What you’ll learn in this episode:   How Ukraine’s built landscape has inspired Inesa’s designs Why sketching jewels and gemstones is uniquely challenging, and which techniques can make this process easier What Inesa’s students learn through Draw Me a Jewel classes Why technical and material innovation is essential for any jewelry brand that wants to last How the ability to draw jewelry can help a designer expand and communicate their ideas   About Inesa Kovalova   Coming from the architectural background, Inesa Kovalova started her career in jewelry with an internship in Van Cleef and Arpels and then worked for international fine and high jewelry companies. Driven by the recent challenges of the luxury industry, Inesa moves on to create jewelry reflecting our life today.   Art, design and architecture inspired, Inesa's jewelry explores the relationships between material, craftsmanship and design. Her pieces range from re-defined precious classics to contemporary 3d printed art jewels.   She is also the founder of Draw Me a Jewel, a jewelry illustration school and community for professionals and jewelry enthusiasts. Since launching online in 2020, more than 500 students all over the world have taken her courses. Inesa also teaches at Central Saint Martins, the Victoria and Albert museum in London and DiVA museum in Antwerpen. Additional Resources: Inesa’s Website Inesa’s Linker.ee Inesa’s Instagram   Photos Available on TheJewelryJourney.com   Transcript: A jewelry designer doesn’t have to draw to create beautiful jewels—but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The ability to render gems and jewelry before creating them can help designers communicate ideas, market their brand, and show clients one-of-a-kind pieces before they’re finalized. That’s the idea behind Draw Me a Jewel, a jewelry illustration school founded by designer Inesa Kovalova. She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about jewelry illustration techniques; why the definition of high jewelry should expand; and how her Ukrainian heritage inspires her architectural designs. Read the episode transcript here.    Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the first part of a two-part episode. Please make sure you subscribe so you can hear part two as soon as it’s released later this week.    Today, I’m pleased to welcome Ukrainian jewelry designer Inesa Kovalova. In addition to her innovative designs, which clearly demonstrate her training as an architect, she’s also the founder of Draw Me a Jewel, a school that teaches jewelry illustration. She has worked and studied at some of the most well-known names in jewelry around the world. Inesa, we’re so glad to have you today.   Inesa: Thank you, Sharon. It’s a pleasure to talk to you. I love your podcast a lot. That’s the complete truth.   Sharon: This is a little different today, but we’re managing. Tell us about your jewelry journey.   Inesa: I feel like I’m still in a journey. It’s still a process. I’m Ukrainian, and I was born and raised in a small town in the eastern part of Ukraine, Kramatorsk. It’s far away from where I’ve been. When I think about my jewelry journey, it feels like a time lapse. I’m remembering some moments, like me working in a small jewelry enterprise in Kramatorsk. Then five years goes in a blink, and I remember myself being in Paris. Then I have another blink that brings me to London. In a few blinks, I arrive where I am now.   Sharon: Does everybody ask you about the fact that you’re Ukrainian? How do you feel about that?   Inesa: Nowadays, I’m asked a lot about this. Of course, I am Ukrainian, and I have my family and friends there. I’m constantly following the news and trying to help as much as I can these days.   Sharon: When did you know you wanted to become a jeweler? Were you artistic when you were younger? You’re young now, but—   Inesa: I started in art school. It’s a funny story. I definitely had no talent in music, so my parents brought me to drawing sch