Found object

I had found this gorgeous piece of metal in the scrap bin in the studio, so naturally, I captured it. This semester, one of our assignments was to make a piece with a found object in it, which is something that really interests me. I am attracted to the idea of making jewelry with unusual object other than stones and pearls, etc.

I am still not totally sure of what metals this piece contains but I am still extremely attracted to it. I made a frame and bands to turn this beauty into a ring. Organic shape but left with a satin finish. Kind of a weird one but I like strange things! Metal upon metal with many colors for contrast. 

Good Vs. Evil

My pendant that involved a ram's horn vs. an angels wing reflects my theme from this semester: Good vs. Evil.
A technique called Chasing and Repoussé allows for one to achieve many shapes in sheet metal.

This photo is a progress shot but I was probably nearing 90% complete at this point. Group discussion later confirmed I was not done yet because the pendant is too heavy for the chain, which I agree with. 

One thing I learned about while creating chain was that it must reflect the pendant and if it doesn't, the balance can be off which causes the viewer to be interrupted from the design. 

So remember, the chain and the pendant are as one, so create them in unity!

Sterling Silver Locket with Cabochon

Final photos of the locket, unfortunately they're not professional pictures, however the details are still visible. The chain is mixed metal (Sterling silver & Copper), I chose copper to work with the sterling because the rosy pink/orange color of the copper reflects the same color in the Agate cabochon.

The chain is, in fact, very comfortable and I would like to experiment with it some more. I like that it has a lot of movement, its visibly pleasing as well as cold connecting, meaning it did not require heat (except to ball the ends of each wire). This piece is alive, and I enjoy that because the main shape on the pendant is an angels wing.

Progress shot!! Volume II

Here is another progress shot from my Sterling Silver locket..

I trimmed the edges to reflect the shape of the soldered pieces. I added piercings which will soon be decorative shapes on this locket. The chain I plan on making out of cold connections using classic techniques of piercing and forging.
This project is all about mechanisms therefore I will focus on it, In the mean time I will make a lid, set the stone and make the chain. I have been having fun making chains, once you realize all of the possibilities it can end up being very exciting.

Progress Shot!

Here is a progress photograph of a locket I was working on. It is a smaller piece and I chose to use 22 gauge sterling silver. I enjoyed crafting this piece because it is complicated and functional. It will have a rivet which will hold the lid onto the box chamber but you cannot see that yet in this photo.

I really like the detail in this photo because it was fresh out of the pickle and some of the cleaned oxidation looks like patina. The blue and black will not remain, seeing as there is a lot more to do to this piece and also a lot of clean up at the end.

I always say order of process is really important because if you plan correctly in the beginning than you will have less to do & learn in the end. I was especially happy to make a bezel and eventually set a stone because I had had agate for a different piece but did not end up using it, so I put it on this locket. 

Professional photography

Professional photography is crucial. It could possibly be the factor that determines if you've got a job or not. If the photos of your work aren't taken seriously then you won't be taken seriously! Plus, when its photographed correctly it can do a lot for your pieces by making them look good.

These images required a high quality digital camera, proper lighting, a light diffuser and photo paper. Often two people working together is the most beneficial option because of all the equipment being used. 

Samples, samples, samples!

This is my sample shape. It is supposed to be similar to a rams horn but at this point I'm exploring the tools. I hammered too hard on my lining tool so now the lines are ridges but it is ok because samples are for practice.     
     Another thing I should mention is that when you're making your tools you must think of the shapes and spaces you want to achieve. During my sample process I ended up filing some of my tools more to make the shape of them more desirable to accomplish maximum design technique. I softened the tip of my lining tool as well as easing up on the pressure being used. I also filed my tear drop chasing tool more sharply to get into tiny corners.

Smelly pitch!

