Moranor

Force

2010-11-22T13:26:00.001-08:00

This piece is concerned with the forces at work in it the titanium plate is very stiff and pulls on the steel cable, but the steel cable is strong enough to take it bending the titanium into a parabolic arc. The cable is crimped in two places by silver elements the one holds the titanium arc in place the other holds the two ends of the steel cable together. This shows this difference in the steel cable when it is at rest and when it it’s under strain. This piece combines both my main inspirations bridges and arches

Split continuum

2010-11-22T13:25:00.001-08:00

The construction of this ring is similar to the bangle but in this the bands are spread out by crimping them in a silver bar to create more volume. The rings run around threw the tube and out in a different direction then back in again to make a never ending cycle

Continuum

2010-11-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

In this piece I decided that I should not break up the strength of the steel cable by cutting it and the joining it up again. Instead I used one long piece and looped through tube then crimped the end making a never ending loop. The cable is made different lengths so when it hangs on your hand, some cables can hang lower than others

Linear strength

2010-11-22T13:23:00.000-08:00

This silver and steel cable chain highlights the strength of the steel cable by laying the steel in the same direction the chain runs. While the chain looks delicate each link can support 18kg because of the inherent strength of steel cable.

V link earrings

2010-11-22T13:22:00.002-08:00

These silver and steel cable earrings are cross sections of arches they curve to crate a space. The dyed nylon coating on the outside draws your attention to the steel cable so thin and yet so strong. The chandelier earrings are experimenting with movement

V link chain

2010-11-22T13:22:00.001-08:00

This chain is based on the V made at the top of a lancet arch. The steel cable mirrors the arch in its strength the silver is the ground the arch stands on. The arch is strong because of its shape. The steel cable is strong because of the material it is made of. Both these strong lines come together in this piece.

Hour glass chain

2010-11-22T13:21:00.001-08:00

I was trying to make a chain with steel cable and silver the inspiration behind it was how hours link onto each other in a never ending chain. The thin strong steel cable holds the past and the present together. Each link is made to resemble an hour glass. I crimped each piece on one after the other as time went by.

Holding steel

2010-11-22T13:19:00.002-08:00

I looked ay how they hold steel cable in architecture to work out how I was going to go about it.

The first way I found that steel cable was held in place was by tightening a screw against it. this was a very simple solution and it meant the cable could be taken out easily if it need ed to be replaced the problem for me using this technique was Im working on a much smaller scale and the treads for these screws would have to be tiny also I’m not sure I need to be able to take the cable out

These cables that are held together with plates and screws are extremely ugly and because they stick out so much away from the cables they break up the lines too much I definitely cannot use this to hold my steel cable it I want a clean line.

This way is a lot more elegant the cross over is two disks that tighten using a grup screw also notice the grub screws on the steel cable supports attached to the angle iron. They are very well hidden I could perhaps use grub screws to make a clean looking piece. But I would still have to make very tiny threads and I would like to avoid that if I can

On this anchorage the cable is crimped into a tube making a very clean join I think crimping will be a much better route for me because it will be quicker and will make a cleaner join if I do it right. Another way of crimping is to make a double tube and to crimp a loop this could perhaps be useful in my jewellery. I would however like to make the metal that I’m crimping a feature as well as serving a function so I will work on ways to do this.

I had to find a way to hold steel in place that would be both strong and not break up the outline of the piece or distract from the steel cable I did this by cutting slots into silver elements and crimping the cable in.

After making tools and trying them I found the best way to do it was to use one slot to hold them and then just use a vice or parallel pliers to crimp the cable in.

I also found that a squished tube worked well to hold the cable. I put the cable in then forge it so it holds the cable tightly

Steel Lines

2010-11-22T13:19:00.001-08:00

I wanted to make jewellery based on strong lines but this time I wanted to use a strong material and not rely on shape I chose steel cable because of its strength.

