Things.

Are moving on.
My chain supplies have come though with some unexpected changes to be made regards stuff I already had samples of but has now changed! and one item isn't as was shown but I think I can use it for something! Or maybe, as I'm sat here with it draped round my neck, I could use it. It is nice.

I also need to order some more chain to cover the stuff that  has changed (it kinks so badly and isn't smooth like what I already have, just not good enough for a product of mine!)

The mirror plastic is on it's way out.

Don't know where the rest of it is but I know there was a couple of things out of stock.

VV Rouleaux was on the phone yesterday because the black feather I ordered is out of stock and can't get hold of it so asked if I wanted a replacement which I ok'd and it arrived THIS MORNING!! It's beautiful too, better than what I'd ordered I think! It's going to look so nice.

I sent my files off for a quote and what they quoted me made me nearly fall off my chair. I've sent out for other quotes, particularly from Fred Aldous- wanting to know how long it'll take to cut them.

Giraffe.

It all went in for the trial run and the technician emailed me a few days later to say the file was far too detailed that A. it would ruin the card and B. it was crashing the computer when he loaded it.

Fair enough. I'd half expected it.

So I simplify the files down, stripping lines of detail out of the more detailed pieces. A second look at them made me realise it was right.

I had an email on Wednesday to say they were ready and I headed to collect them.

I'd say half the files had successfully cut.
Some of the lines had shown up grey and hadn't cut (assigned colours in Ethos??????)
Some of the finer pieces has jumped around after their cut so when the laser returned for more detail it lasered the wrong area.

And generally the card was fairly butchered.

He explained that as the laser cut the card bowed upwards so he had to set the focus as a mid point to account for this. Fair play (I remember the textile technician told us to set it at the highest point of the material but nevermind)


What do I do?

I looked on the mountboard I had cut in the summer, beautiful clean lines. I looked at the detail in the previous semi successful acrylic cuts, I look at the fine detail the guy at Fred Aldous achieved.

A lot more thought went on but I can't write it here!

I'm in the frame of mind to pull the collection out -which I have on paper. Lay it out. Add two more to cover my back and send it off. Whichever is cheapest- Fred or the cutting joint I found. Fred appeals because I can keep and eye on what's going on. The cutting place because they are a business who have to do it right.

The acrylic will be ordered. As will a bulk job of chain (I have started marking out precisely how much I need but have run out of time when the card came back)

The final pieces will be sent off.
My will has worn too thin.


The card pieces are handy though to have a real time idea. I know already some pieces need instantly enlarging.

How very original.

During this year I have looked round for some laser cut jewellery designers and found some...SOME.

Tatty Devine are obvious ones.
Then Holly Fulton had some lovely additions to her fashion collection.
I found a small group on Etsy.
Merle O' Grady goes for the diamante encrusted chandelier jewellery.
There's Blac, based in Manchester
And if you head into Affleck's Palace in Manchester you are faced with a multitude of laser cut jewellery pieces at small prices but are basic.
Danika, based in the US.
Stolen Thunder and Titi Madam who infiltrate JOY stores.
Candace Ang who did some work for Margarite Saplala.
Rebecca Boatfield
Vice and Vanity
Corrie Williamson
Little Shilpa

And there's another but I can't remember her short name!
I thought I only knew of a handful!

Anyway, I came across this little article...
http://blog.ponoko.com/2010/08/19/100-lasercut-jewelry-designers/

Yes, that's 100 Laser cut jewellery designers!
And there's a link to the previous years 40 laser cut designers!

There's plenty to look at and be inspired by but not one is producing work like what I am designing which gives me a little boost!


Next job, find the UK based ones and find how much they sell for and stockists...Hmm yum.

Speaking of photos.

I need to get some inspiration together to show to whoever does or helps me with my photos! So in my bit of time I pulled together some images. The best thing is, the 'vision' is now pretty set and so it was easy to pull out the images I need, all of which were pulled from my blog!

The concept images will be in black and white, it suits the story to a T and black and white images have been glistening all over my Tumblr for a few months now!

