Fine Art Identity Moving Words 11th December

Moving Words  11th December

With only this morning to sort out the rest of my installation, I had to work quickly to ensure everything was finished before my presentation this afternoon. The book was painted and inked, all the letters cut out, and my paragraphs were ready to be edited. All I had left to do was finish my projection and move my book over to the Fine Art room.

The projection seemed straightforward. What I had to do was take a photo of the book so I could get the scale and shape of the text I needed for the projection. Then I had to load both the photo and the paragraphs I wanted onto Photoshop. I edited the size and saved the file as a jpeg, then opened up Illustrator so I could load two images of the same text. With a little bit of readjusting of the settings, I was able to make the text 'move', become blurry, and appear three dimensional. I was surprised how easy it was to create what I wanted in so little time. Once the timing was sorted out, and I'd copied and pasted some of the points to make the film a loop, I could refine the film and save it to my memory stick.

It was now time to move my book from 3D all the way to the art room. Some of the tutors helped to move it. We managed to get it through the hall and up some small stairs. After placing it in the room, we could then set up the projector. Once the pictures were clear and the sizing had been sorted, I could then start on my letters. After spraying them outside and letting them dry, I could stick them to the other side of my book. I placed the letters as if they were on the page, then made them peel off, distorting them so they were more difficult to recognise as letters. I had very little time to do this. I found it hard to fix the letters on using fishing wire. What I needed was a stronger line that would hold the letters in place without having to tie them to anything.

Even though the book wasn't finished as much as I would of liked, I'd managed to get a lot done in the last three days. As for myself, I was glad I came in to work, despite not being well. If I hadn't been ill, I know it would have been finished.

When it was my turn to present my work I was calmer than I thought I'd be. Talking about dyslexia was fine. In fact, I could have talked for longer. I explained my ideas, why I chose this topic, how I made it, as well as all the research I'd done.

All the comments were helpful. Some suggested building it into an installation. If I were to develop this idea further, one area I found interesting was the use of images and dyslexia. For most dyslexics, images are better learning tools than text. Perhaps I could have a clear image in with the projection? If I was to take this project further, I would do more on the film side, and make the letters on the right side of the book look more dramatic by distorting and having them flying out the page.

This project allowed me to research my dyslexia which was good as it's a part of me I didn't know a lot about. My dyslexia was something I hadn't really wanted to acknowledge, but with more knowledge I now understand myself a little better. I don't think this will be my last project on this subject. The ideas I have may end up as a personal project I do outside college, or after I finish my foundation course. I would like to help people who have dyslexia so they can develop the confidence to achieve their goals.

fine art identity washing out the words 10th December

Washing Out The Words 10th December

Once again I had to spend the morning at the doctor's, but like yesterday I wanted to go into college to finish my work. I have loved Fine Art. It has given me so many options and ways to present my ideas. I know now that going down the 3D route is the right choice for me. I enjoy working with my hands and creating something that is three dimensional. I like watching my thoughts develop and grow from an initial idea to a finished piece.

Having only an hour or two, I got myself down to 3D so I could finish my painting, leaving tomorrow to work on my projection. The main thing I had to do was to get some yellow ink and wash over the top right hand page of the book then slowly fading it out to white at the bottom. This took longer than I thought it would, as I had to build some layers of ink up to create a gradual fade to white.

I applied the lighter ink layers with a sponge. When it came to adding the darker ink, I took a spray bottle and filled it with a darker mix of ink and water. I carefully sprayed over the top of the page making sure not to soak too much of the book so it didn't run down over the edges.

Once again it was time to finish up for the day. I had to sort out what I'd be doing tomorrow at home. Most of the things I needed to finish were final bits, but the part that might take a longer time was the projection. However, with the couple of paragraphs sorted, all I had to do was make them move and blur.

art history Bauhaus “Form follows function” and “Less is more.”

Bauhaus  “Form follows function”  and  “Less is more.”

 

The Bauhaus was an art school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts and was famous for the approach to design that it publicised and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933.

The Bauhaus was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar with the idea of creating a "total" work of art in which all arts, including architecture, would eventually be brought together. The Bauhaus had a profound influence upon subsequent developments in art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design, and typography. 

The school existed in three German cities: Weimar from 1919 to 1925, Dessau from 1925 to 1932 and Berlin from 1932 to 1933, under three different architect-directors: Walter Gropius from 1919 to 1928, Hannes Meyer from 1928 to 1930 and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe from 1930 until 1933, when the school was closed by its own leadership under pressure from the Nazi regime. The Nazi government claimed that it was a centre of communist intellectualism. The changes of venue and leadership resulted in a constant shifting of focus, technique, instructors, and politics. Though the school was closed, the staff continued to spread its idealistic precepts as they left Germany and emigrated all over the world.

 

 Walter Gropius wanted to create a new architectural style to reflect this new era. His style in architecture and consumer goods was to be functional, cheap and consistent with mass production. To these ends, Gropius wanted to reunite art and craft to arrive at high-end functional products with artistic merit. Gropius believed that in order to export innovative and high quality goods, a new types of designers were needed and so was a new type of art education. The school's philosophy stated that the artist should be trained to work with the industry. Gropius explained his vision for a union of art and design in the Proclamation of the Bauhaus (1919), which described a utopian craft guild combining architecture, sculpture, and painting into a single creative expression. Gropius developed a craft-based curriculum that would turn out artisans and designers capable of creating useful and beautiful objects appropriate to this new system of living.

