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Beadwork Creates Neclaces
Beadwork Creates Bracelets
By Jean Campbell, Beadwork Magazine
Interweave Press, $16.95, 2003
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comThese two books are hardcover books that are a nice size. Measuring 4 1/4" by 10", they have a lie-flat binding (which I thought was just a tad stiff) and will slip into a briefcase, bag, or bead case with no trouble.
Each book has 30 designs with a full color picture of each project from the artists who created the design. These are designs that use the usual stitches and some of the more exotic stitches. To me, the right angle weave stitch is so versatile in its uses, and that is certainly true with this book. I have always wanted to knit or crochet with wire and after reading about it in these books, I sat down and did it. Great fun to do and I added my own touches that changed it to my unique necklaces and earrings. I really liked the many different techniques used in the books, such as stringing, peyote stitch, right angle stitch, loom work, herringbone stitch, netting stitches, wire working, and crochet. I think this really reaches across the many interests practiced by any member of the RMBS.
The necklaces and bracelets are listed at the front of the book, but you really need to see the full color photo of each one before you reject any of them out of hand. You might think you'd would never want to do that, and then look at the photo and think something more positive. The photography is mouthwateringly good. The first item on the text page is a Materials List, followed by a tools needed list. Right away the Ôhow-to' part is next. At the end is the finishing techniques section. It is straightforward A-B-C or 1-2-3 in presentation. Then at the end of the book is a section of "Tips and Techniques." These are a nicely presented with wonderfully wrought drawings and nicely written text.
I've told you I like the size, the photography, and the straightforward presentation, but I've said very little about the projects. One of the nicest facets of the book is how quickly many of these projects work up. If you make an amulet bag you know you have a lot of work ahead of you, but a necklace or a bracelet is a snap by comparison. On almost every item there is an added bonus to learn or, at least, think about such as making a different type of closure. Lots of good information in two compact books. They are available in the RMBS library.
Beaded Embellishment Techniques
& Designs for Embroidering on Cloth
By Amy C. Clarke and Robin Atkins
Interweave Press, $21.95, 2002
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comIt is difficult for me to be anywhere near objective about this book. First of all, I admire and have taken classes from Amy Clarke and Robin Atkins. I feel I've gained so very much from them as teachers, I'm forever grateful to each of them. Next reason is that this is about Bead Embroidery, one of my most favored ways of doing beading. Still another reason is that it covers and shows the points I loved the most while taking their classes. Am I likely to see anything wrong with this book? you could ask. The answer is, nope! Not because I'm totally unable to see anything that could have been wrong with this book, but rather because it is so very well written. Anything I would have changed is: nothing. I even loved the photos of Amy and Robin on the back.
I started at the Introduction and swept on through the book. As Amy has written, "Robin Atkins and I have joyfully filled this book with practical information . . . " I happen to know that Robin did a lot of the history section and it is marvelous. Robin Atkins speaks from experience having spent months traveling and living in what we used to refer to as the Balkan nations. Not that that is only the only place she has traveled, but she has captured the essence of what she learned in her travels in a riveting narrative voice.
The next section is entitled "Getting Started" and it is a section that you'll want to keep for future reference. In my teaching I often tell my students that anything they can do to keep healthy is a good thing, as art demands a strong healthy body. This concept is covered in this section. The techniques section has photos, line drawings, cross sectional drawings, and wonderful text to back each technique. Masterful manipulation of something that could be really dry and uninteresting makes this fascinating reading. The Projects section has equally good directions, supplies list, materials lists and illustrated directions-Ñin case you forgot where the technique is in the preceding chapter.
My favorite chapter is "Designing for Bead Embroidery" and the reason is simple. Amy and Robin have distilled their teaching philosophies and main points they pass on to classes onto the printed page. This section is about to spill into your mind with gentle encouragement and possibility. It begins, in a side bar arrangement, with why to read the chapter. According to the authors, we begin and spend a great deal of our day designing. Putting designs into bead embroidery is a natural outgrowth of what we all do each and everyday with out thinking about it. Who knew it was so easy? This section has so much to help you in your growth as an artist who uses beads.
