After completing the bracelet for my aunt, I began work on my grandmother’s inspired piece. Interestingly, she requested a colour palette of black, red, and white, the same colours I had used in my art inspired bracelet. This combination seems popular and versatile, suggesting that it could become a central theme for future collections. However, my grandmother’s piece had a unique requirement, the white beads needed to be minimal, shifting the primary focus to black and red. My initial challenge was finding enough red beads, as previous projects had significantly reduced my supply. I chose to work with two shades of red, which turned out to be an exciting opportunity to experiment with new tonal combinations and see how different shades impact the design.
To make my grandmother’s bracelet unique, I decided to incorporate gold shiny spacer beads. This would set it apart from other red and black designs and add an elegant touch. My goal was to keep the design bold with the darker colours, allowing the light red and minimal white beads to stand out strategically. The gold spacers added a touch of sophistication, creating a warm contrast to the darker tones and drawing attention to the individual red beads. This balance gave the bracelet an elegant feel that felt fitting for someone with my grandmother’s classic taste.
As the bracelet came together, I noticed an unexpected effect, the combination of red and gold gave the piece a royal quality, almost like a crown’s colours. This was an inspiring moment, as I hadn’t initially set out to design a regal piece. The design began to feel like a tribute, blending classic colour symbolism with subtle accents that would appeal to my grandmother’s tastes. It was a rewarding experience, demonstrating that inspiration can emerge from the work itself, even after the planning stage has ended.
CONCLUSION
This project has opened up new creative avenues for me, showing me the potential of layering shades and adding metallic elements to give familiar colour schemes a fresh look. Working on this bracelet reminded me of the evolving nature of design. Sometimes, a project will reveal its true inspiration only after it’s complete. I look forward to building on this discovery, integrating this approach into future projects, and expanding my design palette while staying true to each unique inspiration.
