Where do you guys get your ideas from???

[kaz]

Hey, lovin the forum.

What do you all do for ideas?
Do you guys make sketch books and design books?
Do you have an ideas boards?
Do you take pics with your camera?
Do you refer to fashion magazines etc?
What do you use as inspiration???

Would love to heard what you guys get up to!

[The Bijou Dragon]

Personally I spend hours at a time looking at jewellery anywhere online to get inspiration, techniques, ideas etc

Sometimes a piece just... makes itself... if that makes any sense

I do have a sketchbook... well more a collection of scrap paper with scribbles on to be honest and it's usually littered all over the flat too

I just like getting my stuff out and looking at it and then putting pieces together based on how I feel, how the piece feels or how the individual 'thing' (whatever it may be) feels.

For instance last night I spent looking at Sterling Silver Christening gifts, shower gifts and birth celebrating gifts (jewellery gifts) and got some great ideas (I never EVER copy, just get inspiration) and I also made sure no one is already making the pieces I have in mind already.

I also get a fair amount of bespoke orders so alot of the time I'm working with what other people want which somewhat narrows the field a bit and is a boon when I'm not feeling super inspired and can just plod along.

[agent_44]

I have a sketch and design book, where I write notes, sketch out idead and designs, and aso record technical details of a piece, measurements, metal gauges etc.

I suppose a lot of my taste and the things I am into show through a little bit too, but a lot of the time, I go around looking for unusual gemstones or components and they make up a lot of my inspiration.

[Sheltie]

I don't use a sketch book (hopeless at drawing) I tend to see something in my minds eye and then I will make it, very rarely do I make a copper copy first.

Other than that I trawl historic books for pictures of treasure hoards and then make replicas. Sometimes as I put my work on the bench I find that I like the shape so will turn the pieces into that.

[MuranoSilver]

I've got scissors, pritstick and an ideas & inspiration book there's all kinds of things in there -
next to each picture I scribble down what I like about it....

It helps refine/confirm my style.
e.g Curvy Organic shapes, texture, splashes of colour there are whole themes running through the book.

I admire Kinetic Angular pieces and the technical skill needed to achieve them, but there are hardly any in my
"inspiration" folder (and when there are it's generally because of a texture etc).

I also regularly cull my magazines and strip them down into articles by type of tutorial/information etc.
I mainly use these for "student inspiration files" but they're also good when you are having creative
block and need a "direction".

Nicola x

[amazingbabe]

I too have a note pad, an idea can pop into my head at any time, i have even gotten out of bed to write things down or draw something incase i forget by morning.... Keep an eye on the trends aswell..

[Ominicci]

Am trying to get into the habit of having a notebook - have bought a little one and a big one - little one for using out and about and big one for transferring things into if I think they will work. Silversmith tutor always said to keep an inspiration book of other people's stuff you like and look at it often to keep you inspired. I am not great at looking at 'nature' as a lot of people can and finding inspiration. I am definitely a 'get a piece of sliver/wire out and try to play with it' - although it doesn't always work, as my scrap jar shows!

[myke]

I think this is such a great question, I doodle shapes on any bit of papper thatsl around. also scrap peices lying around often tricker some thing. before I move up to the west coast I had always lived in the country and quite a longway from the sea. here I am surounded by water it was amazing how my work changed.(wish this tool bar has spell check iam dyslexic don't you not think that's a silly name for people how can't spell!!!!) anway back to my rample.I sell at music fest and I take all my tools with me and a work bench and I often find I pruduce some really nice pieces in that inviroment. well that it the archers coming on and must listen I know bit sad. cheers myke

[Charlotte]

I rarely design on paper, I've always hated it, and I did a design degree. Luckily my tutor said I had a knack for coming up with good designs in my head and then going straight in to the workshop to create them (much to his GREAT annoyance) I would then develop a collection using that one idea and translating them to different items of jewellery.

I find you need to look in depth at objects which interest/inspire you and take little snippets of their essence (lol, I'm not trying to sound romantic here) and create something with some character, rather than coming up with a few shapes, sticking them together and hoping they will work.

Also the materials themselves dictate what your work will be.

[EmmaRose]

I use a sketchbook.
Inspiration from what I love...insects, flowers (trips to Kew!), undersea....trips, take photographs, sketches. Books and the internet, jewellery and more....
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