The Watercolor Paper Bracelet

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Ross Barbera

 

Watercolor Paper Bracelet - Open

The Watercolor Paper Bracelet is a uniquely original and beautiful jewelry object to create, and I have developed a variety of bracelet types based on different structural designs.

The type that I am featuring in today’s discussion is particularly nice because of its flexibility and ease of size adjustment. The bracelet itself is made up of unit forms that are interconnected with a cord. The cord can be any material of your choice, as long as it is fairly strong. Because the bracelet consists of smaller, interconnected unit forms, it is easily sized to fit any wrist, and the interconnection of its unit shapes with a flexible cord makes it comfortable  to wear.

Watercolor Paper Bracelet - Closed

Although I used a simple rectangular form for the basic unit shapes of the bracelet that you see illustrated here, there is absolutely no limit to the design possibilities for the braclet’s interconnected shapes. When designing the bracelet, I encourage you to look at nature for inspiration, the shapes of flowers, stones on the beach - we are surrounded by the raw material for one’s imagination to build upon!

Also, look at the work of other artists. I particularly like artists of the early 20th century. Joan Miro is one of my favorites; in his paintings he created wonderful  forms that can easily be translated into shapes for jewelry. See one of his works here at the Museum of Modern Art website –  http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=33050

Sometime during May I’ll be releasing a video on how to make this bracelet.

A word about the tools that I use: when I construct my jewelry I often use professional jewelry equipment and tools, but improvised tools can work just as well.

This bracelet requires each individual unit form to be given a slight curve, and to accomplish this I use a bracelet mandrel. A bracelet mandrel is a conical shaped steel forming tool that approximates the shape of the human wrist, and is excellent to use when making bracelets.

Bracelet Mandrel

Professional tools can be expensive, therefore I always try to introduce my students to  solutions that employ readily available materials and improvised tools. Improvised tools  often work as well as expensive professional versions, but are easy to come by (often lying around the house) and cost nothing. To achieve the slight curve in each unit form of this bracelet,  a coffee mug or a length of plastic pipe would have worked just as well as the expensive bracelet mandrel. Watch for my new video coming up soon for a step-by-step guide in making this bracelet!

Bracelet Pipe

Other videos you might like:

Watercolor Paper Pendant: The Channel Part 2

How to Paint the Red Hibiscus Flower Part 1

 

 

Posted in Watercolor jewelry | 6 Comments

Have You Taken Photos of What You’ve Created Watching My Videos?

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Ross Barbera

I have been getting emails from many of you with beautiful photo samples of jewelry and paintings that you have created based on my videos on You Tube. I am truly amazed at the quality, varying approaches and enthusiasm used to make these exceptional pieces!

In response to this, I have just created a Facebook Group:

“Realisticart: Showcase for Jewelry Makers and Painters”

I would be pleased if you would join the group and post photos of what you have created! It is wonderful to share your efforts with all of us. Click on the link for this group, http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/realisticart/ , or search for the group “Realisticart” on Facebook Search.  Please email me if you have trouble locating it.

Looking forward to seeing your posts!

-Ross Barbera

 

Posted in Creative process, Watercolor jewelry, Wire jewelry | Leave a comment

The Wire Wrap Clasp for Wire Link Necklaces!

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Ross Barbera

The Wire Wrap Clasp for Wire Necklaces

In my blog I have already discussed two different types of clasps that can be used on “Watercolor Paper Pendants” and wire link necklaces which are hung from jewelry cord.  Although both clasps are very different in style,  similarity exists in the fact that they can be attached to and integrated with the actual jewelry cord to form the locking mechanism necessary to complete the necklace.

I’ll briefly review these two cord-attached clasps below, and then, I’ll talk about the wire wrap clasp specifically designed for wire necklaces.

 

The Watercolor Paper Toggle Clasp with Bamboo

The Watercolor Paper Toggle Clasp with Bamboo

The Watercolor Paper Toggle Clasp is a beautiful way to finish off a  “Watercolor Paper Pendant.”  Since the materials and construction approach for both the clasp and pendant are similar, the combined result is a nicely integrated and harmonious look.

 

The Wire Wrap Clasp for the Jewelry Cord

The Wire Wrap Clasp for Jewelry Cord

If you wish to accentuate contrast between the pendant, cord and clasp, my Wire Wrap Clasp designed for jewelry cord is an excellent solution. This combination of different materials can result in wonderfully complementary contrasts.

