Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Doing It My Way

When I started this jewelry making adventure, I wanted to learn everything there was to learn, and try every technique for making jewelry.  I tried stringing, bead weaving, working with hardware, alcohol inks, wire wrapping, gem stones, glass beads, lampwork beads, copper, brass, silver, the list goes on and on.  I knew that at some point I would have to figure out “who I am” as a jewelry designer.  It’s hard to build a brand when one’s designs are all over the map.
That’s where I am now – trying to figure out what my brand is.  Brand is much more than just a logo or a graphic.  Brand is your product’s personality – What is it?  What values does it represent?  Who is the artist?  What is the artist’s style?  It’s a big undertaking but I think I’m beginning to get a handle on it. 

My first step was to figure out my style.  What materials do I like to use?  What techniques do I prefer?  What's unique about my jewelry?  I’ve narrowed it down to two very different styles that I will try to incorporate into one.  First, there is my beadweaving.  I love my beadweaving.  It gives me such a sense of satisfaction to work with those tiny beads.  On the other hand, I also love metal.  I love to saw, hammer, torch, rivet, etc.  I’ve got some ideas on how to use beadweave designs with metal components to integrate the two styles.  For the short term, I will work them independently.  I’m still not down to a single style but I’m a lot closer than I was six months ago.
The next step will be to develop a logo.  Still a long way to go on that front………. Another post for another day………..
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.  What is your brand?  Do you even have a brand?  For those who know me, what images or words come to mind when you think of my jewelry. 

4 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your blog. Funny, because it reminded me of the question I posed to a Facebook online group I am in. I wondered if I was the only one who wanted to dabble in just about EVERYTHING. I began with stringing beads on memory wire to experimenting with all kinds of other mediums. I am still trying to discover my "brand" or niche as well. Currently, I have been enjoying making more wire items because I feel satisfied that I ended up contributing more personally to it rather than just picking out beads and stringing them. I am researching to take the plunge of learning how to make my own lampwork beads. Eventually, I want to make all my pieces all from scratch. For now, my biggest concerns that make a brand are concentrated on making the customer happy and making quality pieces.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Trish. No, you are not the only one who is searching for just the right niche. I agree completely with your comments about stringing. While I've seen some gorgeous pieces, I prefer to put more of my artistic touch on the pieces I make. Good luck with your exploration and thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment.

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  2. I can also relate to this topic. I find myself wanting to explore every avenue related to paper crafting. I am learning what interests me and what does not, while at the same time understanding what my customers prefer. I'm focusing on cards that are simple, yet elegant, and offer something more than just an "open and shut" response, literally. :) Making cards that are more interactive or whimsical in design, like the matchbook style I did for you. A little something unexpected when you think of a "card".

    I enjoy your metal pieces the most. The designs are bold and colorful and the possibilities seem endless! To me, your style is contemporary and bold, while still being "natural" (by use of metals or by color choices).

    Keep up the great work!

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    1. Hey Michelle -- as always, I love to read your comments. Even though our crafts are different, the branding process is really the same and I agree with you about wanting to do something that gets people's attention.

      I really appreciate your comments about my work. I love the metal too and find myself leaning more and more that way. I'm not ready to give up my beadweaving just yet, tho.

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