So here we go.

http://thefashionisto.com/craig-dickinson-by-sukriti-in-transient-shadows/ <accessed 17th November 2010>

This is a fantastic shoot in all and the two main things I may take from this photo are the hair and how he's holding a light, the front on shot and direction is also nice. It's a bit too dark for me, although there is some light bouncing off the sequinned shirt it's not enough for what would be my work.

 http://feshfesh.tumblr.com/post/521696158/via-cradletograve <accessed 17th November 2010>

I found an image of David Tennant from Drama Magazine a few months ago that was brilliant but too much for inspiration but this is similar with the idea of light and shadow. Possibly a tad dark as well but up close shots like the one below would look good in this format.

http://mypassionforbeauty.tumblr.com/post/571298839/sylvester-ulv <accessed 17th November 2010>

This is much more what I want layout wise.

http://modelhommes.tumblr.com/post/663329414/cole-mohr-ph-barry-hollywood <accessed 17th November 2010>

Each photo except the top right is quite good, bottom left gives a break away from the standard 'person standing' shots I've picked so far! The lighting on the bottom right is pretty much spot on though.

http://nattyboo.tumblr.com/post/590568927/via-likeadoll <accessed 17th November 2010>

This is the odd one out compared to the rest but I just can't let it go, it's more playful than the others and the lighting is great too.

http://mrmatthewmiller.tumblr.com/post/502905677 <accessed 19th November 2010>

http://mrmatthewmiller.tumblr.com/post/502889904 <accessed 19th November 2010>

The Matthew Miller images, probably what sparked the ideas in the beginning of the year. Pretty much what I want!

http://bohemea.tumblr.com/post/1520267006 <accessed 17th November 2010>

Lighting- Yes. Thoughts on adding the odd prop? I'm sure there'll be black flowers, maybe white ones- you won't see the detail, at least the white ones will come out grey. Again, nice difference from 'standing person'!

http://feshfesh.tumblr.com/post/568618615/six-six-sick-side-hustle <accessed 19th November 2010>

Another spot on photo. All I want to do is take out that model, put mine in and my jewellery and SNAP.

http://www.asos.com/Nw3/Nw3-Keats-Necklace/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1318509&cid=11408&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Multi <accessed 19th November 2010>

http://www.tattydevine.com/boutique/product_info.php?cPath=1_17&products_id=139 <accessed 19th November 2010>

Two images to give the idea of the product photos I'm aiming for. Pretty simple and clean.

Slow and not steady but the radio's on.

On Monday I went to hand in the files to be cut but the laser cutter was broken. I could've signed up to use the textiles cutter but I lose the will to live everytime I go on there and would take up time, plus I don't know what the waiting list is so I called the product office the other day and it was fixed. I emailed over the files and am waiting on them to be done, there's a big graphics deadline putting my work to monday- fingers crossed!

Meanwhile what do I do? Well after five weeks of solid work knowing what I had to do everyday, I'm left a little unsettled, not knowing or undecided as to what to tackle next.

I did drop in at the photography studio and spoke to Jamie(?) and asked about usage. He had Monday 20th and January 3rd available and he could do the set up and lighting which I'd need help with!
Spoke to Ash and he's ok for both dates, just need to find a female to model now! I have an idea!

I've checked the acrylic, and what I'm going to use. And I've looked at all my websites of chain and am just about to choose what chain and what size jump rings I'll use and where.

I've found a site that sells jewellery boxes, plain black cardboard boxes with foam inside. I can have them with a foil logo on the front for an extra 10p per box which I am going to think about.

I've also narrowed down my business card. I took a day to sort it out and tweak it. I'd love to have it with spot finish or foiling but I can't afford it. I have five designs but are all based upon the same format. I think I'll go for a couple. I need to go to the shop and sort out the design spec for ordering.

I also need to think about my thesis. I'm going to pull out one of my old presentations and use it for a base.

No I haven't been so unfortunate to have been punched in both eyes, I am just very tired!