The Bauhaus combined elements of both fine arts and design education. The curriculum commenced with a preliminary course that immersed the students, who came from a diverse range of social and educational backgrounds, in the study of materials, colour theory, and formal relationships in preparation for more specialized studies. This preliminary course was often taught by visual artists, including Paul Klee, Vasily Kandinsky, and Josef Albers, among others.

 

Following their immersion in Bauhaus theory, students entered specialised workshops, which included metalworking, cabinetmaking, weaving, pottery, typography, and wall painting. Although Gropius' initial aim was a unification of the arts through craft, aspects of this approach proved financially impractical. While maintaining the emphasis on craft, he repositioned the goals of the Bauhaus in 1923, stressing the importance of designing for mass production. It was at this time that the school adopted the slogan "Art into Industry."

Along with Gropius, and many other artists and teachers, both Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Herbert Bayer made significant contributions to the development of graphic design. Among its many contributions to the development of design, the Bauhaus taught typography as part of its curriculum and was instrumental in the development of sans-serif typography, which they favoured for its simplified geometric forms and as an alternative to the heavily ornate German standard of blackletter typography.

Teachers and students at the Bauhaus talked and argued about many topics: The place of art in an increasingly technological society; Were the arts a matter of individual expression? Would a new, more egalitarian society require a new, and perhaps more impersonal art? Could new forms of expression be reconciled with capitalist methods of production?

 To these questions they offered many answers, most often in the form of actual objects and works of art, nearly all of them beautiful, some masterworks, which now fill the galleries on the sixth floor of the Museum of Modern Art, some impractical and today seen as unrealistic. The truth was that there could never be any definitive answer. Today we question how the revolutionary dreams of the Bauhaus became our everyday realities, and in some cases our everyday banalities. Critics today look at the work of the Bauhaus and try and figure out what went wrong. They ask how the glorious promise of the Bauhaus became so terribly tarnished, and in so many respects misunderstood.

With a more rational and balanced view, critics today now believe the Bauhaus means something very different. There is questioning and doubt. Not everything was practical and perfect. The way the Bauhaus represented the unifying power of geometry is something no longer generally shared. Some believe that the school may indeed still be relevant, but only the Expressionist early period, which is very different to what is normally associated with the term "Bauhaus."

With a more rational and balanced view, critics today now believe the Bauhaus means something very different. There is questioning and doubt. Not everything was practical and perfect. The way the Bauhaus represented the unifying power of geometry is something no longer generally shared. Some believe that the school may indeed still be relevant, but only the Expressionist early period, which is very different to what is normally associated with the term "Bauhaus." 

The Bauhaus idea always represented a compromise between conflicting tendencies; a fanciful, utopian spirit was balanced against a more practical-minded, forward-looking character.

In regards to women and the Bauhaus, there were constraints imposed on the school’s supposedly liberated female faculty and students. The Bauhaus at first was intended to be gender-blind. However, Gropius became alarmed by what he saw as the disproportionate number of women in a student body that never numbered more than 150 matriculates at any given moment, which prompted him to steer women away from the supposedly “masculine” architecture curriculum and toward the traditionally “feminine” crafts workshops.

 One of the most interesting parts of the Bauhaus was Kandinsky and the Yellow-Triangle, Blue-Circle, and Red-Square. It was Kandinsky's idea that there are certain fundamental associations between colours and shapes  he proposed Yellow-Triangle, Blue-Circle, and Red-Square. These associations were formulated introspectively, however, he did conduct his own survey at the Bauhaus in 1923 by distributing questionnaires to his professorial colleagues and students, and found that many of his colleagues agreed with his associations; notable exceptions were his contemporaries, Klee and Schlemmer, who favoured different form-colour combinations. In fact, Kandinsky had already embarked upon a similar attempt to identify colour form associations while still in Russia with the aim to provide the scientific underpinning for his own intuitions.

Kandinsky's Yellow-Triangle, Blue-Circle, and Red-Square equation inspired several projects at the Bauhaus in the early 1920s. The most interesting is an amazing baby cradle by Peter Keler. This unusual, and rather dangerous looking design, illustrates the association between shapes and colours, and shows that Kandinky's ideas have mainly only historical significance and that forms and colours do not have universal meaning or correspondence.

THE principles of the Bauhaus are in many ways no longer a valid model for modern design. The emphasis on hard, uncompromising surfaces characteristic of the Bauhaus can be alienating and remote. Something more comfortable is needed for everyday use. The Bauhaus was responsible for many designs for ordinary objects that look modern and that appear to do a particular task with a minimum of fuss. This simplicity can be deceptive. Often, in order to attain the purified line, essential elements have been left out.

The avant-garde pushes the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm. The Bauhaus confronted tradition and developed new ways of doing things, but struggled to legitimise their new ideas. The rhetoric created by change can be more powerful than the changes themselves. If the rhetoric is really good, with lots of catch-phrases and easy concepts such as 'form follows function', and 'less is more', it can take on a life of its own. The Bauhaus had, if nothing else, terrific rhetoric.

fine art identity working with visual words 9th December

Working With Visual Words   9th December

After having the morning off to go to the doctor's, I got into college with much of the day already gone. I had to do my best to get as much done as I could before this Thursday's deadline. This project was important to me. Having dyslexia myself, and growing up surrounded by people that didn't understand what I was going through, meant I wanted to finish my installation for my own personal reasons and not just because it was a set project.

