I've been quite surprised on my meanderings around the internet that a lot of discussion is given to the techniques of how to make jewellery, but I've seen very little about the actual design aspects of it, which I think is equally important. I had to grit my teeth somewhat when I saw a jewellery shopping channel suggest to viewers they use Google images to source stuff, print it out, cut around it, then charge a premium price for it.

Currently I use a sketchbook initially, but have recently started using Adobe Illustrator to make templates for pieces which I can then print out, glue on, and cut. I find it easier to do it on a computer since I can draw a sheep but not a decent smooth line so it seems! Even graph paper and various French curves don't give me the result I can get with using a vector program. My limit really is I'm not particularly great with illustrator, it's not an easy intuitive program for me, so the frustration level tends to be quite high given my liking for intricate pierced Gothic type designs.

I'm just using techniques I know from my background in art, so I'm really interested in the different way jewellers on here go through for the actual designing bit of the process. Do you sketch, draw it freehand, use a computer, or go straight onto the metal?