Deconstructed

2010-11-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

This platinum piece was based on the idea of deconstructing the folded shape it is made up of wires that are fused together then bent and forged to give them strength the lattice work is based on blood vessels that run threw the body it is emphasized by the red interior

yin yang

2010-11-22T13:17:00.001-08:00

This folded shape bangle is inspired by yin and yang the concept of equal but opposite forces than need each other. The two silver halves are held together by steel cable so they cannot escape each other they are complete opposites to each other one is oxidized the other polished. They both open in different directions yet they have the same silhouette. I have again drawn upon the sward as inspiration for the line where the oxidation is polished off

Cold earring

2010-11-22T13:16:00.001-08:00

These folded silver earrings are oxidized to make it dark on the outside and painted bright blue on the inside this crates a contrast between the dull outside and the bright pigment on the inside that draws your eye into the coloured space. The wire is glued into the spine in the same way as the ‘Steel’ piece

Steel

2010-11-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

This wrist piece was made out of aluminum and steel cable it also used the forging technique. I was trying to see how big I could make go. The outer colouring is reminiscent of Japanese swards. The steel cable is glued into the spine of the folded shape then painted over. It is a continuation of the ‘soft and hard’ piece wrist pieces theme. It was made for the Red Eye art event held in Durban

Hard and soft

2010-11-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

In this wrist piece I have folded the strength giving curves found in arches into a sheet of silver. It is combined with rubber cord to soften the hard lines of the piece. The blue pigment is there to draw your eye into the volume crated.

Folding metal

2010-11-22T13:10:00.000-08:00

I decided on plate to make up these pieces because it would use less material I then had to work out how I was to make a flat object make up volume. I found a way to fold it where I forged the plate over a metal tool that I made with the use of another tool with a V cut into it

I would first make a curved dome like shape then I would put the ridge in the back by using a V shaped tool then forge a curve into this would make it stronger because the curved ridge made it stiffer and it also gave it the strong lines I was looking for

The success of this technique led me to make better tools I modified some panel beating tools. These worked better because there was a larger surface for forging and I also made a tool with a deeper V so it did not scar the metal so much.

And even tools to make the curve go the opposite direction to the opening I would later make another one of these tools when I got more panel beating tools.

Volume

2010-11-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

I want to make jewellery based on arches I want it to use as little material as possible and make up volume in the same way arches do. With curved lines to strengthen

My work

2010-11-22T13:07:00.001-08:00

My work can be divided into two sections jewellery based on arches and arcs and jewellery based on steel cable.

In the first section called Volume the jewellery is based on the strong curved lines found in arches I wanted to use these strong lines to make up volume the same way arches can make up volume because of their shape I developed a technique to fold plate that is similar to anticlastic razing.

The second section called Steel Lines I deal with jewellery based on steel cable. The idea behind them was to use this strong line to make jewellery. I had to work out a way to hold the steel cable so it would be both strong and would not brake up the lines I was trying make

links

2010-04-06T03:36:00.000-07:00

I think this chain is interesting because of the way it moves. I do however feel that it should maybe have a different shape for the silver sections perhaps a marquise shape would look more delicate. In my next chain I want to use the steel cable in more of a directional way so it is more obvious that the force is directed along it.

Cantilever-spar cable-stayed bridge

2010-03-31T05:59:00.001-07:00

another of Santiago Calatrava master pieces. i love the way the cables are strung and the curved deck. it is different from a normal Side-spar cable-stayed bridge because the tower is angled away from the bridge this exerts overturning force upon its foundation. i like this because it makes it look like the tower is pulling the bridge up and so makes the forces at play more obvious

Side-spar cable-stayed bridge

2010-03-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

one of the variations of a cable stay bridge is a Side-spar cable-stayed bridge. in this bridge the tower is offset to the side making it possible to make a bridge that curves. being a fan of asymmetry i like this.

Suspension bridge

2010-03-31T05:37:00.001-07:00

what i like about suspension bridges is the parabolic curve that the main cables make. what i dont like is also the cables, i dont like how the force is distributed. the weight is still entirely supported by the towers, but there have to be huge anchorages at the ends of the main cables to stop them from being pulled out of the ground. it lacks the simplicity of a cable stay bridge.