Well, it's 2.20am and this is it. The designs are done and laid out ready for the trial run!!

It has been such a busy few weeks but nearly every day the same.

1. Wake up.

2. Have breakfast

3. Set up camp with laptop and graphics tablet on kitchen table (always moving the fruit bowl to the side, I can't be bothered to move it away or put it back!) 

4. Put the radio on (Radio 2. Ken Bruce is great, Jeremy Vines debates are very annoying but the music he plays do make up for it and Steve Wright keeps you going, especially the oldies- one day provided by an ADA secretary!)

5. At 5 o clock Simon Mayo comes on and I switch off. I move from the table for about an hour and a half to have dinner, I took this time to watch some telly, also getting hooked on Misfits by catching up on the first series on 4OD after reading an article in the Telegraph Magazine!

6. Around 6.30-ish back to the kitchen with Strictly it Takes Two on in the background! I stay here with various programmes on in the background until I have finished the days work. Generally around this time!

My telly habits have changed terribly, but I am hooked on Spooks and did occasionally turn round to see what was happening. I don't watch the X Factor, I don't want to be involved in such spin. Nor will I watch 'I'm a Celebrity'- or 'I am not a celebrity so put me in the jungle to think I've become one'.

I tweet less and blog more.

I don't want to know the ins and outs of everyones lives and I don't want to tell people mine. I am very drawn to living in the shadow. This blog is one of the outlets I will speak via. And in some way, in how I speak, what I speak about will be around the final part of my MA and what I am creating and what I'm doing whilst this is happening.

My Tumblr has had a few hiccups. The queue function failing so I now blog manually but this has worked in my favour with more activity and more people happening and seeing what I am blogging; my followers have increased at an interesting rate since this change.

SO, an update on the final phase of design...

Here's a nifty little thing in the process of being born. Quick though, all that fiddling with Illustrator in past projects has meant that technically I haven't had any issues, I've found my way round very quickly so the designs have been made at a fast but steady pace.

I blogged earlier about working in a certain area and being completely lost as to where I was. I had the same feeling again so I snapped it,  haven't got a clue where in the design I was at any point until I zoomed out. But I was in desolate looking lands wasn't I!?

Finally, a design that was in the bag over the summer period has been refreshed.

So now, I can figure out what colours I want and potentially order the acrylic, order the chain (find supplier!), get shoulder pads prepared, possibly sort out business card, go to Leeds to visit a couple of friends and shops- one with a vintage stall this month.... oh and do a spot of christmas shopping- silly I know but I have been panicking wondering if I'll be able to do it!

Oh and before I go.

Wakefield has a lot going on at the moment. We have the Hepworth and a new shopping centre popping up. I'm checking jobs in both areas and in the local paper visual merchandisers at H&M were advertised. I've had a look on the website and the job is not yet up. I quite fancy it. So I'm going to go to Leeds to look at H&M in a different light as well! I'm looking though. Nothing definite.

I'm going to sleep now.

Nearly there...I hope

 So yesterday I did my final piece of paper designs, I forgot one the day before!
Anyway, here's some prep...this is how I draw flowers! Or one of the ways!

 After all the flowers have been drawn out! This is a piece that will join together to form a bracelet, if it's too big I'll take a panel out. The paint test showed it works!

 A tester at some of the engraves in the design!

I am a fan of this design on paper so far and I'm quite excited to see how this turns out! This was done in a different way to the others, on paper I marked out an area and filled it with a rough sketch of a design then onto the computer I lined out each panel and put them over the design and marked over with cut and engrave lines. I didn't feel padlocked to the design and I think it worked better.

Two days.

So much for a design a day, cos this has taken two! It's still to be finished but while Illustrator has a little rest I'm blogging!

So this is the final design from paper, the rest are to be formulated on the computer, which I hope won't take too long!

This is the re make of the panel design from last term that needed some tweaking to make it sit right, I hope this one works because it's so time consuming to sort out I may not be tempted to adapt it.

