Test pieces

Before the tech closed I made a lot of these wire shapes or frames and It was said that they are too thin or there was just something that's missing about them. I didn't want to re-melt them or just leave them as is so I tried joining them together with beads. I'm happy with the fact that the idea came to life but not so sure about the white string though. The clear string keeps breaking my needles and beads, I dont know weather I should change the string or the needles.

Three D sun

All of these test pieces are done due to the discussion that we had with Marlene. Using opaque colours and beading something that's not flat.

Rainbow bead

I've finished beading this bead and I think it looks away better then the silver one.

Rainbow colour

I'm so sorry for the fuzzy pictures I plan to replace them once my hands are steady.

As I have mentioned and noticed in my last blog posts, colour plays a big role in a jewellery piece. Even though I am making contemporary beaded jewellery that is inspired by traditional beadwork and its colours, I think have moved away from the traditional colours. When I say traditional colours I mean opaque colours, nothing that glitters or shines in a metallic way. If you take a look at traditional beadwork you will see that they used primary opaque colours and their complements.

Marlene ( third year lecture) made a suggestion that I should try making something with these opaque colours and I strongly agree hence the beaded frame above. I feel that in other to be sure of my next move or the next colour scheme, I had to try out all the other beads and colours so as to know what works an what doesn't. The Frame above is beaded so as to be 3D, I'm hoping to create my own beaded bead and have these small elements that make up a big piece of jewellery.

Reflect

The focus on my jewellery last year or in the past was on the beads and how they played a big role on the thin wire frames or shapes that I made. With that in mind my work started to look more home made them hand made, so I started to bend and solder different shape for the Local is Lekker exhibition and I was very pleased with the out come. These shape would make my work different from any other beaders work as I had used one of the jewellery skills or technic (soldering).

One of the things that the lectures and I spoke about is my wire thickness, the one thing that I thought was my strong point was the one thing that limited my jewellery and still made it easy to make.
When the lectures pointed this out I started drawing ideas that had nothing to do with wire but worked more with plate. These are some of the drawings that I came up with and I would like to start making or improving them.

Crit

Well we had a crit with our lectures, so as to get a skilled and neutral input on our work. I say skilled because they thought some of the things that we know and neutral because they are not our friends who sometime spare our feelings or who know just as much as we do.
I must say that I was a bit tense because I didn't know what to expect. I got to hear what I new at the back of my mind about some pieces but didn't want to admit that it to myself though it was what it was. I also got some jewellery design ideas. Here are some of their drawings, not drawn to the T but make some sense to me. I wish it was as easy said and easily done. The one thing that's stopping me from making things right now, is the 3000 word essay that is waiting to be done by the beginning of next month. Good luck to me!
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Bead

Well I have always made these wire frame or big jumprings and a part on me is tired of making them flat. So I decided to play around and bead a bead or a shape. The colour as a bit too busy though, they remind me of Christmas.

Make or break?

I believe that colour can make or break a piece and I think that the ring at the bottom is a perfect example. The plain red colour didn't work for it.

Where as the colours bellow suit it best. What do you think?

Three

Two rings and a pendant. Some people say that the pendant could become beautiful earrings, so I will try that. One could say that the wire work is thin but I wanted it to be like that so that when you look at the rings from the side,it could look like a flower with its stem.
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