Cable-stayed bridges

2010-03-31T05:13:00.000-07:00

I love the way these brides look and the way they use force. the bridge deck is held up by cables that are connected to the towers. normally each deck section has its own cable. because the cables are at an angle they pull the deck sections towards the tower and pushing them together. what this means is that both the compressive and tensile loads are directed into the tower and the whole weight is supported by the tower. I see this as a more elegant solution than a suspension bridge

finaly finished a piece

2010-03-30T02:00:00.000-07:00

completed the chain yesterday. I really like how it moves and the way the links can lie in different positions.

Scarred Earth

2010-03-23T00:20:00.000-07:00

I love how this building looks...the curves are amazing and i love how it seems to be floating off the ground. I really hope it ends up as green as the concept rendering. i think its really sad how we can create something so beautiful on the earth, but then also we scar it and destroy its natural beauty

second link

2010-03-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

this is the two span link. i made the steel spans too long after looking at it i decided to make a few more links the same to see how it looked and decided i kind of like how the links can move and lie in different positions i will still do another chain with shorted spans but i will also make this one.

test link

2010-03-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

this is the 1st link i made with my new tool. it came out alright on the one side and I'm sure i could perfect it, but it is not very easy to make and it takes to much time. after looking at it a realized that it does not need four steel cable spans so i decided to simply it so it only had two.

Evolution

2010-03-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

this is the new tool i have made it has a tab on the back so i can press it against the vice and a small ledge under is for the link to rest on. With this i can hold the two tools and the link with one hand and tighten the vice with the other.

A little glue goes a long way

2010-03-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

since i started working with steel cable i realized that it was very hard to work with because it wants to spring everywhere except where you want it to be. I have been trying to solve this problem with binding wire and other methods to try hold it in place these all failed...then the other day i realized the answer came in a bottle all i need is a small drop of glue to hold it in place.

long way around

2010-03-16T02:40:00.000-07:00

after struggling to crimp my new prototype link i decided to make a tool i could just put in the vice with the link... it works relatively well but it is still hard to use because i need to hold two of these and the link while i tighten the vice i need to make something that can hold all three together so it will be easier

Battered and bruised

2010-03-16T02:35:00.000-07:00

this is the 1st test piece i have made after trying different ways to crimp the steel cable in i finally made a tool and used that but it still need refinement

Splash page for Cold Chain

2010-03-10T05:36:00.001-08:00

Design

2010-03-09T00:48:00.000-08:00

Design, itself, is often difficult to define to non-designers because the meaning accepted by the design community is not one made of words, "wikipedia"
I find this idea interesting...

Carnegie Mellon's School of Design, "Design is the process of taking something from its existing state and moving it to a preferred state."
For me a well designed item has had all the ugliness taken out of something.

Chartered Society of Designers, "design is a force that delivers innovation that in turn has exploited creativity"
I feel that what I am trying to capture in my jewellery is this 'innovation' I want to show it in a different way to make people notice it...

ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design), "Design is a creative activity whose aim is to establish the multi-faceted qualities of objects, processes, services and their systems in whole life-cycles. Therefore, design is the central factor of innovative humanization of technologies and the crucial factor of cultural and economic exchange."
I like the idea of humanization of technologies...I feel that often technology is a form of synthetic life we create. i also feel we try to imbue these items with human qualities to make them more a part of ourselves...

Connectors

2010-03-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

I found this connector on the net I wander if i could use a similar connector in jewellery. I would like to try make one with rivets instead on bolts.

some photoshop

2010-03-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

this is some Photoshop work i did for shining lights I am relatively happy with how it came out I still looks three dimensional and the sparkle came out great. I need to work on making it so you can see the individual stones though

final link

2010-02-25T04:27:00.000-08:00

I have finally worked out a link that will work. The cables are held together in two different holes this way i can stop the cable from rubbing and also stop the leverage problem. the movement is almost right now the only problem is that i need to find a better way to close up the holes the just bending id over makes holes oval and this restricts the movement.

