Design Theory Writing Exam - November

Both of the above pieces are brooches with a similar basic oval shape, which has then been shaped to an uneven six sided shape. Each of the brooches are quite different to each other,  fig A being comprised of mixed materials including silver, gold, Perspex and the added addition of a photo making the appearance of depth without adding texture to the surface. 

The other brooch, fig B is a very similar shape, but differing in the way it’s constructed. The brooch is made of two colored metals, a white metal being on the top later, and a reflective yellow metal on the underside or inside of the brooch. This brooch has a small ball of yellow metal in the centre of its design, and this brought together with the way the triangular shape “sails” come from the outside of the pendant to the centre draws your eye into the piece. These shapes are defined by the contrast in the color of the metals. The central point of this brooch appears to be self supporting, which accentuates the hollow construction, and depth of the piece.

The same idea has been applied through the image/photo on fig A by using a bold black line, drawing the eye from the edge to the centre of the design. It’s easy to miss the design on the front, an image on one half, mirrored by turning the image 180⁰ create a subtle design, in this case an image of a Tuscan style tower and roof, the color of the tiles being accentuated in the background. The underside layer of fig B has a smooth, slightly domed appearance which creates strong areas of shade and shadow, and reflecting light from the back. The practicality of this shape being made as a brooch is judged on whether this brooch would be worn classically upon the chest attached to clothing, or as an addition to an accessory, i.e.; a hat. There is a simple elegance to this piece, by not making the piece over complicated, or using too many materials.  

The back of fig A has an intense design comprising of shapes including patterns shapes, foliage and the pin allowing for the brooch to be worn, which seems to contrast with the very modern and architectural image of the front. Certain shapes of leaves are highlighted using a yellow metal highlighting them against the darker blackened silver. The same is to be said with the pin itself.

Each of these brooches, appears to have a set client in mind, fig A having a slightly more masculine feel because of the dark colors and complicated back, and the other fig B a more feminine feel because of the gentle curves and simple colors, which would only be accentuated when worn on the body.

Writing Assignment - Thomas Mann and Tom Ferrero

Each one of these pendants, though similar in size are very different and comprise of differing techniques and materials. The first pendant, by Thomas Man titled chamber heart locket is hand made in Sterling silver, incorporating brass and acrylic.

The locket has an unusual opening and locking mechanism, using a chain with a toggle attached at the end, which clips though a loop which is attached to the back plate. The hinge made from brass is a contrast against the colder color of the silver, and this is highlighted even more by adding this to other aspects on the pendant, i.e. in the bale and on the inside of the lockets back plate.

  

Further detail has been added in the form of texture to the face of this locket by stamping, this looks to have been done before the piece was fly pressed into the slightly domed shape of the heart. The two pieces to this locket are then attached to each other using the hinge and are riveted together. An acrylic plate, cut to be inserted inside the locket to protect a photo when it’s placed in has two small brass stars to pull in the colors of the locket.

The lockets hinge appears to be able to “swivel” allowing the locket to move freely, without making it appear rigid. The other quality of this necklace/pendant is that the metal has not been highly polished, allowing the two metals to work together and be seen as individual colors, which can sometimes be lost when something has to much reflective surface.

The second piece, made by Tom Ferrero titled Phoenix necklace is made from 22kt and 18kt gold, as well as both fine and sterling silver. This pendant, although it appears to be very simple from a first glance, has lots of small details and a stone highlighting the reflective quality of the gold.\

The pendants main pattern on the front, even though not a literal depiction was conceived and designed on the story of the birth of the Phoenix. The pattern tells the storey of the phoenix, rising from the egg/fiery ashes, the bird erupting from the golden centre of the pendant, this is emphasized by the contrasting straight and triangular shape from the centre of the pendant, arriving to the brown Zircon stone beneath the bail.

