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!

mirror mirror on the wall...

....lets see which is the prettiest of them all!

lotus leaf mirrors

These designs are made of mirror acrylic. Light... in weight and on pockets. The good part is  you don't need to drill holes for these. One can also stick them in places where drilling isn't an option.... bathroom tiles, bathroom doors, cupboards, etc, besides the usual places.

lotus mirrors

mughal motif (1) mirrors

The mughal motif ones, come in a set of six. So there is a choice of making your own patterns on the wall. The blue background for the designs is my cupboard.

mughal motif (2) mirrors

The above design is one of my favourite. Not only the formations happen great...the negative also makes a pattern!

The leaves below come in a set of 5 or 7.

pot mirror leaf

heart mirror leaf

mirror leaf

Again, my partner for the pieces in this post is Vrushali. Also, we thought of something new..... we call them the 'couple coasters'. As the name says, they are coasters for two people to enjoy their drinks together! There are the usual colors we have used and there are these exciting transparent florescents.... all are below.

couple coaster2

fluorescent couple coaster 1

fluorescent couple coaster2

couple coaster 1

The florescent couple coasters were difficult to click. One, their shadow blurs the edges and two, they look good in dark (in the picture i.e). These were made for the last exhibition. And now are in stores. Cant find a proper packaging for these though! Any ideas.....?

A lot more, in mirrors, besides the above has happened since then. Will post more pictures soon. Waise I got back sooper quick this time, haan?!

Happy Pongal! Happy Lohri! Happy Uttraan!

a very short fling with fame... 2

Hello again!

A few more write ups... some more appreciation... some more recognition... thankful for it all!

A superb mention on VOGUE India website along with some Q&A: (around Christmas 2010)

http://www.vogue.in/content/christmas-wish

A half-page article in Mid Day: (November 2010)

http://www.mid-day.com/whatson/2010/nov/271110-Mumbai-Jewellery-accessories-Coyote.htm

or

http://www.mid-day.com/whatson/2010/nov/231110-bangalore-guide-metal-head-baubles-Jewellery-coyote.htm

A Mumbai blog known as 'Mumbai Boss' awarded Coyote as the 'Best Accessories Label' for 2010: (December 2010) ..........yeahhhh!!

http://mumbaiboss.com/2010/12/06/best-of-mumbai-2010-shopping/

Shukriya.......... to all three girls!

Will be back with more...

New beginings....

A very happy and love filled new year to all!

Had a crazy time at the new years party. The party began on 30th night and the madness went on till lunch hours of 1st. The bone chilling cold... terrace party... bonfire... barbecue... dancing... and my insane friends... all made it a very very memorable time!

CP4 - sterling silver brooch

I love this brooch! Not only because of the fabulous color of chalcedony, also because of the french metal technique it is made with - repousse. (embossing and chasing the same piece of metal). It is locally done in India in the city of Jaipur. Oh! By the way I visited Jaipur for a few days just before the year end. It was as amazing as I remembered. In Jaipur this technique is called 'chitaai-kaam' or 'chitrai-kaam'. Love the 3D feel it adds to the design. Below is a picture of an actual (not controlled) instinctively worked on repousse piece.

repousse sample in silver

 

Start working on all the things you have ever wanted to...right now!!

Recentness

I have been thinking this for quite some time now... I feel my way of blogging is too sterile. I mean its too clean kinds! I want it to be too perfect... And I am so not that! So from now on I am going to induce a new flavour... ME!

This blog is not just going to be all about my work.... (my label Coyote) but also what all I am up to besides my work.

The idea of personalizing my space and things around me, comes very naturally to me. It just feels right! From designing stickers for my water bottles to doodling on my sunscreen tube, I've done lots! Keep removing labels of these things though. Find them very space invading. 

I love trying crazy things on my self. Love to check and expand my boundaries, growth (not physically though) and keep expressing myself. New hair dos to new hair colors (last one was turquoise), have a piercing too and my latest proud expression is my tattoo!! 

marked with loved ones

The above script is Hindi. I scribbled it on a tissue paper and got it traced on me! It's a list of all the important people in my life (their initials). This picture was taken about after 3 days of getting inked.

The point is... there will be a lot of humane touch from hereon. I will still be sharing beautiful things around me, only not necessarily made by me.

Cheers to newness!

tureens..... one of my favourite words

Tureens or little dishes is what I call them. These little ones are also known as 'diyas' or 'Indian lamps'. All in silver...

ganesha diyas

CV 1. sitting ganesh

CV 2. lying ganesha

The above two designs are of the same size and not more than 1.5 inches each. They look very cute in a set of two. I prefer using them for 'chawal & kumkum/kesar'.

CV 3. ganesha diya with a baati holder

This one is over 2 inches in size. The most troubling part of making diyas/tureens is cleaning the concave part of it. It employs two, sometimes three different processes. In the above cases its the Ganeha's tummy :)

CV 5. ganesha profile

CV 7. tri-turee 

One can keep 'chawal' and 'kumkum' and 'kesar/chandan' all together.

CV 4. baby spoon

This one is a baby spoon. And once the baby grows up, it can be used as a diya. This one has dark green cut onyxes.

CV 8

I like this one. It has a textured wire circling the concave part and an oval cab, bright blue American turquoise of a very fine quality, minus the natural inclusions.


Have many more sterling silver accessories to add here. Shall do it bit by bit.
Rushing to get ready. Have a movie to catch! Did I tell you one of my other favorite things is watching movies. On an average, I watch at least 3-5 movies in a week.

Happy watching to me and to you!