 

The Wire Wrap Clasp for the Wire Link Necklace

The Wire Wrap Clasp for Wire Necklaces

The above image illustrates the type of clasp that can be used on a pure wire wrap necklace. There exists a wide range of pre-made manufactured solutions available for purchase, but as you know, I prefer the look of hand made findings over store bought findings. For my wire link necklaces,  I use a combination of the wire wrapped fish-hook with the Figure-8 link to create a simple “Hook and Eye” type clasp.

Watch my latest video, “How to Construct the Wire Wrap Hook and Eye Clasp” to learn how to make this clasp.

 

Let me know if you have any questions about these clasps and their uses.

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Posted in Basic wire construction, Findings, Link necklaces, Wire jewelry | 4 Comments

More thoughts on the “Beautiful Spiral Hoop Necklace with Purple Beads”

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Ross Barbera

Spiral Hoop with Purple Beads and Black Silk Cord by Ross Barbera

After I posted the video last week on how to construct the “Beautiful Spiral Hoop Necklace with Purple Beads,” I received many wonderful comments, including one critical observation that merited further discussion. A viewer noted that there exists the potential with this type of design for the necklace to become entangled in someone’s long hair.

This is a concern that not only applies to the Spiral Hoop Link Necklace, but potentially to other designs as well, and raises an important issue. Functionality must always be considered in the design of jewelry! Whenever I design a new piece, my initial goal is to create a beautiful object, so I plunge into the process of exploring my new design ideas. But I always consider the wearability of the piece that I am making and take precautions to avoid potential wearing problems.

Although my preference is to create link necklaces using only the links themselves, there are other elegant solutions that will enhance the wearability of the link necklace, and provide wonderful creative departures from the original idea.

To reduce the potential of entanglement with the Spiral Hoop Link Necklace, I encourage experimentation by combining the link with different types of jewelry cords, fabrics or even other links. For example, it might be interesting to center a few spiral hoop links in a larger Figure-8 link necklace. Please see my video on “How to Create the Figure 8 Link Necklace with Red Beads”

One of the most effective combinations is integrating metal links with jewelry cord or fabrics. The interplay between the different materials can be very beautiful.

The above image illustrates an example of combining the Spiral Hoop with a black silk cord. Combining the Spiral Hoop Link with silk cord is an effective way to greatly reduce the possibility of entanglement with hair. It also decreases the amount of links needed to make a complete necklace, and the contrasting materials often produce excellent results.

Close-up of a spiral hoop attached to silk cord

 

In this necklace I used wooden beads to join the Spiral Hoop Links. Employing a flexible shaft with an appropriately sized drill bit, I enlarged the holes in the beads so they easily accommodated the wire.

Four spiral hoops attached with wooden beads

For the clasp I used the Wire Wrapped Hook and Eye clasp. My Spring Newsletter gives detailed instructions on how to create this clasp. If you have not yet signed up for my newsletter, the sign-up box is over on the right side of this page. —- >

Wearability challenges usually have solid solutions. Often the solution leads to yet another exciting creative sojourn. Have fun experimenting with this link!

For the clasp I used the Wire Wrapped Hook and Eye Clasp.

 

Posted in Basic wire construction, Beads, Creative process, Link necklaces, Wire jewelry | 6 Comments

How to Create the Beautiful Spiral Hoop Necklace with Purple Beads

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Ross Barbera

Spiral Hoop Necklace with Purple Beads

To create the Spiral Hoop Necklace that you see illustrated in the photograph, I used 20 gauge nickel silver wire. You may also use .035 sterling silver wire, soft, round,  or you may experiment with the many colored wires available at craft stores. A wire that has recently become one of my favorites to work with is Niobium. It is a hypoallergenic metal, easy to work with, and available in many anodized colors.

The construction of the “Spiral Hoop Necklace” requires the use of three different types of pliers: (1) round nose pliers,  (2) chain nose pliers, and  (3) diagonal cutters. I also use a fine jewelry file to file the ends of the cut metal wire, eliminating any sharp edges, and a leather mallet to work the metal.  Additionally I use a length of ¾ inch diameter copper pipe to form the coil that was used to make the hoop part of the wire links, and also a handmade coil tool which helps to construct smaller coils that are used to join the links to each other. All the handmade tools are reviewed in detail in my latest video.

