 The Elements of Design:
Finding Your Style
by Lynn M. Dean
“Make me a necklace just like that one,” by sister implored. “Only, I don’t like pearls and make it simpler- maybe with smaller beads- and not so long.”
 It was hard for me to make that necklace for her. I had to break out of my comfort zone to include the smaller elements that she wanted. But in the end, I thought I’d succeeded in making a necklace that she would like, even if I didn’t.
But when I presented it to her she whined, “It doesn’t look like the ones you make for yourself. It’s not as pretty. It’s not you. You save all the good beads for your necklaces!”
Although I’d made this mistake several times before, this last time I realized my folly. The fact was that although I’d gone out and bought “good” lampwork beads especially for her, the necklace didn’t look like “mine” because I’d tried to make it the way she wanted. I didn’t follow my heart. I wasn’t true to my own design style. I didn’t make something that “made my heart sing.”
Every design you create, whether for yourself or others, has to make your heart sing. If it doesn’t, then you’re not being true to the artist within you. You’re not only cheating yourself, but the wearer of the jewelry you make.
That’s not to say that your design style can’t change over time. It does. It evolves and grows. Take mine for example. Ten years ago some of my creations were more delicate and refined. But over time, my love for larger, more expressive designs took over.
So what is your design style? The first step on this journey is to find out what kind of jewelry sings to your heart. And the first stop on this voyage is your own jewelry box. Open it up and explore its contents. Ask yourself where each piece came from and why you’ve kept it. Then weed through the pile and set aside those pieces of jewelry you actually wear.
 The jewelry you wear is an important clue to your style and what sings to your heart. More so than what you buy, or what you’re attracted to. For example, many people love the pieces of jewelry that I make, but few of them would actually wear them. For them, my jewelry makes too big of a statement- it shouts rather than whispers.So, take a close look at what you wear. Is your style more delicate and dainty? Do you prefer to wear simple pendants strung on a delicate chain? Or do you prefer to wear jewelry that makes a statement? How big of a statement?
Now take a peek at your wardrobe. Look at both the color palette as well as the style of your clothing. Are your clothes simple and tailored or more dramatic and artsy? What kind of jewelry looks best with your clothing choices? Although I believe that you can wear beaded jewelry with everything, even jeans, some people, including my pesky little sister, don’t share that view. She’s not comfortable wearing a bold necklace with blue jeans. Are you?
Knowing your style is the first step in creating jewelry that sings to your heart. With this knowledge, you can approach any project with more confidence.
 Take for example this month’s project which features a glass shell seemingly plucked off the sand. Although both examples are created using the same instructions, the purple one is bolder in style than the aqua one. That said, they both incorporate my personal design statement.
As you may well have guessed by now, I made the purple one for myself and so I tailored it specifically to my own design sensibilities. I designed the aqua one to appeal to a broader audience. As you can see, the shells in both necklaces are about the same size, but by varying the size of the other beads in the aqua necklace, I was able to achieve a bit more delicate effect. You can do the same thing with other projects you see or that inspire you. The trick is to make sure that the accompanying beads aren’t too small in comparison to the focal bead, and that the scale of the other complimenting beads is decreased as well.
So now that you know your style, get busy re-designing some of those  pieces in your jewelry box (not necessarily the ones passed down from your great-grandmother).
Next month we’ll explore these ideas more as we discuss size, shape, and scale- three important elements in any design.
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