Both of these pendants have similar qualities, both incorporating mixed materials, but both have their strengths and weaknesses. The pendant by Ferrero seems to have a very under-rated bail for using such expensive metals, even though this design allows for the piece to sit flat and without moving upon the wearer, it lessens the effect of the detail work. The Stone is set simply below the bail, central to the piece and with the space around the stone, makes it a feature. Where as in the pendant by Mann, the bail is free moving, which could possibly lead to the pendant spinning around and not sitting face forward on the wearer.

 The surface of the pendant by Ferrero is subtle in its design; this could have been attached by etching, but it unlikely because of the clean crisp edge. This pattern is repetitive, radiating from the centre around the circular shape of the pendant, and even without knowing the thoughts of the designer, is appealing to the eye.

Both pieces have a meaning, be it obvious or not. In the pendant by Ferrero, the design based on the storey of the phoenix, unless you have prior knowledge of the myth doesn’t make the piece lose its appeal, and the same goes with the pendant by Mann, the heart which is most commonly associated with the feeling of love can be seen as just that, or it can be personalized by adding a image of something/one personal.

4th Term Written Assessment - Oscar Abba

These works by Oscar Abba are at a first glance almost unrecognizable, but upon closer inspection this body of work uses many techniques, and is beautifully manufactured.

When looking upon these pieces they look heavy, and impractical to wear, but they actually have a lot of body/volume without being unsightly. In the bracelet Folds 2011 the folds are hollow constructed, making the piece lighter than it looks. The way the pieces are designed allows for a soft look, almost like ribbon or fabric draped into a shape. The spaces between the metal layers give an interesting play on the metal surface, some layers being highlighted whilst the others are cast into shadow. This is emphasized by the metal surface not having a highly polished finish. Each of the pieces also seem to start at a main point, and almost grow out to make the piece, picking up and an almost organic feel, even though some of the shapes within the bracelets are in fact quite crisp and linear. The appears to be no clear line of symmetry, but the design is still balance, in that no one side is heavier in appearance than the other.

On at least one of the bracelet designs (which is hardly seen) is a hinge and what seems to be a clasp, (maybe magnetic) giving a seamless look without making it a classically shaped bracelet/bangle. There is also quite a gentle sense of being able to follow all the individual forms round, which in its self seems to create a sense of movement. It’s the voids left in between the folds of silver that create the shape of a bracelet not a bracelet with a surface design added to it. It’s in this exploration of space that leads to the idea that you must look further into a design, not judge it by first glance, in these designs what looks like twisted scrap metal is actually a well thought out design with clever design features.

Klimt02 Project

Maria Cristina Bellucci, an Italian Jewellery Designer, who lives and is based in Rome Italy was born in 1964. Even though her first sense of higher education was in Jewellery manufacture and design her also studied animation and stage design, giving her a wonderful design sense in designing jewellery that is unusual and considered bold and different from classical contemporary  jewellery.  In her statement she says “What characterized my early work was the use of very thin metal sheets and wires, experimenting with hollowness and fullness. In later work, I started using even thinner metal sheets, as if working with paper sheets, creating pieces that were voluminous and light at the same time.” [1] Her later works take inspiration from working in bold colours for stage shows, and her love and knowledge of mixed media has given her a unique way of bringing them together to make stunning pieces of jewellery. She works in Rome and is currently a free lance jeweller doing collections and commission pieces. 

Maria Cristina Bellucci
Ring: Ring 4 2009
Silver, coloured pencils, ebony
3,2 x 2,2 x 0,6 cm

The piece I have decided to write about is this unusual ring titled “Ring 4 2009”. She has taken what is a very natural rough wood and shaped it into a ring, but not the conventional shape. The circle being the focus and traditionally where you place it on your finer, but the square shape is what makes it bold and unusual. Its design is modern and picks up on the shape of the main feature of this ring, but ergonomically it would probably be uncomfortable as the fingers would not come together. She says “holes and very big holes is my favourite from an aesthetic point of view” [2]. When designing her jewellery, this aspect of her design likes and dislikes plays a key role in how the final piece will finish. Whether she designs from the “hole” outwards or from the piece to the “hole” her finished pieces are unusual and unique.  Her love of mixed media comes into play here, taking normal coloured pencils and joining them together to make a wonderfully colourful top to a ring, encasing it in a silver “frame” as it were just finishes the design. Her play with what’s organic and what isn’t is shown very literally here. The wood and the silver are contrasting in material, but they somehow compliment each other.  If the silver border was not around the colour, It would give a slightly softer feel, but without this I think the design would seem unfinished and even a little bit simple.

