Year of Jewelry Week 13: Complimentary Colors

On April 3, 2012

Two-Finger Ring! Who knew this week’s theme would prompt such a complicated endeavor? A two-finger ringer, my first in fact, is a time-consuming but satisfying undertaking which took me four hours to complete, though I admit the untimely completion had more to do with a lack of pre-design than with its difficulty. Nothing halts progress quite like the fumbling of wires while I figure out what looks best.

And I’ll admit that I really had no idea what colors were complementary to each other. I had to look it up. Sigh. I knew I wanted an orange or yellow, and I liked both complementary colors (blue and purple respectively), so it was really just a toss up at that point. I think I tend to gravitate more towards purple pieces, so opted for the blue and orange combination in an effort to deviate from habits.Lots of Swarovski crystals in this piece in various shades of blues, intricately and purposefully placed in strategic nests of wire creating what I think is a nice flow.

And thanks be to the heavens for that because, without a design in mind, it was really luck.

This ring comfortably fits a size 8 and 8 1/2, and, best yet, is even moderately adjustable with a gentle dip of wire between fingers which allows for a small degree of expansion. It doesn’t hinder movement in the least, and no bits or pieces catch or snag, which is an incredibly important consideration for accessories of this type.The colors pop against an oxidized setting and each bead catches the light with the depth of their contrasting facets. I think I like it enough to keep it! I generally hope others would enjoy my work enough to toot my horn for me (what artist doesn’t appreciate praise?), but in this case, I’m tooting first! I set before myself a challenge and rose to every expectation along the way. This was a pleasant surprise, really, because I’ve been so focused on designing, photographing and writing tutorials (four, in fact) these past four days that I wondered if my creative bug hadn’t scurried off to the mental basement of some other house. There was a moment here and there when I wondered on the look or the flow or general design, and the execution may not have the attention to detail I’d like, but in the end I managed to pull it together in a cohesive whole that exhibits an individuality I value in art. I suppose I owe Year of Jewelry another round of applause for pulling from the gullet of my complacency another piece I’m proud to call my own. I hope you all have an equally fulfilling opportunity to grow, no matter your medium, and a chance for pride to well up in the long channel of your creativity!Good night and happy weaving!