Tricks of the Trade: Expert Tips and Tools

The ambitious artisan can find an overwhelming variety of educational resources at his or her disposal. This post, however, is for less ambitious artisans who prefer to have other people find the best resources for them. Fortunately, a number of these are not only useful but also free.

In recent years, jewelry design has become a particularly hot trend. There is good reason for this. Anyone – man, woman, or child – can make a decent piece of jewelry. Those with particular artistic abilities can easily design personal and unique gifts for a friend or family member. Likewise, even the utterly clueless can create wonderful projects with little or no special skills. Cost is also relatively easy to control; depending on the size of the project and the types of materials used, costs can range from under one dollar to upwards of several hundred dollars for fine stones and metals.

Art Jewelry Magazine’s companion Web site is one of the most-trusted resources for novices and expert designers alike. As with the magazine, professional artists and experienced enthusiasts contribute to the Web site’s articles and resources. These seasoned-experts provide not only useful instruction but also ample inspiration to help get those creative juices flowing.

The Web site houses practical information on just about anything related to jewelry, including step-by-step projects, tools and suppliers, tips, and techniques. Free educational videos identifying the types of materials and tools needed and demonstrating proper safety and construction methods - from very basic steps to advanced processes - are accessible to the public. (Some items require the creation of a free user-account.) For more in-depth instruction, on-demand videos are also available for around twenty dollars or less. For quick reference, the how-to section demystifies many of the terms that are routinely used in jewelry making. And when all else fails, the site offers an excellent community forum and list of classes by zip code.

These excellent resources from the Art Jewelry Magazine Web site provide the impetus to quell your qualms and put you back on the road to creative bliss.