Bead Craft - Easy Ways To Obtain Excellent Thoughts
No matter which of the multitude of beading ideas I am pursuing, I regard patterning as the single most critical aspect of the hobby. A good pattern can cover a multitude of other bead craft design sins, and good crafters will spend lots of time fiddling with their patterns to get them just right.
In this article, I will take a brief look at 2 sources of inspiration for your bead craft ideas that you might not have thought of. Consider this an experiment in cross discipline thinking, and it is my hope that when you read these words, your mind will immediately start turning on the subject, and a whole boatload of OTHER thoughts will fall into your lap. Even if that does not happen though, this is still a ward against the bead craft equivalent of "writer's block." So here goes:
Poetry
Any poem that's not free verse has a rhyme and meter to it. Haiku's structure is 5-7-5. Iambic pentameter has its individual rhythm, and so forth. There're a multitude of rhythms to select from, and inspiration is as close as your nearest volume of poetry.
Take the haiku example. You could build a pattern around the haiku rhythm, 5-7-5. An arrangement of five beads. A different arrangement of seven, and then back to five. Go over this around your necklace (or bracelet, or whatever) and you will have designed a "haiku bead craft necklace."
Or if your favorite poem is consists of funky rhythm like
a-b-b-a
b-c-c-b
c-d-d-c
(repeat)
You could organize a bead craft pattern around that (every letter represents a different component) to striking effect. And, your bead craft project will have an interesting story surrounding it!
Sheet Music
Another excellent source for inspiration to enhance your bead craft projects is sheet music. Assign one bead component to each note and place according to whatever song you choose.
As you please, either ignore sharps and flats or add completely new bead craft ideas elements for them. Start with something simple. Design a "Mary had a little lamb" necklace, playing with the elements until you are happy with the results. Again, an off beat way of looking at the subject of patterning that can enrich the execution of your bead craft ideas in unexpected methods!
*Note: You'll probably just prefer to focus on one line of the sheet music in your bead craft project, lest you make something much too big to be usable! Also note that pattern and medium can, and often will, influence each other! What may work well with semi-precious stones might not be as viable with a wood/metal mix, so there's definitely a bit of experimentation involved! The main thing, regardless of where your inspiration comes from, or what form it ultimately takes, is to stick with it! Persistence and experimentation will must win the day!