Pendant- spin-offs

The image below shows a collection of sterling silver pendants inspired by my organic chain links.

Bowes, K.,(2021). Link pendants.

 

Both of the pendants were put together from the textured links. Not all of the textured links were successful so I decided against making moulds of all the textured links and rather use the successful links to make finished pieces, as seen below.

Ring - Spin-offs

The image below shows a collection of sterling silver rings inspired by my organic chain links.

Bowes, K., (2021). Link rings.

The spin-off rings are derived from my organic chain like the earrings. They were also made with the intention to sell either at the market or on my website. For the rings, I tried to hide the link in the design so the use of the links is not as obvious as the spin-off earrings. The plain double band ring and the teardrop ring sold at the recent I heart market.

Earring spin-offs

 The image below shows a collection of sterling silver earrings inspired by my organic chain links.

Bowes, K.,(2021). Link earrings.

I played with textures and the different sized links to generate a collection of spin-off pieces from my organic chain. I made the spin-offs for the I heart market which has started up again. I also added them to my website as I do have moulds of the links and could always make them again. 

The hoop-like earrings I made were inspired by Naomi Tracz's Dalia Hoops. I know she uses her heavy marquise shape so I added a twist to my marquise set and left the other link flat as they have an interesting side profile. The Marquise studs were sold at the I heart market.

Chains-new plan

I couldn't see the forest for the trees. I realized this while playing with the link textures as the textured pieces started to look like I had been so focused on making chains that I couldn't the links themselves can be used as elements on their own, to generate spin-off. 

My new plan is to clean my current links and remake my mould so that the links needless clean up once casting is done. Thus giving me more time to play with the links in metal. I also want to add a smaller version of my original links to add variations. 

Bowes, K.,(2021). Variation. 

Texturing links

Considering the feedback I received I wanted to give my links a reason for being cast instead of making them each out of wire. I thought adding texture to the links and redoing the mould would give the links a reason for being cast. 

Bowes, K.,(2021). Textured links.

Consolidation

I took a look at all the casting bits and pieces I had lying around and grouped them according to what I would like them to be once they are completed.

Bowes, K.,(2021). Pendants.

Bowes, K.,(2021). Neckpieces.

Bowes, K.,(2021).Earrings.

Wax links

As a slight distraction from my platinum prototyping, I rolled some wax to shape the links for my organic chains.

Bowes, K.,(2021). Wax links.

More chain designs

 I did a few more chain designs as I was having so much fun creating new brushes. Like the marquis, I often use a teardrop shape as the basis of drawing stylised flower petals. So for my second design, I used a teardrop shape. 

Bowes, K., (2021). Teardrop chains

I thought the 'butterfly wing' shape, that I used for my brooch for platinum last year, would be an interesting organic shape to use for an element/link.

Bowes, K., (2021). Butterfly wing chain.

The best part about Artflow is the ability to overlap the brushes I made to have some chains that are a mix of the three links I started with.

Bowes, K., (2021). Mixed chains

Smaller sunflower

 The smaller flower I originally made was still too large for the earpiece hence why I redesigned it with the element rather than the whole flower. I still wanted to attempt making a very small flower that can be used for earrings, I managed but it was difficult not to squash it while working. 

The half sunflower cast exactly how I thought it would and I am very happy with how it came out. The small flower needs more cleaning up than I thought it would but at least it wasn't a complete disaster. I will definitely be making moulds of these two pieces as they could easily be used to make multiple pieces for the market.

Bowes, K., (2021). Elements for casting.

Bowes, K., (2021). Cast half flower and small flower

Layering Elements

Playing with the elements of the two sunflowers I ended up layering the petals so the piece has depth. I realized the layered piece would fit well with the curve of the top of the ear so I drew the piece and inserted it into the original design.

Bowes, K., (2021). Layered Elements

Bowes, K., (2021). Redesigned earpiece

Flower elements

I made a mould of my large and medium flowers and started injecting wax into them. Not all the flowers came out as a full flower but that is normal with a new mould. Instead of wasting the large flower that can't be used in my original design, I started to see the flower as an element that can be broken into smaller elements instead of used as a whole. 

Bowes, K., (2021). Mould making

 

Bowes, K.,(2021). Sunflower element.