More website sketches

Another design I'm working on with some helpful tips from Kevin. Thanks for those other ideas Thom and Jennnn, I tried to add a balancing factor on this one. I'll use different pictures, these are kinda just rough placeholder images to give me a rough idea of what it'll look like.

Website sketches

These are some layouts and ideas I'm working on for my new website. Super simple html with a flash viewer for a gallery. I have some ideas on how to improve these, but this is how far I got last night. I like those super simple minimal websites that just have small things in the middle of the page and a vast landscape behind them. I'm going to try and emulate some of those designs, in which case I have to make my images much smaller, and my composition more focused on the center of the page. Any tips, designers?

Dangly earrings

Yeayea, I usually preach about hating beads because it doesn't take much talent to wrap some wire around beautiful gems to make them look amazing. Well... sometimes I'm a hypocrite... I like beautiful gems! I had these amethyst laying around, and I wanted to make a little cluster of dangly sorts for a pair of earrings. I've gotten this far so far... and I'll probably re-hang them so they dangle somewhat differently... but this is the equivalent of a sketch for them I suppose.

Etsy progress

I've been taking new photographs and manipulating them in photoshop for my etsy site and my new!!! website i'm going to start on. Sketch-a-day, you have inspired me to have a greater online presence. Yay! First my etsypage, then the world muahahahahaa!

Here's a screenshot of what my etsy page looks like after my manipulations. That's http://www.animametals.etsy.com :

Banner

I meant to post this last night, but I got wrapped up in hanging out and drinking wine with my husband. And updating my Etsy site. And sending in applications for upcoming craft shows at Agora and Craftstravaganza... we'll see how they go!

In any case, I made this banner for my Etsy site, but I think its kinda fugly. I would love any opinions or critique or suggestions. I might just start from scratch, and create something completely different from this.

Beaded Pendant

I made this really adorable beaded necklace for the flower girl, something I usually abhor doing (making beaded necklaces, not cute things for little girls ;) ). So, I thought I would put up one of my necklace images as well as the one I finished. Note that mine has beads on a chain that I've made. They're not just strung! And I made the pendant too! It's only 14" long! The pearl one for the little girl that is. The green one is adult sized.


This is kinda a horrible picture. I might be able to get a better one before she picks it up tomorrow...

Bluegreen Spiral Pendant

Here's another one. Enamel with small pieces of broken stained glass, melted till they become round little sparkley jewels:

It's a doosy

Also... check it out! I got off my ass and made an Etsy site! I'm still messing around with it, so I only have three items posted. Comment/critique if you please.

Pure 100% Awesome

Pendant

Another one. This is a serpent, quetzalcouatl... something like that.

Commision collage and new pendant!

First, I have a new pendant (and a new semi-professional pic to boot)! This was made from an acid etched image of a fossil, which was then filled with black enamel in the grooves, and a few layers of transparent enamel to create that shiny look on top. The proper enameling process is called "Champleve". Yes... I do acid etching at home. I live dangerously:


And this is a jumble of a commission for a flower girl's necklace. It's still in the works, but these are some possible pieces:

Doppleganger

Practicing figures. I'm getting hooked on the gods/demons idea.

art or jewelry?

When I'm making things, or planning to make them, I find that I always have these disparate conflicting ideas. When I'm making jewelry, I have all these figurative ideas that I want to communicate, and when I'm drawing, I just want to create shapes and patterns. Mostly because I often have trouble reconciling jewelry and wearable arts with the idea of high fine art in my head. I've read all the reasoning, and I know the old sculpture vs. painting debate that goes back to Da Vinci and Michelangelo... but, sometimes, I dunno, I can't find the place where they crossover in my head, at least in a modern, contemporary context.

I ask you, dear readers, what does jewelry mean to you? Is it disposable, plastic nonsense to be worn a few times as a kitschy cute statement. Is it an heirloom to be treasured. Is its value measured in diamonds and gold. Does it communicate socially your culture or status. Or, is it extremely personal, a decoration that shows off your own sense of style and taste. (style and taste being a whole other argument there.) Or something else, you tell me.

In the meantime, this is an image I've had in my head the past 2 days. Modern goddess, demon, or simply a manifestation of conflicting emotions? I'm getting somewhere...



and a decent image of one of my spiral enamels: