Design Intuition

As long as I've been beading you would think that I would have certain design principles firmly on board.  I understand them in theory, I can even articulate the ones that appeal to me and why, but somehow I can't seem to always apply them without the aid of seeing them visually.

I for sure wanted to use these unfoiled fancy stones in an earring because I love the way the light flows through them and I wanted to bezel them in crystal which I did, and I was in love.  The bezel is one shown to me by Nancy Joseph and it worked out perfectly for these stones. I've previously dangled earrings from chain to swing from my earlobes and that was my plan, but any chain on hand was to fine for the size of the crystal so I beaded up some diamond weave to suspend them from and attached an ear wire.  Picture the photo below, but upside down with no drop on the bottom and a third diamond.

Here is where the design flaw became apparent….they were much too bottom heavy.  One would think I would have taken a photo for you to compare, but I didn't, sorry.  I got busy with turning them around, using the diamond weave that previously suspended them as a bottom accent and adding my favorite pave teardrops.  Now they are balanced and sparkly and very very fancy pants.  I will be wearing them over the holidays with black velvet and enjoying the glow as the light passes through the stone.

So it turns out I am more of an intuitive designer then one schooled in design principles which I can readily apply. I know, profound observation on my part.  I have to see the piece beaded and then I can recognize color and balance and engineering and all the rest that goes into good design.  But I just can't always see the design flaw coming.  When I think about it, it makes total sense that I design with components because I can visually arrange them all day long.