wire link

2010-02-25T04:20:00.000-08:00

I have made a link out of round wire now to see if it makes any difference to the movement. my theory was that it should make it move smoother. It did make a small difference, but the other problems were definitely the main cause of the movement issues

smaller connection

2010-02-25T04:15:00.000-08:00

I have now made a smaller link it has solved the leverage/spring problem, but now the cable is rubbing against each other and is still not moving smoothly.

new connection

2010-02-25T04:08:00.000-08:00

this is my 1st new connection the idea is to make a flat oval jump ring that will match the rest of the silver elements. It looks right but i need to make it thicker. the bigger problem is this connection does not make the chain move nicely. because the steel cable is spread out it makes a spring because of the leverage it has. i need to make a smaller one and see if it works better

Connections

2010-02-25T04:04:00.000-08:00

the connections seem to be a huge problem on this piece. originally I wanted to make the connections out of a smaller steel cable element but i have found that i cant because i cant hold the cable and crimp it at the same time. I need to find another way to connect it.

jig

2010-02-25T04:02:00.000-08:00

I have now made a jig that i can wrap the steel cable around so it all ends up a uniform size

Chain of development

2010-02-25T03:52:00.000-08:00

this chain has turned into a nightmare the steel cable is way to springy to make it easy to work with but i don't want to anneal it because then the cable will not have the tensile strength that made me choose it in the 1st place. i think i need to take a step back and design an easier chain then come back to this one once i have learnt some more about how to work with the steel cable.

Just springing not moving nicely

2010-02-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

when i connect the elements it does not move like a chain and is too stiff. I need to find what is making it do this and design connectors that will stop this.

Connections

2010-02-03T06:42:00.001-08:00

connecting the elements seems to be a big problem because the steel just wants to spring out of place before i can fasten it in place.

Need to make this easy

2010-02-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

I need to find an easy way to make all the steel cable the same

some success

2010-02-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

I have now found the correct depth for the groove I cut into the metal so i can crimp it and have just enough metal covering it

Problems

2010-02-03T06:35:00.000-08:00

I have made up some elements and am finding it hard to hold the steel cable together while crimping it because it is so springy I need to find some way to hold it in place while a work on it.

B-tech intentions

2010-02-03T01:34:00.000-08:00

In my 4^th year I want to explore how evidence of force can be seen around us (wear and tear…). I also want to show how it can be beautiful ((things that are interesting) find beautiful designs that deal with force and explain why I think they are). I need to explain exactly what I mean by force (show different types of force, compressive, tensile…). I also need to give examples of designs that show what I mean (Suspension bridge, furniture, cars). I want to find how it can be applied to jewellery (Greens bangle, some of my folded shapes). I still want my jewellery to be simple and uncluttered.

Steel cable Chain

2010-01-27T05:29:00.000-08:00

In my new design I decided to keep the oval end bits but this time I would loop it around and make my links that way. This should make it have more volume it will also crate negative space and make it look lite and airy. I am most happy with the bottom design because it will create a more three dimensional shape.

Razor wire

2010-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

I was not happy with my earlier chain designs I felt they were to boring. I saw some razor wire and liked the way it made up volume out of these very thin pieces of wire. I then thought I should do something similar to make links for my chain.

Steel cable Chain

2010-01-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

I started looking at what jewelery could make use of the tensile strength steel cable can provide. I decided that a chain would be a good place to start these are the 1st designs that came to mid it is basically a rectangular link where two of the sides are made up of steel cable. I decided that the silver end pieces should be oval to make it more interesting to look at and to tie it in with the parabolic shape of my other pieces.

Steel cable tension ring

2010-01-27T04:26:00.000-08:00

In this ring I was exploring tension. The idea was that the silver was supposed to act like a spring and pull on the steel cable to keep it under tension. It did not work as I intended the metal was not springy enough and I had problems crimping the cable while it was under tension. I would still like to explore this more I need to find a better way of securing the cable to do this.

Bone China neck piece with Steel Cable

2010-01-27T04:08:00.000-08:00

This was my 1st attempt at using steel cable I am happy with the way it looks, but i feel that the steel cable was not used to its full potential. I did take advantage of the spring steel cable has. it allowed me to make a very open design because the steel cable keeps it shape. I could have used spring steel wire for this and it would have done it better. I also did not use tension on the steel in any way. I am not happy with how i used the steel cable in this piece.

