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Thread: Theme Competition April 2016 - Spring

  1. #41
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
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    I like the last three floral themed pieces - the magnolia branch/flower works particularly well as a pendant. Neat soldering, Kermit. And Belasta, if those are baby steps, that's some baby! Don't do yourself down. The enamelled ladybird (I prefer the British English name) is a lovely touch.
    Alan

  2. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by ajda View Post
    . Whether they are actually wearable is another matter - any biker chicks out there?

    Attachment 8885 Attachment 8886 Attachment 8887 Attachment 8888 Attachment 8889

    Alan
    Biker chick here ! I'd wear them, I think they are fab. I like the idea of a colour contrast between the spring and the rest of the piece.

  3. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    Well done for soldering all at once. Some people are scared of doing that.Very pretty BTW. Dennis.
    Thank you - it was a learning curve!

  4. #44
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    Jun 2015
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    Quick update to my entry before the deadline. I got some red gold wire in the post this morning for the springs and I've used a little liver of sulphur for the "bushes". There's still some finishing to be done, but I think they are much improved, more robust and better looking - sorry I haven't managed better pics...

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    Alan

  5. #45
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    U.K
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    101

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    Quote Originally Posted by ajda View Post
    I like the last three floral themed pieces - the magnolia branch/flower works particularly well as a pendant.
    Alan
    Thank you Ajda
    Those Springs look fab, i'm not a biker myself but they are definitely wearable :-)
    Self teaching with the memory span of a gold fish

  6. #46
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
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    63

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    ARGH! Why can I not take a good photo? Looks fine on my camera screen but as soon as it's uploaded the white has changed as has everything else I could honestly cry, they are so pretty I've tried fiddling with the photos in various programmes but just made a total mess

    Anyway, one really crap photo of my entry.

    I always know when spring is here when my neighbours start putting up their hanging baskets. So, here we have a pair of stirling silver hanging basket earrings with a 9ct gold flower on each, set with 11 amethyst (tube setting).

    All hand forged from sheet and wire, aside from the chains (thanks Cooksons ) and created with an immense amount of fun and an even more immense amount of swearing through the ten million solder joints as I realised there was a quicker way to do it...

    On another note, if anyone can help me with photography and the colour blinking changing it would be greatly appreciated!

    Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #47
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    Jun 2013
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    This piece was inspired by the spring showers, although it was almost snowflake obsidian after yesterday's white-out here! Just in time for the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race, the sun comes out again.
    Not so much sun-beams, but sun-lit showers and the trees just budding, hence the granulation...



    Speaking of just in time ...
    Last edited by metalsmith; 30-04-2016 at 10:12 PM.

  8. #48
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

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    Quote: Looks fine on my camera screen but as soon as it's uploaded the white has changed as has everything else I could honestly cry, they are so pretty I've tried fiddling with the photos in various programmes but just made a total mess

    They are pretty, but the picture is rather small, which could be because they have been posted from a website such as Photo bucket, which allows you to change the size.

    The blue background is due to a colour cast of the lighting, which can be changed in the menu of the camera, by using a piece of photographic grey card, including it in one picture and selecting set white balance.

    Alternatively you can use a photo editing programme, such as Photo Shop Elements and select remove a colour cast. In 'guided', it will tell you what to do. I believe one of the earlier versions might be free now, or there is a simple one in Photo Viewer.

    There are lots of good instructions on line. Dennis.
    Last edited by Dennis; 01-05-2016 at 02:17 AM.

  9. #49
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    440

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    Brilliant idea, Silverlining, your hanging basket earrings - and from what I can see they look beautifully made.

    It would be nice to see a bigger picture, but sorry I can't offer much advice on the technical or photography side. I upload direct from my computer rather than using a website like Photobucket. They seem to get shrunk automatically on here if they're too big to start with, but if I start with the photo around 500 x 500 pixels they seem to come up OK. As for editing the original photo itself, I use a simple (free) photo editing program called Photoscape. Sometimes I can fix the kind of colour problems you're talking about just by using the "white balance" tool, as Dennis says, though I've rarely had much success with the "remove colour cast" one, probably because I don't really understand how to use it properly. Other than that, simply trying out different backgrounds, lighting angles and light intensity, etc, I can normally get at least one photo in ten to look OK. I know there are plenty of others on here much better qualified to advise, so I hope you'll get some good tips from someone else.

    Alan

  10. #50
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    668

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    Quote Originally Posted by silverlining View Post
    ARGH! Why can I not take a good photo? Looks fine on my camera screen but as soon as it's uploaded the white has changed as has everything else I could honestly cry, they are so pretty I've tried fiddling with the photos in various programmes but just made a total mess

    Anyway, one really crap photo of my entry.

    On another note, if anyone can help me with photography and the colour blinking changing it would be greatly appreciated!

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Paint.net
    or GIMP (GNU Image Manipulating Program) are free image editing software.

    Lighting is pretty important, which is not to say 'head out and buy some pro photo lamps' but consider how you light; event though you don't notice (because you've grown up with it / gotten used to it), the bulb 'colour' stemming from the chemicals in the bulb adds a colour cast.

    My photos were taken in the bathroom as the white walls and overhead halogen lighting seem reasonably sympathetic without having to go for any major set-up.
    I use flickr as an online image host as the copyright holder retains the rights. On linking a photo, there are options for the size to choose.
    I use the free, non-subscription option and reduce the image size prior to upload so that my free memory quota will last a lifetime. Any more than a screen-size is a waste unless you're using the online services as a digital backup.

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