Comic challenge winner!!!

So at long last (sorry about the delay) I'm here to announce the winner of the Comic Challenge!!! It was a really tight vote this time.... only 4 votes separated 3rd from 1st!  That just tells us all how great the entries were.  So, drum roll please......

In Third Place, with 5 votes....

 From Claire at Brightstar 109 we have a pendant and earring set. "BATMAN! Nanana ..BATMAN!" (that song is going to be stuck in my head all day!) Lovely Joker earrings and the Batman pendant could be worn together or separately....if you can snag them before her kids do!

In Second place, with 6 votes......

From Kat at Artistikat we have the "Magneto Pendant". This pendant features 2 very powerful magnets that are attracted to each other... even putting a piece of wood between them won't stop their magnetic powers! Simple and scientific!!

And our FIRST PLACE winner, with 8 votes, is .......

From Esme at SilverBlueberry we have a comic from farther east.... Kodama.

"A kodama (木魂?) is a spirit from Japanese folklore, which is believed to live in certain trees (similar to the Dryad of Greek myth).

Kodama appear in the animated film Princess Mononoke, in which they are portrayed as small, white humanoids with large, rattling heads and mask-like features, similar to bobbleheads.
My little kodama has a few rough peridots inside its head, so you can make the rattling sound."

Congratulations!!!  Esme.. it's up to you to give us the next challenge.... I'm so excited to see what you come up with!! Keep your eyes peeled folks....it'll be a good one!! It's really easy to subscribe to our blog, just enter your email into the box on the right side of your screen.


Official Team Challenge Rules….
To enter and vote you must meet the following requirements:
- Have an Etsy shop
- Be a member of the Aspiring Metalsmith team on Etsy
- Be able to post your photos to our Flickr pool without blocking them from download, so the blog master has access.
- Follow each challenge’s rules as to submission times, materials and/or techniques, or any other rule for that specific challenge.
- Make something NEW for the challenge….not something that you have in stock that fits the rules. These challenges are to push you to try new things, not just show off things you’ve already done.

We politely ask that if you do not meet these guidelines you do not vote either. These challenges are intended to be an internal, skill-pushing endeavor….not a popularity contest. We like to show off how well we’ve done, but really want our peers on the team to judge our technique and skill growth.

Start your Engines!!! Automotive Challenge

Hello Friends, Ryan here.  I want to start out by thanking all who voted in the Men’s Jewelry Challenge.   Having my work chosen to win among so many seasoned, skillful artists was a really a memorable moment for me.    I would also like to extend my appreciation to all who entered; it was great to see such a diverse environment of technique and approach to the common theme.  It is my pleasure to now be presenting everyone with the next challenge which I hope many of you will find interesting and be eager to participate in!

 I thought long and hard about a few ideas, but none seemed to grab me much as the one I chose.   

“Automotive Design”

…Before you dismiss the subject as “macho” or “commonplace”, perhaps give it some honest exploration.  This subject is one that is not only a great passion in my personal life,   but also is a great influence behind a great number of my jewelry designs.  While not everyone shares my interests, give this one a chance- Really give it some thought.  You might be surprised what an incredibly powerful avenue for inspiration this subject can be. 

Take a look back throughout history at automobile design.  Few significant personal objects around the world have been such a perpetual, universal symbol for someone’s lifestyle, personality, sense of taste and wealth.  Few things also, over the course of time, have been capable of so much elegance and mass-appeal for appreciation. If you think about it, it’s not much unlike jewelry! 

Automobile design, since the latter part of the 1920s, started becoming more than a mere utilitarian mode of transportation.  They became sculpture; mechanical works of art.  Straight from the showroom floor, or fresh out of a tinkerer’s garage, the car truly became an individual- To some, an object of pride or even a part of the family.  The outside body lines, the dash board, the wheels; even the upholstery began to take on aesthetics that distinguish one car from another.   American cars or European cars- It’s all the same.  Anything on a car can provide inspiration.  The flare of a fender to the bare, structural artistry of a frame or suspension component, the gauges on the dash board, the headlight shape or even the tread of a tire can get the creative wheels turning. 

 

The ornate dash board of a 1930s Packard; the aircraft-inspired elements of the 1950s; the vertical chrome grille bars of a 1932 Ford; The shape of the wheel centers, the mile-high tail fins of the 1959 Cadillac; the iconic rear trim flair of the 1957 Chevy Bel-Air… and on.

