A clear, comprehensive and practical 'how-to' guide and resource for all aspects of designing jewellery.
This book contains expert guidance on design and the design process, and includes step-by-step project briefs and themes for readers to use as a basis for developing their own ideas. It is suitable for all intermediate and professional jewellery makers, as well as those attending jewellery-making courses and who have taken up jewellery making as a hobby.
The book explores the design process in depth, from fundamentals of jewellery design such as practical considerations to high-level conceptual briefs. Included within its pages are:
- Inspirational contributions from 12 contemporary jewellery designers. A chapter of the book shows how 6 of them apply the concepts in the book to their own practice
- 16 design techniques: a mix of drawing and model-making techniques including how to draw facetted gemstones, sketching, producing a technical drawing, paper models, mould-making and casting
- 5 technique-led projects: examples of how you can use basic jeweller’s skills together with the design techniques to create a specific type of jewellery. These include cutting out to make a band ring, press-forming for a brooch, and using repeated patterns for a necklace
- 8 process-led design projects show different creative approaches to the same challenge. For example 6 different ways of connecting links without soldering, or 12 different ways of setting a stone
- The book finishes with 10 open projects – briefs and finished inspirational examples for the reader to try out and learn from.
Trained at the Royal College of Art, award winning jewellery designer Louise Seijen ten Hoorn lives and works in London where she creates one-off pieces, small production lines and commissions from her studio in Pimlico.
Louise works predominantly in metal, as well as materials such as plastic, rubber, and textile to create jewellery, objects and small sculptures.
Her work has been exhibited in the UK as well as worldwide in the USA, Lithuania, Portugal and The Netherlands.
Besides being a jewellery practitioner, Louise teaches short courses in design and jewellery making at various Adult Education Colleges in London.
Recent exhibitions and events
GCDA Awards digital ceremony, Goldsmith’s Hall, London, 2021
The Re-Incarnation of Any Warhol, At Work Gallery, London, 2020
Connections/Connessioni, ACJ, The Light House, Glasgow, 2020
Connections/Connessioni, ACJ, Goldsmiths’ Centre, London, 2019
Tales of the Subconscious, ACJ + Gill Wing Jewellery, London, 2019
Centenary Exhibition, City Lit, London, 2019
Van Gogh At Work, At Work Gallery, London, 2019
GCDA Awards Exhibition, Goldsmith’s Hall, London, 2019, 2016, 2008, 2007, 2006
Selected awards
Craftsmanship and Design Awards, Awarded by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, 2016
Goldsmith’s Fair graduate bursary, 2016
London Jewellery Exports bursary, 2008
Bright Ideas Award, Awarded by Craft Central and Sponsored by Deutsche Bank, 2007
Craftsmanship and Design Awards, Awarded by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, 2007
