Showing posts with label my work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my work. Show all posts
Dumb Art
I'm enjoying myself far too much just collaging and colouring silly drawings for the hell of making something beautiful. Reckless creativity is always the best. Also, this.
Marina And The Diamonds - Teen Idle
I often talk on this blog about my future aspirations, how I've found the perfect path (jewellery design) and that I can do anything ect. ect. but the more time passes the more I know that's just not true. I'm doing a BA in Silversmithing, how on earth can that lead to a career of untrained type/set/fashion/graphic design?
The truth is I don't know what I want to do. Or I do, I'll just never be sure. I want to be some impossible amalgamation of art director, prop maker, letterer, web developer, illustrator, mathematician and silversmith; while still being able to devote a large chunk of time to each of these disciplines.
Perhaps I'm merely mediocre at everything, which is why I can't just bloody pick one, but I'd like to believe I could do any of these things well if I gave myself the chance. The only solution I can think of is to experiment with everything as much as I can until I feel comfortable with a singular future.
My goals for this year are to take on a variety of projects - I've draw out a list of lettering briefs I'd like to get through (starting with the above, inspired by Craig Ward), I'd like to learn to draw reaslistic concept art on Photoshop, I'll hopefully be taking a short course on Model Making in the summer, my degree will keep me busy with Silversmithing and my bank balance will push me towards more web work. Wish me luck.
Quintessence
Just a few textures made from melting silver into nickel.
In my tumblr's description I say it's about ‘the beauty in subtlety and the wonder in greatness’, but I think I prefer the subtle part. It's always the organic accidents that product the most enchanting, unique detail.
Freelance Whales - Follow Through
A snippet of the beginnings of my first year project at London Met for Silversmithing & Jewellery Design BA.
Today we went to the Natural History Museum to gather source material, something I did for a project last year, and two things struck me about my development in the last 10 months - 1) I'm much more comfortable just drawing (even endless amounts of dino bones) without worrying what it'll turn out like, and usually it doesn't turn out too bad. 2) I've stopped narrowing down my focus on a project before I've even really begun.. I struggled a lot with that at CSM and I can truly say I've learned from those experiences.
In three years time maybe I'll be ready to launch my own jewellery collection? Or start an MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork & Jewellery at the RCA? Or perhaps an Engineering Doctorate in Virtual Environments, Imaging and Visualisation from the Bartlett? I should really stop researching this.. I could be doing anything.
Update: I've made a blog for my sketchbook
Oxidysed Pyramid Ring
During one restless night in Croatia I had an idea for a pyramid ring whose edges curl round to form the band, so I scribbled it in a notepad at 4am and went back to dozing. Discovering the sketch yesterday (on the back page of my graphite sketchbook no less) I decided to go ahead and make it.
This would be so simple to make in wax and then cast but I don't have access to any casting things and having made a pyramid before I know how difficult/rewarding it can be to make by hand with sheet metal. The mathematics involved in making the flat blueprint - documented here - are mindbending so I made a mockup in copper to check the measurements were correct. But then I messed up my last piece of thick silver so had to go with a thinner stock.
Since it has a thick band I wanted quite a punky finish, so firstly I brushed and lightly polished the piece and then oxidised it, then finally I buffed the edges for a worn effect. It looks great worn with the small onyx ring (top) or alone as a thumb ring.
Two Door Cinema Club - Undercover Martyn (acoustic)
Croatia 2012
I've just returned from an unimaginably awesome fortnight in Croatia, one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been to. I traveled through Southern Dalmatia with a group of old school friends, the greatest thing about island hopping was the diversity of our surroundings - from tourist-happy Hvar and Dubrovnik to the national park in Mljet void of public transport (where we stayed in such a ghetto campsite and it may or may not have been run by a cult).
Unfortunately I managed to ruin my Holga and underwater cam... then found out the film I'd had waiting in my SLR for a month was b&w and that's yet to be developed. All digital for now, hopefully more photos to come. Update - fate's not in my favour, apparently I didn't manage to fix that glitch in my not-so-trusty Pentax :/
Pentatope Jewellery
I'm happy to introduce you to my new jewellery collection 'Pentatope'
Remember that post about Schematics? Around that time I was chosing a topic for my final major project at college and one of my proposals was based on that book, the other was on Metamorphosis. In the end I chose Metamorphosis because I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do with it, much the safer choice.
Throughout the project I regretted not trying the more risky project and vowed to get back to it after college finished. And I did! Schematics was all about visualising difficult concepts with simple shapes and figures, a solemn communication hidden under lines and graphs. My small study developed into Pentatope, much more commercial and less conceptual than the original, but I've found that even creating a simple aesthetic takes vast sums of complexity.
I'm working on some pieces for my summer jewellery line which should go public in June on Etsy (no name for it yet, hopefully I'll figure that out some time today). These are just initial models but I'm becoming so attached to these ring stack designs..Update 20/5 - now titled 'Pentatope Jewellery' :)
A Weekend In Ediburgh
I had a whole wonderful roll of our coffee shop adventures and hike but my trusty Pentax let me down and exposed the bottom half of most of them :( anyhow it was a lovely getaway from my haphazard London lyfe to see my all-time favourite people.
Recent Jewellery
Food & Seduction || Extraordinary (perfume rollerball pendant w/carnelian) || You're Gonna Wake Up (wax tablet bracelet)
Ok the colouring's not the same in any of these pictures sigh. Just three outcomes from 2/2/1 week projects over the past couple of months. Today I had an interview and got an offer from London Metropolitan for Jewellery and Silversmithing, and my CSM interview is in a couple of weeks. I'm really looking forward to a degree course where I can learn all about various smithing techniques and try out casting and enamelling :)
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