Please view my video “How to Create the Beautiful Spiral Hoop Necklace with Purple Beads” to see detailed instructions on how to make this necklace.

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Posted in Beads, Link necklaces, Tools and supplies, Wire jewelry | Leave a comment

How to Make the Toggle Clasp – a great clasp for Watercolor Paper Pendants!

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Ross Barbera

The toggle clasp, a combination of a strong paper hoop and a short length of bamboo is very simple to make. This is an excellent clasp to use on watercolor paper pendants. Made from watercolor paper and hand painted with watercolors, it harmonizes very well with the watercolor paper pendant and contributes to its overall visual unity and handcrafted look. The pendant, cord and clasp integrate to form a beautiful unified assemblage.

Supplies needed to make Watercolor Paper Toggle Clasp:

  • 140lb Watercolor Paper
  • A bamboo chopstick
  • Elmer’s Glue-All
  • JEWELRY CORD: Any length, color and material that you have determined is appropriate to hang the Watercolor Paper Pendant from.

In addition to the material supplies, you will also need the following tools:

  • Self Healing Cutting Board
  • Half round needle file
  • 120 grit sandpaper
  • 1/2″ and 3/4″ circle cutter or X-Acto knife
  • A pair of eye goggles for safety

How to construct the toggle clasp:

Step 1

To make the paper hoop part of the clasp, four layers of 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper circles need to be glued together.

Step 1

Two 140 lb. watercolor paper circles are cut from a painted piece of watercolor paper, and two unpainted circles will also be cut which will be sandwiched between the painted layers. See the end of this post for suggestions as to how to best cut out the circles.

Step 2

Place a painted layer face down on a paper towel, and apply Elmer’s Glue-All to its surface. Then place a layer of unpainted watercolor paper on top of the glued surface. A small piece of a thin wax candle is positioned on top of the plain paper, and glue is applied to the paper’s surface.

Step 2

Step 3

Position the other layer of unpainted watercolor paper on top of the glued surface, and work it around the wax. Refer closely to the below photo to understand how it needs to conform to the wax.

Step 3

Step 4

Glue the final top painted layer in place, and set the assemblage aside to dry. All together your assemblage has 4 layers of paper.

Step 4

Step 5 

After the glue has completely dried, remove the candle, then use a half round needle file or sandpaper to even off all of the uneven edges.

Step 5a

The finished varnished hoop for the toggle clasp -

Step 5b

Step 6

Use a 1″ length of bamboo cut from a bamboo chopstick for this part of the clasp.

Step 6a

Drill a hole at the half inch mark.

Step 6b

Step 7

Insert the jewelry cord into the drilled hole and crazy glue the cord in place.

Step 7a

 

Step 7b

Step 8

When  the glue has completely cured, remove the excess protruding cord, and sand to a smooth surface.

Step 8

Step 9

Insert the  opposite end of the jewelry cord into the paper hoop, and glue it in place with crazy glue. When the glue has cured, file off any excess cord.

Step 9

The Completed Clasp –

The Completed Clasp

Using paper punches to speed up construction

Although the paper circles can be easily cut out with an X-Acto knife, I use the the paper punches shown below to create watercolor paper circles that are used to form watercolor paper hoops.

Since I often need to make many clasps, the paper punches speed up the job.

Paper Punches

First punch out the small inner (1/2″) circular opening.

Cutting out smaller circle

Smaller circle cut out

Then center the 3/4″ paper punch over the 1/2″ opening, and punch out the completed paper circle.

Cutting the second hole

Completed punched circle

I hope you enjoy making the toggle clasp. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.

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Posted in Basic watercolor jewelry construction, Pendants, Watercolor jewelry | 2 Comments

A Word of Caution: Heating Your Watercolor Paper Jewelry in a Toaster Oven

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Ross Barbera

*Never* place your jewelry in the oven while the heating elements are glowing red!