The gallery is spectacular. I was honored and pleased to be included in this section and felt so humble when I saw all the delicious work by so many talented people. Quoting from the press release from Interweave Press, this by Robin Atkins, "In 1988 when I started beading full time, not one beading book was in print. . . . Now, fourteen years later in 2002, there are more than 600 available and more are published all the time." Robin attributes this increase in the number of books about beading to the rise of beading as art and the enjoyment of the hobby. This book will be one you want on your shelf. Until then it will be available from the RMBS Library.
Beading in the Native American Tradition
By David Dean
Interweave Press, $24.95, 2002
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comWhenever I've seen work by David Dean, I've always admired what he has done. From this book I've learned a lot about the tradition he admires and is a part of. David Dean is Choctaw by birth and educated in Kiowa ways. This new book is a wonderful epitome of bringing together many links to different Native American bead working techniques.
The usual format is followed, with history, materials needed for beadwork, but one really interesting chapter dealt with collecting Native American Beadwork. This isn't a chapter that most books have and this subject Chapter contains such practical advice. I love loom work and the chapter devoted to loom work was my favorite. Several historic looms are covered, such as Tension loom, Bow loom and Box loom. Then he gets to the heart of matter--for me at least--with the heddle used in conjunction with the loom. There are even directions for making the heddle.
Bead Embroidery has a chapter, although it is called Appliqué Beadwork. Beautiful designs and examples are shown. I love the examples and drawings of the Crow Running Stitch, the Return Stitch and the design possibilities suggested by this chapter.
Further along the Gourd Stitch and Comanche Brick Stitch are given a chapter. These stitches are known in the Anglo/European world as brick stitch and peyote stitch. The Native American adapted these stitches to fit onto rounded, solid objects.
The last chapter that covers stitches is grouped as Uncommon Beadwork Techniques. There is an embossed stitch and Winnebego Side-Stitch, which looks really interesting to try. The very last chapter of the books ties up those finishing questions, has Native American designs, patterns, graphs, outlines and even the side-stitch graphs and suggestions.
The single thing I liked about best about this book is not a single thing. It is twofold. I really enjoyed the photos of new and old beadwork. They are just smashing. Then I was so pleased to find philosophical quotes and practical hints inset and delineated by color and design scattered through the chapters. I found these charming, informative, and wonderfully serendipitous. This is wonderful book. It is hard to send the copy from Interweave Press onto the library, but I'm sure I'll buy my own copy soon.
"Beadweaving" Herringbone Stitch
Video
Instructor: Carol Parrenoud
(800) 848-0284, Victorian Video, $39.95, run time: 109 min.
Yard Barn, PO Box 334, Lawrence, KS 66044When I give glowing accolades to this video it is not to take away from anything before it, but I was having a little trouble getting my turns separated into logical sequence and remembering them until this video. Wow! This is the greatest. Carol Perrenoud has separated the turns into Methods 1 through 4 and that makes sense to my mathematical mind. I would buy the video (and did buy my own personal copy) just for that reason alone. But that isn't all it contains. Carol Perrenoud takes the time to show the way to tie off ends and add threads, and has fun projects. These are step by step, cognitive thinking ways of putting things together and adding on to what you've just learned. Another thing they did with this video was use big beads for the demonstrations (which had to be a pain to work with) so the techniques are easily visible.
As I'd mentioned for the other video, Yarn Barn and Victorian Videos donated this video for the use of everyone in the Bead Society through the library. They let me view it in order to review it and then I give it to our librarian. Thank you Victorian Videos and Yarn Barn. You will want to order this video for you private library. Really, you need this video.
After you feel comfortable, by doing the projects, about the turns and handling the technicalities of the herringbone stitch, the video continues with increasing and decreasing on the side. These are the easiest types of increases in this stitch. A fun project lets you get comfortable with this stitch. After you feel comfortable with that, go on to increasing in a flat piece. Two types of increases here. One is the Increase Between the Pairs and Increasing Within the pairs. There is an arithmetic increase but it is sort of an offshoot of the first type of increase. Following the how-to portion of this is a fun project and you will be such an expert when you finish.
Once you know how to increase with this stitch, you just know you are going to have to learn to decrease. There are two different ways to do this also. All of this is just for flat herringbone. Let's talk about tubular herringbone. Oh, yes, that is covered too. And it is easy. Fun projects to test it abound. My favorite is the one with the hidden magnetic closure. This is fantastic.
