Category Archives: Crafts

Fluxing Metal

I am currently enjoying my Easter holiday. Tomorrow I will be off to Middlesbrough and then Scotland on Thursday therefore I will probably not be posting much for the next 2 weeks.

However, here are the last metal samples I made on the first part of the 50 Words 50 Images project, for which I got another 1st! Woohoo!
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To create these pieces I soldered together geometrical shapes of copper and brass. To create the surfaces I painted the metal with flux and then heated them with a torch – this caused the beautiful colours and unpredictable patterns.
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I am hoping that for the next part of the 50 Words 50 Images project I will be able to develop these designs and techniques into more 3D piece which could perhaps be worn as jewellery. So far these could make rather nice brooches!

Hot Metal

Metal is definitely one of my favourite materials to play with!
Isn’t it amazing what you can do with it if you just apply enough heat and pressure.
These next three images are of two sample which I created simply by heating brass with a torch until the metal began to reticulate.DSCN9375DSCN9376DSCN9371

I have technically just finished this project however it actually leads straight on to the next one. In this last project I had to identify elements of my work, by producing samples, which I then intend to carry forth into my next project. Some of the elements I wish to continue working with can be seen in these next samples:

Triangles, layers and contrasting surfaces.
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Folds, textures and warm colours:
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Some other ideas I have been working with which i would like to develop in this next project are windows and combining materials – particularly metal and thread.

50 Words, 50 Images

Wow! I’ve been busy!
I’ve had a presentation to do, an essay to write and a new project to start.

The new project is 50 words, 50 images. Basically it started by me choosing 50 or more images and words to inspire my work. The images can be anything: my own photos, found images or images of artists’ work.

I now have to respond to those words and images. Here are a few of my samples, using metal and stitch, which I did at the beginning of this project:DSCN9362DSCN9354DSCN9353

DSCN9356DSCN9355DSCN9359Here are 12 of my words which relate to these samples:
Vessel, Light, Shadow, Linear, Texture, Combine, Reflect, Warm, Geometric, Growth, Contrast, Windows.

Porcelain Spoons

During the Spoons project we had a workshop in porcelain. By this time I had already started working on my final spoons but I used this as an opportunity to try out some ideas I had earlier in the project. I did try a few geometrical ideas but I felt that these more organic spoons were the most successful in porcelain.IMG_9487IMG_9485IMG_9498IMG_9501IMG_9502

Feeling Pretty Pleased!

Thought I’d post these photos of my salt spoons displayed together as I think they look great and I’m really pleased with them.IMG_9556These photos also show the great finish on the spoons. I used antiquing fluid to give them a less harsh colour and surface. It also really emphasizes the extra lines I created.IMG_9558IMG_9557I have another reason to be pleased. Yesterday I got my results and feedback for ExM (Exploration of Materials) and the Spoons project…….
I got a 1st!!!

This is the display of my work for this project:
DSCN9255DSCN9256I have also had a 1st in the two other modules I have completed so far! It will be fantastic if I can keep this up!

A Pinch of Salt

Someone asked if my geometrical spoons actually had to have the bowl part of a spoon on the end… Could it be a part of the handle instead?

This prompted me to make these last three spoons as part of my final collection. They are the same design as the others except with just a small dip at the narrow end of the handle as the bowl making them the perfect spoon for just a “pinch of salt”.IMG_9526IMG_9524IMG_9532IMG_9530IMG_9531IMG_9533IMG_9538

Brass Angles

This past week I have been working on developing my geometric spoons in small metals. I have four more in brass which you can see below.IMG_9430These two have not yet been bent but I have looked at working with the surface of the metal. I have gone over the surface with sandpaper to create this scratchy appearance which I rather like. IMG_9435With this next one I have practiced making the folds sharp and angular. I have experimented with ways to change the shape of the handle with the placement of the folds.IMG_9447These spoons are also very interesting and fun to photograph as the shapes and angles create beautiful shadows which really emphasise the geometric 3D forms.IMG_9446IMG_9445This last spoon has been the most successful. I have added extra lines where there are not any folds. This really adds an extra dimension to the design.IMG_9451IMG_9450IMG_9454As my deadline is this Thursday I have decided to abandon my idea of wooden and plastic spoons so that I can focus on developing and finishing these designs in brass. I am really pleased with them!

Geometric Spoons

It’s taken me a while to get around to doing this post as I have two deadlines coming up very fast. I also held back on doing this post as I was very disappointed with how my plastic spoons turned out. I kept having to remind myself that they were just a first attempt.

Looking back at them now I see that they are not so bad. The main problems were that I made them too big and I was also just focusing on the handles so they definitely have an unfinished look to them.
IMG_9378I have continued the geometrical ideas and I have also thought about the idea of the spoons hooking onto things.
To develop these designs I am hoping to scale them down, use plastic only for the handle and maybe use wood for the bowl part of the spoon.
IMG_9388I am also thinking of using a different colour of plastic, although I still want it to be see-through as I like the intersecting lines this creates when you look at it from different angles.IMG_9384Before developing my work in plastic I decided to try my designs in small metals. This is my first geometrical spoon in brass.IMG_9424Doing this design in metal allows me to make sharper angles in the handle than I could create in plastic. I still need a little practice at this though.

Paper Spoons

My first post of 2014! Sorry I took my time.
These are some paper spoons I made a while ago.

This first one I wove and glued so that it curved.
IMG_9328After this I decided to focus more on the handles as I felt for me there were more possibilities for this. I used ideas from my previous paper and plastics experimentations with a combined geometrical flower/leaf theme.IMG_9334IMG_9346IMG_9325IMG_9330IMG_9350This week I am hoping to develop these designs into plastic.

Spoons

Just a week or so before the Christmas holidays I started my first set project for Uni. The project is to make a spoon or series of spoons using the new skills we have learnt.

Here are some photos of the first two spoons I have made. I used the wire technique I experimented with earlier in the term as it was one of my favourite experimental pieces.

Copper wire spoon:
DSCN9149DSCN9156Brass wire ladle:DSCN9152DSCN9151I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!