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Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
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I unexpectedly found inspiration in Heather Power's posts on Facebook for a fall retreat she'll be hosting. Heather's beads are always gorgeous! I say unexpectedly because I don't usually work in polymer clay. On this particular day I found Heather's beautiful photos were just the inspiration I needed. The photos reminded me of some pieces I had created last year when I had dabbled in polymer. I decided to pull out the polymer bin and take a look at those pieces.
Some of the pieces I created last year, some of them are newly created. I baked the new pieces and added color to all. Adding color was quite fun. I used alchohol inks I had on hand.
I was thinking these would make a cute pair of earrings paired with lampwork beads.
Or perhaps paired with these?
Dragonfly pendant in reverse blues.
Sleepy Owl pendant.
A day with polymer was just what I needed. Feeling inspired again I decided to hop on over to the Patone site and look into the 2014 fall color palette.
I took the color palette to the torch. Working with the Radiant Orchid, Sangria and Royal Blue in mind I created this set.
Inspired by the Royal Blue, Aluminum and maybe a little bit of Misted Yellow I created this pair of spacer beads which I'm naming Silvered Royals.
Thanks for stopping by ABS today. Leave a comment for your chance to win this pair of Silvered Royals. Just answer this question, Do you work with the seasonal color palettes or do you stick with your favorite colors when creating your jewelry?
Ema Kilroy is a lampworker and metalsmith living and working in Central Massachusetts.
16 comments:
love those silvered royals.
in answer to the question . I do neither exclusively. I start with a colour that speaks to me (sometimes a fave colour) then choose additional colours that enhance the first choice. I often end up with very unusual pairings, that aren't commonly used but my customers seem to like the fact that they are uncommon and unusual.
I have noticed over the years that I'm about two years ahead of the trend colours.
I often choose colours for my home (and jewellery) that are very hard to match with manufactured goods, then poof, two years later those colours start to show up everywhere in home decor goods. so following trends has not worked for me.
Hi Ema, I'm so glad that you got your muse back. I did look at the Pantone forecast yesterday but, I tend to just do what I do. I don't sell much so I am not as tied to the fashion forecast. I do plan to change that though so Pantone will be used more in my future than it is now.
I would say neither. I work with whatever colors want to be used together! Gold with green and black seems to be a theme with some of my pieces lately, but I use any color that catches my attention and play with combinations until I find the right one.
I'm usually working with a combination of old favourites and my latest colour combo obsession as I tend to get an idea for a combo I want to try and then it gets stuck in my head for some time (a couple of days or a couple of months!) like it was a song off the radio. I can't stop thinking about it. Of cause I make things in other colour combos too during the obsession, but it's the one thing I keep returning to, the colour combi I can't let go of.
Now, such a combo can be seasonal or it can be totally random, sometimes it's even a revamp of an old colour combo favourite. It's very often a matter of discovering a new colour of falling in love with a colour/type of finish for one reason or another. And then there's the idea of seasons, especially the changes in nature: it's of cause hard not to be inspired by the news colours of a season, both the colours popping up in nature and the hues in fashion and design -- or a new colour by a bead manufacturer, I'm addicted to seed bead colours/finishes. It's especially when or just before nature starts to change that I feel drawn to a new set of colours: sheer spring colours when awaiting the first spring flowers and warm wind; warm autumnal colours when looking forward to the season of falling leaves; icy and sky blue on cold, clear winter days when the landscape is covered in untouched white snow; subdued, watery sages, opal greys and steel blues on a serene and foggy november day etc.
lovely beads! I like to make things in seasonal colors like summer, fall etc but I also make things with nature themes as well. I try not to make holiday pieces, if they don't sell they might set for another year or worse.
I don't usually work with the Pantone colors but it might be a good idea to pay more attention! I try to use as many different colors as I can when making my enameled beads and components so my customers can choose something to use with their own jewelry designs.
Those silvered royal beads are gorgeous, Ema! I usually choose blues, greens, tans, copper for my go-to colors---I just gravitate to them. I'm trying to use colors outside my comfort zone, but I keep going back to what I love. Lynn Carling :)
Those silvered royal beads are gorgeous, Ema! I usually choose blues, greens, tans, copper for my go-to colors---I just gravitate to them. I'm trying to use colors outside my comfort zone, but I keep going back to what I love. Lynn Carling :)
I work with what I like at the time inspiration hits. Your beads are lovely!
Great colour combination. I tend to work with the same palette throughout the year, but will use brighter colours in the spring/summer.
I am horrible at following the seasonal colors. I mainly will pick out a focal or a set of beads that really speaks to me and then work out from there.
Oooh, love the silvered royals! Very pretty. I probably should design more with seasonal colors in mind, but I tend to just make what I feel moved to make. My theory is that if I make what I love, it will likely speak to someone else as well... it may just take a while to find the right person. :)
I do a bit of both. I don't yet sell, but I am generally fairly aware of the currently fashionable colors. But, if I don't like those, I just use whatever strikes my fancy.
In the past, I've generally stuck with my color comfort zone and worked with my favorite colors - deep red, purple, and blue.
However, lately I've been focusing on pushing beyond my usual comfort zone and trying out new color combinations inspired by images I like, seasonal colors, and a bit of color theory.
Last night I baked a batch of beads with purple and orange, which is definitely not a combo I've worked with before. It was a good stretch.
I do work with seasonal palettes--sort of. During fall months I'm more inclined to use earth tones, and during summer I tend to use bold, brighter colors. But I don't purposely design for the seasons. I just go with whatever idea I have at the moment, regardless of color palette.
I love your silvered royales and also your colours in the polymer clay. I've been exploring a lot of new colours this year because I was pretty predictable before. Buying and using art beads for inspiration has helped. I just buy what appeals to me no matter the colour then work on the over all colour palette with the art bead ( or sometimes gemstones) for inspiration.
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