The last project is a sea urchin basket. This project includes almost everything you've learned throughout the video. It has flat circular beading, increases, tubular herringbone, and is sculptural. I'm so impressed by this video, I can't even tell you how much. I recommend it most highly.
Video
Instructor: Carol Parrenoud
(800) 848-0284, Victorian Video, $39.95, run time: 109 min.
Yard Barn, PO Box 334, Lawrence, KS 66044When I first watched this video, I wasn't too impressed. I'd just finished doing some bead embroidery work that was accepted in a traveling show. Since then, I've done other kinds of beading and have come back and watched this video again. This time I'm impressed! Very impressed, as a matter of fact!
People through the ages have taken time to adorn their clothes and artifacts with beads. It may have been a bone with a hole in it, but they have made the beads and adorned their daily objects with beauty. We, in this age, are fortunate to have so many people making beautiful beads for us; we start with beauty and make our objects even more beautiful. How wonderful is that?
When I went back over this video, I was refreshed in the techniques I'd learned. It was like being bathed anew in this venue of beading. Carol Perrneoud, starts with basics such as discussing threads, bead colorfastness, ways of testing the color of beads and why that is important in embroidery on clothing or even pins. (They go through the wash or are hand washed! How many times have I discovered a pin still on a blouse when I take it from the dryer!) Then she goes into the different types of cloth/canvas and lace that can be beaded. It isn't something I think of very often, but is a good thing to remember. Through each project and sample Carol then shows samples of the finished product. There is a folder with directions and bead colors for your own samples.
She begins with the Running Stitch and shows it with and without beads, how to hold the beads snug, how not to stitch and what happens if you do. I think without a doubt that is one of the strengths of this video. Carol Perrenoud doesn't hesitate to show you what is good to do or what to do if you go wrong. Each step builds on the other and she shows how everything should look. There are examples and samples (you have your own if you follow her advice and do it as you go--it is why tape players have stop, forward, and reverse buttons) of the product she is showing as well as encouragement on the little things as well as the big things. This means that the instructor shows you how to hold thread, make knots when you need them and how not to make knots when the procedure shouldn't have a knot. I think such show and tell is invaluable. Many different stitches are shown. Two or three samples of each kind of stitch are practiced and samples of other objects that use one or more of the stitches are shown. For me, I think watching this video the second time was invaluable. I saw so much more than I did the first time. You may need to do the same, particularly if you are a beginner.
After showing the stitches, Carol goes into the projects she has made for the book. Again I was impressed with the care for beginners and the more advanced student that are evident. A natural teacher, Carol has a nice manner that comes across in the video. Ease, humor and warm intent are on the screen and make you want to try the technique for yourself.
Next, there is a fun section with different types of edging, fringes and chains to finish off the work. When making the pin, there is even a section that shows how to put the back on the pin with a nice finish. Little things like this that many people don't share because they don't know or are pushed for time; these can be rewound on the video player and watched over and over until the process is a running picture across your brain.
So, I have come full circle from not too impressed with this video to totally impressed with this video! If you want to try bead embroidery, this video is available from our library. I recommend you watch the library copy and then go home and order this video. You'll want it in your personal library.
Bead It with Beadwork
A Beadwork magazine project book
Jean Campbell, Editor, Beadwork Magazine
Interweave Press, $9.95, 2002
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comFirst of all this is definitely a project book. It doesn't pretend to be anything else and shouldn't be expected to be anything else. But it has a nice variety of projects. Some use big beads, bones, metal working, and small bead weaving to create a total of 16 projects to help you get a gift, or something you might want to wear for a special occasion, done, finished, ready to wear.
In the first of the book are some important information sections. I think the one about findings is crucial for beginners--and I count myself a rank beginner in the realm of stringing and wire working. The renderings of basic findings are good, as are the short definitions.
On pages 4 and 5 are some lovely spiral earrings done in 18-gauge wire with some nice drawings showing how to make the spiral, the 24-gauge wire wrap, and finishing the earrings. It is simple, a little challenging and uses three techniques that the beginning stringer would feel good about completing.