I made a start on the big book in 3D in the afternoon. With some help I managed to lift the book onto the table. My first task was to take off all the staples that were attached to the book and clean the surface before I started painting. Although I wanted to only have one page, I needed to paint all of the book as it seemed to be a lot dirtier than I first realised. After finishing the painting, the college was closing up so I had to go home to do a bit more research and rest.

On the way home I thought how normally I don't talk about my dyslexia to many people. It's a personal subject. Who I want to share it with is very much my choice. It will be interesting how I work through the group talk about my work.

Art History Form Follows Function

Art History Form Follows Function

"Form follows function" is a phrase commonly heard in art. It has an especially important meaning in design. A product is useless if it doesn't function properly, no matter how beautiful its design.

One way of looking at form and function is to consider the belief that good design is 98% common sense, and 2% aesthetics. If this is true, and function is the most important aspect in design, then why bother with form at all? The reason is that as consumers, we also buy with our eyes. If we dislike the look of something, be it a lamp, chair or table, we are unlikely to buy it no matter how well it performs. It's the 2% that makes us part with our cash, therefore making it vitally important. This relationship between form and function then leads us to ask why are there products that don't follow the 98% to 2 % theory? Why do people buy something that has had little or no consideration for aesthetics?

In the 19th century, the economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen introduced the term "conspicuous consumption", a theory about buying things purely as a status symbol. Acquiring and displaying luxury items showed others how much you could afford to spend on well known expensive products to show your superior socio-economic status. Buying things for the sake of conspicuous consumption means that it doesn't matter very much about the functionality of the object, it's the fact that you can afford to buy it.

Modern design as we know it dates back to the industrial revolution, a phrase the French writers came up with as they could see it would be just as profound as their political revolution. Before the industrial revolution everything was hand made. This means it was a lot more expensive, and the very expensive objects were more decorative and more often than not had more than one function; the normal function, and the underlying symbolic function. This symbolic function depended on the object in question, but mostly it was about extravagance, power, importance and wealth.

If you were to look back to the first well known, or famous designers of the industrial revolution, they are referred to as 'manufacturers' instead of designers. This was because they made their name more as business men than designers. One famous businessmen was Thomas Chippendale. He is well known for his furniture and in 1754 he published a book of his designs titled, "The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director." This was like a modern day catalogue allowing you to select different designs and order them to be made. It was not only convenient for the buyer, but served as a source of information for the manufacturer. It allowed them to know which designs were selling better and so waste and cost were cut considerably.

With the industrial revolution came technological innovation such as the Iron Bridge in 1781. It was designed by Abraham Darby Pritchard and crossed the River Severn in Shropshire. The bridge was greatly celebrated after construction as it was the first arch bridge in the world to be made of cast iron. At the beginning of the 18th century, Abraham Darby pioneered the process of using coke made from local coal to smelt iron ore. This proved to be one of the most important technological breakthrough's ever discovered. The industrial expansion was stunted by the lack of a bridge over the Severn, which had to allow for barge traffic. This is why the Iron Bridge was so important for the industrial revolution.

Fine Art Identitiy Words Without Meaning 4th of December

Words Without Meaning   4th December

I researched some artists who use text in their art and developed some good ideas. I considered having a book where the words are falling out; or perhaps making a film of letters moving? The idea of having letters move or vibrate is something important as 20% of dyslexics have some form of visual-perceptual disorder where the words appear to move on the page. The words can also appear three dimensional, have different colours, and become blurred, making it even harder for dyslexics to read. I want to be able to show people the difficulties so they can begin to understand what some people with dyslexia go through.

I talked over my ideas with the tutor and was able to finalise my plans for a installation. I decided to go with the book idea; having an open book with letters on one page starting out normal and then slowly peeling off and becoming twisted. On the other page I will project a paragraph and have it vibrating to mimic the visual-perceptual disorder.

With only three days to complete it, I had to make sure I'll be ready for next Thursday. I started with the letters. I found some templates, then spent time finding the right thickness of paper so I could bend it, but it would still hold its shape. I cut out the letters then gathered some white paint and ink and painted my book so I'd have a clean surface to project the words on. Once that was done, I went back to cutting out more letters.

By the end of the lesson, I'd made a good start, but there was still a lot to do, and little time to do it. I hope I get everything finished.

fine art identity font for dyslexia

Font for Dyslexia

For someone suffering from dyslexia, reading is already a difficult task, but the font of the text can make things a lot harder for the person. That is why the Dutch designer Christian Boer created a dyslexic friendly font. As someone living with dyslexia, Christian Boer wanted to create an readable typeface called Dyslexie that was specifically designed to help others like himself with dyslexia.

Christian Boer is a graphic designer. He first developed the Dyslexie typeface at Utrecht Art Academy when he was writing his final thesis project. A dyslexic himself, Christian set out to create a font that would make reading a less strenuous task. After completion, the revolutionary font immediately became noticed among the dyslexic community and in the international media.