Here's laying it out.

When I was in the middle of doing this design I noticed two interesting things...

1 - My mum asked me what is was like to be working using a graphics tablet and operating the screen with a pen which isn't the same immediate and analogue way of pen and paper. I said I wasn't too bothered, it was easy and I was used to it but I couldn't do some nice pretty sketching I can do with pen and paper. The next morning I tried working with my mouse instead but found it so slow and clunky, my right hand was tied to the mouse instead of hopping over my keyboard, clicking on the Illustrator shortcuts- my left hand was doing this and was definitely out of it's depth, I had to think about what buttons to press and operate a mouse, moving things on screen. 

So I got my tablet out again and it was so easy! So quick, fluid! 

By swapping how I did things I realised just how trained my hands are without me consciously knowing.

2 - Whilst working very zoomed in on a certain area my hand slipped and I moved the screen to view an desolate part of the working area.

I zoomed out to find my work.

Moved my work into centre view and zoomed back in but I was quite lost.

This page of lines wasn't a map but a deep cave that I had been hidden in and couldn't find my way back! 

 A day later all the cut and engraves are filled in and tonight I've been testing it to see if it is ok...

 ...Nope it's not, it's flawed

 Just to show you what I do here, I select one of the red lines then head to Select > Same > Stroke Colour.

 Then I delete them and make the selection ok for live paint and fill the design.

 If you're keeping a beady eye, then you'll notice that I've rectified the original problem but second time round, I spotted new ones!

Third time round I spot MORE! They are been sorted now and I'm fairly sure it's done then.

We have all said it...

...you know when you are at high school? At some point in some maths lesson (for me I think I was in Miss Summerfields class around year 10-ish) we have all said- "why do we need to learn this, we'll never use it when we're older". 

But finally the time has come for the maths teachers to prove me wrong.

All the paper drawings have used protractors and compasses to get them right and today as I move to the computer with my circular design all the degree and bearing maths lessons came into play. Thankfully I quite liked those lessons so it wasn't a bore to be doing them because I wanted to!

Anyway, here's the pictures for todays work. Like yesterday I managed to get in some variations.

Here's the laying out, degree perfect of course!  

 At this part of the design my Illustrator page looked very 80s. In fact I thought the image I saw below should have been recreated in neon lighting and put as a backdrop to Top of the Pops! Either way, it's only the framework for the hearts that  edge the design.

 Here I am checking the design again for faults, and there was one on the bottom right design.

When I do this I delete all the red lines which are to be traced leaving the black lines which are a cut through. Here zooming in you can see I would be having cuts in a join that would make that part of the design when cut a bit wobbly!

another day...

...and another design. Yes.

Did one today. and managed to do three adaptations for it too with different engraves and shapes! 

Here's the centre bit, looking a bit art deco here with the colours I chose (only for me to tell each line apart!) It was a pain to draw out on paper but quite easy on Illustrator, on the wonders of a shift key sometimes!

 Trying out the design pattern again making sure it's ok! This one did need a little sorting out but I made it right!

 Marking out an engrave pattern but it all looks a bit Dennis the Menace from here! Hopefully it will look more broderie anglaise when it's done.

I think tomorrow I start on the final really complicated trace which I'm going to have to get my head round degrees again and I'm doing variations like I did today. I hope I do it in a day like today!

A design a day seems ok

Once again, get up and start drawing lines out! Here's another one on the go that I've done in one day and finished at a relatively sensible time (midnight-ish) 

This one consists of quite a bit of detail (not enough in some areas but we'll see what the trial run shows up) so I used a number of files to build it up on and used plenty of layers. I'm finding I am naturally doing a bulk of the design then breaking off to have a rest but when I get back I'm lost and don't know where to pick it up again.

Here I'm working on the central part of the latest design  

 To make sure it will cut fully I selected all the black/cut lines, copied them and filled them with paint, if there are no leaks then as far as I'm concerned it will cut ok!
Below you can see me testing it! Sorry Illustrator is reminding me to save it! I like this image though, it looks very lace/crochet like which was the very basis of the project from back last year!

