To put acrylic pieces, I decided to etch the surface. Although some people like the burned surface, I sandpapered the surface. However, it didn’t work as I expected. For plan B, I used wet tissues to wipe it. I didn’t think it would work but it did. It was a nice surprise!
After having a final critique on Monday, I started to make final pieces.
Laser cutting went well and I really enjoy the process of making the brooch.
In the week5, the project has been turning out great. As I made a test piece of the brooch by using almost the final design, I was able to imagine what the final piece would look like and how it would work. I could think about if the size of the brooch was perfect or not with a mannequin. I realised making a test piece is a very important part in the process of designing jewellery again.
One thing I was not sure about for this project is the magnetic technique. Although it depends on how many coats of the magnet paint I give, it is clear that the magnet paint is not very strong. Acrylic pieces didn’t move or fall down when I shook the brooch with my hand, but wearing it all day would be different. There might be missing pieces the end of the day. If I had a pretty of time until a hand-in day, I could have rethink about using this technique or not, unfortunately I don’t have enough time to do it and am not confident with reconsidering from the beginning. I feel that this issue was happened as I didn’t spent enough time for researching.
I gave 3 coats of magnet paint on the veneer base. Then, I painted white coloured topcoat to finish. Before I started testing, I had been a little bit worried if the magnet pain wasn’t strong enough. After all, it was OK, but 4 coats of paint will be much stronger.
Gave 3 coats of magnet paint
Sandpapered the surface
Painted white coloured topcoat
I need to think about what kind of paint I can use for the topcoat as the surface of the base is not nicely finished and also decide how to leave lines after finishing paintings. At the moment I am thinking about scrapping the surface with a sharp thing or using permanent marker to put lines.
I added a postscript on the 26th of July.
After I had final critiques, I decided to make lines on the surface with a spring divider.
Final design of the outcomes
1) the changeable brooch
The heart shape will be 5.5 cm wide.
Materials which I am going to use are veneer (4mm), acrylic sheets (3mm), magnetic sheets (0.5mm) and a pin.
2) the box for the brooch and acrylic pieces
It will be 21.5 x 40.5 x 3.5 cm sized. There are places for 14 different coloured acrylic pieces to put. Places will be cut out so that each acrylic piece will be perfectly fit in the space. There is a space for the brooch to put in the middle of the box.
3) the booklet of the brooch
It will be 12 x 12cm sized. I will take 8 -10 photographs of different emotions.
I did testing materials to see how it look and work using letter cutting. It went very well. Materials I used : acrylic sheets (3 mm), venner sheet (4mm)
Before I used a laser cutter, I had made files using Illustrator.
After acrylic sheets were cut, I put them to the magnetic sheet (0.5mm) with supper glue. Then, I cut the magnetic sheet with a hobby knife.
Magnetic sheet works OK but not strong enough. I need to test it again with magnet paint in this week.
I tested veneer sheet 3 times to find out how the laser works with the sheet when it is cutting and engraving at different power settings.
I sandpapered the surface to get rid of burn color. It looks much nicer.
Actual size of the brooch
I put the base of the brooch on the mannequin to see the size. I think this is the perfect size as a brooch. I am going to deiced the final design for 3 outcomes ( the brooch, the box for the brooch, the booklet).
At the beginning of Week4, I started to think about the design of the brooch and how it can be changeable. Because I haven’t started to do testing materials yet and I couldn’t find changeable jewellery through artists research, I have been thinking vaguely how it can be changeable. All that is certain at the moment is that I am going to use laser cutting for making small geometric patterned acrylic pieces. Therefore, I had laser cutting induction in this week and I am planing to do testing to see how acrylic pieces look like with the combination of different colours. This will be a very important part of my project as tiny pieces need to fit in the approximately 5-6cm wooden veneer base beautifully.
It is not cleat that if acrylic piece with the thin magnetic sheet can stick on the magnetic painted veneer sheet strongly or not. As what I am doing is behind the timetable so I must do testing it during the Week5. I hope that my initial design of the brooch will become more clear after testing.
This week (Week4), I stared to think about the design of the brooch. I have chosen a heart shape as I think it is symbolic and can mean many things such as strength, friendship or love. The base of the brooch will be thin wooden veneer with more complex heart shape made from 3mm acrylic sheet, which will be laser cut to form various shapes.
At first, I was planning to imbed the heart shape within the wood and then secure the heart with further clear acrylic sheet. However, esthetically it does not give the desired result, making jwellery too thick and heavy. I have now decided not to imbed the heart shape but rather secure the shape on top of the wood. This will be done by using magnetic paint and sheets.
For the past 2 weeks, I have been taking a survey in order to know colours and patterns which are used to express people’s hidden emotions that they cannot express easily. I surveyed 11 people.
Answers about colours share much common ground.
[Angry]
Colour — red, orange, blue, black and transparent
[Happy]
Colour — pink, red, yellow, lemon yellow, white, purple
[Sad]
Colour — blue, black
[Jealous]
Colour — purple, green
[Irritation]
Colours — dark red, gray
[Depressed, Feeling down]
Colours — black, gray blue, navy
[Scared]
Colours — green, black
[Excited]
Colours — orange,
[Shame]
Colour — dark purple
[Unsecure]
Colour — yellow
[Embarrassed]
Colour — red
[Anxious]
Colour — gray
[Lonely]
Colour — light blue
[Bored]
Colour — gray
Pattern— stripe
[Shocked]
Colour — red
Pattern— big wave
In conclusion, it is clear that each colour has associations with emotions. Although every single pattern is unique and has a distinctive style, I think the combination of colours and the layout of the place can represent emotions simple enough.
hitomikimotih 