Maria Cristina Bellucci
Bracelet: Bracelet 1 2009
Silver, coloured pencils
9,5 x 7,5 x 1,5 cm

The next piece, titled Bracelet “1 2009” is what I consider to be a more organic design. Her designs ideas are very similar, inspired by bright colours and differing materials from the norm in jewellery manufacture, this bracelet again uses coloured pencils, but in a very free smooth shape. The pencils, all joined together using epoxy give the bracelet a very solid feel, but the look of the pencils each with there own individual shape give the impression that you should be able to move each individual pencil, like a link. As well as the shape not being the classical perfectly round, it follows a similar shape as the outside, but not in way that makes the bracelet equal thickness. The same can be said for the overall finish, its smooth yet bumpy and uneven and the clear coat on the piece makes it feel soft, not what you consider to feel when holding rough wood.

Maria Cristina Bellucci
Ring 2010
Bread, epoxy resin, ebony
7 x 4.5 x 2.8 cm.

 This next piece, a ring, titled: Ring is made using bread, epoxy resin and a piece of Ebony for the main frame of the ring. Her main design goal is to try and create a piece of jewellery and an artwork; in this ring I truly don’t understand the meaning or symbolism behind using such a strange combinations of mediums. She chose to make the ring from wood, and the main part of the ring (the focal point) this unusual shape. From reading about the ring she doesn’t use any kind of inspiration for the shape of this ring. The voids in the resin (almost look like they’ve been drilled in) or something placed in when the resin was setting and removed at a later date, it makes an unusual form for a ring, and with this form almost feeling like its slipping down the ring gives it an almost naturist feel about it, like its outgrown the top surface. The contrast in the dark ebony ring against the opaque epoxy is quite pleasing to the eye, and the dark ring against the hand makes you look at it, hardly noticing the almost clear design on top. Although the look of this ring is quite organic, being made of epoxy it’s actually very hard. From the design, it looks like you should be able to manipulate the top part into whatever you like. Even though the ring has been made to look bold it’s actually highly impractical, and appears to be uncomfortable. The crystallisation appearance of the epoxy could be seen as a play on a stone/crystal but from its unusual shape in my opinion this doesn't work. 

References/Footnotes:

[1] http://www.klimt02.net/exhibitions/index.php?item_id=22609 - Statement [2]  http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=11203 - quote

Bibliography:	References:
Internet Images:	Images used:
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 9 of 23, Maria Cristina Bellucci Ring: Ring 4 2009 Silver, coloured pencils, ebony  3,2 x 2,2 x 0,6 cm (Date accessed: 12th July 2011)
“Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 10 of 23,  Maria Cristina Bellucci, Bracelet: Bracelet 1 2009 Silver, coloured pencils 9,5 x 7,5 x 1,5 cm (Date accessed: 12th July 2011)
“Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 13 of 23,  Maria Cristina Bellucci, Ring 2010, Bread, epoxy resin, ebony, 7 x 4.5 x 2.8 cm (Date accessed: 12th July 2011)
Internet Articles/Blogs/Pages	References used:
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/	Online international forum exhibiting works from designers, artists and jewellers. (Date accessed: 11th July 2011)
“Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=11203	Quote under Sphere Ring 2007. (Date accessed: 13th July 2011)