All the pitch has been broken down into tiny chunks to be melted.. it takes a few hours for this whole process which surprised me. Be patient because the pitch will be in its bowl forever once you get it in there so it is worth it!
     When the pitch is hot and goopy, the metal gets laid down on top. Now the first thing I did was hammer the outline of my design into the metal using the lining tool. When I did my first sample, I realized I was hammering too hard because the lining tool is sharp and does not need a lot of pressure.
     For something like this, it is crucial to make a sample first (obviously) because I learned a lot about my mistakes and what needed to be changed before starting the final piece.

Product Placement

   For my Chasing and Repoussé project, I have purchased pine pitch which is resin, when heat applied it melts which allows for a soft surface that can be hammered on. The pitch was from www.riogrande.com and the heat gun is from any hardware store.
   Chasing and Repoussé is a great way to achieve 3d texture and expression without casting and in a fairly quickly way. It is very toxic and must be done in an area with a lot of ventilation. 

This photo above shows the pitch chunks (the brown color) are in paper in plastic bags. It can't be heated all at once, so to break it up, it must be in many layers of paper and or plastic and then I smashed it on the floor, kind of like you would smash ice up in a bag. It is expensive so if you choose to do this make sure you have at least five or six layers of plastic so that you don't lose any of the material.

Twinkle is great especially If you need to clean a large piece of metal! It's old school and reliable. To be honest I took this picture because I love the label. I have an eye for retro and this label attracted me from across the studio which I thought was funny. 

That's some fine brass!

Four rings soldered, then I will solder rings to eachother. I stretched them 1/2 size larger than the actual fitted ring size to allow movement between fingers during wear. Next I will cut design out of brass and solder the four rings to that piece. Obviously during this simple operation it is necessary to keep track of solder grade (hard to medium to easy last).
     Can't wait to polish it up using my favorite Zam compound with mini buffing wheels! !
Zam Compound to purchase today! 

Side work

As a busy person, I do not normally do commissioned pieces (yet), however when friends request easier projects I cannot say no. One if my favorite side projects to do are 2-4 finger rings out of brass. They're fun and easy and I love to high polish when they're complete.
     One thing I learned about rings that are soldered together, they have to be bigger than your usual ring size because there needs to be movement between the fingers for the ring to be comfortable. I enjoy wearing mine, I did not think I would like the way it feels but they're not bad at all! Another thing about brass is that for the first couple of wears it turns skin green but I wear brass everyday and it stops after a while.

Steel Tools

Steel tools in the making, it is tough to file them down but worth it. Different techniques work for different tools, but all must be filed, sanded and polished to achieve full effect. Although it is tedious to file them down, it is relaxing to me because it isn't incredibly complicated.
For chasing and repoussé, the tools must have variety because different spaces need certain tools. At the end of this process I have made 5 tools, one lining tool for the smaller, sharper spaces and shapes, two chasing tools and two planishing tools. Planishing is my favorite technique because it is the last step to finish the copper by tapping the surface lightly, leaving a very pleasing, sparkly finish. 

Make a model first...

Although at the time it feels pointless, I always like to form a clay model because you might discover information about the shapes that could change the outcome of the piece. I used plasticine clay provided by my studio at Buffalo State College, I formed the horn wing and realized when finished my proportions could be cut in half.

This model is probably 6" by 6." This is a chest piece/pendant so the proportions could be cut to half the size, however I think I made the clay model bigger because it is harder to work on details when the size is large. I also realized there are a couple of points in this design, which when working with metal, sharp edges can be dangerous. If time was not a factor, I would have made several clay models to ensure the proper execution of the final copper piece. 

Spring 2015

Hello! Starting off this Spring season working on a Chasing and Respoussé project. My theme this semester revolves around "Good vs. Evil." For research I started with the Story of Lucifer and how he became evil. It is hard to limit research for me because once I start, it is hard to stop. I gather enough of an idea and then I begin my sketches a.s.a.p.

My understanding of Lucifer was that he was so good he became better than God, which turned him into an evil being because he became ultimately superior than the  being who created him. So my simplistic understanding of this was good vs. evil. I ended up developing an angels wing that turns into an evil horn, or a Rams horn type of figure. Sketching helps develop ideas, they are the most important recipe to executing the final piece.