Customer Reviews

Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book on pre-order, but it's far from the book I expected or need. I don't want to start with rings--I need a good, solid book on how to wire wrap. The photos are of excellent quality, but there are few that don't assume you already know how to wire wrap in the first place. If it's not for beginners, say so, and don't spend two chapters on wire and tool basics! In fact, even the latter chapter isn't helpful--there are photos of tools that simply aren't covered in the print descriptions.

I wasn't thrilled with the designs, either. While technically well made, they are busy and overly complicated. I don't think there was a single item I would want to wear.

There are plenty of other how-to books available, and plenty of others offering pretty pictures of completed jewelry. At the time I ordered this book, I also purchased Wire Wrapping: The Basics and Beyond, by Jim McIntosh. Although some have criticized its black and white photos, they at least show how to do these projects, and the jewelry is exquisite. Less wire, more design!

I wish I had seen this book before I ordered pre-release. I have returned it.

It was my pleasure to receive and review this brand new book by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong, "WIREWORK An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping". Dale has a unique way of inspiring her readers and to challenge them new levels (yes, I am included in this group!) I would consider this book to be for the intermediate to advanced wire artist and it is packed with tips and step by step instructions for wonderful projects that you can build on and make your own. By using Dale's examples as a start point, you will soon be on your way to creating wonderful wearable works of art to collect or to sell.

Topics included in this book revolve around choosing the proper tools for the right result. Not all tools have to be bought. Using "found" items for shaping is completely acceptable. In staying with the traditional methods of wire wrapping that go back to the age of the pharaohs, no solder or glue is used. The wire does all the work and mixing tempers and shapes make anything possible! Dale takes you through 18 different projects all detailed with materials required and wonderful photos that take you through each step.

Dale's belief that you can be creative and think outside the box to create your unique style is supported by the level of detail in each project. She makes suggestions along the way and gives you the gentle guidance to make you feel like "Yes, I CAN do this!" I feel the support in her words and have worked up enough courage to give a try to projects just six months ago I would have been "afraid" to attempt.

I highly recommend this book to those artists that have a good baseline understanding of wire wrapping techniques and want to progress to the next level. The photos of the wonderful jewelry will inspire you to see what you can create. Just think, soon you'll be saying "Wow that wonderful design was hiding inside of me!" Thanks Dale!

Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping

To enjoy wire wrapping, and to not instantly recognize the name Dale "Cougar" Armstrong, is an impossibility. Wire wrapping, and the author of this lovely book, go hand in hand.


Ms. Armstrong's is a name we wire wrappers all respect and recognize.


Her beautiful, distinctive work is seen in many jewelry magazines, and demonstrated on DVDs as well. Additionally, she teaches all over the country.


Now she has a great new book out: WIREWORK, An Illustrated Guide to Wire Wrapping.


I have had the good fortune to read it, and it urges me to grab my wire of all sorts, my pliers and a bunch of my other tools, and get going on wrapping some wire, twisting some wire, and capturing some gorgeous stones and scrimshaw in frames of wire!




What Dale "Cougar" Armstrong does is so exuberant, and so full of fabulous energy, you will be inspired to try your hand at her style of wire wrapping, I guarantee! You will also understand to a greater degree than before what properties dead-soft wire, half-round wire, and square wire avail you. This is very helpful, at least it was to me. Along with the great explanation of the tools you will be requiring to create the pieces in the book, you've got a fine head start on making some gorgeous jewelry!




This great book is a "start to finish" course in how to wrap like Dale does. And trust me, you will want to give it a try, after just one glance at the ornate cabochon bracelet which is throwing off sparks of beauty on the book's cover. Incidentally, you may choose to use a different type of stone cab for your bracelet, but the cabochon stone which is shown is called "eudyalite". I thought I had seen it all, but, as they say, the author started out as a "rock hound", and the beautiful cab framed in this bracelet is an example of the exotic type of stone you just don't get to see in most jewelry design books. I would go to great lengths to obtain one like it, when trying to recreate this lovely piece. What a motivator! The rhodolite garnets the author chooses to use with it as accents really show it off wonderfully, as well. It's not the whole point, but it is a great example of how the author balances her love of wire (twisted, flat, in two colors, and also in tiny spirals ... all in this one piece: wow!) with her love of beautiful stones and focals. It is a stellar combination by this fine jewelry designer, teacher, and artist.


However, it is also great fun to see examples of the same bracelet made by different artists, using different stones. I loved that! Therefore, if you were to try making this bracelet with a different color cab entirely, you would have a whole different jewelry piece. This illustrates something which is good about this book, as well. Over and over, once you get the basics down, due to the solid teaching WIREWORK offers, you will see that you will keep learning more and more.




It all begins with that nicely photographed, easy to understand section which encompasses the wire and the list of the tools you will require. As you read along, WIREWORK stretches your knowledge to the point that ultimately you come to a major realization. What you realize is that potentially there is no limit to what you can achieve with your new-found skills in the art of wire wrapping. Possibly that is why Dale "Cougar" Armstrong has had such a solid following of students and devotees for many years. Maybe it is also why her pieces exude such life and energy. She clearly loves what she does! It's great to read a jewelry design book by an author whose boundless enthusiasm is so obvious, and whose expertise is so endlessly helpful.




