Final year update

I’ve put some updates onto the final year blog.

Firstly a new page –  Onyx Cabochon –  which shows some of the development of a new piece. I’ll be looking to have this made soon, all the materials are available now (Cooksons order came yesterday) but the laser cutter is poorly so I’ll have to wait on it getting better before I can engrave another onyx cab with a new QR code. I’m also going to make at least one other version with a more decorative (and saleable!) design. This piece will also involve some photo etching.

I’ve also updated the Miscellaneous page with a couple of experimental degree show post card renders, I’m practising these to get scene setting experience in rendering and also because I might use renders rather than photos if the ‘making’ doesn’t go to schedule!

The main news today is that I received some RFID tags and a scanner. These have been loaned to me by Richard Fry, MD of Micro-ID. I’m really grateful to Richard for his help, it would be a struggle for me to get the concept over without this equipment, a scanner paints a thousand words! People who visit the show will now be able to scan items of jewellery.

I’ve got really busy week ahead so might not post again ’til next week-end. Image below shows the RFID scanner and 3 sizes of tag, fantastic.

March Update

I’ve posted a couple of updates on the final year blog in the last few days, on the box brooch page and the RFID ring page. This week I’m waiting on some RP models of the RFID ring (image below) from Shapeways, silver from Cooksons and the cast box brooch from Niagara Falls, all should be here by Friday.

Update

I’ve been neglecting both of my blogs lately. While using Rhino I’ve come up against a problem I didn’t think I’d ever encounter, too much choice! I keep getting to a point with my RFID project where I think I’ve got a final design then I change my mind and move onto another. I’ve decided I want to produce a couple of RFID rings, one will display the technology overtly as part of the design and the other will hide the technology, mimicking a usable piece of EMA jewellery, however, I keep mixing and matching the two designs which is driving me a little nuts. I’ll have to make a decision soon to allow time for RP models.

Another reason for the blog neglect is I’ve been doing a bit of making. After a successful experiment laser engraving onto semi-precious stones I’ve developed a brooch design which incorporates QR code technology. This will be further developed into a degree show piece using precious metal so that’s another shiny piece of jewellery for the show I wasn’t planning on having. Development pictures may find their way onto my final year blog over the next couple of days but the final pieces wont be featured until after assessments.

Help – I need some suggestions for a hi-res webcam, 10MP would be good, if anyone can post or send me a link that would be appreciated

Last week and the next week or so…

So being successful in the Goldsmiths competition means I will be making at least one piece of jewellery from precious metal, which will be silver.

The box brooch from the previous post will be created in the very near future. Over the next few days I’ll have to make some alterations to the CAD model because I wasn’t happy with the hinge arrangement after I got the RP model model back, then I’ll get a wax 3D printed and then hopefully get the piece cast. In most cases it’s usual to get a mould made to create the wax from and allow multiple copies to be made, but because this is a one-off piece I can’t justfy (or afford) the cost of that.

Also last week I was in touch with a company which specialises in RFID technology, they’ve agreed to sponsor me by lending me the equipment I need to produce the interactive RFID concept. This is a major boost for me because without help like this It would be impossible for me to afford the technology, there will be (much) more on this later.

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Box Brooch RP model

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Back to Uni

Monday (17th) sees us back to Dundee, we’re straight back into it with a deadline on Wednesday for personal statements and a peer review on Thursday, we also meet our external assessor the following week. Still no word on the Goldsmith bursaries, maybe that’ll be next week as well, I hope it’s sooner rather than later because I’d rather know either way so I don’t have to think about it.

The new final year blog is beginning to take off with the second project on the go, this time I’m going to use RFID technology rather than QR codes as a way of making the jewellery interactive, it’s still early days but I’m looking forward to making progress, I’m also enjoying doing things with a blog rather than sketchbooks, I’m relating more to the development process doing it digitally. The blog is set up so each project will have its own page and there are other pages showing where inspiration/ideas come from and things that might not make it past an initial idea or sketch. I’m looking forward to getting feedback about the final year blog set-up after the review on Thursday, there might be changes to the format after that!

The Masters application is almost done, I’m confident  it’ll be submitted by Monday afternoon, I just have the finishing touches to a personal statement for that to do. Monday will be quite busy but I’m looking forward to getting back to Uni and seeing everyone, and for the bacon rolls!