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Nora Rochel is a German born Jewellery designer who still works and lives in Konstanz and who has won numerous international awards for her individuality in style and her creativity.  Her education in jewellery and jewellery design is full of cultural experience and influences, having studied for a diploma in Jewellery Design in Pforzheim between 2004 and 2009, she continued her education and went abroad on a student exchange program with another student in Seoul, Korea which she studied in the department of metalwork’s and jewellery design in Kookmin University in 2007. He varied education has given her style a very unusual look, she is inspired by flowers and organic growth [1] but takes these forms and transforms them into something beautiful, far beyond what is classically known as a flower, in her own way she says she is “inspired by the full spectrum of there complexity and variegation” [2]What’s fascinating about her work is the way she is able to take hidden characteristics of a simple flower and chance it into a piece of jewellery, without being literal or making such a literal interpretation. Her jewellery allows for a wearer to have there own piece of Eden, a small landscape or garden to be worn on the body. Rochel’s Jewellery is obviously inspired by nature and items around her, and even though working with a wide variety of metals including bronze, gold and silver, he work appears soft and organic, like the objects in which she derives her inspiration. They look like they should move with the wind; it’s this simple way of finishing with a patina that makes her work so successful.

Nora Rochel
Bracelet: Untitled 2009
Bronze
Photo by Sebastian Lang

 The Bracelet Untitled Bronze, 2009; is a simple and unique item. The way in which the metal has been manipulated to create a link effect is beautiful. The way the holes have been made into the piece gives the eye something to look at before moving in to see all the other details. The rough, spotted texture to the surface gives the feel of something grown, or seeds ready to grow. Because of this surface treatment and the metal which she’s used, to me it gives the impression of coral, slowly growing to create a wonderful hollow and domed shape. She says she likes to capture the Vitality of what inspired her, and show it in her piece; with this I think she has on some level achieved that, Maybe a variety of surface treatments/texture/colour/patina would have made it even more unique. In her other designs, she’s played with differing ways of showing her design. In this design, the domed circular pattern is the main focus point of the design, and this repeating makes up the shape of a bracelet, and in some of her differing designs she makes it almost seem secretive, placing her design in a organic form/shape like it’s a discovered treasure. Its this whimsical way of playing with how she creates a piece of jewellery that makes her work so interesting, unusual and unique.

Nora Rochel
Ring: Untitled 2009
925 Silver, 585 Red Gold
Photo by Nora Rochel

This ring, untitled 2009 made in sterling silver and red gold is a wonderful example of Rochel’s unusual technique in making a piece of jewellery something beyond unique. This rings appears that it could have grown into this form naturally, they way in which all the individual elements come from the base of the ring, join together and then bloom into a form of a flower is stunning. Her choice of differing coloured metals in this design compliments this design well, and not having a highly polished finish on the silver accentuates the naturally inspired design further. Each small element of this ring look similar, but are all hand made and slightly different, layering them together in differing heights and having them varying in thickness also portrays a sense of it growing upwards to create this hollow cavity in which the main focal point of the ring comes out. The inside of the band is smooth as is the flat base under the main point of the ring, this again emphasises the way in which things happen in nature. Plants and forms of life will grow and latch onto items, making it part of themselves, makes you wonder when wearing it, would the ring continue to grow its way around the wearer. The way in which the gold reaches out the dome, coming higher than the silver cage surrounding it gives a sense of transformation, the silver maturing into gold and radiating out finding a new source in which to create another form.

Nora Rochel
Ring: Secret Garden ll 2009
925 Silver
Photo by Sebastian Lang

This ring, Secret Garden II 2009, created in sterling silver truly lives up to its name. The organic form and uneven shape emphasises the design. The small arrangement of flowers, in this case quite literal (unlike lots of her other works, not actually making the design life like) yet encasing them in a cocoon, making them feel that there struggling to survive, reaching for light, is fascinating and in making it in this way, small and compact its for the eyes of the wearer. Her design in this instance is almost taken from what a real flower looks like, there is the outside of the flower, the petals and stem, but inside there is a whole other world, all the individual particles of pollen, each flower individual and unique. The flowers inside the ring all originate from differing sides of the domes, rather from just a central point. Even though the ring is silver, with the white patina it looks like the piece Is made with stone, if the finish was shiny I don’t believe it would have shown the theme to its fullest potential. The band of the rings is rough and uneven, like the main feature, but still conforms to a ring in shape and size. 

