Linda Peterson - Metalwork Jewelry: 35 step-by-step projects inspired by steampunk

METALWORK
jewelry METALWORK
jewelry step-by-step projects inspired by steampunk LINDA PETERSON THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY DAD, WHO IS MY ROCK AND
PILLAR OF STRENGTH YOU ARE ME AND I AM YOUR MINI-ME! This edition published in 2018 by CICO Books
An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd
2021 Jockeys Fields, London WC1R 4BW
341 E 116th St, New York, NY10029
www.rylandpeters.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First published in 2011 by CICO Books Text Linda Peterson 2011 Design and photography CICO Books 2011 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library. ISBN: 978-1-78249-653-3 eISBN: 978-1-78249-778-3 Printed in China Editor: Marie Clayton Designer: Christine Wood Design concept: Jerry Goldie Step-by-step photography: Geoff Dann Style photography: Stuart West Styling and art direction: Luis Peral-Aranda Contents Acknowledgments When I was growing up, I was always hearing One mans trash is anothers treasure. My Mom and Grandma kept everything, from newspaper clippings and bottle caps to buttons and fabric scraps from a favorite shirt.

My Grandma even kept an old Kewpie doll that was tattered, just because my baby cousin Julies dirty fingerprints were on its face. I suppose to some people these things may have appeared to be nothing more than trash, but to Mom and Grandma they were priceless treasures, bringing back happy memories each time they looked at seemingly worthless objects. I am confident that this explains why I find it impossible to throw anything away. Maybe, just maybe, its the reason why my studio is filled to the brim with what I like to describe as hidden treasurestrinkets offer a view into my past. And beside the sentimental feelings from broken bits and pieces Ive saved from family treasures, there also lies within me the thrill of the huntthe search for unique, found objects: obscure things you would otherwise cast aside. Things such an old washer laying on a sidewalk, painted with a patina that only Mother Nature could provide; or perhaps a small brass bolt showing signs of gentle distress that I found on a bridge in Paris, France; or the dingy old typewriter, keys missing and tossed in the corner of a charity shopotherwise useless, but calling out to me to take it home and resurrect it to a state of worth.

Its a never-ending quest and when these objects find their way into my art, they are given a new outlook on life. As I look at each piece, my mind goes back to the hunt, the journey, and I relive the creative process. It is my happy place. Designing for this book took me back to that happy place. It gave me permission to explore and create outside the typical square box, with no rules, limits, or guidelines. The designs reflect a variety of styles from hardware chic to a style that has been given the name steampunk.

The hardware chic designs in this book lend themselves to materials found at your local hardware store. Copper tubing, tiny nuts and bolts, and all kinds of electrical wire work together to create bold, chunky, and more contemporary-style clunky jewelry. The steampunk-styled designs encompass a unique collection of materials that combine vintage with modern elements, fantasy with reality. Steampunk is reminiscent of an era powered by steam engines, so in this style youll find lots of designs featuring gears and found objects combined with strips of fabrics and recycled denim. Soft and delicate meets chunky and bold. If you are new to jewelry designing, dont let a lack of experience intimidate you.

Familiarize yourself with the techniques section of the book, which will give you all the necessary skills to complete the projects. The very first project in the book combines elements often found in the scrapbooking section of your local arts and crafts store and uses basic jewelry-making techniques as a way to get you familiar working with the tools and assembling jewelry with jump rings. Its a jump-start project, if you will. As you progress through the first chapter you will even become acquainted with using materials that you might have otherwise have tossed aside, such as soda cans and soda tabs. In the next chapter, Wireworking and Found Objects, youll take these skills further and work with all sorts of wire to create vintage-looking designs. Combine these with a variety of interesting textures and found objects to create one-of-a-kind designs.

Finally, in the last chapter, you will advance to basic metalworking techniques such as soldering, working with copper tubing, forming metals, and more. These are all the stepping-stones you will need to create a wide variety of designs. As you become familiar with the materials and build up confidence in your skills, challenge yourself to mix and match techniques to create your own designs. I guarantee it will open your eyes to a whole new world of seeing objects and giving them a new lease on life. And to illustrate this, a little story: after photographing the pictures for this book my editor, Marie, and I spent a couple of days in Paris. As I walked toward the Eiffel Tower, my eyes were affixed on the groundyes, you guessed it looking for stuff! However, I was not the only one.

I looked over to find Marie, crouching down, digging a vintage bottle cap out of the ground with one of her car keys. And yes, I took her picture!Enjoy your journeyLinda