When one design gets too hard

I'm waiting for the day I can blog that I've sent these designs for their trial run, in other words I'm still drawing line after line, black and red. Here are some updates! 

Below are some funky specs in progress but they are done and ready to go, I just thought the primary colours I used to separate the line out looked good!

 I've been doing a really tough design since the specs and near the end I lost encouragement so I broke off and started doing another design and played with the mini logo I want on a tiny octagon on every piece. I think the tiny full letters in the bottom picture will be too much in a small space so I'm trying a couple of handwritten CVs as well.
My Nonna used to write 'C' like that and I used to like it so that's where that came from

 I tried a couple of the tags in Gill Sans and Georgia too, I'm not fussed which comes out best.

Also the queue function on Tumblr went doolally last week and I had to delete it all so I'm posting manually from my 'likes' tab. This does take more time but it's ok so far.

Circular webs

So, after one design is done it is easily onto the next one. I don't want to show you too much so I took some screen caps of the work in progress...

Looking a tad like a set of Polo's! I'm drawing out all the lines using circles and maths (once again) to lay it all out so I can then go over them with curved lines to mark the outline of the cuts.

The gold and black lines are where I'm going over the edges where I want the laser to cut. Because of the nature of the design, I could save time in completing one edge and a corner then copying and pasting it to the others.

I don't want you to see too much about what I'm doing so I'm throwing you off scent with the nice colours! Plus it cheered me up! I used them to split the design up to mark out the final cut lines.

I'm not overly keen on this design yet, happy though I am with it in my head, so I'll have to wait and see what the trial run shows up.

This design is probably the one that runs the closest to the lace that inspired this project, using a set of stitches that make spiders. Drawing this technique out it makes circles which is simple but it took me a few attempts to try to draw out spiders!

Patternesque

It's taken me the best of THREE days to complete this pattern, initially drawn out on paper in a couple of hours but I've completed it.

Last term I made this...

It was a logo idea that I toyed with using but didn't. It was thrown together in a few hours. I later returned to it in the group project, drawing over each line to use the pattern over some of my designs. Because of the way the laser cutter follows line it was not possible to use the above design.

When sorting out ideas for this collection I've constantly thought of this to use in some of the designs just as an engrave, so I had to redraw it out but properly this time. It's been freshened up as a design for my work, not as a logo. I'll hopefully let you know when and where it is used.

I scanned the drawing into Illustrator ready to layer up.

The three large/ main flowers were drawn over first, using the repeat and rotate tools to make them ultra perfect. You can just make out that they have been outlined.

I then started work on the most time consuming bit of the design, the fan flares which in this picture look like fish scales so far but one has been filled in with tiny lines that flare out into dots.

Make a copy of the main fan and keep it safe.

Then repeat the fan to build it into the pattern, using the circles at each corner of the shape to keep them inline.
In this image I've started to trace the other sketched shapes into Illustrator, one of them I couldn't get to match so I redid it and used that. This change didn't matter to the design.
I'm using various colours to tell each part of the design apart.

 Now I've dropped the back design sketch, I have everything I want from it and is now just making this confusing. But I'm introducing shapes from the past to bulk out the design as was always the plan. Here I'm laying them out to get an idea.

Repeating the pattern over. You'll notice a couple of the fan flares are orange at the bottom, they are like that because they've been redone to jump under the lines crossing over them, contrasting the colours meant I could see them as I worked.

Putting the bulking images back in I put them on one layer and copying them onto another, I could view one layer as a template to place each object then unview it as I cut each image into place alongside the pattern.

The difference between the last image and this one is this one is much cleaner because the shapes have been put in the pattern neatly. Nearly done now!

Selecting all main layers concerned with the pattern I copied them, made a new layer and pasted the design into it adjusting the size so all lines were the same (0.025pt) and it was the same colour.
I then put this into a new file so I have just the design with no working out.
Et voila, best look good when lasered!