Themes can be examined:  the pure beginnings of automotive evolution of the 1910s-1920s; streamlined designs of the WWII era; stripped-down, utilitarian hot rods and drag racers of the 1950s; boxy, bold muscle cars of the 1960s… again it goes on.    The possibilities are endless!  

This challenge might not appeal to some, but hopefully it will convince others to think outside their normal approach to design and gather stimulation from a source of ideas they might have overlooked before- or might have overlooked the possibilities of.

Your job as the designer and creator is to find something that inspires you that can be physically traced to a car.  Anything is fair game that has to do with a vehicle’s unique aesthetic, structure, or overall intention of use (e.g. Drag racing).  You have to present this piece along with a little mention in the description of what exactly inspired you.   I hope many of you participate, for I am really interested to see what you all can come up with.  Thank you! 

Entries are due May 12th at Midnight! Upload your photo and explain your inspiration to the group FLICKR pool.


Official Team Challenge Rules….
To enter and vote you must meet the following requirements:
- Have an Etsy shop
- Be a member of the Aspiring Metalsmith team on Etsy
- Be able to post your photos to our Flickr pool without blocking them from download, so the blog master has access.
- Follow each challenge’s rules as to submission times, materials and/or techniques, or any other rule for that specific challenge.
- Make something NEW for the challenge….not something that you have in stock that fits the rules. These challenges are to push you to try new things, not just show off things you’ve already done.

We politely ask that if you do not meet these guidelines you do not vote either. These challenges are intended to be an internal, skill-pushing endeavor….not a popularity contest. We like to show off how well we’ve done, but really want our peers on the team to judge our technique and skill growth.

Aspiring Metalsmiths September Challenge - Animals

Thank you all who voted for me! I had a hard time coming up with a theme - I wanted something that I was sure would inspire a lot of people. You could say this is an easy theme, a lot of us make animals and have made animals in the past. Which of course means that a lot of people should be able to make something for the challenge. So if you have little time, you make something within your comfort zone. If you have the time, try to think outside the box, try a new technique, or make a jewelry item you dread making. Make sure that you mention how you thought and how you challenged yourself so we can vote accordingly! Add your entry to the Flickr pool tagged 'AspMet September challenge' no later than midnight (EST) September 30st.

Now for some inspiration:

Make yourself something that will always remind you of a dear pet..

Make something in honor of an animal you would like to save..

Celebrate nature's diversity by picking a weird animal...

Or design something for your favorite dog..

I hope that with these inspirational pictures the wheels will start turning and great creations will be made!

Aspiring Metalsmiths July Challenge - Self Portraits

Thanks So much for everyone who voted for me, and now I hope you don't change your mind. The challenge for July is to make a self portrait! Artists have been creating self portraits for who knows how long, and now it is your turn. A self portrait is defined as a representation of the artist created by the artist. Now don't cringe, this does not have to be a literal representation of your face, but it could be! Be creative and make a piece that you think represents you. This will give you an opportunity to stretch your creative muscles and come up with something fantastic.

Instructions: You must add your entry to the Flickr pool by midnight August 7th. Remember to tag your photos with "July Challenge 2011", so we don't miss it!

Let the voting begin on June's Challenge

"Interpret the Design Principle "Rhythm" in any way which moves you." Was the challenge that Julie gave us last month....here's what we all came up with. Take a look and vote for your favorite on the poll to the left of your screen!!

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Viki from LorieLynn brings us this cuff titled "Rhythm and Blues" Awful pretty in a "urban decay" sort of way.

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Gloria from HemlockHollow brings us this neat pendant titled "One Note." It was made of PMC, hand set with an amethyst CZ and textured with a seashell.

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Jessica of Abella Blue took the challenge very literally.... here's her tiny little finger harp. It makes the prettiest little tink-tink-tink music, and sits comfortably on a chain around your neck. Check out a video of it in action here.

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Asa from AsaPDesigns made a cute little brooch. It's all ready to give to your crush, just so they know what effect they have on you. The heart beat is pierced into the stamped and patinated copper.

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Pennee from All Wired Up brings us Rubies in Motion. She has this to say about the project: "After researching a bit, I realized there are lots of rhythms and creating something that causes a rhythm is sort of the same thing. This piece was made with a texture plate of wavy lines that reminded me of fading sound waves that draw the eye up and down (or as someone else said- wood grain). To accent the up and down movement following the lines I added vertical ruby czs which should draw the eye from up and down to the left to catch their little twinkle. Therefore- creating a rhythm!"