The techniques covered are variedÑfrom bead embroidery, strings of multiple stands, making a small bag and many others. There is even one titled "Pennington's Kilty Brooch" that would look great at the Highland Games taking place in various locations this summer and fall. Of course there are brick and peyote stitch projects for those who like working with small beads.
This book is available for checkout from the RMBS library. This is a wonderful increase to our library Not only is this a worthwhile book with varied projects that anyone can do, but the directions are clear and well presented. This is a great book for making those small items for friends.
Beads in Bloom
The Art of Making French Beaded Flowers
A Beadwork How-To Book
By Arlene Baker
Interweave Press, $21.95, 2002
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comThis Beads In Bloom book is about the art of making French Beaded Flowers. Why it is called that is lost in the mists of the past. There is a lot of contradictory and conflicting information as to the reasons for the name "French beading" and is one of the areas covered lightly by this book.
This is really a how-to book. From about page 8 to the beginnings of page 62 the writing is all about techniques that are used in making the French beaded flowers and stems. It is amazing to me, as one who has never done this technique, that there is so much to learn. It all begins with, " . . . the counting and measuring of beads." There is quite a bit more to it than that, but the steps begin at the very beginning and gradually get more involved until you have made a flower with loops, covering the stems in a variety of methods and gone on to more advanced techniques. In this process you've learned to always twist your wire in the same direction at certain steps in the process, to not cut your wire from the spool until you've finished with that loop, to leave your wire stems long enough, since generosity at this step saves problems later. Further along in the book you learn about dome centers, lacing, and elongating flowers. Like eating an elephant, learning to do French beading is done one step at a time.
The illustrations are phenomenal. This is an off shoot of the beading craft that has taken a back seat for a long time and is coming into its own again. The gallery of photos of work, some by the author or of items in her private collection is wonderful. Each technique has a color photo that demonstrates that technique, sometimes combined with other techniques, would look like in either a finished new or antique product. It is like having history sitting on the pages while you are learning.
For anyone interested in French beading or making beautiful objects with beads, I would recommend this book most highly. It is a paper bound book that can be taken to most print shops where it can be wire or plastic ring bound. I always do that with how-to books when possible as they lay flat much easier that way. It helps me when I'm learning a new technique to not have to fight the book. The fee is quite reasonable and publishers and booksellers have a fit with books that have these bindings before they are bought. I appreciate that Interweave Press leaves a nice border that makes this possible for their paperbound books to go through this process.
Our RMBS library is richer for having this book from Interweave.
The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving
New Jewelry Design with Classic Stitches
By Carol Wilcox Wells
Lark Books, Asheville, NC, $27.95, 2002
(800) 284-3388 or www.larkbooks.comCarol Wilcox Wells has done it again. This is indeed a wonderful book, just as her first hardcover book was wonderful, although I like this one even better. Why is that, you might ask. I think it has to do with the arrangement of the book and the photos included with the directions and examples. Even the introduction was wonderful. I am one of those people who read Introductions and Forewords and learn a great deal of color and background by doing so. I would urge you to do the same with this book. The book begins with the Introduction and a material, tools and tips section then jumps into the heart of the book--things you might want to make.
The making things part of the book is nicely divided into types of techniques. For example, the first section is beaded beads. This is not a technique that has ever appealed to me personally, but after going over this section, I can see where some people are fascinated by it and can even understand that fascination. It isn't mine yet, but who knows, at least I understand it more.
The next section is the Chevron Chain. Now, many a small bead person is using this technique, but may not know it. When I read portions of this section I was struck with how this is related to African, Native American, and now the Russian beadwork. All of these methods are related to my eye and I hadn't seen it before. Now, that I see it collected in one area it makes perfect sense to me that this is a technique that many cultures would have begun with in beads.
Crocheted ropes are popular right now. I learned a lot with the computerized Ôdrawings' of technique that in this section and how color and pattern can be unique for this technique.
Herringbone stitch has raced through the beading community in the last year. The section on this technique is quite thorough and wonderful. I particularly liked the photography of samples that were included in this section.