When talking about more traditional typefaces that aren't designed for dyslexia, Christian Boer said, “Traditional fonts are designed solely from an aesthetic point of view, which means they often have characteristics that make characters difficult to recognise for people with dyslexia. Oftentimes, the letters of a word are confused, turned around or jumbled up because they look too similar.”

Dyslexie is designed to make reading clearer and more enjoyable for people with dyslexia. Although it looks like a traditional typeface, Dyslexie uses heavy base lines, alternates larger openings, stick and tail lengths, and semicursive slants to make sure that each character has a unique and more easily recognisable form.

The main problem with the western alphabet is the similarity within the letters. What people with dyslexia tend to do is rotate the letters. For example; tuning n into a u or rotate a p into a d. Another common mistake is reverted or flipping letters round. Common examples are b and d, or p and q. With such similarities in the traditional alphabet, it is easy to see how someone with dyslexia could find it difficult to read plain text. Taking the normal letters from the alphabet, Boer changes them in such a way that they can't be rotated or flipped, with each one being different and unique.

Boer says that independent studies from the University of Twente and the University of Amsterdam back up his claims that Dyslexie helps both children and adults with dyslexia to read faster and with fewer errors, though the results from Twente were mixed, or statistically insignificant. He has said since making the font available for free to individual users last June, 12,000 people have downloaded it. Dyslexie is also being used, “within companies such as Shell, KLM, Citibank, Pixar, Nintendo, Talpa, as well as various government agencies, many universities and other educational institutions.” The Dyslexie website includes a list of books and e-books available in the font, giving people with dyslexia the chance to enjoy reading.

Fine Art Identity Finding the Words 3rd December

Finding the Words 3rd December

Today is a big research day. I had to sort out once and for all what I'll do for my identity fine art project. I couldn't afford to spend any more time thinking about it. I had to get the research done on my topic and then start the making process.

I thought about what makes up my identity. My family is important to me and very close to my heart. My love for art is a big part of who I am as it allows me to express myself as well as being a visual way to understand the world. Music is something I wouldn't won't to live without as it has been a part of me since I was very young. My mother was a music teacher and we always had classical music playing throughout the house. Another part of who I am is my Welsh heritage. I consider myself Welsh and learning about Welsh history and culture has been something I've enjoyed the past few months.

One part of my identity I'd like to, and need to explore further, is my dyslexia. It has always been a part of me and I know without it, I would not be the same person and may not have even applied for this foundation course. Apart from being one of the many things that make up who I am, I would like to do some research into dyslexia. I've always wondered what other people think about it, what are their views, and how much they understand.

I have spent today searching for artists that express how they feel about their dyslexia through their art, but haven't found many. I wondered if it was because there aren't many artists that have dyslexia? I doubted that because people who are dyslexic tend to be more creative. It could be that as artists they don't feel that their dyslexia is part of them? Perhaps I'm not looking hard enough. Whatever the reason, I'm hoping to find some artists that have used text in different ways to give me some ideas on how I can depict dyslexia.

I do have a couple of ideas. I'm thinking about a book full of words you cant read, or words falling out a book? My ideas still need more work, but with some research and all night to think about it, I'm sure I'll come up with an interesting idea.

Photography Identity From black and white to colour 3rd December

From Black and White to Colour   3rd December

With only one more lesson left in photography, today we experimented with different ways to layer images; placing one negative on top of another so that both are imprinted onto the paper, then when development is completed and the photo is still wet, we got the chance to dye our images.

To start I had difficulty developing my film. No matter what I did, I kept getting just white pieces of paper. After testing things out by myself, I eventually got the tutor to help me fix the problem. I had to expose the paper for a longer time and change how much light was being let through the machine. With things sorted, I could now produce some photos. I layered an old photo of a lake in a park I use to go to, and then placed one of my items over the top. The effect didn't turn out how I wanted, so I did a couple more hoping I'd be able to colour them and make them look a bit more interesting.

By the end of the lesson I managed to get one or two photos that were alright. While they were still wet, I went down to 3D to dye them. This was an easy process that involved placing the photo in blue or yellow dye, leaving it, then sitting it in some water for a while. I tried different ways of getting the dye onto the photo to see what effects I could get. By far the most unusual was the odd haze look to the blue dye I got by leaving the photo in for a short time, then quickly washing it off.

I thought about what I would do for my final piece. What I'd done so far today was terrible and I wouldn't like to have them in my portfolio. The photos of my little pot on the other hand look a little better. If I could have a photo of that and paint on the developer so the edges of the photo are blurred, then dye the photo a very light yellow colour, and have some faint writing over it, it might look a bit better.

Fine art Identity powerpoint 2nd December

Identity  2nd December

The lesson started with a PowerPoint where we looked at the subject of identity. We saw how some artists interpreted their own identity and created works based on that theme. There were many different methods and materials. As well as a wide range of materials, the ideas behind the artworks about identity varied from cultural to a more personal approach. It was good to keep that in mind when deciding what we would do with our own project.

