Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay And Wire Jewelry [Paperback]

Ronna Weltman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

Artistically combining polymer clay with wire, this distinctive manual teaches crafters and jewelry makers how to create organic, sophisticated, and contemporary jewelry. A range of innovative techniques in designing beads and components from polymer clay are combined with wireworking elements, inspired clasps and ear wires, wire bead caps, polymer clay tipped head pins, and more for a signature look. Explaining fundamentals of jewelry design, this manual also delves into what makes a piece “primitive” and how to achieve an organic effect through color mixing and textures. Included are a wide variety of polymer clay and wire jewelry design and texture techniques, 15 one-of-a-kind detailed projects, and a gallery of completed works.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ronna's style is primitive, organic, and full of joy. If you've been looking for opportunities to shed the rules and just see what happens, this may be the perfect book for you." — Blisstree.com–Jewelry and Beading

"Anyone who is interested in learning some solid polymer clay techniques won't be disappointed...There is also an interesting section concerning designing, covering issues of color, mechanics, and inspiration." — About.com Guide to Jewelry Making

"Each of us has different criteria for a great book. Ronna makes this one work for me with her opening chapters. The information there is more than worth the purchase price. The projects are icing." — Valerie Aharoni, past president, New York Polymer Clay Guild

"Featuring artistic, bold, and organic jewelry, the book is a joy for sheer eye-candy...A delight!" — CraftGossip.com, polymer clay editor

"The author has a very distinct modernist primitive style that I personally love, and if this is your style as well, you will be making some amazing jewelry." — CraftGossip.com, jewelry-making editor

"[Ronna's] signature look, as reflected throughout the book, has a very earthy, natural feel about it. Her book's title is a perfect description of her work because it boasts an 'ancient' look, but with a 'modern' twist." — Detroit News

"I have worked with polymer clay for over 10 years and have always struggled with how to combine polymer clay art into wire work jewelry...Ronna's instructions were very clear and walked me through the wire wrapping steps with ease." — Mary Jenkins, Keep on Clayin'

About the Author

Ronna Sarvas Weltman has had her work featured in Art Jewelry, Bead Style, Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist, Step by Step Wire, and Wire Artist Jeweler magazines. She regularly teaches workshops in polymer clay and wireworking and has appeared on That’s Clever! on HGTV. She lives in Seattle.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596680970
• ISBN-13: 978-1596680975
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ronna Sarvas Weltman is a contributing editor to Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine. Her art jewelry has been featured in numerous books and magazines and on HGTV, and is sold in high-end galleries and boutiques. Her jewelry is a celebration of color, form and texture. Ronna's writing and workshops help readers and students find their own voice in their art by mastering organic techniques in polymer clay, wire and other non-traditional materials. She is also the author of two DVDs teaching how to make polymer jewelry and how to make wire jewelry. She lives outside Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two sons. Keep up with Ronna on her Facebook fan page http://tinyurl.com/RonnaSWeltman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daring to be different, June 1, 2009

By 

Patricia Perrine, PhD (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay And Wire Jewelry (Paperback)

I've been reading Ronna's book. It's quite different from most of the polymer clay books on my shelf. Her aesthetic seems to invoke stone and bone, pod and seed. It's a good approach for beginners, encouraging experimentation and setting aside the scourge of perfectionism. So many contemporary pc artists are producing exquisite, tight, detailed designs that it is refreshing to dip into Ronna's much looser and free style.

Ronna writes for Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry magazine, and she brings her expertise in that arena to her book. The section on wire working is thorough without being labored.

She includes one of the most useful charts I've found in any wire working book. You'll find the coiling grid on page 21, which shows how much wire you will need for various coiling projects. One of her very bright young students mathematically developed the chart, and it's been tested several times by the student, Ronna, and the folks at Interweave Press.

I also appreciate her section on the mechanics of jewelry design. It may look terrific on the bench, but if it doesn't fit or hang properly, it'll never get worn.

The projects themselves won't be to everyone's taste (I happen to like them a lot). But even readers with very different taste can be inspired by the shapes of her beads, the way she puts colors together, and the various ways she uses texture.

Within the projects, I would have liked more step-out photos, but overall, the design of this book is elegant and clear. The cover is fabulous and inviting, and what's inside delivers the goods.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scrumptious!!, June 1, 2009

By 

Loretta Lam - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay And Wire Jewelry (Paperback)

This long-awaited book is so delightful and delicious you won't need desert! Ronna's approach to polymer clay is fresh and unique and gives us permission to free ourselves from the constraints of technique. It will open your eyes to what you can do if you let yourself go.

Not to worry, the first part of the book is full of the necessary technical information including some great design basics and wire working essentials. Then the step-by-step projects take you into Ronna's quirky off-beat world where making polymer beads is joyful. Fun, fun, fun. In the end, there's the gallery of her work, all beautifully photographed and presented for your consumption.

This book fills a gap in my polymer bookshelf. It's about inspiration and finding your own personal story to tell. I always remind my students that they "know how" but need to find out "why" they are making polymer jewelry. This book will help open that door.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MORE! MORE!, June 2, 2009

By 

Randi Harper "artist, teacher" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay And Wire Jewelry (Paperback)

I was sent a copy for early review, and I love love love this book! I love that not only do you learn how to make Art Jewelry from polymer clay and wire, but you also learn about designing jewelry so that it actually looks good when it is worn!

This book gives you practically everything you get from Ronna's fabulous classes -- close-up and personal looks at her inspiring jewelry, easy-to-understand (and duplicate) techniques for polymer clay and wire, a nurturing approach coupled with an understanding of how students learn, and lots of clearly-written excellent techniques. Doug Yaple's photography is incredible too. Very high-quality book!

The only thing missing? The lady herself! You see, Ronna is one of those amazingly talented, widely versed - and incredibly generous teachers that will give you everything she's got when you ask "What if...?", "Then what..?", or "Why?" Her warm & giving spirit keeps students asking for more!

More books like this one too, please! Ronna's book takes Polymer Clay up several notches as an art form, and incorporates new materials with great elan -- we can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

Randi Harper - The Ranch. Center for Arts & Craft