Fold Forming

Experimenting with Floral Form

I wanted to begin looking at floral forms and how they could be interpreted using small scale forging techniques. This allows me to connect with my passion for new skills and interest towards blacksmithing techniques and their application towards jewellery.

 Drying lily petal

This was the starting point for my journey of fold forming. I wanted to express the curves and lines of this petal in metal.

Ambrose demonstrated a quick example of how to create the form. Starting with a petal shape cut from flat sheet. Using a hammer and applying the strokes down one edge of a folded sheet you can create a curve. 

This was my outcome :) I am pretty happy with this for a first attempt. I holds the delicate curve qualities I was hoping for but I would like to push the curve further.

This is an example of an open floral form.  This is the result of applying the fold forming technique to a folded circle. I feel it holds qualities of drying petal. I prefer this 'rough and ready'  approach to the finish of this sample rather than making something all polished with a crisp and new feel.

Mom's birthday coming up ...lets make her something nice

Treble Clef Pendant and Earring Set

So my Mom's birthdays coming up so I thought why not make her something nice. Her first...probably of many...jewellery pieces from me for her present.

...After a day of lots of work with a piercing saw and filing they were finally ready to have jump rings attached before being cleaned up again.

Add some earring hooks...

...and add a box for the finishing touch =)

Happy Birthday Mom

x

...but no present is complete without a handmade card as well...

...Yep that's right more treble clefs and music theme...have you worked out she's a music teacher yet =)

Yes I do work with these ;)

Lil' Treat For Me

...yes I usually do my own but I thought I'd treat myself to these little lovelys =)

glittery neon pink you can't go wrong

x

...and yes I do work in these too =)

Learning From My Space - Inspiration Station

Inspiration Station

50 Words 50 Photographs

Now...finding 50 photographs alone was hard enough...I had over 180 that I chose to begin with which got narrowed down to my space above. All the imagery used, bar images of artists work, is all my own photography.

Getting feedback from others on my space and giving it to others also helped us all to realize  and pick out running themes within our chosen imagery.

Mine was coming back with suggestive, sexual, curves, floral link, female connotations etc...

I eventually narrowed down the photographs and words to this.

...My gorgeous ladies picked up in Amsterdam...

...Now to find some inspiration...

SEMESTER 2

After a lovely break for Christmas and new year shinanigans it's back to it!
Semester 2!
=)

Semester One - Final Piece - Olive Strainers

Utensils brief
Olive Strainers

These were made in response to the utensils brief. Really wanted to avoid making spoons as this seemed to be a popular choice for many. Once I'd got my head around making something to solve a problem I was off and came up with these olive strainers. A spike through a spiral dish to skewer the olive, enable you to drain off the liquid, and release the olive by opening the tongs. All done without having to handle them.

This is were I jumped onto the blacksmithing techniques bandwagon with starting stock jargon...hell loads of maths...and tapered ends =)

I made a long set to cater for long skinny olive jars and a shorter pair for smaller jars and serving purposes.

Day 2 with Bron - Metal Boxes

Metal Box

Another day with Bron =)

Creating a box from a continuous strip for the side panels. This is then soldered to the base. A lid and hinge can then be applied. I decorated my lid with stamped letters and a copper swirl. The door is held shut with a small loop that catches the inside.