Media (Precious Stones and Metals)

As a jeweller it should be obvious that the media I use more often than any other would be precious metals and gemstones. There is a far greater variety of materials for a jeweller to work with than one might expect. Different coloured gold alloys, coloured gems and several not so traditional materials like wood and even plastic are all possible as successful jewellery elements. 

Gold and Diamonds

The most obvious and also most classic and spectacular medium remains the traditional gold and diamonds. The most often "variant" that one encounters here would be the options of white gold alloys and platinum.

There is nothing more classic than the combination of a white metal and a diamond.

Typically the most commonly accepted form of gold is in its standard, naturally occurring yellow colour. 

White and yellow gold successfully combine in a single jewellery piece as well. 

In this traditional sphere, the adding of traditionally accepted precious stones like Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby and Pearl are also often used materials. in these photos above we can see a sapphire at left and rubies at right.

Silver and Precious Stones

Silver is far more common and cheaper than gold but not cheap outright. It also qualifies as a noble metal and its "white" colour makes it far more versatile than the limited yellow colour of traditional gold. Contrary to some popular myths, diamonds may and can be set in silver with no adverse results. The rose ring pictured here is set with a diamond.

Silver may be polished gloss or be textured and combines easily with any coloured stone whether genuine or synthetic. 

Here, very rough worked silver sections is combined with uncut Tourmaline crystals. 

Silver and Synthetic Stones

Due to silver's low cost it is far more accessable in large quantities and thus allows for "bigger"and more austentatious jewels. If you combine it with synthetic stones, the effect can me quite spectacular and at a very reasonable price like in this tiara above.

The necklace is set with coloured Cubic Zirconias. When using silver, most of the client's budget can go to craftsmanship rather than a gram or two of gold.

Gold and Silver Combined

Gold may be combined with silver and then allows for a budget to be stretched with amazing results. This ring uses gold, silver and synthetic stones. 

Silver may also be oxidized allowing for a "blackened" effect that is impossible with white gold. The stones in this ring are Tanzanite and diamonds. 

Other Materials

Many other materials may be combined with the more traditional jewellery materials. I have use many innovative materials ranging from wood to liquid filled vials. Here follows some of the more "professional" options.

The dark blue stripe in this ring is resin enamel.

The red patches in these cuff links are perpex. 

The beads in the chain are glass, the wings of the scarab are resin enamel and the rest is silver, a blue Cubic Zirconia and a genuine Lapis Lazuli Scarab. 

The necklace is made of rubber. 

Media (Digital Art 1)

I have recently discovered digital art but only on the level of Microsoft Paint and a very rudimentary exposure to the free online program GIMP. I love digital art and wish I could afford a proper rendering program and a course in utilizing it. One of the aspects of digital art that I really appreciate is that you can upload any of your "real" art or even a doodle and work it further ad infinitum in digital. This allows for even the oldest or most arbitrary scribble to be photographed with your phone and then to be worked into the phenomenal piece it was meant to be. I also appreciate the process as you can save at every pivotal junction leaving a series of artwork as the art develops. Lets see what I mean in visual by looking at some of my digital attempts. 

In my Spanish dance digital project already blogged before I reached several significant juncture of this was one. the picture evolved from a pen and ink sketch into the final artwork that I sold to a paying client. 

This was the final product. 

After the sale I decided that I'd like a full length version. This is its current state and as far as I'm concerned its not finished. this is the wonder of digital. you can keep going and save at any stage, leading to many different artworks.  

I often doodle, especially in ballpoint pen, my favourite medium. Digital allows me to use my phone camera to take these doodles to a much further level. 

This pen drawing was destined to be turned into a digital artwork. 

The digital rendering of the lion done in pen seems more like a real painting now. 

This artwork is one of my favourites. It started as an acrylic painting. I hate acrylics and gave up even though I loved the concept. So my Blackberry camera and MS Paint and GIMP came to the rescue. I loved doing it. 

Digital really is the future, but don't think lack of skill for actual art principles will help you if you can only work the program. You must still be a real artist, digital is just a tool. 

