industrial training.... ideas galore

Photo frames.... last post ended with it and this one begins with it. By now, my greed to learn, discover, explore and execute was at its peak!

3 inches high photo frame with silver and copper stamps

Stamping is a technique used in precious and non-precious metals to save time, energy and the metal. Difficult to solder it properly though! Its a kind of die cutting. I was trying to mix copper and brass with silver, using this time saver. Copper and silver frame follows below. Understood their melting points and differences. Brass was melting so fast it almost got disfigured! 

Don't miss the black-ish marks inside the ashtray! It was a trouble I faced throughout. Later, after much R&C (reading - checking) I figured out the reason. Different kinds of impurities that get missed while purifying silver results in different coloured marks... red-ish, green-ish and black-ish.

Let me not bore you! The above piece triggered off another product idea...

2 3/4inches long photo frame in silver with copper stamps

condiment dish from 'droplets' series has a similar black mark issue around the stone caps

3 inches wide textured photo frame in silver with brass stamps and moonstone

Amrapali factory has a treasure of handmade beads in silver and copper. I was given a full day to play with them! I danced around in a tribal madness, had my fun and made a few things too...

silver picke jar + lid + spoon set with copper beads

The pickle jar turned out adorable! Just about 3 and 1/2 inches in diameter. A 2 day old silver turning set up provided the idea. Added a coiled copper wire on the spoon for a similar language.

3 inches long silver fruit picks with silver and copper beads

a few styles of copper + silver beads

silver beads linked - 3 1/2inches

with colored round beads

The piece above came to life as I added color beads. Thought of making a coaster out of it. But the beads disagreed with my idea. It had a life of its own! I have a feeling, this idea can be made into a fabulous silver stole... Given a chance (loads of silver beads and money too!) I'd love to take it forward.

I was playing around with it and yet another idea struck...

silver beads' bracelet

This was the last product I made there. By the way... I did design and make at least, a good 7-8 pieces more that I dint bother clicking/documenting! "These are not very important! I can always make them again" ...that was the kind of high I was on!

Let me know how you like the pieces so far. Shall come back with more! Wondering what remains when the last product picture is right above...?

The best pieces still crave a debut...
Happy flirting!

industrial training.... in black & white

a set of 2 triangular silver condiment dishes

As a student my industrial training happened at Amrapali Jewels of Jaipur. Those who know about it, would agree it is the Mecca of Indian jewellery. Year after year they belt out perfect pieces favoured by stylish people world over. And yes! I was fortunate enough to train with them.

silver condiment dish from the 'droplets' series

 

photo frame from the 'droplets' series

When I went there I was not sure what was going to emerge or what would I discover. And I am glad and lucky I was there......... would be the understatement of my entire life!

another silver condiment dish from the 'droplets' series

a tiny photo frame with sandblasted technique from the 'droplets' series

 

My brief for those 6 weeks, from my institute, was to just explore and learn. And from the company was to make gift articles in sterling silver that would easily fit in my hand. And I have small hands! 16cms in length to be precise.

ashtray inverted

 

silver ashtray from the 'droplets' series

 

This post would become too too large with way too many pictures if I added all my explorations and my products in one go. So I have decided to break it up... maybe in 3 posts to keep it clean and exciting.

close up of the sandblasted photo frame

Decided to end with a dash of color. Promise to be back with some very exciting things...

Have a birthday party to attend!

pince-nez

Pince-nez is a French word which literally means (it) pinches (the) nose. I just had some fun with a picture... sharing it all here.

Would love to make these things in real some day. Enjoy all the distractions this week!

once upon a time...

As a student at National institute of Design (NID) in the city of Ahemedabad, I have spent innumerable sleepless nights! Over my work mostly...
Thought I'll share somethings with you all.

Feline - in resin

'Feline' is a perfume bottle designed as the final submission for a module called 'Nature & Form'. It was mandatory to go through a form course every semester. They were my favourite! I chose cats as my subjects. I went crazy reading and soaking up all about cats!! I zeroed in on the 'grooming and scenting' attributes of cats and designed a perfume bottle based on it. Spent many a silent (music only in background) nights working alone in the studio shaping and re-shaping this one!
It was first made in styrofoam, then cast in POP, then vacuum formed, then filled with resin and then shaped for very very long...

Below is the result of another form course - Form Integration. Here we were required to merge two geometrical forms triangle and semi circle.Triangle is visible and the base is semi circle.

Form - in POP

I also made a few bags!

An opulent bag with ruffles

We had a chance to work on a live project called 'Afri Khadi'. During this module African handicrafts artists had come to our institute (from Africa of course!) and joined hands with Indian handicrafts artists. Final products were showcased in a fashion show. I designed bags made of felt, in basic geometric forms, and embellished them with MOP. That years' Miss India Nikita Anand happened to walk the ramp with one of my bags.

Miss India Nikita Anand with circular felt bag

An African model with rectangular felt bag

An Indian model with semi circular felt bag

Made a lot of stuff in silver during my internship. Shall add that soon. Untill then...
Hasta Pronto!