Past Steel Cable attemts

2010-01-27T03:56:00.000-08:00

I have tried to use steel cable in the past but i have never been happy with the results. I feel i need to push the material more and take more advantage of it tensile strength

Steel cable

2010-01-27T03:39:00.000-08:00

I have always loved the way steel cable is used in architecture. I like how it creates negative space and how it makes things look lite. I am also interested in the fact that it has a very high tensile strength because of the way it is constructed. I want to see how I can apply this to jewellery I want to use the cable in the same way it is used in architecture. I want to take advantage of its tensile strength to make something lite and delicate looking, but it must actually be very strong.

Parabola

2009-10-13T10:17:00.001-07:00

This is the Hercilio Luz Bridge in Brazil it is an example of an Steinman Bridge which is unique because it uses a steel truss stiffening component that connects to the steel cable at different heights so it can use the strength of the parabolic shape that the cable takes on.

Parabola

2009-10-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Capilano Bridge, North Vancouver, British Columbia. in this picture you can see how the ends of the bridge are not as curved as the middle all hanging flexible objects take on this shape

Parabola

2009-10-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is the path a bouncing ball takes when thrown onto the ground notice the parabolic shape.

Parabola

2009-10-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

The curves I choose for my pieces are parabolas I like the way they look and the property's that parabolas have. A parabola is a geometric shape with some property's I find very interesting it is an extremely strong shape for an arch, it is the shape of the trajectory of an object that has been thrown and allowed to fall and it is also the shape a flexible object will take when suspended for two points.

Catenary arch

2009-10-13T09:01:00.001-07:00

The Tāq-i Kisrā is a Persian monument built Iraq It was damaged in floods in 1888 and was busy being restored before the 1st gulf work broke out it differs from later western arches in that it is a parabolic arch which is much stronger.

Catenary arch

2009-10-13T08:58:00.001-07:00

The Gate way arch in St Louis, Missouri uses the catenary shape to use as little material possible to make the arch.

Catenary arch

2009-10-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Catenary arches under the terrace of Casa Milà

Catenary arch

2009-10-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

I find arches interesting because they are strong but they look very delicate because they create negative space. The 1st arch i found interesting was the Lancet arch. When I started to analyze why I liked arches I discovered it was because they use the least material to give the most strength. This made me look for the strongest type of arch that's when I found the Catenary arch. This arches shape comes from the shape a chain makes when you hold it at the ends and let it hang. If you take this basic shape and turn it upside down it makes a very strong arch shape. This shape is called a parabola and is the basis for the curves I put on my jewellery.

Beginning of curves

2009-10-13T07:29:00.001-07:00

My attraction to curves started with the Lancet arch. This arch is widely used in Gothic architecture because it allows you to build tall buildings. Gothic architecture was all about building tall to get closer to god. I like the way the arch is used to frame these windows and also provides the strength needed to hold the structure up. I love the way arches serve a function by holding up the building but also are visually pleasing to look at.

Why curves

2009-10-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

I always put curves on my jewellery I feel that i need to explain why. i have always found curves beautiful, but i feel some are more beautiful than others. I am very specific about the curves i put on my jewellery it cant be to much of a curve and it also must not be to strait. I also like them to have a variation in the curve so they lead your eye. I make them so they are a little tighter on one end to the other I think this makes them more interesting to look at. I also love curves because of the physical strength they give things.

2009-10-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

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2009-10-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

2009-10-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

Red Eye

2009-10-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

I helped to organize this months Red Eye I wanted to see what went into making this event happen. I would like to do more events like this because I think it is a good way of exhibiting. I feel that art has to be more entertaining to attract more people to it.

Anglo Plat

2009-07-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

This is my Anglo Plat design. It is two bangles made of platinum and stainless steel. They can be worn separately but the fit together to make one bangle.
The idea is that in todays world people move around alot so couples some times have to be apart for work. The colours on the inside are taken from the meanings of the colours of zulu beads. Red stands for intence and jelous love. The blue stands for thoughts of your loved one loyalty and lonelyness.
The idea is to give your partner the appropriate colour and keep the other for yourself. When that person returns you get it back.

