Search This Blog

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Color Wheel

Recently, one of my facebook friends, Holly Gage, who also happens to be a very talented metal clay artist, shared this color wheel site with us.  It was so good, I had to share it.  But I also thought, how much fun it would be to find examples and share it in my blog!  So of course, I went browsing through the pages of the Jewelry Creators Unite in Numbers (JCUIN) guild on Artfire to find some.

First of all, here is the color wheel site.  It's awesome.
You will see color schemes across the top shown as little wheel icons.  Below on the left is the color wheel, and your color(s) are selected here.  The color scheme in the colors you selected is shown on the lower right.

The first example I found was a monochrome in green.  This was perfect since monochrome is the first color scheme.  Since "mono" means one (in Latin, I presume?), it would make sense the monochrome means basically one color.  Here is "Jasper leaf with crystals and glass jasper nuggets" by 4Essentials:

Jasper Leaf with Crystals and glass jasper nuggets 

Second is a complimentary design.  This means using two colors that are opposite of each other on the color wheel.  I found a perfect example in red and green in "Holly and Ivy, Czech Bead Bracelet," by Katyanne of Jewel Fire Designs:


Next is a triad color scheme.  Similar to complimentary, except that instead of using the complimentary color of the first color, you use the color on each side of it.  The following bracelet, "Sterling Silver Charm Bracelet With Pink and White Pearls", by Bluetina, is a perfect example.  The compliment of the green crystals would be red, but instead the artist used the colors on either side of red, peach and pink:

Sterling Silver Charm Bracelet with Pink and White Pearls

I wasn't sure I could find an example of the next color scheme, but I think I have a winner.  This is as close as I can get to an example of a tetrad.  That is two sets of complimentary colors and I found it (sort of) in "Multicolor Earrings, Prayer Flag Inspired," by Pretty Gonzo.  As you can see, we have red and green, and the yellow jade is sort of a peach, which is a compliment of the blue:

Multicolor Earrings, Prayer Flag Inspired

An analogic color scheme is using three colors in a row on the color wheel.  Jill's Jewelry has a very good example of analogic in her "Multi Blue Bracelet".  It uses blue, turquoise and green for a great seascape effect:


Finally, the last color scheme is accented analogic.  I just could not find a good example of this one.  Like analogic, you use three consecutive colors, but you accent it with the color that is the opposite of the middle of the three.  In our previous analogic example, since the turquoise is the center color of the three, we would accent it with the opposite of turquoise, which would be orange.  Since I couldn't find one, I just had to make one.  I chose my favorite three consecutive colors - blue, purple and pink and accented them with the color across from purple, which is yellow.  In this case, I used all pastel colors to make my "Cotton Candy Butterfly Bracelet":

Cotton candy butterfly bracelet AFPOUNCE

If you want to do some more exploring with colors, take a look at my Artfire collection, Color Craze, and see if you can tell what color scheme each artist was using.  There are a couple I can't figure out.  And I hope you have fun playing with the color wheel.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Oh My! Handmade Goodness contest

Ladies (and Gentlemen), Oh My! Handmade Goodness is having a contest with a chance for us artists to win some really fine marketing packages.  I just saw this yesterday and there's not much time left because entries have to be in before midnight on January 1st.  Anyway, if you're interested, here's the scoop:


http://www.ohmyhandmade.com/2011/what-we-know/ultimate-entrepreneur-giveaway-win-a-new-biz-for-the-new-year/


Anyway, here's my entry:


I was your average tax CPA, until our family of four moved to Shanghai, China for two years for my husband’s job.  The other wives (tai tai) got me interested in pearl jewelry.   (The accountant in me saw a profit opportunity!)  First I bought jewelry, then I would design it and have them make it, and finally I just started buying strands of pearls.  By the time I returned to the states I had a whole bunch of pearls of all different shapes and sizes.  First I learned how to string jewelry.  I hoped to make enough money selling pearl jewelry to pay for my trips back to China. I named my business Shanghai Tai.  Shanghai after the city that I miss every day.    The tai character (太) means extreme, but when you put two together (太太) it means wife.  To me, “tai tai” makes me think of the western taitai and the rather extravagant lifestyle that we had there.  I hope that my jewelry can bring the wearer a little piece of that charmed exotic lifestyle.

Family portrait at Yu Yuan in Shanghai

I started selling at shows.  After that I stumbled on fused glass and precious metal clay, becoming certified in metal clay in 2009.  I have learned that my jewelry belongs at art shows, because it is too high end for festivals or craft shows. 

Dichroic and freshwater pearl bracelet, 14KGF

After one particular show connected to a festival didn’t go so well I decided that booth fee would be better spent paying for a web site for one year.  I have had my Artfire shop for just over a year now.  I have been marketing through social networking:  Facebook, Twitter and my blog.  I also collect emails from my shows so I can notify customers of upcoming events.  In addition I currently sell out of two galleries.

Etched dichroic glass pendant, sterling bail

I continue to improve and expand my skills.  Up until now I have only done local shows, but it seems I may have outgrown most of them.  I need to apply to some better shows.  A couple months ago, after some discussion, my husband and I agreed that 2012 is going to be a year in which I back off somewhat from the local shows in order to prepare myself to get into better shows.  (I would love to do the Des Moines Art Festival, for example.)  However, jewelry is an extremely competitive market and before I can get in to better shows I need to be at the top of my game.  This includes developing the following:
1.       A cohesive body of work.  (Once I figure out how to combine pearls, fused glass and metal clay I will have it!  I think I’m getting close.)
2.       A cohesive, attractive, functional display for my booth
3.       Portable displays with glass counters (I have them picked out)
4.       A good artist statement
5.       A professional booth shot to submit with show entries
6.       Packaging
7.       A more functional website
In addition, I need to learn how to drive more customers to my online store.

Cerulean Wave: dichroic glass and fine silver

Winning, or even placing in this contest would be a big help in reaching my 2012 goals.  In the fall of 2012 I intend to start applying for regional/national 2013 shows.  I don’t know if making 2012 my best year ever is realistic (except for my online shop), but I hope to make it the jumping off point to make 2013 and beyond my best years ever.

LINKS:




Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Blog Hop

If you have handmade items for sale, post one here. Thanks to Hopes and Dreams Studios for hosting this blog hop!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

I don't usually post collections in my blog, but the last several days  all of a sudden I received notices that my items had been featured in all kinds of collections.  I thought it might be nice to share some of them here.

This one is "Sunshine On My Shoulders" by Pink Sunset Jewelry Designs:




"Green is Gorgeous", by Shadow Dog Designs:


This one, by Strega Jewellry, is called "Amulets and Talismans":



Here is "12 Nights of ArtFire" by Daly Craft Works:





This one is "Sports Fans Gift Guide" by Baskets by Rose:





Spiral is the creator of "Fire and Ice":






"That Red and Gold Combination" is by S K Creations:





This one is called "A Bit of Bling for Christmas" and it was created by Blue Tina:





Here is "Funky" by Little Apples:






Personal Oasis picked this next collection, called "One Starry Night":






JCUIN Jewelry for Holiday Fashion Rebels is curated by Pretty Gonzo:






"My Blues" was created by Midnight Whispers:






And Last, but not least, "Christmas IS... GREEN, WHITE And RED" by Zoomgraphik:




And on that note, here's wishing you a very merry Christmas!