A Feast for the Eyes: Color Fun for Jewelry Making!

I’m an artist and am lucky enough to work here at Rio Grande, with a catalog full of beautiful gemstones, metals, findings, and more. I make jewelry here and there, and I mostly create collage. (I’m working on combining my collage with my jewelry making, but that’s a story for another day.) One of my true sources of inspiration in any of my creations is color, so I’m going to bring my fine arts experience into this blog post today and make it almost completely visual. Following are nine possible combinations of stone + metal + stone (or glass). These combinations are mere suggestions of colors you might put side by side—I  hope they can be a jumping off place for you and your own inspiring palettes!

There are myriad ways to add color to your work, including finishing your metals, and there are so many metals and textured finishes to choose from, such as PMC in silver, bronze, copper, and gold. Following is a list of great links to posts from our archive here on The Studio, all of which touch upon metal finishing options and I've also thrown in some PMC inspiration for fun:

For the Blackest Black: Kliar E-Coating Extreme Black
Show Your True Colors: The Stunning Palette of Kliar E-Coating
In The Spotlight: Steve Joslin Shares The Joy of Gilders Paste
Electroplating: Add Flash AND Combat High Metals Prices
Blogs We Love: PMC Sterling Grab Bag  (See the many looks of PMC Sterling!)

Also, you might enjoy a few color resources, including our 2013 Color Trends resource on Rio's website, and SwatchMatic, a free app for Androids from Google. You can use SwatchMatic to make color swatches of objects in your environment for play and inspiration.

Consider these combinations, and tell us what inspires you!

Black Mother-of-Pearl  + Sterling Silver + London Topaz

Almandine Garnet + MIDAS Black-Brown Patina + Amethyst

 

  White Mother-of-Pearl + Silver and Copper Mokume Gane + Wood

 

Onyx and Crystals + Kliar E-Coating Extreme Black + Pink Druzy Quartz

Red Amber + Sterling Silver + Green Aventurine

Anastasia Topaz + 14K Yellow Gold + Peridot

 

Bronze Simulated Pearl + Bronze (in Urchin Pattern) + Lemon Quartz

 

Created Opal + Silver Filled Sheet + Green-Gold Murano Glass

Grey Pearl  +  White Gold and Argentium Silver Mokume Gane + Champagne CZ

So, what are some tried and true color combinations that you like to use in your jewelry? How have your favorite colors evolved over time? Do they reflect your environment? What’s the wildest color combination that has worked well in your creations? Share your color inspiration with us!

Comment on this article

---

Business Savvy: Find New Customers Using Google Images

As part of our Business Savvy Series, we’re lucky to have insight and wisdom from Arien Gessner of Rio’s marketing team. In today’s post, Arien shares that ranking high in search engines like Google is a great way to find new customers for your business. It’s also very difficult to do. Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become very competitive, and it can be a daunting challenge for those who don’t have a technical background. . .

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 3: Accountability (Part Two)

Today we post the final installment of Matthew Anderson’s enormously insightful series, “Collaborate Like a Pro.” In today’s post, Accountability – Part Two, Matthew follows up on the productivity advice he gave in Part One, with the next step: Goal setting.

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 3: Accountability (Part One)

The beauty of effective collaboration is that it provides an opportunity for everyone to participate in how change takes place. In today’s post, Rio business coach Matthew Anderson talks about how the Accountability component of collaboration can help you to define and monitor your success.

...Read the Rest

---

Tech Tidbits: Bead Stringing Demystified

Bead stringing can be as simple as making a macaroni and yarn necklace or as complex as stringing an intricate diamond bead necklace. In today’s Tech Tidbits, Mark Nelson covers some great bead-stringing basics and not-so-basics!

...Read the Rest

---

Internet Marketing with Eugene Brill—Get Customers to Your Site: Part 3

Internet marketing expert Eugene Brill continues to demystify the landscape of digital marketing and how modern consumers search and shop for goods. Take advantage of Eugene’s immense experience to learn how use internet analytics to optimize your business decisions!

...Read the Rest

---

Tech Tidbits: Let’s Find the Findings!

Findings are the cool little do-dads that you use to make the stuff you love to make. In today’s Tech Tidbit, Mark Nelson demystifies many of the findings found on a typical jeweler’s bench. Check it out! You may learn something new.

...Read the Rest

---

Collaborate Like a Pro! Step 2: Authority

Part 2 of Matthew Anderson’s insightful Business Collaboration Series, focuses on AUTHORITY, and gives you the tools you need to leverage the strengths of your team members and maximize everyone’s performance. The beauty of effective collaboration is that it provides an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the success of the business!

...Read the Rest

---

In the Spotlight: Steve Joslyn Shares the Joy of Gilders Paste

Master blacksmith, Steve Joslyn, has been creating unique works of functional art for more than 25 years. Recently he let us in on one of his favorite tools: Gilders Paste! Steve incorporates Gilders Paste into his detailed, whimsical, nature-inspired designs and he generously shared some of his tips and techniques with us.

...Read the Rest

---

Internet Marketing with Eugene Brill—Get Customers to Your Site: Part 2

In this new series, internet marketing aficionado Eugene Brill explains the new landscape of digital marketing and how modern consumers search and shop for goods. Take advantage of Eugene’s immense experience to learn how to make sure potential customers find your internet store!

...Read the Rest

---