The primary reason why I heat the jewelry object in a toaster oven is to accelerate the varnishing process and harden the varnished surface to a degree that is not possible to achieve with air drying alone. The toaster oven method was a wonderful accidental discovery; I was working with a large group of students and had brought in a toaster oven to speed up the varnishing process. After applying a few layers of varnish to my demonstration piece and allowing it to air dry, I placed it in a toaster oven which had been preheated to 150 degrees. Upon removing the piece from the oven after approximately 15 minutes, I discovered (after it cooled) its surface was much harder than similar pieces that I had simply let air dry. Not only did the toaster oven speed up the varnishing process, but it unexpectedly resulted in a much harder varnished surface. This was a great discovery! Ever since that day, the toaster oven has been one of my standard studio tools.

Between applying layers of varnish, I usually buff the varnished surface very lightly with 600 grit sandpaper, then apply more varnish to the surface. Once the newly applied varnish has dried, the jewelry piece is placed back in the toaster oven. I repeat this sequence of steps until the desired surface is achieved.

Why a word of caution?

A question that I’m often asked in workshops and online raises a concern.

The question: “can I use a microwave instead of a toaster oven?”

The answer is absolutely not!  *Never* use a microwave oven to cure the varnish applied to your jewelry pieces! The results would be disastrous, and most likely the jewelry piece would be destroyed.  A toaster oven is perfect for accelerating the varnishing process, and when set at 150 degrees, the gentle, radiant heat of a toaster oven will effectively cure the varnish to a very high degree of surface hardness.

One final word of caution, before placing the varnished  jewelry piece in the toaster oven for heating, it’s absolutely imperative to preheat the toaster oven to 150 degrees, and make certain that the oven’s heating elements no longer “glow red” before placing the jewelry object inside the oven.

Why preheat?

When the oven is initially turned on, even though the temperature is set to a relatively low 150 degrees, the actual temperature will often spike well beyond 150 degrees during this initial heating phase, and the jewelry piece would most likely burn if it were in the oven during this heating cycle. I have learned this the hard way, and have accidently destroyed a few pieces because I neglected to preheat the oven first before placing the jewelry inside.

The steps that you need to follow are:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.

2. When the heating elements have stopped glowing red, place the jewelry object in the oven for approximately 10 minutes.

 

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Watch my related video series on making the Watercolor Paper Pendant:

Watercolor Paper Pendant – Part 1
Watercolor Paper Pendant – Part 2
Watercolor Paper Pendant – Part 3

 

Posted in Basic watercolor jewelry construction, Best Practices, Watercolor jewelry | Leave a comment

A few words about the paper used to construct Watercolor Paper Jewelry

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Ross Barbera

I have experimented with many different types of paper and have found that 100% cotton rag, 140lb, cold pressed watercolor paper is the best paper to use for forming jewelry pieces. The structural integrity of the piece is achieved by the layering of glue and paper, and cotton rag paper produces the best possible combination of materials for achieving a well-made jewelry piece.

140lb Arches is the paper that I use for my work.

Applying watercolor to create the top paper layer

Before the final top layer of paper (which has been painted with watercolor) is glued in place, the Watercolor Paper Pendant needs to be 7 paper layers thick. This thickness is necessary when incorporating a channel into the piece. If you have watched my video on “How to Construct a Watercolor Paper Pendant,” you have learned that the channel enables the pendant to float on a cord or chain, eliminating the need for hanging hardware. The channel is sandwiched between two top and bottom layers of watercolor paper, and the channel itself is 3 paper layers thick.

After the pendant has been completely formed, filed and sanded, glue the final painted layer of watercolor paper to the top of the pendant. This results in a pendant that consists of a total of 8 watercolor paper layers. To complete the piece, I always glue a decorative paper to the back of this eight-layer piece, and this can be any paper that you like. My personal favorite is banana paper. I love its color, texture and fibrous quality.

For detailed instructions, please watch my video series on How to Create the Watercolor Paper Pendant:      Part 1;    Part 2;    Part 3.

1. The seven (7) channel layers that create the "base form"

1. The base form for the Watercolor Paper Pendant is a total of 7 layers of paper thick. All layers are glued with thickly applied Elmer’s Glue-All.

