Heat, Color, Set & Fire: Surface Effects for Metal Jewelry by Mary Hettmansperger
This is another free book for review from Lark Crafts. Thanks, Lark! It is a large 8.5″ x 11″ book with gorgeous violet-lavender endpapers. In flipping through the tome, I noticed that earth tones dominate. Every once in a while there is a spark of color, which is used effectivelyl to catch the reader’s interest. I also noticed a lot of spiral motifs in the book.
After the introduction, which mostly sells the book and doesn’t introduce the author much, the book launches right into a section on materials (pg.8-27). This section is well illustrated and I particularly liked the subheading fonts. The section is also LONG and includes photos of items such as Liver of Sulfur, gloves and earplugs, disk cutter & punches, tripod for firing and a bench grinder. Interspersed with these scary looking tools are photos of jewelry, presumably to soften the blow for a new jeweler. 😉 The Basic Techniques section is also quite long (pg.29-51). Each part of the Basic Techniques section gives step by step instructions for creating a new texture or applying a technique and then shows an example of the end result. I am pleased the author and publisher thought it was worthwhile to document and illustrate these foundation sections so thoroughly.
There are 21 projects included, each spanning about 4 pages. Lots of illustrations and drawings are included with each project. Templates are frequently included as well and variations are shown in photos to spark creativity. I like the Colored Tin Collection project, the Mixed Metal Bracelet project, especially the variations, and the Orange Enamel Choker, though I might want to put the pendant on a different chain.
This seems to be a great book for adding texture to your metal projects.