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Deb from E5Jewelry gives us this beautiful and ancient looking little amulet: "~Rhythm~The intertwining ebb and flow of nature. copper, sterling silver, fine silver, natural peridot, quartz crystal"

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Esme from SilverBlueberry gives us this adorable little hedgehog ring:"A little hedgehog waddles on and on. Where is he going? Is he going home to his nest? Looking for a new place to live? Looking for food? We don't know, but his journey continues."

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Cornelius from KwantEssentials gives us this amazing natural & mathematical rhythm example: FibonacciRhythm is set with 1.14 carats of flush set diamonds!!

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Dana of CoilAndFlame gives us this entry:"This is a mixed metal, domed pendant of copper, sterling silver and 14 kt. gold fill. Suspended beneath is a hand wire-wrapped mother-of-pearl coin. I'll leave most of the "Rhythm" interpretation up to the viewer. But for me, this piece has an underwater, flowing into-the-deep theme."

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Resurrection Silver's entry is this lovely mixed metal crocheted circle motif bib necklace. She says "Rhythm is represented in every aspect of this necklace from the pattern of each circle to the motion of each stitch to the color and placement of each circle. I love to crochet and this is my first attempt at combining that with my love of jewelry making."

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Julie of WabiBrookStudio's entry is this lovely cuff titled "Rhythms of the Land."
She has this to say of it:"Rhythm.Living close to the land in rural Ontario, I am very much in tune with the rhythms of nature: the rolling hills and valleys, moon and sun rising and setting, the sounds and sights of the changing seasons. The cuff is my interpretation of a rhythm I often see- the setting sun to the west lighting up the hills and rising moon to the east." it is created with scrap copper and a vinyl record!!

The April Challenge is On!

This month's challenge was selected by our last month's winner, Lori of StonePeace. She asks the question...who is your favorite artist? Do you have a favorite style of art? Do you love impressionism like me, or are you a minimalist? It's time to review your art history, or discover it for the very first time! For our next challenge I want to see designs of wearable pieces with a favorite artist or style in mind.



Can you create Van Gogh's Starry Night in metal?
Photo below courtesy of www.MajesticMetalArt.com

Are Monet’s Water Lillie's destined to be a ring or necklace?

Photo below courtesy of www.BeadandButton.com

Anything or anyone, past or present, 2D or 3D, Eastern, Western, Outsider. . .you decide.

Challenge entries are due by Friday May 13th at Midnight on the Flickr group. The poll will be posted here on Saturday May 14th.

March Challenge Entries- Architectural Designs!

Our March team challenge was selected by last month's talented winner, Julie of Jamauerer. The challenge was to design an architectural piece, in any medium of choice, in two or three dimensions. Our team came up with some fabulous designs, and I know it's going to be hard to choose just one! The first piece you see below was designed and created by Julie of Jamauerer who selected this month's challenge. She wasn't quite able to finish this amazing piece...it will eventually be fired with enamels and be made into a ring, but you can see the basic structure she made out of copper, and what a great job she did on this three dimensional building! Next we have this darling little Chicken House made by the very creative Lori of StonePeace. It is so realistic, and made of copper and sterling silver. I love the wee steps going up, and the corrugated roof!

This beautiful pendant was made by Addie of ScrapMetal...it's a stylized Gothic Cathedral, made of fine silver metal clay, glass enamel, a paua shell cabochon and a peach moonstone cabochon. It hangs on a hand dyed and rolled silk cord...stunning! I love the details on this one!

Here is a sweet entry from the talented Joy of Joypeckjoy. It's a pretty little house pendant made of fine silver, and filled with concrete that she has dyed in different shades. What a unique combination of materials, and love the tiny details she has on it.

Esmeralda of SilverBlueberry decided to take the three dimensional approach, and made this amazing miniature replica of the Chrysler Building in New York! It is made of sterling silver sheet, and she hand carved all of the tiny details...what a fabulous piece!

Our last entry was made buy Asa of Asapdesigns. It is a creative ring which consists of a tiny home made of copper with a sparkly amethyst gemstone roof, perched atop a hand forged band of brass. Great use of materials and love the different textures and colors!

The poll is up and listed on the right hand side of the blog. Voting begins now, and will go through Monday at midnight, so please don't wait too long to select your favorite!