Monday, June 02, 2008

Art Nouveau Retro

Wheat Pendant
18k, 22k and tanzanite

I recently completed a special project for a special client- that would be my Mom. I wanted her to have something very special and as she loves Art Nouveau style, I went in that direction. It is also a style that complements the gemstone that she gave me to use and the yellow gold that she requested. My mother has a very good sense of what she likes and is easily able to articulate her preferences, so the design did not take too much discussion to settle upon.

Wheat Pendant rendering
gouache on vellum


I really enjoyed making something one of a kind for her, and I also enjoyed the process of rendering it in gouache. The hand-rendering of proposed designs also harks back to an earlier era in jewelry history. The major jewelry houses still employ master renderers to create paintings of new and custom designs, but the computer has become a more common means of presenting new designs to the customer. That method has its own benefits and drawbacks, but I will always prefer hours with a brush in hand to hours in front of a screen.