After the PowerPoint, it was time to think of what we would like to do for our identity fine art piece. This was a difficult task for me. Having already done my Welsh heritage, I was unsure of what to do next. I am a very shy person, which is something in itself I could explore, but my personal identity is something I don't share with many people. With that in mind I had to think of something. My family is a part of me that is very important. Without my family, I know I would be a very different person. Families mould us. Parents, siblings and children change who we are by giving advice, support and of course, never ending drama. This is one area that I could look into.

I have some artists to start researching. I'm not sure where this will take me, but like my other projects, I'm eager to find out.

3D identity cutting and shaping 27th November

Cutting and Shaping   27th November

With this being the last day of 3D I had to work hard to get everything done before the group critique at the end of the day. I started with the acrylic part of my necklace as I still had to cut out the design.

Taking the same steps as the copper sheet, I marked out my design using the paper template I photocopied from my sketchbook. I used a pen to carefully go around the template as the acrylic was transparent and any pen that was left could be seen. I took the large acrylic sheet to the saw to cut off the excess. I carefully cut around the shape like I did with the copper. I found this a lot easier to do with the acrylic as it was a thicker material and didn't bend if there wasn't anything underneath it like the copper did.

With both copper and acrylic cut out from the sheets, it was now time to remove the centre parts of my design that I wasn't able to remove before. For this I had to use the drill to make holes so I could slide the saw blade in the hole and remove the centre spaces of the design with out cutting off any parts I wanted to keep. Before I could do any drilling, I had to start with making a small dent in the copper so that the drill would easily make a hole in the metal and not slip around. I also had to cover my acrylic with masking tape to help prevent it splitting when drilled.

With the preparations done, I could begin drilling the holes. This took longer than I thought, because with each one I had to position the copper or acrylic in the right place to match up with the marks I made earlier. I also had to ensure I clamped the materials to the board so it was safe to start.

After all the drilling was finished, I could go back to the saw and finish off the last bit of cutting. This was another long process, as I had to shut everything down before I removed the blade to slide it into the holes I drilled, cut around the centre, then switch everything off again to remove the blade so I could move onto the next one.

With my design finally done, I could then start to think about moulding them together and completing my necklace.

Nearing the end of the day, I had to gather my things together and take part in the group critique. This is something I both enjoy and get a little nervous about. I find that during 3D everyone is very busy doing separate things, but the group critique gives us the time to not only present what we have done, but also discuss the starting point, our thoughts, and what we would do differently or develop if we carried on with the project. When it was my turn to speak, I started by explaining my last 3D necklace and how it was based on Celtic designs and that the Celts were part of my identity. I also explained how I wanted to research more about the meanings behind Celtic jewellery, how it had important significance to the Celts and that their jewellery wasn't just ornamental. As the Celts culture and religion is very closely related to nature, I had done some research on artists whose work is also connected to nature.

If I was carrying on with this project, I would like to look at the subject of jewellery being more than ornamental. I'm interested in the idea of jewellery being more of a statement about, or part of someone's identity, and what they are trying to say by wearing it. I would also like to investigate the symbolism behind different culture's jewellery.

After listening to everyone's ideas and talking about my own, it was time to call it a day.

Copper

Copper

The use of copper to make decorative works goes back thousands of years to ancient Egypt and to prehistory itself. Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations first used copper to create lamps, statues, jewellery and pots. The earliest known piece of copper jewellery dates to the eighth millennium BC. Copper was also fused with other metals to make jewellery and the alloying of copper and tin produced bronze. Copper was associated with ancient gods and goddesses and become so valuable that it was used as money. The colour of polished copper is deeper and richer than gold. Left to age naturally (and coated as it would be by the skin’s own oils), copper takes on a deep, bronze-like colour that adds even more interest to a piece of jewellery.

There are several advantages of using copper for jewellery. Many jewellery makers and designers use copper because it is versatile. It is one of the easiest metals to work with. Copper is very pliable and easy to cut, form and fold. Copper is easy to hammer and nothing patinates like copper. Copper is also relatively inexpensive. Today, copper can be purchased in many forms including wire, sheet, tube, chain, and beads.

The oldest metal sculpture pieces were made out of copper, copper alloys and bronze. These metals offered the artist strength while also being malleable. Metal casting as an ancient art dates back 6000 years with the first cast works made out of gold and copper. (Metal casting is the sculpting process where metals are poured into a mould.)

Copper is an extremely durable metal as it is low in the reactivity series. This means that it doesn't tend to corrode. When cared for properly, copper jewellery will last a lifetime or longer. Copper is sometimes used as a base for jewellery on top of which another metal is plated, such as silver or platinum.

Copper is a ductile metal. This means that it can easily be drawn into wires. Copper is also malleable which means it can be bent easily. These are reasons it is popular for jewellery making. Copper can also be joined easily by soldering or brazing. In fact, all these metal working techniques can be used with copper; stamping, hammering, doming, etching, and engraving.

The many advantages of copper mean that it's popular for many types of jewellery. Copper is commonly made into earrings, bracelets, bangles, engraved or carved rings, necklaces, brooches, cuffs and chokers. Copper jewellery can also be accented with enamel, beads, engravings, gold, brass, nickel or silver plating and can also be embellished with precious gemstones.

Copper is highly reactive, so it is possible to get many different looks from it. By dipping it in a sulphur solution it reacts with the sulphur to give a range of colours from browns, blues, reds, and black, depending on how long you leave it. It can also be etched with ferric chloride. It reacts with vinegar and ammonia to give blues and greens. When heat is applied, it changes colour.

