The Art of Jewelry Design

Maurice P. Galli, Dominique Riviere and Fanfan Li

Schiffer Books

This book presents the principle of design.  The beautiful illustrations introduce the reader to rendering techniques of both metal and stone. I was exposed to several drawing classes during my formative years in college and this book would have been a wonderful source of reference. The authors truly know their “craft.”

A comprehensive list of rendering tools is presented. We are then visually introduced to the basic shapes and elementary principles of composition: squares, rectangles, triangles, circles and trapezoid. Variations in size and overlapping of these geometric elements is demonstrated to produce visual interests.

Plate 3 has a beautiful analysis of a broach. The various elements are dissected down to their basic form of design.  Plate 4 continues to explore values and contrasts ranging from light to dark and white to black.  An example of this progression is visibly illustrated along with the studies of asymmetry, positive and negative space, incidental and reflected light and perspective.

The authors give the designer an opportunity to explore these concepts with the documentary study of a flower. The conclusion of this section culminates in instructing one how to apply this to jewelry. We are taken on an interesting adventure through natural forms in our universe and their application also to jewelry design.

Textural techniques are boldly presented with the introduction of gauche and water color. There are also wonderful examples of rendering the multitude of diamond shapes, cuts and faceting.

As I stated at the beginning of this revue “The Art of Jewelry Design” would have been a wonderful resource for me as I pursued my artistic career.

Razine Wenneker