Our old favorite peyote stitch is given new sizzle and zing in this section and on page 128 is a project that appeals to the Gypsy in me. I have to make it. The last section is about spiral ropes. These are a wonderful, although somewhat tedious, to my mind, way of making the strap for an amulet purse. In this section, learn how to make the spiral ropes and variations that make them a stand-alone necklace. It gave me new insight on this technique. While I probably won't make a stand-alone necklace for myself, it is a good idea for something to use as a springboard idea for a sale or to use with your own modifications, for a strap for a tropical or fruit or flower theme amulet bag.
I love Carol Wilcox Wells' friendly and informative style, the wonderful graphic text, the glossy and lovely photos. Really, I just love this book.
Dimensional Flowers, Leaves and Vines
By Barbara L. Grainger
Barbara L. Grainger Ent., $24.95 (plus $3.50 s&h), 2000
Barbara L. Grainger Enterprises, PO Box1902, Oregon City, OR 97045 or hometown.aol.com/beadteach/BarbsPage.htmlI have to tell you I love this book. I've always like Barbara's method of teaching (from articles and the like) and her ideas of fun things to bead. This book is full of both. That's a good part of why I love it. The next part of why I like this is that her brain must be organized to function in the same or similar way mine is. Her book is arranged in a way most books aren't and that works for me. She begins with brick stitch techniques, then netted techniques, then miscellaneous techniques. Then the focus shifts to project overviews, more miscellaneous techniques and finally peyote techniques with the last thing being basic techniques to remember. For some people this may be a hard way to do bead work, but the techniques in all sections and the projects too, are all cross referenced and that is what makes it so workable for me.
I forgot to mention that this book has a lot of unique techniques with ideas of how to mix and match and encouragement to do just that make them your own unique projects. I usually don't care too much for netting techniques but I think I'll try some of the netting ideas with some of the other dimensional techniques.
Barbara, in her acknowledgements section tells us that Joyce Scott got her into the dimensional idea with the words: (spoken about a piece that Barbara had done) "It's beautiful, but it's soooo flat!" How many times have you thought the same of a lovely amulet or loom work. I know I have. It doesn't have to be. With the techniques Barbara encourages and shows you, too, can become the dimension queen of your bead world. Come and play. Good book worth the money.
Introduction to Beadwork Bracelets
By Jill Devon and Liz Thornton, Editors
The Beadworkers Guild, £16.50 (including overseas p&p), 2000
The Beadworkers Guild, P.O.Box 24922, London, SE23 3WS, or www.beadworkersguild.org.ukI've mulled and gone back and forth over this book many times and after much reversionary thinking, I still don't know if I like this book or not. I have a hard time reviewing it because there are some things I like and yet . . . This book just leaves me feeling that way.
To be more factual about it, here is the thinking of the moment. This book is particularly good for beginners and has some ideas that might spark a few intermediate beaders. The tip page is okay, addressing some items it would never occur to me to think of doing, but I'm sure someone somewhere did or those things wouldn't be included. It never occurred to me to reuse thread, for example. Maybe it is because my heart has too much Irish whimsy to ever go there. Whatever the reason, it is one of the tips. I found most of the bracelets rather common, but again some that I thought, "Oh, good idea to combine those beads with that technique." It is a book that I think I'm glad I've added to my library, but I would suggest that you check it out of the RMBS library first to see if you really want and need this book.
A book on Japanese Dimensional Loomwork
By Delica Bead Loom Assoc./Ondori: Sha.
Miyuki Shoji Co., Ltd., 2001
www.miyuki-beads.co.jp or www.ondori.co.jpI always feel badly when I can't give you the title of the book. I can't because this is one of those Japanese books, with the title in Japanese, and I don't read Japanese. This one has dimensional things done on a loom and I can hardly wait to try them. It is printed by Miyuki Shoji Co., Limited, and as you might guess has to do with small beads. The book is copyright in 2001 by Delica Bead Loom Association/Ondori: Sha.
This book has several ideas and graphs, reference pages are in English and Arabic numbers, for flowers made on a loom, they then have wire inserted through the beads and are later attached petal-by-petal with the wire to a jewelry component that I never knew what to do with before. Another wonderful technique they have is braiding of a split loom piece after the piece is woven. Great idea! I've always wondered how to do that. The pictures for how this is done are shown on pages 64 and referenced back to page 25 where the finished product is shown. On page 25 there is the number 64, so you have a good guess that charts, techniques and all are pictured on these pages. Miyuki colors are listed in Arabic Numerals, also. For this weaving technique the graph is in gray tones and lettered a, b, c, d, and e. That should prove helpful for those of us who aren't as fluent as we might be in Japanese!