Copper and bronze were popular during the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Arts and Crafts movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The malleable character of copper meant it was the perfect material for decorated items such as trays, coal boxes, cooking utensils and bas relief panels and plaques. The natural, flowing lines of these movements worked well with the characteristics of copper and bronze and pieces made with are highly sought after.

Abby Hook Jewellery

Abby Hook Jewellery

Abby Hook is a self taught jewellery maker and designer who lives and works in the UK. She works mainly with semi-precious stones and wire, experimenting with different ways of combining the two. Abby was inspired by the work of Eni Oken. Copper, bronze and silver are among her favourite metals to work with.

Many of Abby Hook's pieces have lots of hand coiled wire, using no glue or solder, just ancient methods of coiling and weaving. She focuses on intricate wire weaving, creating elegant pendants, earrings, rings, brooches and bracelets. Abby's work is inspired by nature, trees and flowers, as well as the sea. She says that even music and film has inspired some of her work. However, the most noticeable influence on her designs is the work of the Celts and the Vikings from nearly 1300 years ago. The Vikings used long pieces of silver and gold wire to weave ropes. These woven wire ropes were then stretched and made into jewellery for powerful Viking leaders. This wire weaving is called Viking knit. Abby also uses Celtic designs such as found in torques made by the Iceni tribe.

This necklace by Abby Hook was inspired by the limpets that are found clinging to the side of rock pools at the seaside. The piece captures the interesting structure of the shells. Abby has used a Viking knit technique to create a bezel setting for the stones and also to form a surround which connects each stone together. The centrepiece is connected to sections of Viking knit chain, finished with hand made wire caps and Rose quartz beads. The hand made clasp is accented with copper and rhodonite beads.

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Abby says that these simple yet sleek designed copper wire earrings were developed and inspired by the torques made by the Iceni tribe. They have beautiful twisted wire detail. They look strong, yet delicate. Abby has used Viking knit either side of the hoop, which holds its shape due to the core wire running through the knit. The chain is finished with handmade wire caps, The centre of the hoop has a Rose Quartz bead. The earrings have been oxidised to highlight the intricate detail.

Abby has used Viking knit for the focal of the hoop, which holds its shape due to the core wire running through the knit. The chain is finished with handmade wire caps, Bali style and rondelle beads. The earring is secured closed with a hinged earwire. The earrings are made with copper wire and measure 1 1/4" across the outer edge. The earrings have been oxidised to highlight the intricate detail

This cuff was inspired by beautifully ornate filigree designs. Swirling wire is contrasted with intricately woven leaves, which has all been balanced with the open spaces.

This bracelet is made from copper wire. The Viking knit chain is finished with 2 handmade wire caps and a handmade hook clasp, and Indian Agate stones. The bracelet measures 7" long.

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This large penannular Celtic Brooch was made with thick copper wires to form the shape, which have been twisted together, hand forged and then hammered to create a pattern. This makes the structure very strong. There are three overlapping spirals at each end of the brooch creating a Celtic inspired pattern

3D Identity from glass to copper 26th Noverber

From Glass to Copper   26th November

With only today and tomorrow morning left, I had to think about how I would make my necklace in such a sort time. With the glass not producing the elegance I wanted, I had to take another path to achieve the style I set out to do. If I had more time I would of gone back and changed my design, or learnt how to make my necklace out of glass using the tools I had to hand, or go to a workshop elsewhere that has glass blowing and tried to use that for my necklace.

Seeing as I had only two days, I had to change my materials. I used one of my bigger designs and decided to make it out of copper. However, to keep the see through aspect, I had to use acrylic instead of glass, making two different parts of the jewellery, layering the acrylic over the copper. I wanted to keep the transparency as it was part of linking back to the original Celtic torques, and the idea of the invisible protection it gave the warriors that wear it. As well as making it represent their connection to nature, the glass would have looked more like water. The copper loses that feeling, instead it gives the individual curls an earthy look. As for the acrylic part of the design, that will still have the clear feel, but you will be able to see the copper under it. Instead of all the necklace having the invisible protection, only the acrylic has that now.

Having chosen my materials and design, it was time to make my necklace. I started with enlarging my design so it would be easier to work from. I made two copies so that I could cut out the two parts of the necklace out for each individual material. Once I had done that I marked out the design on the copper so I could separate the amount I wanted from the rest of the sheet.

Taking the piece of copper with my design to the saw, I then proceeded to cut off the excess copper. Before I could start, I had to place a thin piece of wood under the metal so that it would be stable and wouldn't bend while I was cutting it. I found this difficult at first as it required a lot of getting used to, but with a bit of patience and practice, I soon understood how much I had to move the copper to get the angles and curves I wanted.

With the workshop closed after lunch, I had to finish as much as I could now and hopefully get the rest done tomorrow.

3D identity broken glass and new ideas 25th November

Broken glass and new ideas   25th November

With only three days left of 3D and nothing to show for it, I had to work hard to get my test piece finished and ready to go in the kiln by the end of the day. With that in mind, as soon as the lesson started I got my hands on some glass so I could start to find out exactly how my necklace would work. My first problem arose when I was told that the glass when heated using the slump technique would just fall off the plaster mould I had made and be useless. This was terrible. I had spent a day on making the mould after being told it would work, and now not only had I wasted a day on that, I had to rethink how I could make my necklace out of glass.

