Art and Design A comprehensive guide for creative artists - Aaltodoc

How to make a simple necklace
For the most part, a necklace contains connected series of
beads or metal links. Each link appears like a ring twisted
back on itself into the next. Such links may also be created
from a simple to a more complex form by using other found
objects.
Function and meaning are among the most important
things, the creative artist has to be aware of to construct
a necklace. Miller (2005, 59) asserts, “... It's fun to wear a
particularly stunning piece of handmade jewellery to a
social function and proudly proclaim. I made it.”
Let us see how;
The process of executing a necklace starts with a sketch.
The sketch can be obtained from any motivating idea or a
source of inspiration of your own choice.
As a creative artist, you will need a string. It can be from a
nylon thread or a soft wire for making “... your own chain
links to form a long necklace with bead dangles suspended
from a pendant ...” (Miller 2005, 88)
Then, obtain beads and start with; sorting them according
to size and colours. Keep or put the selected beads aside in
one single container. “Job’s Tears” beads botanically known
as Coix lacryma-jobi are prevalent in bushes or gardens.
Look for then, if possible. They can serve as the nearest
alternative after paper beads. Also, by ways of experimentation,
bottle tops can be used for the same if they are shaped
well.
Some beads consume a lot of time to make them ready
for such useful purposes. For instance, paper beads are
routinely made after cutting a paper into small neat pieces
similar to ribbons.
The ribbon shaped paper can then be gently folded in a
cylindrically way to form different shapes colours and sizes
of beads. On the paper's final tip, or the top most end of a
paper bead, (after folding it) add a small smear of glue to
lock or tie the bead.
In another way, if you have chosen to make the necklace by
using job's tears beads—they grow as seeds on a grass type
of plant and they are shaped like a teardrop.
Sort the beads and take them to dry. After that, pierce
then and push a wire or a thread—through each seed
accordingly.
At an appropriate stage of mounting your preferred
beads on a string, the process of working can be done
in sequential ways. As an example, you can start with
smaller beads. It is feasible to have larger beads or seeds
somewhere in the centre of a necklace to be able to make a
proportionally balanced pattern of a necklace.
Fill up the string or wire with beads. If all necessary parts
of a necklace are properly constructed, check whether the
attained necklace has some distinctive attribute of elements
and principles of design. Such as balance, composition, line,
focal point, rhythm and colour combinations.
Add a lock on the string to finish the necklace and make it
ready for display.
Exercise
1. Construct a design set of jewellery to be used on
an annual celebration of a very important marriage
ritual in your culture. In a creative way, use found
objects as materials for this task. Give the attained
jewellery a name, but the purpose or function must be
self-evident.
2. The schools in your district will hold a National gala for
games, sports, music, dance and drama competitions.
As a creative artist, you are required to design a trophy
for the winning school or team by using skills and
techniques obtained in procedures for decorating
jewellery. Keep the design as simple as possible
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