I think the Japanese will bead anything and everything. This book has covers for Kleenex packets, napkin rings, finger rings, earrings, stickpins, and a couple of things that I don't have a clue as to their purpose. Good books however. I've tried to point out you don't need to read Japanese to be able to make these projects. The photography and drawings are very clear.
Beading with Herringbone Stitch
A Beadwork How-To Book
By Vicki Star
Interweave Press, $21.95, 2001
(800) 272-2193 or www.interweave.comThe arrangement of the book is the usual format with an introduction by the author that is really interesting. Vicki Star gives us an insight into how she looks at beadwork. For her beadwork evolves and I take liberty to say that is similar to process. So much of beadworking is seen as project oriented. By this I mean, classes are generally featuring a project to finish in a certain time, that should look like a set example, rather than a process of learning the stitch or combing several processes. I really like that Vicki states in her introduction that she has, "a drawer full of what I call false startsÑbeadwork that didn't go quite the way I wanted. I always learn from these false starts . . . " Reading the beginning of the book can be an eye opener for what follows. Vicki is willing to share her exploration of the herringbone stitch. What more could we ask her to do?
There follows a brief beading history and overview of the Ndebele tribes, beaders, and some meanings that the colors have for the beaders in the tribes. There are some wonderful pictures of the type of decoration used in Botshebelo. There is a short section on what came from the introduction of such things as safety razor blades.
The next section is the how-to section of the book. This part of any book has a supply list. I thought the pictures and explanation of what Vicki has in her beading box was really interesting and well thought out. I appreciated this section more than usual in a book. Under techniques there is a nice explanation of the structure of the stitch and how to get started. In fact there is more than one way to start and to turn. This was very good as different starts can produce different results and different turns are the same in producing different results. Techniques covered are Flat, Tubular, Increases within the work and at the edges, Decreases the same, Circular and Arc Herringbone, as well as finishing the work.
The next section of the book contains projects, which include a card case, kaleidoscope, mini vessels and Fuchsia Earrings. The projects cover the techniques and can be reproduced as seen or even embellish with your own way of doing something.
There is a gallery of wonderful work by various artists, graphs and resource guides. This is a nicely written book, well presented and makes me want to learn and add Ndebele or Herringbone Stitch to my repertoire when I've never wanted to before. I like this book a lot.
The Beading of My Heart
52 Loom Beading Projects
By Mary L. Thompson
Eagle's View Publishing, $15.95, 2001
(801) 393-4555; Eagle's View Publishing; A WestWind, Inc. Company, 6756 North Fork Rd., Liberty, UT 84310This book I picked up because I'm always interested in learning new things about looms and the process of weaving with beads on a loom. The author usually uses a new loom-a mini loom of about 3" X 4" and leaves her product on the loom, attaching a hanger of some sort for hanging. The how-to section of her book is very detailed and has lots of good information.
Her charts are done in what I consider a difficult to read format. She uses rows of numbers that stand for colors of beads without the benefit of bead ovals or squares. Some people might find this easier to read than the usual charts. Her charts are also done in black and white, and while there are pictures of her finished work in color, it would involve a lot of page flipping to see it for reference. I didn't care for that arrangement of finished work and charts although I can understand her reason for doing that.
Her designs are somewhat primitive in nature, using basic colors in an arrangement that has a simplistic or primitive feel. Most of the designs seem to be North American Indian inspired so that feel fits the structure of the loom as hanger and choice of beads. There are some innovative techniques in using designs inspired by Two Grey Hills rugs. These are well executed and faithful to the colors used by this area. Another was making the design hang horizontally when it had been executed vertically. That was very effective.