I loved the rings she designs and the earrings are great! They hark back to jewelry which might have been worn thousands of years ago. That is one of the good things about basing your jewelry upon the classic use of your hands as the main tool, and then your choices of wire, and your selections of stones. Wire work has survived through the ages, and will live on as long as humans continue to love to decorate themselves with things of beauty. Dale "Cougar" Armstrong has done much to contribute to keeping the home fires burning in the sense that her designs and her level of teaching are of the highest quality. I can easily envision Babylonian princesses and Roman countesses wearing her jewelry! You will see what I mean if you view her "Freeform Orbit ring" or her "Gem Drop" earrings. Her pieces (and those of the artists also presented in this book) are, at the same time, right up-to-date. You get it all in WIREWORK!




Finally, there is a great gallery of jewelry pieces in WIREWORK to encourage the reader further, when the projects have been studied and poured over.




Note: If you haven't learned at least one new thing by the time you reach the gallery, I will eat my favorite pliers!




I totally enjoyed this fun and wonderful wire wrapping book, WIREWORK, by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong. She is a gem!

I love this book. While definately not a beginners book, which I knew going in, this book is an excellent book for expanding skills and helping artists think outside the box. Just browsing the pictures and using some of Dale's instructions I have already made several pieces that are "my own". This book really helped spark my creativity and prompts me to "play" with my designs. Word of caution - if you are a beginner and looking for a strict instruction book this is probably not the best "first" purchase, That being said if you are looking for a book to help you take your skills and designs to the next level you cannot go wrong in purchasing this book!

This is a really great step by step wire wrapping course for those of us who work better with pictures than videos. I found just the design I needed to wrap some opals for a friend. Now I just need to find the time to do it. I am a bead weaver and have experience with general wire wrapping (making loops and spirals) but wanted to learn more about stone setting with wire.

Dale "Cougar" Armstrong's long-awaited text on elegant wire jewelry making has just been released!
If you're a fan of Dale's classic style of fine-art jewelry, you've probably taken her workshops or read her previous books or numerous articles in magazines such as Art Jewelry, Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Jewelry Artist, Bead Unique, etc. She's a very popular teacher at all the major bead shows. And now she has a beautiful brand-new book.
Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping, is 128 pages of full-color photos and text describing in close-up detail how to make gorgeous wire jewelry in the traditional style. The author favors square and half-round wire in half-hard and spring-hard tempers. She uses precious gemstones, crystals, pearls, scrimshaw, and cabochons to make rings, bangles, earrings, bracelets, pendants, neck wires, and complete necklaces.
I am not personally familiar with this style of wire jewelry design, but after reading her manuel closely, I have come to two conclusions. First, this is not really a baby-beginner book on wire jewelry making. The projects are elegant and sophisticated, and some are quite advanced, requiring many steps to complete them--the finished results being well worth the effort. Second, you and I can do this! I really think we can, after reading this book.
Dale starts by providing a thorough introduction to the different types of wire that can be used to make jewelry, sharing her preferences and reasons behind them. She discusses the hand tools you'll need such as pliers, cutters, specialty tools like 3-step pliers, mandrels, even using an arken stone to file and polish the edge of your wire.
Chapter 2 covers rings: basics, sizing, and three very different designs with variations.
Chapter 3 features bracelets and bangles in Dale's signature style: very fine, elegant, sophisticated art for the wrist. (Take a look at the book's cover for inspiration!)
Chapter 4 introduces us to earrings, with chandelier-type, drop earrings with chains, and sparkly drop earrings that feature prong setting fine gemstones.
Chapter 5 features pendants and necklaces, my personal favorite being a wire-shaped fish pendant with a gorgeous black onyx cabochon. The book concludes with a pretty bonus project, the Filigree Flower, and a gallery of fine-art wire wrapped jewelry for further inspiration. You'll also find an index and resource guide.
I recommend Wirework to anyone interested in learning more about making the traditional style of wire wrapped fine jewelry. This book provides not only the excellent quality instruction that Dale "Cougar" Armstrong is known for, but plenty of inspiration as well. It's a classic!
--Sharilyn Miller, author of Contemporary Copper Jewelry

My all time favorite eye candy book, filled with ideas. There is a nice bracelet tutorial with pretty good instructions, but I'd recommend getting Linda Chandler's 'Wire Wrapping' first for a thorough understanding of the techniques needed--then you would be ready for the advanced work this book shows and you go girl!!
I think Amazon ought to offer them together--they so nicely compliment each other. But novice or not, this is a terrific book for ideas!

I have always loved wire wrapping as a hobby, as well as a way to bring in extra income, BUT this book has enabled me to take my skills as a wire wrapper to an entirely different level, as well as given me many new projects to do! This book is a must buy for anyone that is either ALREADY WRAPPING, OR INTERESTED IN LEARNING. IF THE BOOK IS TOO ADVANCED FOR YOU, IT WILL DEFINATLY BE ONE THAT YOU WILL SAVE AND KEEP READING AND USING FOR IDEAS, OR PRACTICING SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO ONE OF THE PROJECTS. WHETHER YOUR A BEGINNER OR AN ADVANCED WIRE WRAPPER, OR SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW IS, IT IS A MUST READ BOOK...

Beautiful designs with easy to follow directions. These are designs I would buy to wear myself. All of Dale Armstrongs books and DVDs are easy to follow. Many wire wrap designs are for the VERY young. These are classic and timeless, always with a delicate appearance, these are very sturdy and will last a lifetime. SC

This is a great book in my opinion. This book assumes you already know the basics of wire wrapping, which I do. I am very happy with this book.