 

2. The cut-out channel in all three middle layers

 2. The channel needs to be 3 layers thick to insure that it will be large enough to accommodate the jewelry cord.

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Related videos:

The Channel for the Watercolor Paper Pendant –  Part 1

The Channel for the Watercolor Paper Pendant  -  Part 2

  Making Watercolor Paper Earrings

 

Posted in Basic watercolor jewelry construction, Pendants, Watercolor jewelry | 2 Comments

Explore your imaginative possibilities

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Ross Barbera

Whenever I introduce a project in class, I always encourage my students to use my instructions as their departure point to explore their individually unique creative solutions and let their imaginations lead the way.

Although my watercolor paper jewelry projects are built upon the idea of using watercolor paints to create the top decorative layer, it’s wonderful to see how students will take this idea and run with it to explore alternative possibilities! Once the primary form has been constructed in watercolor paper, my students will often use different materials for the top final layer. One of the most unique bodies of work to ever come out of my class was created by a journalist major. Her love for writing, typography and words inspired her to create a series of jewelry objects using torn pieces of newspaper articles; the printed type was used to create the surface designs. As a result, her work was distinctly original. Students have also incorporated pencil drawings, covered their jewelry with fabric, or glued colorful stamps for interesting results! Anything is possible.

As an alternative to watercolor paints, you might want to consider acrylics and experiment with the many types of acrylic paints and mediums available, from pearlescent paints to texturizing pastes; the possibilities seem limitless.

In the near future I will be releasing a series of videos exploring wire wrap techniques integrated with Watercolor Paper Pendants.

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Related videos:

   Watercolor Paper Pendant – Part 1
   Watercolor Paper Pendant – Part 2
How to Paint the Hibiscus Flower –Part 1
How to Paint the Hibiscus Flower –Part 2

 

 

Posted in Creative process, Watercolor jewelry | Leave a comment

The Eye Pin – Handmade is often the best solution!

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Ross Barbera

Completed Eye Pin

Handmade is much better than machine made, store-bought findings. I often make my own coil-wrapped eye pins that I use for hanging earrings and pendants, and the look is fantastic! The handmade findings contribute to the feel of a uniquely original, hand crafted piece of jewelry and its overall visual unity. Handmade findings will integrate nicely with the piece, rather than look like machine made attachments serving only a functional need.

Here are earrings with handmade niobium eye pins -

Earrings with handmade niobium eyepins

The eye pin illustrated below is made from 20 gauge, anodized niobium wire. Niobium is a particularly nice metal to work in. It is rated as hypoallergenic and comes in a range of anodized colors. Eye pins are the standard hanging finding that I attach to my watercolor paper earrings, and because niobium is available in a range of anodized colors, the look of the eye pin can be coordinated with the earring. The actual construction of the eye pin is very similar to the construction of the “eye” that is used in the “hook and eye” clasp. The only difference is the cord is eliminated.

Supplies needed to make the EYE PIN
WIRE: Two inch length of 18 or 20 gauge wire. For this example I used 20 gauge niobium wire.

In addition to the material supplies, you will also need the following tools:
Round Nose Jewelry Pliers
Wire Cutters
Flat Nose Jewelry Pliers

Step 1

To begin, cut a 2 inch length of 18 or 20 gauge wire.

Step 1

Step 2

Holding the wire firmly with round nose pliers at approximately 1/2″ from the end, bend the wire at a forty five degree angle. Next place the round nose pliers on the long length of the bend.

Step 2

Step 3

Wrap the wire around the tip of the pliers to form the loop. The loop will be centered because the wire was initially bent at a 45 degree angle.

Step 3

Step 4

Hold the wire firmly with flat nose pliers, and wrap the long length of wire around the shorter, straight length of wire. During this step it is important to create a tight coil. See both photos below for Step 4.

Step 4a

Step 4b

Step 5

I like to create a wire wrap coil consisting of three loops. Finish the eye pin by placing side cutters firmly against the excess wire to trim it off.

Step 5

 

The completed Eye Pin:

Completed Handmade Eye Pin

As always, feel free to comment below or bring up any questions you may have while making these eye pins.

Watch for my next video on my You Tube Realisticart Channel- “How to Make Watercolor Paper Jewelry Earrings”

Related Videos

      Constructing Jump Rings
     Simple Jewelry Clasp – Part 1
    Simple Jewelry Clasp – Part 2
    Egyptian Link – Quick Review

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Posted in Basic watercolor jewelry construction, Pendants, Watercolor earrings, Watercolor jewelry | Leave a comment