches basic designs, I had to showcase to the students that with the right techniques, a simple jewelry can look stunning to the eyes that see it. I shall conclude that basic techniques play important roles for artisans to create a unique jewelry piece that high in term of quality.

I’m writing this for the reason that I had seen people create a unique piece but lack of finishing. I hope this will help artisans to be more detail in making jewelry.