Multi-color beading design
Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 8:54AM Last month I reviewed this lovely hand-painted porcelain pendant from Artbeads.com. It can be challenging to work with such a popping multi-colored focal. The key is to showcase those bright colors without adding elements that compete with them.
A simple solution is to attach a basic bail and hang your pendant on a rich brown or black leather cord. But what if you're itching to do something more creative? Here's one approach. Place the pendant by itself on your work surface, and then start going through your stash. Grab some strands, containers, or tubes of beads that remind you of the pendant. Don't give it too much thought, just let yourself grab what you will. Start placing those beads next to the pendant and see how they look. Do they seem just right, or are they a bit off? You're trying to identify complementary colors - colors that neither "clash" nor are close to, but not quite the same as, the focal colors that you want to complement.
Also avoid colors that you would like to hold their own - or pop - in the focal piece. With my pendant, I avoided selecting red beads because I wanted the ladybug to really pop. Using matching red beads would soften the ladybug's effect, making it a less-noticeable element of the design. (For more about design and color, see Chapter 2, "The Art of Design," in TYV Jewelry Making & Beading or pick up a copy of Margie Deeb's popular The Beader's Color Palette.)
You can make an eye-catching necklace by simply stringing one or more strands of the beads that you select. I decided to give my design a more eclectic look by layering a strand of spiral-rope beadwork with an antiqued brass-finish chain and some basic glass pony beads in a complementary green.
To make the bail, I simply strung a ring of metallic olive green cylinder beads with two of the pony beads on beading wire, and secured the ring with a crimp that faces the back of the necklace.
Overall I'm pleased with the eclectic, layered look. There are, however, two things I would do differently. First, if you look closely below, you'll see that my spiral rope is shorter than the total length of the necklace, and I lengthened it (i.e., cheated) by attaching segments of chain. I'd prefer the spiral rope to match the full length of the other strands. (In my case, I was finishing this piece after slicing my thumb pretty badly while cutting onions, and I just couldn't get that spiral rope finished in time!)
Second, I would use a dark yellow or gold color beading thread with the spiral rope, rather than the white thread I used. Thread is more visible with spiral rope than with other stitches, and the darker thread color would help to hide it. (I use nylon beading thread for my beadwork, like Nymo and C-lon, and both have many color options.)
Here's the finished piece:
I'm curious to see what other designers have done with these pendants. If you've worked with one yourself, please comment and share. :)
Reader Comments (5)
I love your colors! Checked out your etsy site and love that too. Your colors are great on every item there, as well as awesome photos.
I have not bought any of the above focal beads, but I have had similar ones, and I like to make a beaded bail to attache to the main choker sometimes. Isn't it just the best fun to design and plot out what to do different with each one!! :-)
I am a fan of complimentary color combinations and enjoy mixing colors, textures and materials as you have done with the seed beads, chain and pendant.
Beautiful!
Joyce
Those are lovely jewelries. The designs are colorful and unique. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for these great tips! I've been visiting your blog for awhile now and have to comment about your knowledge and tutorials they are very helpful, and you know your stuff well.
lovely work and lovely color usage, now do you sell these pieces or is it a hobby?
thank you and please check out my jewelry website also my swarovski crystal beads Jewelry blog