Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World (Jewelry Crafts) [Paperback]

Cris Dupouy (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jewelry Crafts | Publication Date: September 1, 2001

Part how-to manual and part-museum tour, this book presents 35 works of art, paintings and relics from the 7th century BC to the 20th century, and shows readers how to make their own versions of the jewellery that can be seen in the artwork. It provides step-by-step instructions and uses common art supplies and everyday household objects. A brief description of each painting is followed by instructions and diagrams showing how to create the jewelry.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This beautifully illustrated guide for making jewelry is based on pieces dating from c.700 B.C.E. to 1960 C.E. as found in museums throughout the world. The step-by-step projects generally use polymer clay and glass or semiprecious stones. Of course, nobody will mistake gold-painted clay for real gold, but the finished pieces retain the rather chunky, mystical appeal of ancient jewelry. Charlemagne's talisman and Lucrezia Borgia's pendant are unlike anything made today. Each project offers a color photograph of the original as well as the finished copy. Medieval reenactors and fantasy enthusiasts will love this book. Recommended for public libraries.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

After studying linguistics and after numerous years of teaching speech classes in art schools, Cris Dupouy began making her own jewelry. Her designs caught the eye of fashion designers as well as the Musee de l'Opera and the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, who have commissioned her jeweled creations. Her favorite themes archaeology, primitivism, and Baroque art intertwine to give her jewelry a timeless look. She lives in Paris.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810990512
• ISBN-13: 978-0810990517
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #667,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great even for a total beginner (like me!), December 15, 2001

By 

Gwen Kramer "gwenhwyvar" (Sunny and not-so-sunny California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World (Jewelry Crafts) (Paperback)

I enjoy ren-fairs and I love old style jewelry. This book was an impulse buy entirely. I have no experience with clay (beyond the flour clay I had as a kid) and none with jewelry making.

I bought some clay and today I tried the simple pendant near the end of the book. It turned out beautifully! The author's simple advice and step-by-step instructions were a great help. The clear photographs helped me to see what I was doing.

All of the pieces in the book can be basically broken down into just a few shapes: the main shape, small balls of clay and spaghetti like strands used to simulate filigree. The pieces are modeled in black polymer clay and painted with patina which makes them look antique with very little effort.

If you like the raw look of ancient jewelry, or if you want to broaden your artistic horizens, this book will be a help and an inspiration. I am excited and can't wait to try another piece.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No longer a beginner but still a fan, March 18, 2002

By 

Gwen Kramer "gwenhwyvar" (Sunny and not-so-sunny California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World (Jewelry Crafts) (Paperback)

I wrote an initial review of this book when I had never worked with polymer clay before. In the few months that have passed, I have gotten pretty excited about the medium and have a few varied projects under my belt. Which means this book is worthless, right?

Wrong! This book is still quite an inspiration to me. I love the way the author blends stones and clay for an affect all her own. While such stones and jade and rose quartz can be simulated to near perfection with clay but rubies and emeralds and such must still be replicated with glass and semi precious stones since even the transparent clay is relatively opaque.

This is most certainly a book for people who enjoy and can pull of chunkier, ancient looking jewelry and if you fit into this category I am certain this book will appeal. If you taste runs toward cute jewelry or more delicate stuff, there are plenty of polymer clay books that will fill your needs. This book is also ideal for rennaissance fair junkies, and people who need specialized ancient looking jewelry.

One element I really enjoy about this book is the collection of pictures that show where the author got her inspiration. (many are paintings from the Louvre) So, you're really getting two books in one, a light art book and an instruction book.

As to painting, the way I like to add a metallic look to black clay (after comapring many different instructions) is to dust it with powder and then add highlights with metallic wax. Both items are easily available.

If you fit the profile of someone who would read this book, give it a try. If it isn't to your taste, shop around for another book and enjoy the wonderful medium of polymer clay.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, beautiful projects!, September 30, 2001

By 

ArtWay (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry: Taking Inspiration from Great Museums Around the World (Jewelry Crafts) (Paperback)

Ways to imitate metal and gem stones to create the pieces of jewelry shown in famous paintings.... the cover shows only a hint of how wonderfully authentic the pieces are. And there are step by step instructions for so many of them!

The instructions and illustrations seem to be easy to follow, and I'm hoping to re-create a bunch of the pieces shown.

Really nice addition to my library.