21 today!!
The brief:
To design a ring, bangle and pendant for a 21st Birthday.
Paula and Malcolm introduced their daughter Eleanor to me as they thought she would like my style.
From my ready to wear pieces Eleanor really liked an open and close bangle that I had which features clinging starfish, shells and seaweed etching and a starfish button to close the bangle.
With a budget in mind they asked me to design a ring, bangle and pendant. Eleanor is a biology student with a keen interest in the natural world. She is also an active sports woman. So along with the theme of nature all the pieces needed to be practical to wear. With this in mind we decided that the pieces would be sterling silver with no stones.
The finished bangle showing the butterfly resting on the buddleia
One of the appliquéd butterflies, based on a Peacock butterfly after etching and being shaped. Ready to be soldered to the bangle
THE DESIGN & MAKE PROCESS
Eleanor has two tattoos, a butterfly and a dragonfly, which we decided to use as inspiration for the designs. I worked up a couple of ideas for Eleanor and her parents to have a look at, one option using the butterfly as the appliquéd motif and using some pollen rich flowers as the etching detailing, and for a second option using caterpillars as the appliqué pieces and butterflies as the etched detailing.
We met together just before Eleanor was to return to college and she made her choice from my designs. She went with the flowers and butterflies which was great as I was able to add in some dragonflies darting among the flowers.
Initial Sketched Design Ideas for the Bangle
THE CASTING PROCESs
For the silver button which closes the bangle Eleanor suggested something based on a houseleek and she gave me a photo to reference. I made a mould using Milliput, an epoxy putty often used to make repairs, which is excellent as a substance to sculpt shapes for casting.
After the molten silver has been poured you can see the top of the red hot sprue and the steam escaping. The opened up cast shows the holes and connecting thin channels which have allowed that steam to escape as the silver flowed into the cavity. The casting is discoloured from the heat and has to be cleaned up and polished.
It was a joy to be able to make these pieces for Eleanor and I thank her parents, Malcolm and Paula, for contacting me to start the discussion. Wanting someone local to work with they luckily found my website, liked what they saw and happily discovered we are only a few miles apart!