Bronze Beauty: Tips for Making Bronze Jewelry
I can remember when silver and gold were the only metal options you could find at any local craft store. While both metals are traditional, today there has been a shift towards different finishes: gun metal, copper, and bronze. Bronze has been the metal that has spoken to me this season, whispering of promise and endless beautiful combinations. It has been a material that's appeared in many of the fall necklaces I've made this year. The muted gold color feels idyllic to match with both cool hues and warmer fall colors alike.
If you’re worried about dappling with the metal rest easy; in this post we’ll dive into some ways that you can pair the metal with other components so you can create beautiful bronze jewelry
Color Theory
If you're shying away from using bronze because of the unique color, embrace it with these important color theory considerations that will help match bronze with the right complimentary colors. What stood out to me most was pairing the metal with cool blue hues, and based off this rule that makes complete and total sense.
If you want to work with this metal, cooler colors aren’t a bad idea; the metal pairs well with these. Pulling other warmer colors along the spectrum is also a good choice, especially colors that are incorporated with more yellow hues. As an ideal fall shade, bronze lends itself well to the cooler months.
Components to Incorporate
Not sure what will pair well with bronze? Good news; beads, leather, ribbon, all of these elements still look fabulous with this metal (just pick different hues). Gemstones are a great natural selection and I’ve found they look particularly striking with the yellow-colored metal.
Complimentary colored fabrics would also be a great selection for the metal. Weave fabric along in chain, or even tie it as an accent for a bracelet to make for a fun focal.
If you want to add different color elements, adding patinas or inks to brass is another great place to start. Brass holds color well, so these elements will have staying power without any extra work on your part.
Layer the Metal
The most successful designs that I made incorporating bronze came when I layered the elements together. Stacking two filigree components onto one another made for an excellent balanced pendant. I also matched some fashion chain with a filigree elements to create an asymmetrical design that truly showcased all of the brass beauty. Don’t be afraid to highlight the metal and showcase the different hues within a single design.
I hope this blog post gives you the ideas and inspiration you need to start making bronze jewelry. Opening the door to new inspirations is a great way to renew your love of jewelry making. Dare to be bold, to try new things, and to let your inspiration take you. That’s part of the fun about being creative.