If you are serious about beading, then you must have an eye for color. The color scheme you choose for your jewelry making project will determine style and tone. Selecting the right color combination isn’t always easy but it is necessary to create bead jewelry that is guaranteed to draw attention.
Warm Colors vs. Cool Colors
A safe route to take when traveling through the land of colored beads is to work with a warm or cool color scheme. Warm colors include rich red, brown, orange, gold and in-between shades that have a fiery quality to them. Wood, gold and bronze beading supplies work well with this type of color scheme.
Cool color schemes will feature beading supplies in blue, violet and green. Stainless steel and silver findings usually work best with cool colors. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can combine warm and cool elements, but do so with caution.
The Color Wheel is a Bead Jewelry Maker’s Best Friend
There are a few ways to apply the color wheel to your jewelry making work. Complementary color schemes tend to have a unique energy to them and feature two colors that present a high contrast. These are found by pairing a color with the one directly across from it on the color wheel. A similar approach can be used to create triadic color schemes, which feature three colors in a triangle position.
If you want to set a mood with your bead jewelry, then try analogous color schemes. This type features colors that sit beside one another on the wheel. Analogous colored beads will maintain the same tone and can help you capture the personality of the piece more deeply. If you aren’t interested in color variation, then try monochromatic beading supplies. This type of color scheme favors a single hue in different shades.
Trust Your Creative Instincts
Whether you have been beading for years or are just starting out, you have creative instincts that can help you choose colors. Rely on them and you will improve as a bead artist. Take a moment to view a color scheme as it will appear in the finished piece. If something doesn’t feel right, you may need to change your chosen palette. Don’t worry, the more you practice the better you will become at identifying the most stunning color combinations for your beading projects!