References/Footnotes:

[1] http://www.nora-rochel.de/main.html
[2] http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562

Bibliography:	References:
Internet Images:	Images used:
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 2 of 19, Jeweller Profile picture, Nora Rochel (Date accessed: 14th July 2011)
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 9 of 19, Nora Rochel, Bracelet: Untitled 2009, Bronze (Date accessed: 14th July 2011)
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 18 of 19,  Nora Rochel, Ring: Untitled 2009, 925 Silver, 585 Red Gold (Date accessed: 13th July 2011)
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Image 19 of 19,  Nora Rochel, Ring: Secret Garden ll 2009, 925 Silver (Date accessed: 13th July 2011)
Internet Articles/Blogs/Pages	References used:
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/	Online international forum exhibiting works from designers, artists and jewellers. (Date accessed: 14th July 2011)
Klimt 02 – online forum: International art and Jewellery http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=20562	Quote from Jewellers Statement. (Date accessed: 14th July 2011)
Nora-Rochell Official Website http://www.nora-rochel.de/main.html	(Date accessed: 14th July 2011)
Jewellers Blog – The Carrot Box http://glassfiction.blogspot.com/2010/02/nora-rochel-devi-jewellery-marisanna.html	Quote about Nora Rochel (Date accessed: 14th July 2011)

Design Research 1.0 - Jasmine Watson

All though there are many amazing and fascinating Designers in the world today, After having researched this designer once before, and being a huge fan of her work, I have chosen to do my research paper on Jasmine Watson.

6 Piece Collection
Oriental Inspired Enamel Silver Brooch Collection
Jasmine Watson

Jasmine Watson was born and raised in New Zealand, through out her child hood she was greatly influenced by the people around her; although none of them professionally trained her family were very interested in many forms of arts and crafts.  From 1992 to 1995, while attending the Unitec School of Design, Watson worked part-time dressing Lucy Lawless and Kevin Sorbo for the Sam Raimi produced Xena: Warrior Princess, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. [1]This was a great opportunity for her, allowing her to see designs being applied be it jewellery or clothes, Watson relished her time on set. After Graduating, the studio offered her a full time position as costume maker and Jewellery Designer. 4 Years down the line, after the shows had been cancelled Peter Jackson had noted her work in the design world, and hired her to be the Head Jewellery Designer for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Her Jewellery was instantly thrown into the spotlight, as well as herself attracting worldwide media attention, from small TV spots to 3 major motion pictures. When interviewed Watson said “Working on Lord of the Rings has been one of the biggest projects of my career so far, and it has certainly generated a huge amount of positive feedback and interest in my work” Her pieces include Arwens Crown and Evenstar Pendant. After the wrap up of Lord of the Rings, it wasn’t long before her designs were again required; this time Disney hired Watson to be the Head Designer for the Chronicles of Narnia. Watson now works in Workshop 6, in Auckland working and teaching her techniques to a small number of students.  

Jasmine Watson, although known for her Jewellery in two major motion picture franchises is a very successful jewellery designer, designing pieces for the general public at affordable prices.  The Items I’m focusing on now are a set of brooches. Watson is inspired most by Eastern/Oriental textiles because of the elaborate geometric designs and arrangements [3] She loves to try to recreate this feel in a metal surface, be it in Silver or Gold. And with the huge inspiration of Eastern Materials, another of Watson’s biggest loves is Enamel which she used a lot in her movie jewellery. When manufacturing she either pierces out things by hand for the more hand made look, or casts. She layers and repeats pierced silhouettes to create jewellery that evokes a sense of theatre and occasion.[4] She used plating in some of her jewellery designs for theatre to reduce costs and weight, and her love and use of Enamel has one her many awards including the most prestigious in the field, she won the President award at the 44^th Award at the Exhibition of Japan Enamelling Artists Association and the Award for Excellence at the Japan Shippo (Shippo = Enamel) Conference.[2]

