April 2016 Blog Carnival - Repeating Designs vs One of a Kind

Another month has flown by and the Jewelry Artisans Community Community April Blog Carnival is upon us.  This month's topic is whether or not we prefer to repeat designs or create one of a kind jewelry.  My answer is:  Both!

When a designer comes up with a design that is pleasing to the eye, comfortable to wear and that can be made over and over again within a reasonable amount of time, it makes sense to create  more than one.  Those are what I think of as the "bread and butter" of a jewelry line.  People like them, they sell well and are profitable.   They can also be changed up by using different gemstones, bead colors or types of metal giving each one it's own look.

This is a repetitive design that can be changed by using different colors of leather and different bead colors.

This is a fun, repetitive design that I have made in many different colors of wire.

I also find that these kind of repetitive designs are very helpful when I find myself in a creative slump.  Just the act of sitting down and making a familiar design is often all it takes to awaken the sleeping muse, spark creativity and inspire new ideas.

However, let's not confuse repeating a design with assembly line production.  Nothing bores me faster than having to repeat the same thing over and over and over with no end in sight.  It's mind numbing.  But, to have some things that are "go to" popular designs - sure, why not?

My miniature paintings are one of a kind.  I rarely repeat the same subject and if I do, it's in a different setting or pose.  They take a long time to create and are labor intensive which also makes them among my most expensive items.  Creating them is something I enjoy immensely and I think one of the things that makes them special is that they are one of a kind.

Because I use my own original miniature paintings paired with unique vintage settings that are not readily available in mass quantities, the person wearing one of these designs can rest assured that they have the only one on earth.  That's a pretty powerful thought and one that the people who buy my painted pendants like.

While wire wrapping or weaving uses some standard techniques, it can also be one of a kind when using irregular stones which demand a one of a kind solution.  These are fun to create and I never know how they are going to turn out until they are finished.

Other times, a design turns out to be one of a kind because the designer only has one of the components used in the item.  I enjoy these types of projects.  They start out fun because finding the unique component is a bit like coming across treasure and creating the design is something you know won't be repeated.

In closing, I believe that repeated designs and one of a kind designs each have their own place in a jewelry designer's world.   There is a market for both, and for the designer, both of these things is what keeps their skills sharp and their ideas fresh.

To see what the other participants in this months blog carnival have to say on the subject, please click on the links below:

Violetmoon's Corner

Cat's Wire

Echoes of Ela