By Daniel Turbin
One of the most complex and tricky aspects of bead craft is the idea of patterning. The human eye reflexively seeks out & identifies patterns, and our brains are designed to parse data in tiny, easily ordered chunks. Therefore, the reason telephone numbers, social security numbers, and the like are broken into smaller chunks: 555-1212 vs. 5551212.
Oftentimes, a novice to the world of beadwork will be tempted to just use whatever is on hand, and the results will be haphazard randomness. Now, it is true that this approach can sometimes yield attractive results. There's, however, a growing body of proof indicating that symmetry and identifiable patterns are one of the keys to defining what we see and understand as "beauty." A student of bead craft would do fine to take these lessons to heart, which brings us back 'round to the significance of patterning as it relates to your beadwork.
Oftentimes, a novice to the world of beadwork will be tempted to just use whatever is on hand, and the results will be haphazard randomness. Now, it is true that this approach can sometimes yield attractive results. There's, however, a growing body of proof indicating that symmetry and identifiable patterns are one of the keys to defining what we see and understand as "beauty." A student of bead craft would do fine to take these lessons to heart, which brings us back 'round to the significance of patterning as it relates to your beadwork.
Beadwork patterns might be as simple or as multifaceted as you would care to make them, though I would recommend less complicated designs for the novice, with increasing difficulty as an usual extension of experience. And don't think that a simple pattern will produce unattractive results! The easiest pattern of all is 1-1-1, best embodied by the classic strand of pearls. Easy. Stylish. Enduring.
Still, many people get into bead craft as a form of self expression, and one of the methods that expression manifests itself in the hobby is through the magic of the pattern.
Many people (both beginners and experts in the bead craft world) spend hours upon hours experimenting with arrangements until they hit upon something that's really compelling. More general though, especially to those new to beadwork, is a feeling of intimidation. This is unfortunate, but the overwhelming majority of hobbyists will outgrow that fear as they achieve more bead craft experience.
Still, if you have recently taken up beadwork as a hobby and find yourself struggling with the complexity of developing your own patterns, you can find a lots of web sites on the web offering bead craft pattern ideas and examples. Make use of these in your designs, and before very long, you will probably find yourself thinking, "I like this pattern, but would not it be neat if..." and almost before you know it, you will be on your way to creating your own, wholly exclusive beadwork.
Anybody can, in a matter of minutes, learn the basic mechanics of bead craft, but the real artistry, and the part that takes longer to mast
Still, many people get into bead craft as a form of self expression, and one of the methods that expression manifests itself in the hobby is through the magic of the pattern.
Many people (both beginners and experts in the bead craft world) spend hours upon hours experimenting with arrangements until they hit upon something that's really compelling. More general though, especially to those new to beadwork, is a feeling of intimidation. This is unfortunate, but the overwhelming majority of hobbyists will outgrow that fear as they achieve more bead craft experience.
Still, if you have recently taken up beadwork as a hobby and find yourself struggling with the complexity of developing your own patterns, you can find a lots of web sites on the web offering bead craft pattern ideas and examples. Make use of these in your designs, and before very long, you will probably find yourself thinking, "I like this pattern, but would not it be neat if..." and almost before you know it, you will be on your way to creating your own, wholly exclusive beadwork.
Anybody can, in a matter of minutes, learn the basic mechanics of bead craft, but the real artistry, and the part that takes longer to mast
Many people (both beginners and experts in the bead craft world) spend hours upon hours experimenting with arrangements until they hit upon something that's really compelling. More general though, especially to those new to beadwork, is a feeling of intimidation. This is unfortunate, but the overwhelming majority of hobbyists will outgrow that fear as they achieve more bead craft experience.
Still, if you have recently taken up beadwork as a hobby and find yourself struggling with the complexity of developing your own patterns, you can find a lots of web sites on the web offering bead craft pattern ideas and examples. Make use of these in your designs, and before very long, you will probably find yourself thinking, "I like this pattern, but would not it be neat if..." and almost before you know it, you will be on your way to creating your own, wholly exclusive beadwork.
Anybody can, in a matter of minutes, learn the basic mechanics of bead craft, but the real artistry, and the part that takes longer to master, is learning the art of patterning. My suggestion to beginners would be simply this: Try developing bead craft patterns on your own, but don't force it. If it is something you're struggling with, seek out bead craft resource sites on the web for pattern ideas and practice with those. Sooner or later, something will "click" inside your head, and you will find yourself branching out in your own direction.
Patience and practice. These are the real keys to mastering the craft, and coming up with original, innovative beadwork.
About the Author:
Still, if you have recently taken up beadwork as a hobby and find yourself struggling with the complexity of developing your own patterns, you can find a lots of web sites on the web offering bead craft pattern ideas and examples. Make use of these in your designs, and before very long, you will probably find yourself thinking, "I like this pattern, but would not it be neat if..." and almost before you know it, you will be on your way to creating your own, wholly exclusive beadwork.
Anybody can, in a matter of minutes, learn the basic mechanics of bead craft, but the real artistry, and the part that takes longer to master, is learning the art of patterning. My suggestion to beginners would be simply this: Try developing bead craft patterns on your own, but don't force it. If it is something you're struggling with, seek out bead craft resource sites on the web for pattern ideas and practice with those. Sooner or later, something will "click" inside your head, and you will find yourself branching out in your own direction.
Patience and practice. These are the real keys to mastering the craft, and coming up with original, innovative beadwork.
About the Author:
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