Artspace Exhibition

2009-07-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Two glass cases in a crowded room turned out not to be such a good idea... the turn out was great. unfortunately my cases were almost knocked over many times. I was pretty happy with my display, but I do think it distracted to much from the jewellery. I saw many people wandering how it was put together and how it was not falling apart. The idea was to make the cases look architectural and very simple and as minimal as possible. I think I achieved that. The glass boxes were constructed of glass panes with modified roofing washers to hold them together on the corners. The stands were made of PVC and polycarbonate that were glued together.

Folded bangle

2009-05-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is the prototype for the folded bangle. Almost got all the design kinks are out and I'm happy with the results so far. Looking at it now, I see the possibility for a commercial piece where I use just the tubes and the rubber for a bangle or neck piece. It will be more marketable because it would not have all the sharp edges on this one and will be less hazardous.

Coffee

2009-05-11T10:27:00.001-07:00

Finally finished, the handle now just needs to be attached. The polished outer edge should look good when you crank the handle. To add contrast I left the raw worked surface on the rest of it and darkened it by heating it. This will also go better with the rest of the coffee grinder which is made of cast iron.

Teaser

2009-05-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

use this for teaser just crop most of it off so it does not look like jewellery

2009-05-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

this is the forged section of the coffee grinder. I have decided to leave the forged texture on it and clean and polish the edges to give it a finished look

similar jewellery artist

2009-03-31T02:54:00.001-07:00

Shaun Leane is an artist I have found that does very similar work to mine aesthetically. He also uses long curved shapes to make his work look elegant and beautiful. He also likes to put a sinister edge on his work while still keeping it beautiful.
When I first found him I was very disappointed that there was someone who did work so similar to what I was doing. That is why I have to push my work further so it will be different to what he does.

How my jewellery should be displayed

2009-03-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

At my third year exhibition I had 'glass' cubes staked on top of each other, on each level I had jewelery displayed. It worked well because you could walk around it and see the pieces from all angles. what i did not like about it was that the bottom levels had to be empty because it was not comfortable to view them because the were to low. I am happy with the boxes and will use them again but I want to eliminate the bottom levels, i could put them on stands or hang them from the roof or a wall.

arm for coffee grider

2009-03-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

I am making an arm for an old coffee grinder it will be made out of stainless steel with a wooden handle I want it to look like a new interpretation of the old one that cannot be fixed. it must still work well with the design of the grinder.

A real choker

2009-02-26T02:32:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a concept which is basically a choker. I want to make if from rubber with stainless steel. The idea is that there is an open end, to get it on and off and the stainless is there so that it will want to keep its shape. I want it to be very flexible so it is almost like a second skin. The rubber will soften the effects of the steel and make it comfortable to wear, while still allowing it to flex.
I still need to resolve exactly what it will look like and need to learn more about working with rubber so a few prototypes will need to be done.

samurai pocket piece

2009-02-05T06:38:00.000-08:00

this piece is an amulet that represents the three main attributes of the samurai honor, strength and protection

anticlastic earring

2009-02-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

this is my 1st attempt at 'anticlastic razing'. I chose to try this technique because I like the way you can manipulate plate with it. I wanted to make a piece that had volume but was extremely light. because I used this forging technue the metal is left hard and slightly domed this makes it possable to make it extremely thin. so the techneque has become the the design.

Yin Yang bangle

2009-02-05T05:04:00.000-08:00

The two halves are folded in opposite directions so the openings are on different sides still they have the same silhouette. The finish is the same on both but one is more polished than the other making one look dark and one light. This is Yin Yang in that the two halves are the same but also completely opposite.

chromatic bracelet

2009-02-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

colour is not usually something I use in my jewellery. in this piece I think the deep blue makes it more interesting by drawing your attention to the inside of the fold and also contrasts and complements the metal. I may use this clear blue in other pieces in the future.