There is a lot of good information in this book and I'd like to say nothing but positive things about it, but I was disappointed before I'd reached the end. Most of the book is devoted to charts and not to creativity. The information is sound though and the techniques have the advantage of being clearly understood. This book assumes the reader will use Czech beads and has formulas for figuring out how much to buy of certain colors. Most books won't touch such an issue and this one does. I think this is a good book for someone just beginning to do beading with a loom. It isn't intimidating as many others can be. There are graphs of different sizes and for different bead sizes. It is a good, non intimidating book for beginners.
Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry
Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World
By cRis Dupouy
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., $29.95, 2000 (English translation copyright 2001)
(212) 542-8081 or www.abramsbooks.comcRis Dupouy makes jewelry as her second career. Her favorite themes are archaeology, primitivism and Baroque art. No the name isn't spelled wrong. That is the way she spells it. Since she lives in Paris, I assume it is a French thing. The photography is wonderful and the process uses Fimo clay.
The supply list is usual with the exception of not including dental tools such as we use in the U. S. The author uses gold, antique gold, and silver paint for patinas. This book does not address using Precious Metal Clay (PMC).
It occurred to me that clay wasn't the only way to go with these designs that many of the designs could be done with other media as well. That should encourage everyone to look at this book in a new and different light. It also occurred to me that looking in museums for an inspiration is great ways to teach yourself design and to stretch your artistic borders. Since the photography in the book is so wonderful, we are saved a trip to any museum to put this to the test. Each piece is photographed from the original inspirational piece and the interpretation pieces are clear and may well inspire you to a different direction.
The directions are quite clear for each piece. There are written directions and line drawings for using clay, but anyone who strings beads, works with small beads, knows bezels and how to use them or uses precious metals can adapt these directions. Or a clay person could embellish on the directions given and change the end product to her own choices.
I love the idea of taking primitive or archeology finds as being the basis for inspiration. What was considered beautiful and/or valuable in ages past, is a solid platform from which to launch your own jewelry in the present. Many of the pieces in the book are taken from paintings so there is a lot of room for latitude and experimentation in what you do with it. Many times paintings are rendered with the suggestion of a piece and not the details. What you see and interpret into your own rendition is yours.
Using this work as a place to "springboard" from, you can go to our local museums, Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Colorado History Museum, the historic houses, and even the lights on Civic Center as design inspiration. That means the world all around you is waiting for your interpretation into design. This book is a good place to start the process. Then onto the world.
Guest Book Review
by
Ruthmarie Hofmann
The Basics of Bead Stringing
By Debbie Kanan
Bourget Bros., $8.95, 2001
(800) 828-3024 or www.bourgetbros.comWhich book is the best? The most frequently asked question that I hear at bead shows is what would be an ideal introduction for beginners to ease gently into bead stringing? A substantial amount of such books are on the market, each with their own pluses and minuses. However, this 2001 revised edition has my heartfelt thumbs up as the prime candidate and not just because it's priced less than $10.00. What grabs my attention and approval is the organization from basic techniques, including design fundamentals (a detail after my heart), towards more complex finishing details. A basic strung necklace, ending with simple bead tips, is the first project. A detailed section immediately follows for creating a hand-knotted necklace with either single or double thread techniques. Bead stringing is polished off with the finishing techniques of a continuous necklace or adding clasps with jump rings, French wire, or clam shells. Helpful hints are sprinkled throughout to make the assembly easier; with virtually every step illustrated with neatly rendered drawings. Very nicely done!
Although the book's title suggests that bead stringing is the only concern, the next chapter leads into wire techniques, beginning with basic earrings composed with head or eye pins to memory wire jewelry to wire-wrapping around baroque stones for pendants. Wire techniques bring the novice into the ever-expanding jewelry potential with multi-stranded necklaces and the wire manipulation required to finish them within metal cones. Subsequent short chapters focus on using leather or satin cord, then touch lightly on seed bead techniques such as daisy chain, brick stitch, and peyote stitch. The grand culmination of this book is a splendid little chapter on materials and tools that describes all the goodies available, their uses and possible drawbacks--including a few items I hadn't heard of before (the industry keeps growing by leaps and bounds). Again, very nicely done. The book does not have any specific projects, but does feature 8 color pages of inspiration, plus the cover. If you don't own this book, why not? For a beginner, it is indispensable as a primer; for the experienced artisan, it is invaluable as a reference.
Last updated: 28 JAN 2004
