Jaalis

traditional jaali - CN 37

traditional jaali - CN 72

Yesterday I was conversing with a friend how, after a point in life, one acquires certain tastes and respect for certain items... could be a tanga painting, a muga silk scarf, rosewood furniture, vintage wine, etc. They become collectors items. One understands and starts appreciating its silent features viz. demanding process, small human errors and flaws that add character, hard work and time gone into the making each piece, more than the visible ones like beauty, artistry, finesse and value.

contemporary jaali - CG 12

contemporary jaali - CN 141

Jaali (lattice) jewellery to me is one such collectible. If I had to explain I'd say, the pattern that remains after bits are cut out of the sheet, is called jaali. The more intricate the better. Contemporary jaalis are quite fascinating too.

traditional jaali - CN 36

traditional jaali - CN 74

contemporary jaali pendant

The last image is of a pendant. One of my student days' design.
Cant explain the lust I feel for jaalis!

tactile textures...

snake chain texture pendant

I fell in love with precious metals while I was learning all about them. The numberless textures that can be done over them amaze me further. The look and feel of each one is prodigious. Those all who love metals will exactly know what I am saying.

punch tool texture - CY 2

crinkled texture - CM 4

As students we were meticulously taught the difference between a texture and a pattern. However, the difference between a texture and a finish... was left for us to decipher. I am sure my friends from college will read this and smile.

pinched wire texture - CN 47

planned hammered texture - CN 66

Commonly, textures are created by employing dapping, hammering, pinching, scratching, crushing, by using textured rolling plates, etc. But  anything that can be scribbled on paper, can be transposed as a texture onto silver. Feel guilty while saying that I have not been very experimental with textures. But I have tried a few... and still keep getting mesmerized!

random hammering - CN 95

Do you love textures?