The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques (Lark Jewelry) [Paperback]

Joanna Gollberg (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lark Jewelry | Publication Date: September 7, 2010

Packed with hundreds of how-to photographs and time-tested tips, this guide is an essential addition to every jeweler's library. All the basics are comprehensively covered-sawing, piercing, soldering-along with advanced skills such as granulation, enameling, stone setting, and casting. Create the stunning Bubbles Brooch by hollow-forming silver and adding pearls. Or, make a handsome lapel pin by cuttlefish-casting 18-karat gold; then set a brilliant sapphire on the textured surface. Plus, every section is accompanied by a gallery of contemporary pieces.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

From even a novice's perspective, information on the fashioning of metallic baubles and bangles is crammed into 176 very colorful pages. Certainly, every photograph, illustration, and how-to sequence is valuable--and chock-full of the kind of instructions and tips that make the difference between amateurish pin and designer brooch. Experienced author (Making Metal Jewelry, 2003, Creative Metal Crafts, 2004, among others) and artist Gollberg provides a broad foundation: first, warm-up data on metals, their properties, tools, and equipment; then, a series of chapters on progressively more difficult techniques from filing, carving, and tube riveting to flush stone setting and kum boo (the Korean art of bonding gold foil to another metal). Thirteen projects set the design bar high, as do the gallery pages that follow each chapter. Admittedly, it is a lot to digest at once. Consider supplementing Gollberg's overview with single-topic books on enameling or working with stones. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Joanna Gollberg has managed to appeal to those new to metal jewelry making, and at the same time keep even advanced jewelers busy with her book The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques. Learn techniques (or brush up on your already learned skills) in forming, texturing, layering, and mixing metals and apply them to countless contemporary jewelry projects. It is filled with ‘bench tips’ and beautiful artwork that can be achieved from learning the techniques taught within the book. The detailed directions are easy to understand, and combined with the hundreds of instructional and inspiration pictures you cannot go wrong. This is a valuable reference tool for every artist’s library.” — Belle Armoire Jewelry, Spring 2011 issue

 

"I love this book. This is one of those books that every time you read it, you find something new to learn. This book is a complete guide to essential techniques. Every section of the book is very well written and easy to understand. I like the step by step images that reinforce the techniques being covered. Although some of the projects are for intermediate or advanced jewelers, they are still very easy to understand. (There are) superb images throughout the book from invited artists. Believe me, you will like this book a lot!" - Lorena Angulo

 

"An overview of contemporary jewelry-making techniques ... a beautifully illustrated book." - Library Journal

 

"Every photograph, illustration, and how-to sequence is valuable -- and chock-full of the kind of instructions and tips that make the difference between amateurish pin and designer brooch." - Booklist

 

"This book is packed from cover to cover with vital information on traditional jewelry making. However, it is the stunning examples of the skilled jewelry creators this author compiled (that) make my heart go pitter pat! This superb book belongs in every library as a picturesque reference tool which will become well used!" - Metal Clay Today

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Lark Crafts (September 7, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600596231
• ISBN-13: 978-1600596230
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, May 4, 2006

By 

Lynette Holzer "LynzyIdaho" (Boise, ID United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques (Lark Jewelry Books) (Hardcover)

When I buy an "instructional" book, I nearly always find one or two handy tricks which make the book worth it's price. This one is loaded with great tips! Joanna Gollberg is a whiz at the technical aspects of the craft and she's very good at making the information understandable. If I could only have two books in my metalsmithing collection, this would be on the shelf along with Tim McCreight's Fundamentals.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning and not for a beginner other than for eye candy factor, April 8, 2006

By 

PTSideshow "GRP" (Macomb County Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques (Lark Jewelry Books) (Hardcover)

This is another one that people will probably love or hate! It is not for beginners in the jewelry arts. I have had a chance to go thru my copy for a couple of weeks. I like it. She does do her usual good job of covering the tools and equipment for the projects and techniques she is covering. The photos are stunning and the I found the book a visual delight. I am not one to claim to enjoy or even understand the conceptual jewelry that one finds in some of the jewelry craft books as projects. Thankfully the project examples are clean of design and the couple that I did do where fun to make. There still is some far out stuff shown from other artists in the gallery's. I own it, I used it and will use it again and again. A keeper!

42 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT a "Complete Guide" (for beginners), November 15, 2008

By 

Charles Miller "objective clarity" (Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques (Lark Jewelry Books) (Hardcover)

Sorry to disagree with many of the reviewers who have gone before, but I was guided in part by their judgment to buy this glitzy book, long on inspirational photographs, but short on genuinely helpful advice. Some claimed this book is for beginners, while others stated it isn't. Take it from someone who is a relative beginner... it is not.

This book places more emphasis on presentation rather than truly helpful advice with an almost cavalier disregard for the accuracy of the directions for the projects given within for those who need this information the most. The author seems to be so impressed with the photography and layout of the book that the wording was little more than an afterthought. It would appear that the author assumes her audience to be well-grounded in techniques that are not explained to the point where they would do anyone with less than intermediate experience any good.

HERE IS THE PUNCH LINE (and there's no getting around it):
Following the directions to the letter for soldering multi-layered applique work will NOT lead to successful results. There was no discussion about using solder with different melting points as I subsequently learned was the only to make it happen. And this is one of many such examples.

Instructions are merely guidance and considerable trial and error to find the correct way of acheiving these results will be required. This is confirmed by referencing other jewelry books, which indicate methods quite different from those given here, and most importantly, lead to successful results instead. Further, discussion of techniques with experts at a course given at a university revealed the concuring opinion that the directions lack the lucidity required to reach the stated goals.

Perhaps the 5 star reviews were by accomplished jewelers who didn't need the directions or by those who just bought it for the admittedly wonderful photography? Buy it for the pictures, but take the instructions with a grain of salt ...and be sure to have other jewelry-making books on hand or sign up with a jewelry-making course to get correct directions for achieving your goals.

UPDATE:
In answer to those who have asked, I have yet to find one perfect jewelry-making book for beginners out there. One has to sift through many to glean bits and pieces of useful information. Being past the beginner's stage at this point in time, I have found most of these books to have at least some portions useful for reference and that even includes this title currently under review. Just wanted to make sure no one thought of this book as Jewelry-Making 101, as it remains an intermediate title and assumes you already know the basics (or for whatever reason, does not provide any).