I tried hand cutting the shape of the design out from a sheet of glass with a glass cutter, a funny little tool that looks like a pen, but with oil that comes out of the wheel on the end. I started by mapping out my design on the glass with a pen. I made it a little larger so it would be easier to cut out. As I was working on the glass I could see that this wasn't going to be practical. No matter how much I tried I couldn't get the glass to cut the shapes I needed for my necklace. I had to rethink the way I was working. After a talk with the tutor, I started cutting out shapes that I could then reconstruct and assemble into my design before it went into the kiln to fuse. Even that wasn't working for me, no matter how I tried. I decided I would change my design instead and cut more rectangular shapes out of the glass and use copper wire to fix the pieces together.

After collecting the copper wirer and cutting out the pieces of glass, I only had a short time to sort out a way to arrange them. After a long day of testing I was left with not much to show for it. The glass wasn't working the way I wanted it to. The copper wire and glass piece not only looked ugly, but sharp and dangerous. It wasn't a successful day. My next idea was to use a copper sheet, cut out my design and have the glass fused to that. It might work. With only two days left I was hopeful.

I set myself a difficult task. I wanted to work with a new material and learn how to use it. I have learnt a lot about different ways of working with glass, but none that can help me with the tools that are at my disposal. I'm hoping I can make my next attempt work tomorrow.

3D identity art nouveau

Art Nouveau

Art nouveau was an art movement that swept through the decorative arts and architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Art Nouveau was aimed at modernising design, seeking to escape the historical styles that had previously been popular. Artists drew inspiration from both organic and geometric forms, combining the two to create elegant flowing designs which resulted in a unique style.

The desire to abandon the historical styles of the 19th century was an important force behind Art Nouveau. Industrial production was, at that point widespread, but the standards of the decorative arts were increasingly slipping compared to the earlier periods. The practitioners of Art Nouveau sought to revive good workmanship, raising the status of craft, and producing genuinely modern design.

The advent of Art Nouveau can be traced to two influences. The first was the Arts and Crafts movement around 1880 which was led by the English designer William Morris. This movement, like Art Nouveau, was against the designs and compositions of Victorian-era decorative art. The second was the current vogue for Japanese art, particularly wood-block prints, that influenced many European artists in the 1880s and 90s, including the likes of Gustav Klimt, Emile Galle and Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo.

It is said to be difficult to pinpoint the first work or works of art that officially launched Art Nouveau. Some argue that the patterned, flowing lines and floral backgrounds can be found in the paintings of Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin represent Art Nouveau's birth. Most critics point to the origins in the decorative arts, in particular to a book jacket by English architect and designer Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo for Wren's City Churches. The design depicts serpentine stalks of flowers coalescing into one large, whiplashed stalk at the bottom of the page, clearly reminiscent of Japanese-style wood-block prints.

3D Identity Glass techniques

Glass techniques

Blowing glass is one of the oldest glassmaking methods. It is where a glassblower works at a furnace, and uses metal rods and hand tools to blow and shape molten glass into almost any form. As well as being one of the oldest techniques it is one of the more popular ways to work. Most large hollow pieces are made using this method, but care and a steady hand is needed to continually rotate the pole so the glass has an even form while it is still molten.

Cast glass can be done at the torch or in a kiln. Normally the artist makes a mould out of sand, plaster and silica which can be filled with either clear glass, coloured, or patterned glass, depending on the techniques and effects desired. Large scale glass sculpture is usually created this way. Slumped glass and fused glass is similar to cast glass, but it is not done at as high of a temperature. Usually the glass is only heated enough to impress a shape or a texture onto the piece, or to stick several pieces of glass together without a glue.

Etched glass is created by dipping glass that has an acid resistant pattern applied to its surface into an acid solution. Also an artist can engrave it by hand using wheels. Sandblasting can create a similar effect.

Another type of glasswork is flame-worked glass. This is where torches and kilns are used. The artist generally works at a bench using rods and tubes of glass, shaping the glass with hand tools to create their work. Many forms can be achieved this way with little space needed and at small cost. The artist is limited in the size of the work that can be created, but a lot of detail can be achieved using this technique.

3D identity Moulding my ideas 20th November

Moulding my ideas   20th November

The first part of the lesson was devoted to explaining what we need to do for our design sheets, as well as looking at some examples. This was very helpful as there are so many different styles and ways to make a design sheet. We were also showed how to stretch paper over a board by taping the paper to the board and lightly wetting it.

After the talk I did a bit of research and had a talk with the tutor about my ideas; where I was going, and what I wanted to do. With some good feedback, I started thinking about how I will make my jewellery. I also had some different areas to research.

