Theme Challenge ~ Colour

[MuranoSilver]

What have you been doing with colour lately?
Plenty of opportunity here....enamel, resin, patina, anodising ~
Share your colourful creations here :)
Nic xx

[Dennis]

I thought that I would put this in for the theme challenge, as I suppose it would qualify both for colour and for cold connection. It was made for a project: Make a bracelet/bangle with a 3D effect, using cold connections.
It is just a prototype as it is made of base metals: aluminium, brass and copper, Only the white metal tubes and rivet heads are silver. Some pieces were raised with spacers and the tube rivets have domed disks for heads. The tubes were difficult to spread, so I drilled into them to weaken them.
The Idea was that I would eventually make a narrower version in three colours of gold, but while I dithered the price of gold went up and up and…. Now if it were made of gold even the photograph would have to be insured. Dennis.

[Di Sandland]

Once again, Dennis, you show an amazing sense of design. When married with your workmanship it's just magical. I should hate you but I can't...

[snow_imp]

I'm glad its only made from base metals - if it was in gold etc it would blind us!

[MuranoSilver]

Dennis - I LOVE that bangle it's gorgeous!
nic xx

[emroyjewels]

Yep - what they said Dennis! Awesome.

[wheely]

And it looks so tactile! Loving it.

[LydiaNiz]

Love the cuff!!!
I've been doing a series of 'found' looking pieces and am a sucker for garnet, I love how it looks with silver. This ring has gold grain on it too (that's about as colourful as I get so far - unless you count my language when I'm hammering tiny rings/my fingers ;-)
http://shopping.silversaurus.co.uk/images/cardinal.jpg

[MuranoSilver]

Gorgeous - I love found objects :)

[MuranoSilver]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4759649797_06253e7f22.jpg
Made this for a tutorial I did in June's Beads and Beyond magazine
It's a three part riveted pendant with a vintage stamp in the middle
did another two with biscuit tins (on my Flickr stream)
Nic x

[snow_imp]

I love this pendant Nic.

[Ominicci]

Love all these pieces so far - can't choose between them, each has it's own merits.

[pricklepuss]

Its all looking a bit red so far, so heres a ring I made a few weeks ago for all those who prefer the cool side of the colour wheel!

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff116/pricklepuss/ringor030-1.jpg

[MuranoSilver]

*waves hands* me, I love the cool side of the colour wheel !!
That Blue's a real knock out :)

[Laceyloudesign]

I absolutely love that blue ring....
Louise

[HannahJewelleryDesigns]

Wow I love all the coulorfull stuff! For me the brighter the better :)
I know I have been a bit quiet lately but I have been developing a new range for an exhibition called 'Fresh!' Its open now so I can show my new stuff and it fits in well with the Colour theme so here goes!

[HannahJewelleryDesigns]

oh yeh, Its called 'Cocoon' and its Sterling Silver and Polypropylene with beads of Chrysocolla and Blue Veined Jasper hidden within the cocoons- I interpreted the theme as 'Sealed for Freshness' and wrapped every thing in plastic!

[Joe]

Oh they're fabulous! I love what you're doing with silver + plastic.

[snow_imp]

Hannah, those are beautiful and I love the addition of the plastic.

[caroleallen]

They're beautiful Hannah. So good to see someone using non-precious materials in such an original way. I hope they go well for you.

[jille]

stunning
Jill

[Penny]

These are all gorgeous, I love the puzzle rings, they are quirky and appeal very much. I like the heart pendant, also quirky and the cool blue ring is just beautiful. The found garnet is also lovely, and Hannah, wow, your designs are stunning. Some great talent here. It always makes me see things differently when I see what other people make, makes me try harder to do more different things.

[fuller81]

wow they are all so gorgeous, feel totally out of my league on this forum i cant believe it, i could buy them all.

[HannahJewelleryDesigns]

Wow thanks for the enthusiasm, I'm truly touched! theres 22 pieces in the range so far (11 different pieces in two colours) and I just finished putting them all on the website. I love working with materials other people might consider for jewellery then adding precious metals and stones to them to highlight it.
I really do appreciate the comments :)
:o

[wheely]

Hannah where did u get them from and did the polypropylene come like that? They're really nice

[Joe]

Hannah, would you be willing to make an "artist's statement" about your work?

I'm quite an admirer and am not slow to appreciate that the effort that goes into forming the plastic elements is greater than the silver, transposing my own view of the value (as a silver-worker).

'Artist's statements' are a bit... esoteric for an artisan forum but I do feel your work is in a bracket that needs that slight distancing. Certainly I feel that slight 'judder' in my centre when I realise that there are things going on here that are more akin to fine-arts than silversmithing.

[HannahJewelleryDesigns]

Wheely, the polypropylene comes in sheet form from Fred Aldous of Manchester- heres a direct link to the polyprop page
Fred Aldous (http://www.fredaldous.co.uk/search.cgi?action=search&query=polypropylene+sheet)
I ended up cutting all the strips by hand although I tried to get it all laser cut- it melted at the edges and would have taken almost as long to clean up as it did to cut. I used a heavy duty guillotine and a craft knife and had very sore hands for a few days!

Joe, fine art? moi? :-p lol!
Actually I’m quite surprised at being put in the same sentence as fine art. I’ve always felt more like a product designer or engineer. This is one statement I have on my Design Factory profile etc but it’s a little out of date now, I think I had better start writing a newer version.


"Mathematical forms and engineering solutions are the main inspirations behind the work of Hannah Bates, giving her work a modern aesthetic. Taking tactile elements, light and colour into consideration when producing a design, Hannah brings about a deeper interaction between the wearer and the piece.

Materials such as silver, steel and acrylic are chosen not for their perceived value, but for their sustainability of purpose due to a conscious decision to confront preconceived notions of preciousness.

Although engineering is a major aspect in Hannah's design, she enjoys using hand techniques and the juxtaposition this creates between her influence and the eventual outcome."


Its good to hear that the amount of work in the plastic sections hasn’t gone unnoticed though, it gets a bit depressing when you hear-‘ it’s a bit expensive after all its only plastic’ a few too many times. :D

[Joe]

You're no more engineer than Gormley! It's just something you have to be to realise the work. You'll have to give in to the fine-art tag eventually... :)

The statement is pretty much there though; it certainly touches what I can see in these fabulous pieces.

[LydiaNiz]

Hannah, I LOVE your bar pieces.
Love love love them!!!! :-D

[HannahJewelleryDesigns]

Ooops sorry Im having a job getting my head through the door!!!
Thankyou all so much, your so kind
:">
xxx

[Ominicci]

Fantastic ideas brought to life there Hannah! Lovely colours too!

[Jemart]

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/181619_10150189367087627_759837626_8902242_1988146 _n.jpg
Been a long time coming but I finally tube lined these beads.

[Jemart]

oh no! I killed a thread! :-s

[mizgeorge]

It was a six month old one though.....

The cored boro beads look nice - are they of your own making?

The fit doesn't look perfect though - I think you might want to try cutting your tube a little longer so you can flare the cores a little more, dome the edges if you prefer, and get them a little snugger to the glass.