3/25/10

New Inspiration

Probably the last thing I need is new inspiration, drowning as I am in my oft-mentioned haul.  However the lovely etsyan lorelei1141 contacted me recently to say she liked ...


 on a whim, and b/c she had such a nice avatar, I poked over to her shop and discovered a world of color.

A freedom in unexpected unions of glazed greens, browns, copper, earthy mustards, corals and every kind of blue.  Nothing looking over or underdone, supremely wearable, gorgeously multi-chromatic. 

Now, if you are a jewelry nut, you will recognize some of these elements as what's popular these days. She often uses components made by other artist, such as resin charms in copper and jaw-droppingly sexy ceramic versions of a badonkadonk.  

However, I have yet to see someone do something to these components that improves on the component.  So many of these would look better alone or a couple on a cord tied around your back. Often, what folks made even detracted from the beads and bits.  

It takes a real designers eye to make them shine.  Just like you can't stick any few cute antique bits on a chain and expect them to look good, it's the same w/artist-made components.
What most makes me sit there w/my mouth hanging open, though, are those unexpected touches of color. The piece right above here is entirely unexpected color.  Who told her she was allowed to bring a big ol' shiny purple bead into that subdued, kind of rustic composition?  Or the green in the 1st piece, or red in the second.  


Or not do any repetition w/the red or black above?
Or the sudden bright seed beads below? Not to mention the sudden appearance of a big blue flower, never again to be repeated, and a big spotted lampwork round, never again to be repeated.


Meanwhile, I've been sticking to this matchy-matchy thing.  If I have a component w/yellow and red, everything has to be yellow and red:

OK, looking at this necklace, I did put in lots of surprises, since no element was repeated.  The amber and tiny hints of orange bring in a sunset-flavored tough.  But what if I'd gone w/royal blue?

One trick is to vary the color, but stick w/the same intensity and hue.  (Remember, the hue is the amount of white and black mixed into the color.)
  When hues are the same, if you turned the image to black and white, they'd all look like the same color.  Which is very evident in this stone series above.  But what about this below?  It's even better than the stone series, color-wise.  
AND IT CLEARLY HAS VASTLY VARYING HUES-- (this just added when i realized my post made no sense). Just imagine it black and white and you'll see what i mean.

Maybe I should just steal her color-ways.  Which is impossible because my stash is what it is. And I'm not ready to pay $6 for one bead.
These are $36.


These are $24 for the three.

ANYWAYS- another thing lorelei inspired me w/is the whole series of beads thing. Specifically, the series on a knotted cord.  Led me to:

In which the navy was not in the focal, but still worked. I'm so proud.  I'll be more so when I finish and get a good picture.  The metal tag is, of course, from my famous haul.  And the effect is still quite "me."  I had been trying to get this guy to work w/just different kinds of metal chains and stuff, and it was awful. So now I have 4 or 5 projects going w/all knotted cord.  Yuppeeee!!!
Thanks Lorelei.

11 comments:

Penelope said...

I think breaking the 'rules' is what we admire in other people, because that was one of the reasons I was so drawn to you- I'd look over your stuff and think 'home-made 'that'll do' hooks and clasps? Grungy fabric? Massive oversized pendants?!?! You can't do that!! WHO said she could do that!?!

We get ideas in our heads as to what we can do and what is 'wrong' and them people who are doin' it wrong come along and blow a hole in our cell wall- and we're free. I used to work in an Indian clothing shop, and we'd get these MENTAL clothes that the Tibetans had made; they'd just pulled whatever they fancied from their huge warehouses of vintage fabric and made clothes with them, no one told them they couldn't make pants from that pattern or shirts from that fabric. And the creative freedom was inspiring.

Penelope said...

Oh- and badonkadonk? My new word for today. I googled it. 0_0

Lorelei Eurto said...

what a surprise to read this, this morning. :)
Boy you really did dig up some doozies from the depths of the sold section. I am sometimes inspired by my own work, and am itching to bead right now. So thanks for inspiring ME!!

Unknown said...

I'm a big fan of loreli, I often ask myself WWLED? when I am sitting in front of my beads!

Marie Cramp said...

I love that, WWLED!! I think the her originality is wonderful! She has also inspired me and has brought out a new artistic style from me I never knew I had!
Thanks for this wonderful post <3
Marie
http://skyejewels.blogspot.com

Malin de Koning said...

Wow! This was a true enjoyment to read. I found this post via Lorelei on Facebook. I love her work. And now I also love you ... and your ability to write about design. THAT is a very interesting topic. Way too rarely spoken about. What makes the difference between something OK and something extraordinary?

So I am your new follower from this moment. Great to make your acquintance (please exuse my bad spelling, I am swedish).
Malin

TesoriTrovati said...

I am a always in awe of what Lorelei does next. Such a wonderful compliment you made to someone who is talented and sweet and giving. I really do like what you have made as well. Color is my nemesis, so I understand what you are saying. My goal this year is to infuse more color into my work. And Lorelei's example is a great one to follow...and that stone bracelet with the key? I think that is the piece of hers that I own! (But it got lost in my move...)
Thanks for sharing your inspiration today!
Enjoy the day! Erin

fanciful devices said...

Wow! Most responses I've had in a while! I should post about successful jewelry designers more, to leech off their fans.
Boot, that was hilarious. But I cant figure out what the "E" stands for.
Hi Malin.
I'm not swedish and my spelling is awful anyways.

Sunny Haralson said...

This stuff is AWESOME

fanciful devices said...

WOW! Sunny, I follow your blogs religiously- what an honor to have you comment on mine! I'm all flustered. I posted about you here:
fancifuldevices.blogspot.com/2009/12/newly-discovered-shop-love.html

Malin de Koning said...

What Would Lorelei Eurto Do

that is MY guess anyway

And I should maybe clearify , I am a swedish woman married to an englishman. Was smiled at today by my half american friend when I spoke about a photo. "what?" i said. She replied "it is called picture in american english. Photo sounds so cute".

Well i guess my english is totally britified after 15 years with my husband.
Bye for now.