I was ready to start testing out some glass, but before I could I had to make a cast for my glass to sit on when it's in the kiln. Taking a plastic manikin, I took my pencil and lightly marked out how big I wanted the cast to be. I then took some clay and made a barrier around the marked area so I could pour the plaster in to make the mould. I made sure there were no holes and that the walls of clay were tall and strong enough to hold it all in place while it sets. This was time consuming, but once done I could them make more moulds from this one with a lot less effort. Having made the walls, and around the manikin's shoulders and neck, I was ready to make some plaster. I took a bowl with cold water and carefully poured in the plaster until it was about the same quantity of water. It was easy to see when you get the right amount because the plaster stops dissolving in the water. With the right amount of plaster and water, I then had to carefully combine the two together to make a smooth mixture being careful not to add any air into the plaster as this would make it unstable when it hardens. After making sure it was properly combined, it was time to pour it onto the mould making sure it was evenly distributed. With the first batch done I then had to make two more bowls of plaster before I could leave it to set for the night. Luckily I had just the right amount of time to get it all done before the end of the day.

With the plaster setting I can hopefully get another mould done tomorrow.

Photography The Dark Room Experience 19th November

The Dark Room Experience   19th November

With last week's photography lesson all about taking photos, this one was about developing photos. It was something I had always found interesting, and being able to do it myself was a great experience. We started with a run down of what we had to do.

We started with taking the film out of the camera. This has to be done carefully and in a dark room because if the film is exposed to any light it would have ruined the photos and we wouldn't be able to use them. With that in mind we were then given a run down of what we had to do step by step. Each step had a number of instructions. We then took it in turns to develop our films. As we had taken our photos in pairs, we were sent in the same pairs to develop them. I had the task of going into the darkroom and loading the film onto reels in a light-proof tank. This was harder than it sounds because not being able to see anything was disconcerting. I had to completely rely on my sense of touch.

It was now time to start the development process. We started with mixing 560mls of water at 20C  with 80mls of developer. We then had to leave it to stand for nine minutes, agitating for 10 seconds every minute.

After pouring the liquid away, we added 320mls of "stop" per film and agitated that for 30 seconds.

After emptying the container again, we could then pour in 320mls of the "fix" solution leaving it for 5 minutes, agitating it, then leaving it again for another 5 minutes.

Finally we could take out the film, pour away the fix and leave the film in a bowl of running water for 5 minute, adding a couple of drops of washing up liquid to the water to create a surface on the film so it wouldn't be scratched so easily.

After that, our photos were developed. It was a long, but interesting process. Every stage was different and something you don't normally do with digital photographs. I really enjoyed it.

3D Identity Researching jewellery 19th November

Researching Jewellery   19th November

With it being the second day of 3D, it was really the last day I could spend researching if I wanted a finished piece by next week, so I started by having a quick talk about what I was thinking of doing and what I'd researched so far.

After a quick talk with each of us explaining what we were thinking of doing, it was time to get down to business. I needed some books on jewellery designers and materials so I could get a better idea of what materials to use, so I spent the morning in the college library reading and researching Celtic jewellery, and modern designers who use glass. I also read about some of the techniques they use to create their work. The research took most of the lesson.

I was happy with the information I found. I learned a lot about the Celts and how much of their history was recorded in their art as they didn't write down stories. I found this an interesting way to keep records as anything spoken could be changed or misunderstood easily. Art can also lose its meaning, or meanings can change over time, and as with many ancient things, we can't know for sure whether all the information is correct.

I found a couple of modern jewellery designers that use glass, but the one I found most interesting was Gill Rogers. Not only were most of her designs made out of glass, but the natural forms she drew inspiration from gave her jewellery a beautiful and unique look. Her pieces were delicate three dimensional shapes.

I still have a lot of research to do, but I'm hoping tomorrow I can get some testing done.

Gill Rogers

Gill Rogers' training began in 1997 with a foundation course in art & design and textiles. After finishing she went on to study glassmaking, beginning with a course in stained glass and copperfoil techniques. She then studied kiln-formed glass techniques when she enrolled at City & Guilds just before attending university.

It was while Gill Rogers was at Lincoln University that she got her first taste for jewellery making. During her final year of university, where she was studying glass techniques to produce designs for interior lighting, she was given an assignment to design and make a number of objects to promote galleries. The assignment required a minimum of four objects. With a limited time scale, it was then that Gill Rogers first thought of making jewellery using glass.

After spending a couple of years working overseas, Rogers now works in her own studio located at Paintworks in Bristol. Rogers has said she always had a great passion and desire for design and making. Her main focus and goal is to continue to push the boundaries and create innovative designs in jewellery. One of Rogers' short-term aims is to devote more time to areas such as marketing in an attempt to get her work across to a wider audience.

With most of Gill Rogers' jewellery being predominantly made of glass, she has to be careful of what sort of glass she uses, as glass can be fragile, not only in the making processes, but also to the person wearing it. Rogers makes her designs mainly out of borosilicate glass as it is a hard glass with a higher resistance to shock and breakage than soft glass. Borosilicate contains the same properties as Pyrex, which is commonly used for producing scientific laboratory ware, such as test tubes, and also for producing various items of kitchen bakeware. Using borosilicate glass makes it a lot easier for her to create the designs she wants, without the jewellery breaking.

Gill Rogers' main source of inspiration for her designs comes from studies of natural forms. These include icicles, plants, fossils, shells, and corals. Many of her designs represent pattern and texture. Much of her jewellery has an abstract look, but they are still recognisable as natural forms. Each one of her designs has an elegant and smooth feel to them. Gill Rogers has managed to create intricate pieces using very fragile transparent material, as well as making it a solid three-dimensional shape.