Media (Acrylic Paint 1)

This medium I do not like but out of all the paint-on-canvas disciplines I prefer it the most. I enjoy the fact that it dries quickly but I don't enjoy painting in reality, I prefer applying that skill in digital. I think my skill in this medium is far from the being a fine artist but does still lend itself to comic book style and mural art. 

Obviously one never just sketches in paint on canvas as the medium is far to expensive so after pre-sketching in other media one does a final work in acrylic.

You are the Painting, Acrylic on canvas 1.2m by 1.0m

God Paints with Fire, Acrylic on canvas 1.3m by 1.0m

 Soccer Strike, Acrylic on canvas 1.0m by 1.3m

Dance in the River, Acrylic on hardboard 1.5m by 1.0m

Media (Pencil 1)

This very old worldly and traditional medium has for centuries been used as the mainstay for sketching. Sketching on quick concepts and for completing what can definitely be seen as final works of art is accepted in this medium. It is forgiving due to being erasable, it's subtle and bold. It works well for beginners and the extremely adept. 

It's rare that I do concept art or pre-sketches in pencil. Seeing as these are never final works, mistakes are irrelevant and as such pencil is too "boring". Still here was a "pose" sketch done in pencil. 

These design concepts for hair pins are probably the only concepts I have ever drawn in pencil for jewellery. These have also been digitally edited. 

Greater detail is clear in this one. 

Great emotional dynamic can be gained through the use of pencil's shading qualities. 

Pencil can be very inspiring to work with and allows for extreme detail. 

Media (Marker Pens 1)

The faster I can draw the better. I like being able to communicate a concept or idea through drawing but being able to doe it accurately and quickly is very important. Marker Pens gives the clear definition of Pen and Ink coupled with a speed that surpasses Water Colour. 

Again it works well for initial concept sketching and can by itself or combined with other media, allow for a completed work of art or design rendering. 

Markers combined with some ball point pen it goes a long way for putting down a 40sec concept. 

Only markers with the addition of very little fine liners give a very effective outcome and can take all but a few minutes. 

With a more controlled application of the markers combined with fine liners the effect comes closer to an actual rendering rather than just a concept drawing. This two can take up to 10min to complete. 

Works amazingly well for quick jewellery concept sketches. 

Combined with pen for a quick jewellery design sketch meant for a client. 

Works equally well for any quick concept design like clothing design.

The markers used in this sketch were of the cheap "made-for-kids" type and combined with fine liner and a bit of pencil for a great effect. 

It's easy to imagine how far marker pens can take you toward what would be considered a completed art work. 

Media (Pen and Ink 1)

Now here is a medium that is not for the faint hearted. Its unforgiving, sharp and precise and there is no turning back or "blending-in"of mistakes. I absolutely love the uncompromising confidence it requires and inspires once successfully applied. 

For quick client design concept sketches ball point ink pens work well especially when more than one colour is used. 

Quick and very clear sketches make it easy for a client to understand the design. 

A high level of detail is possible on even a mere concept sketch like with this tiara design done entirely in ball point pen. 

You can imagine the confidence to work in pen as mistakes cannot be erased especially while a client might be watching. 

When it comes to art, pen and ink allow for anything from rough concept sketches to extremely time consuming final works of art. 

A quick unicorn head drawn in pen.

A doodled sketch of an eye. 

A more "developed" design sketch for a cyborg arm. 

A skull concept. 

To complete a drawing like this A3 viper entirely in ball point pen takes several hours of dedicated "scribbling". 

Pen and Ink as a medium is one of my favourites.

Media (Water Colour 1)

I absolutely love water colour. Especially in the Aquarelle pencil form. It is a very quick technique that does demand some confidence and skill but can exhibit high levels of realism especially when combined with pencil and/or pen and ink. I always prefer the quick and confident techniques. Best result for smallest investment of time. 

This technique also lends itself to a progression from mere concept sketching to a more developed and even a completed work. 

Water colour pencil is combined with very feint pen and ink in this character analyzing illustration. 

 More pen and ink is present in this picture, drawn over a base layer of water colour.

A very simple water colour pencil illustration of a tree for a children's educational publication shows the level of realism attainable for very little effort.

High levels of fine detail are attainable however with water colour when applied properly as in this rendering of a Tanzanite and Diamond Pendant. 

Water colour pencil combines again with pen and ink for this tiara design rendering.