gingersmixedmedia's Blog
The Design Process
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How I Made This Valentine Heart Necklace
Published: 02-14-2013 02:26pm
Posted In: new design problem solved
Posted In: new design problem solved
I created a 22 gauge sterling silver wire chain with a heart design, after considerable practicingwith copper wire. Outer curves on the hearts are forged. Then I added tiny stone links.
I cut red glass into a heart shape and fused the glass.
Following my basic sketch, I made a bezel for the glass heart and soldered it onto 28 gauge sterling silver sheet.
Added silver wire according to my sketch.
Soldered on a piece of forged sterling wire copying the curve of the wire hearts.
Cut out the areas between the silver wire and the bezel.
Cleaned and polished the silver and added the red glass heart.
This necklace is part of the Ch... » Read More
New Design with Dichroic Glass
Published: 01-30-2013 12:08pm
Posted In: new design problem solved
Posted In: new design problem solved
I began with these two pieces of fused dichroic glass.
This was my original sketch.
The two bezels were soldered into place.
I added silver granulation to make the setting more interesting.
Silver wire soldered onto the piece.
Careful sawing with a jeweler's saw to refine the shape.
I soldered on a silver tube for hanging the pendant.
The final necklace. This time I actually followed my original design.
... » Read More
Valentine's Day Sales
Published: 01-25-2013 09:38pm
I will be lowering prices on certain items in my shop just in time for Valentine's Day. Check the featured items often to see what's on sale. Enjoy!... » Read More
Design problem: 2 blue glass pieces to set--experiments
Published: 08-09-2012 09:34pm
These are some of the steps during my creative process. hmm, maybe. Texture is good. Maybe. Not so sure. It needs something.
This looks better.
Looks like a blue snowman. No good.
My design process went through several stages because of the shape of the silver scrap and the fact that I had two pieces instead of the usual uneven number of elements. Tomorrow I'll show you the final result, after a lot more trial and error.... » Read More
Design problem: two blue glass pieces to set--final result
Published: 08-09-2012 09:26pm
I finally abandoned the idea of having both glass pieces in the same setting. So I sawed the silver apart to create two separate pieces. I like the result much better.
Sometimes an original design plan just doesn't feel right. So go with your instincts and change it up.
... » Read More
Design problem: 2 blue glass pieces to set
Published: 08-09-2012 09:12pm
I had these two blue glass pieces fused with copper scraps. I decided to set them in a large piece of scrap silver. Tomorrow I'll show you several of the design steps during the creative process.... » Read More
Pottery Shard pin-the end result
Published: 05-03-2012 12:00am
I love the end result! I changed my idea of creating a pendant to adding a pin back. Here you go!
Pin is now in my shop. There you will see pictures from several angles. Enjoy!... » Read More
Pottery Shard pin--final sketch
Published: 05-02-2012 12:00am
Settling on this sketch was actually sudden, after I tried to feel comfortable with my first idea. I finally realized that using the fused piece of black glass, for which I had already made a bezel, made the design too heavy for the pendant I expected this piece to be.
Check my final post tomorrow for this art piece to see what I came up with! Stay tuned!... » Read More
Pottery Shard pin--sketches
Published: 05-01-2012 12:00am
I had an idea for this piece from the beginning, but after trying a glass piece and a pearl with it, and tracing the shard itself several times, nothing felt right.
Finally, I did an about-face and tried something completely different, which became my final design. Stay tuned for my next post to see what I decided to use!... » Read More
Pottery Shard Pin--the beginning
Published: 04-30-2012 07:12pm
Somehow I ended up with this wonderful piece of ceramic which I decided to mount in silver. I can't remember if a friend gave it to me, knowing my penchant for repurposing found objects, or if I picked it up myself in the sand. This photograph shows the original piece.
In my next post I'll show you a set of sketches. After that, the sketch I chose to use, and finally, the finished pin. Stay tuned!
The design process can be very quick and inspired. Other times, it takes sketching, thinking, leaving it alone, and then returning several times, before something clicks. Which is what happened with this piece.... » Read More
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