Prototypes (2020)

This page is a display of all my prototypes from this year; it starts with my recent work, at the top of the page, to my older work from the beginning of the year, at the bottom. Each photo series has a caption that contains hyperlinks to the blogposts that explain each object.

All of my work replicates or refers to leaves and leaf anatomy like xylem and growth patterns. 

 First 3D print, backward fly press, second 3D print and xylem fly press, with chasing

Using the word xylem I made fly pressing dies by casting 3D prints. The first set I didn't invert the word making the fly press backwards but my second attempt worked out so I tried chasing the letters to enhance them.

Gen squash ceramics, wax xylem impressions, wax leaf impressions, ceramic cells and wax cell impressions

The ceramics have intaglio images of leaves that I made impressions of. I used wax on the clay to transfer the impressions into relief images in wax.

Steel punches, punched images and transparent enamel landscapes

 I made a set of steel punches which I then used to create my own landscape images on copper so I could enamel over them with transparent enamel.

Ceramic textured discs, plant impressions and glazed ceramics

Ceramic discs made by pressing plants and other objects into the clay. The discs were then fired with a selection of underglazes. 

Cast Leaves, leaf skeletons and wax

I attempted to cast my small skeleton leaves on a thin wax backing, not all the detail was captured in the silver.

 

Embroidered venation pattern, pierced stencil and embossing

Using a photocopy of my leaf skeleton as a stencil I embroidered the xylem pattern. I drew a section of the same pattern on CAD which I then pierced out of copper and used to do some embossing.

Leaf Skeleton, stencil enamel, opaque leaf enamel and transparent leaf enamel

I made skeleton leaves which I then used as a stencil for opaque enamelling thereafter I tried roll milling the texture onto metal which I then enamelled over with transparent enamel.

Enamel setting, setting prototype, with casting, silver prototype and platinum texture

For the platinum competition, I worked with enamel, different enamel settings and a melted texture to create my brooch.

Butterfly wing, silver wing, silver Sedum Adolphii, silver Aeonium Sedifolium and Haworthia and Sedum Adolphii

After some research, I learnt that organic objects can be cast. I experimented in gilding-metal first then when I was comfortable with the process I moved on to casting in silver.

 Triangle drawing, embroidery progress and sewn face mask 

The drawing was done during the lockdown to keep me occupied. The pattern I then translated into embroidery which I make a face mask as facemasks became compulsory.