These brooches even though sold individually come together to form a set, each one wherever placed connecting to the other with a common design pattern. Each of the brooches when worn individually are beautifully balanced visually, even though each of the three patterns is differing in design, they compliment each other well because of there size. Each one of the “fans” has varying size cut outs, but the overall sense come crossed very balanced.  With the enamelling in each of these brooches, the brooch is broken down into two layers, one being the domed background, and the other being the intricate cut design (also slightly domed), which then the two are soldered together. This allows the enamel to be inlayed creating super fine details and multiple colours with clean edges. The obvious love for textile shows in the edges of the brooches, each having an almost lace like border, not allowing them to  connect when wearing more than one, but giving a neat finish to the brooch if worn on its own. She uses a limited pallet of colour in her designs, not using the bright harsh colours such as red or yellow, but more muted tones of green and blue. She does use a dark maroon red in each of the brooches which gives a focal point to the piece and is the connecting factor between the set, but even this contrast in colour doesn’t throw the balance of the brooch off, it works well, its accentuated in each of the corners, bringing the eye around the design making it aesthetically pleasing to look at. Even though the Dark Maroon is quite a dominant colour, it doesn’t detract from the design, it only accentuates it. The colours compliment each other well, one not taking over the over, a true unity. When looking at more than one brooch there is a repeating pattern, a play on numerous fan shapes coming together to form circles, almost like a kaleidoscope. Your eyes don’t know where to look, you can follow around the circles with your eyes, and with this there is no sense of confusion or an overwhelming feeling of disorganisation, each of the brooches compliment the other, and with the injection of purple into one of the brooches, it gives a feeling of warmth with what are predominantly cool colours. The space between each of the “fan” patterns in equal and filled with a colour not used in rest of the brooch, bringing the piece together, rather than separate elements making up an object. The Brooches are made from prodominantly geometric shapes, there are no soft lines. This is needed in her designs to show the high amount of detail in her work with enamel.  Though the patterns are repeated in each brooch, with alternate colours making them different, they are a well thought out and unusual design.  

References/Footnotes:

[1] www.carlotta-wwwsplendor.blogspot.com/.../jasmine-watson.html
[2] www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/jasmine_watson.htm
[3] www.workshop6.co.nz/Tutors
[4] http://www.workshop6.co.nz/Tutors/
(other references to be added, computer constantly crashed)

Bibliography:	References:
Internet Images:	Images used:
“Fingers” Online forum for contemporary New Zealand Jewellers http://www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/jasmine_watson.htm	Image One of Seven,  7 Silver and Enamel Brooches, By Jasmine Watson (Date accessed: 28th May 2011)
“Fingers” Online forum for contemporary New Zealand Jewellers http://www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/jasmine_watson.htm	Image Three of Seven,  7 Silver and Enamel Brooches, By Jasmine Watson (Date accessed: 28th May 2011)
Internet Articles/Blogs/Pages	References used:
“Fingers” Online forum for contemporary New Zealand Jewellers http://www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/jasmine_watson.htm	Online forum exhibiting jewellery of local artists and jewellers in New Zealand (Date accessed: 29th May 2011)
“Jasmine Watson Jewellery” Kiwi Jewellery Designer, Official Website http://www.jasminewatson.com/	Profile (Date accessed: 29th May 2011)
“A Celebration Of Jewellery Designers” http://carlottawwwsplendor.blogspot.com/2009/05/jasmine-watson.html	General History – Designer Jasmine Watson. (Date accessed: 26th May 2011)
“Contemporary Jewellery Gallery Website for New Zealand Jewellery Designers” http://www.quoil.co.nz/artists/jasmine_watson/	General Examples of Jewellery, Brief History – Jasmine Watson (Date accessed: 28th May 2011)

Design principles.

Tone & Colour in DesignView more presentations from Naomi Smart.