Explorations

After finding my references and deciding which techniques I wanted to experiment with, I started making prototypes. The techniques I wanted to work with work casting, enamelling and texture. Unfortunately, before I could really get started, the pandemic hit and we were forced to go into lockdown. This meant that I had to find new ways to work creatively at home. Therefore, I started embroidering and making face masks because they were needed at the time. 

As soon as we were allowed back into the studio, I started casting organic objects and playing with enamel stencilling. I then realized the work I had done in ceramics could be translated similarly to metal using punches and roll milling. This created textures that I enamelled over. I learnt to transfer fine details from clay into wax that could be used for casting. Textures that I also experimented with were a melted texture and using fly pressing to create intaglio and relief textures/images.

While making my prototypes, I was very inspired and the creation of one would lead straight to the making of the next. Despite this, my platinum prototypes were the only ones that I was able to turn into a finished piece. I still want to continue casting and using enamel as there are more ways to cast than just casting organic objects. I feel that if I did a bit more drawing and design work with my prototypes as a starting point, I could create finished jewellery pieces in the future that combine the techniques I learnt when making my prototypes.