Recently, Sue wanted to study how bead choices affect a
design. She observed how changes in the
transparency of the beads and using matte or shiny finishes contribute to the effect
of a design.
Sue picked one of her favorite patterns – the Tapestry
Bracelet (click here to buy the pattern). The results are pretty
interesting.
Similarities
- All three bracelets are in the same general color family of teal-blue-green, with varying accents colors.
- The center rondelles in all three bracelets have
shiny, faceted surfaces.
Bracelet #1
- Medium color contrast; mix of matte and shiny
- Fire polish – Matte transparent
- Seed beads
- 11° – Matte half-covered transparent (Apollo finish)
- 8°
– Matte opaque
Bracelet #2
- High color contrast; all shiny surfaces
- Fire polish – Transparent (shiny)
- Seed beads
- 11° – Bronze-lined crystal, very shiny
- 8°
– Color-lined shiny
Bracelet #3
- Medium color contrast; matte or low-gloss surfaces
- Lentil shaped beads replace the fire polish used
in the other two bracelets, eliminating the outer loop of beads.
By making a few small changes, Sue created big differences in the final piece of jewelry. Consider what small changes you can make in your current project and how it can affect the total outcome.
