Friday, August 26, 2011

A little late for BTW but finished on time for ABS

Don't you just love acrynoms.
  (!#$%#@&*^+_) I  DON"T!!
Really they can mean a million different things to millions of different people.
It can be so confusing.  
If you follow regularly you may know that BTW on my page is not "By the Way" 
but Bead Table Wednesday and I missed it this week.
(But you can go get inspired by the other jewelers)  
ABS is not the abbrieviation for those (troublesome sagging) six packs I used to have 
but the Art Bead Scene Blog Challenge. 
So now that we have all that sorted out. 
Here is my entry for the Art Bead Scene August Challenge inspired by Frederick Ramsdell. 
An Art Deco Poster for American Crescent Cycles. 
I love the poster, the girl's long flowing hair and blowing dress have such nice movement. 
I wove hand dyed silk ribbon in an auburn shade 
through some really unique antique brass chain I have that reminds me of bicycle chain.  
I was picturing in my mind a pendant that was a bicycle wheel on one side 
and had a portrait of the girl inlaid in the other 
so I got out my polymer clay and started mixing colors to match the palette.  
(Unfortunately my green turned more blue in the oven) 
My eye was drawn to the wheel with the silver spokes, pink rim and white washed tire.  
This inspired the pendant which I made first and then baked.  
Next I added the bezel on the front and the handles 
which if you look closely resemble the handles on the bicycle in the poster. 
I spent a lot of time sketching to create a line drawing portrait 
to insert in my bezel with the girl's profile and flowing hair.

When I finally had a successful result I minimized it in Adobe Photoshop 
and printed a whole page of her.
You may see her again in other jewelry. 
One of the last additions to my necklace is my favorite part- 
the three graduated loops of antique brass chain hanging from the pendant. 
I knew I was finished when I added that. 
It balanced out the whole design.
I also am in love with this leaf chain that is dangling from the knot of silk. I have been adding it to everything I make- it is sooooooo nice.
I inserted the white lily, which you see many of in the poster, just for the photos,
I never found a place for it in the necklace.
I made that a long time ago and it is still looking for a home.
I am really puzzled by how this all came together.  
No sketch, except the portrait, just intuitive combining of ingredients and well, 
sometimes that's when I do my best work. 
Let go and let it happen.
Click here to see some more wonderful creations!!

6 comments:

  1. Wow, you are very creative, love it all. I think you did an awesome job. I did wonder about the blue, till I read your post.

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  2. What a fabulous job..I love how you drew the woman's head yourself and I llove the ribbon through the unusual chain, too. It all came together so well, beautiful.
    Jenni

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  3. Love your creation...beautiful! I agree with Jenni, love how you incorporated the ribbon and the chain, very creative!

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  4. That is gorgeous and so true to challenge. Really inspired!

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  5. I love how you've taken so many elements of the poster into your work. Your sketch is lovely, and I love the leaf chain espcially.

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  6. Wonderful! My favorite part is the ribbon through the chain...

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