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How do I become a professional jewelry designer?

****what must i do to become a Jewelry Designer?****?

  • i'm a college student and i'm considering to major in Art because i'm very interested in designing in jewelry. i don't know what i should do in order to become a jewelry designer and work at a individual company like the Tiffany's, Robinson's Bro and such. Do i need to get a degree or do i need to go to a trade school?! i have no idea on this field and i really, really, and really want to know. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS! do i get a master's or graduate's from a college (i go to CSULB)? thanks for your info if you guys know anything abou it ;)

  • Answer:

    If you want to work for a company such as Tiffany's then you should be more aimed towards technical skills than art. The Alan Revere Academy in San Francisco is a top notch technical school, and the GIA in California and New York offer design/bench jeweler certification as well as certification in gemology, and they are the most recognized association/cert in the jewelry buisiness. I highly recommend getting your certification in gemology as well as jewelry design if you are going after the top companies. There is a good market for art jewelry too, which is a completely different education route. Many art jewelers have BFA degrees in art and often continue on to get there MFA in metalsmithing/jewelery, which is usually a two or three year program and allows you to expand your skills as well as grow as an artist. Art jewelers, who usually work for themselves and might have a small team of workers to help them, most often sell through art galleries and fine crafts shows. They may design one of a kind pieces, and/or have a production line of unique jewelry. Just something to consider. But if you are set on working for a large and established company like Tiffany's you are going to need as much experience and training as possible. Once you start learning some skills an apprenticeship is always a great idea. Take as many classes as you can, there are many great short workshops offered all over the US, the Revere Academy always have workshops going on, and Haystack Mountain in Deer Isle Maine and Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina are great places to take summer classes, they always have interesting jeweler's that are well respected in their field. Go talk to a career counselor at your school! Does your college even have a jewelry department? p.s technical schools are intensive training and often expensive, as you pay for tools and supplies as well as tuition, most are 6 days a week all day for about 9 months. Large jewelry companies are relying more on the computer for designing, which may appeal to you (but not to me!) If you are interested in art jewelry at all, pick up American Craft and Metalsmith magazine at the bookstore and see what art jeweler's are doing.

cherryta... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Talk to your college professors and get their advice. Go to local jewelry shops that make custom design and get their advice. Here is what I found on the web. JEWELRY DESIGNERS Every ring, every watch, every piece of jewelry was first imagined by someone who then transferred the concept to paper or wax and then to metal and stone. That someone was a designer. Designers may create complete lines of jewelry or watches for manufacturing houses or individual pieces for themselves or their customers. Jewelry designers prepare sketches—by hand or with the aid of a computer—to illustrate the vision for the design. After consulting with the customer or manufacturing development team, designers fashion detailed drawings, a structural model, computer simulations, or a full-scale prototype. Many increasingly are using computer-aided design (CAD/CAM) programs and tools to create and better visualize the final product. Computer models allow greater ease and flexibility in exploring a number of design alternatives, thus reducing design costs and cutting the time it takes to deliver a product to market. Jewelry designers also use computer-aided design tools to create machine-readable instructions that communicate directly with automated production machines which create a wax model or metal mold. Training for jewelry designers may include art classes through technical schools, along with computer-aided jewelry design training in specific software packages. Usually, programs run from one semester to two years in length, depending on the number of software packages involved. A practical knowledge of the properties of metals and stones is necessary for the successful jewelry designer. When choosing a school, ask what specific CAD/CAM programs for the jewelry industry are being taught, if the courses are taught in a lab setting (the more lab time the better), the length of the overall program, and if other jewelry-related programs are offered. EMPLOYMENT There are many more jobs in all areas of the jewelry industry than there are personnel to fill them. Many are highly mobile positions and skilled workers can still practice their trade wherever they choose to live. Manyin the industry are self-employed and do trade work for accounts all over the country. With express mail services, distance to work is no longer the issue it once was. Opportunities in jewelry stores and repair shops will be best for graduates from jeweler and gemologist training programs. These traditional jewelry venues have the advantage in that customer relationships are based on trust. Many people prefer to work directly with an individual who will ensure that the product is of the highest quality and meets their specifications. Local goldsmith Mary Ann Buis offers advice to those with designs on a career in the craft. In Europe, gold and silversmithing is seen more as a profession -- consider training there for a career, although there are courses in Canada. Check out jewelry design at George Brown College in Ontario, at www.gbrownc.on.ca In Vancouver, consider jewelry art and design at Vancouver Community College, at www.vcc.ca When it comes to training, gold and silversmith doesn't refer to the metals being worked on. Goldsmithing involves smaller objects like jewelry and silversmithing is working on large pieces, like bowls and other items. When building the business, start slowly, don't overextend. Pay your bills and you'll earn the goodwill of suppliers. Listen to your clients, you are working for them.

redunicorn

love jewellery

Memoimon

widen your creativity and pursue your studies in an artschool. It would really help you broaden your talent. If you can, while studying try to build contacts and make credentials that will help you achieve your goals. KEEP ON DESIGNING! You never know when oppotunity knocks! GOODLUCK!!! ^___^

Kawaii

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