Customer Reviews

Beadwork Inspired by Art: Impressionist Jewelry and Accessories

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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lovely cover, but frankly, I was very disappointed in the lack of projects. No attempt to correlate any relationship between the content and impressionist art unless they were counting on the couple colors of beads used. I think they needed a catchy title, and that's what they came up with. Very sorry I pre-ordered without seeing any of it. Learned my lesson.

I was so looking forward to this book, the idea is excellent, however the content is very disappointing. The projects are scarce and uninspiring.

I was somewhat disappointed in this book considering who the contributing authors are.

Although the pieces did match the color and feel of the paintings depicted I felt that the designs should have been created in both medium and high quality materials. And perhaps 2 or more designs inspired from the same picture.

This review is from: Beadwork Inspired by Art: Impressionist Jewelry and Accessories (Paperback)
I love creating jewelry in historical styles, so I was excited when I saw the title of this book. After a quick leaf-through my hopes were dashed, however. Maybe it's the concept that was at fault: it's one thing to create jewelry in, say, Art Deco or Art Nouveau style. But what exactly IS Impressionistic jewelry? I don't think the authors were able to figure it out, either. They really strain, in their descriptions, to link the individual projects to the accompanying paintings. They more or less succeeded in reproducing the color schemes, but the style of the jewelry, in terms of both design and materials, did not successfully evoke Impressionism.

The book starts with a four-page description of Impressionism, which felt like filler and maybe it was because there are only 12 projects in the book. And since this is supposed to be a project book, I suspect that most beaders are going to flip past this section to the projects, like I did.

The projects are primarily simplistic and aimed at beginning level beaders who are bead stringers rather than bead weavers. For example: a bead-strung lariat with a fringed bit for the focal point; a necklace composed of strung pearls, spacer beads, and seed beads; a brooch consisting of an agate donut with three bead-strung fringes dangling from it. There is also a loomwork picture that awkwardly attempts to replicate a painting.

The book does contain three more-involved beadwoven pieces. These consist of a very busy bracelet with (to me) not very attractive individual elements jumbled together; a bracelet consisting of three blue cabochons bezeled with crystal seed beads; and a necklace that comes closest to fulfilling the purpose of the book: a tubular herringbone necklace with a fringed peyote central section and a focal bead that is reminiscent of the leafy painting that was its inspiration. But this is hardly a new style of necklace -- there are plenty of designs out there resembling it -- so even if I found the color combination attractive enough to make it I don't know that I would.

I wish I didn't have to be so negative about this book because I badly wanted to like it. I had high hopes, both because of the concept and because these are accomplished designers. It was a major disappointment that they weren't able to come up with something better than these dozen uninspiring projects.

I love impressionist art and I am a beader. What a great book!! It shows different paintings with jewelry made to look like the picture. This is a "must have" for the artist/beader on your gift list.

The 19th century art movement, Impressionism, has a glorious beauty when viewed.. It is characterized by the distinctive style of the artists' brushstrokes. Additionally the frequent choice was to paint "en plein air (outside)" in order that the light of the sun and other aspects such as actual changing of time could be portrayed. Ordinary subjects and unusual angles were frequently employed.
I have many loves, and Impressionism is one of them. Those people who say "I don't know much about art but I know what I like!" usually, these days, DO recognize and like/love Impressionism. We cleave to it emotionally, from way inside. I could be talking through my hat. However this is something I believe and I think the prices paid by collectors for many of the Impressionists' paintings, when they appear, rarely, at the top auction houses, bear me out.
I was therefore VERY open to read this book, written by two top jewelry editors and authors, and to view their jewelry. Jean Campbell and Judith Durant have done something super fascinating: they have interpreted specific paintings by specific artists, each one explained first and then reinterpreted in beads and thread. This book,
Beadwork Inspired by Art
Impressionist
jewelry and accessories,
is, to put it simply, breathtaking both in concept and in execution. I love this book.
I think if you examine the cover you will see why I like this book so much. It is the "Landscape bracelet", after Vincent Van Gogh's "Landscape with Carriage and Train". How amazingly did the authors interpret this painting by Van Gogh! They essentially nailed it! I feel as if each one of the paintings which they chose has been equally as well defined and at times taken and brought to its essence. Successfully and movingly, frankly.

The authors begin by explaining why they chose to write this book and offer this homage to Impressionism. As a beader I deeply understand the desire to work with color, and then to challenge oneself by going beyond that to garner inspiration from painting or other artistic avenues. They discuss this and offer a list of Impressionist painters. They discuss their methods, what to expect, and then get on to the projects. Are they beautiful? Yes, they are! I strongly recommend this book. I believe there is not a single piece in this unique jewelry design book by Jean Campbell and Judith Durant which doesn't hit the nail on the head, grab the reader's attention, and, amazingly, encourage the reader to grasp more from the painting as well as the piece of jewelry inspired by it.

Projects from this book, which also offers a cool framed woven piece, which I particularly loved, and wish to point out were:
"The Banana Plantation Necklace", after a painting by Pierre August Renoir, which has mindblowing colors and an exuberance of branch fringe with a matching focal bead, all in the colors of the painting...greens, oranges, blues, topazes,--You are sooo there! It is great!
"Mango Woman Pendant", after a painting by Paul Gauguin, "Woman with a Mango", which offers a spare and lovely circlet of gold for the neckpiece, and a seed beaded spiral focal of a fabulous inky blue, finished with gold and a mango colored Swarovski briolette drop, with a matching drop at the back as well. This has the use of space which delights me as a designer.
"The Dancers in Blue Earrings", inspired by Degas' painting "Two Dancers in Blue" -- sweet blue seed bead earrings with Swarovski rounds which just flounce and enchant completely!

You owe it to yourself to get this book. If you are transported by the Impressionists, as I am, or just like really intelligent and really artistically creative projects, I believe you will find this book amazing.

This author's techniques are very straightforward and her directions are very easy to follow. Additionally, the photography in this book is excellent and really helps get the point across to the reader. I find it really helps when I am trying put my own spin on a project to have good photo's to refer to. I believe this is book is written so that crafty people can really create some great jewelry pieces that also reflect their own individual style and color preferences.