Thursday 12 November 2009

Explorational Drawings....



[Click on images to enlarge]

A few research drawings that are being developed into proper designs. I like to work by drawing whatever is in my head onto paper and then develop and refine onto possible design ideas. In previous years being restricted to a brief and theme didn't allow this freedom and I struggled. But being in 4th year is great! Self directed study!

I have made a decision that I will not be showing final design ideas and pieces until Degree Show-need to keep the surprise element! Development I will show, to give everyone an idea of what I'm about, but not to spoil the surprise! (and hopefully it'll be a good one!)

Till Later x

The Goldsmiths Company-Precious Metal Bursary Design Boards

[Click images to enlarge]
After a few failed attempts on Illustrator I hope these boards represent my design idea pretty well! Rhino has truly done me in-but the overall impression works so I can't complain too much! Following will be a few more of my inspiration drawings for my final year work.
1 piece down...lots more to go before May! And dissertation of course.....

Till later x

Friday 9 October 2009

Just like home...


My final year studio desk. I've popped up some images, got a wee pile of postits and its beginning to get a bit more homely! Though safe to say, I think the studio will end up as my 2nd home this year, especially after Christmas when degree show pressure takes it tole.

Till later x

NB. This desk will never be this tidy...never ever again judging by previous desks...!

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Dissertation Finding!

The Sketch Furniture series was developed by a company called Front in Sweden. A bit messy perhaps, but the process seems amazing, tactile and something if refined would be amazing for possible jewellery exploration. Similar to the haptics used by Anne Marie Shillito and the Tacitus Project at ECA(skecthing in a 3D space) but slightly different technology. Some might find it boring, but think of the possibilities of sketching your designs(or part designs), refining and rapid prototyping as a method of practice-much more exciting than Rhino3D!

Till Later x

Sunday 13 September 2009

Tomorrow...

Image taken from dundee.ac.uk

Tomorrow, the beginning of my final year. Safe to say I am (and I am sure everyone else in my class is also) very very very very very scared/excited/nervous etc.

Bring on the next 8 months of extreme stress, worry, excitment and sleepless nights...and then the degree show.

I know too well that time is going to fly by, so to everyone going into their honours year....

GOOD LUCK!

Till later x

Tuesday 1 September 2009

Need to get a move on...

I like this picture.

Fail to prepare...prepare to fail keeps ringing in my ears. I am now back in Dundee and have two solid weeks before I am an official final year student (one week if you count Freshers Week/Week zero/matriculation as being back at uni)! I have a pile of books for my dissertation, a pile of stuff for practical work. I need some direction! You can imagine what is more tempting to do...hmm.

Ahhh. That is all.

Till later x

PS. Any motivational techniques?!

PPS. I also like this picture, can't remember where I found it, and it has been on my computer for years, I like rummaging through all my old files. Another distraction from doing work, oops.

Thursday 30 July 2009

Busy busy busy!


Okayyyy... it has been a while, but I have been really busy-honest! Last week I was down in London attending The Goldsmiths Company Jewellery Undergraduate Summer School at Goldsmiths Hall. 20 Undergraduates from all over Britain attended, and I met some really fantastic people-it was really interesting to hear from other undergrads...and also reassuring, I think they're all just as scared as I am!

The tutorials were run by Dr Stuart Devlin, and Peter Taylor, Director or Training and Technology at Goldsmiths Hall and based on creativity, idea generation and new technologies within the craft-all of which were extremely beneficial. The studies centered on group discussions, to sketching sessions...on the first day Stuart even had us drawing a simple cube in 3D and rendering it! But to our surprise, the majority,if not all of us couldn't get it quite right. The emphasis on drawing, however simple, allows for even better idea generation. The easier you can draw an idea on paper from your head, there more ideas you can get out! Otherwise,as Stuart told us, we are preventing our own creativity from producing the best ideas. Which after the idea generating exercises last week, I can see how true it is!

Within a full timetable including Assay office visits, workshop visits and the valuable trade industry evening, I can say that last week was amazing, and I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to go.

The passion these amazing people have for our craft is staggering, the contribution both have already made to our trade is outstanding, and they are desperate to keep that alive in the jewellery and metalwork students. From both of their careers profiles I think all 20 of us have learned to aim high-because we never know where we might end up in 10,20,30 years time. We are the future of our craft after all, who will be there to support it when these amazing people are no longer here? Scary thought.

Till later x

PS. Will hopefully get round to posting about dissertation work and practical work...once I get is figured out in my own head! After last week my mind is full to bursting!

Saturday 9 May 2009

Final 3rd Year Presentation...

This is my final presentation, minus a few labels and pictures! I went for the colour scheme that I used for my 2nd year presentation strangely!

Looking back on my work, I feel within my sketchbooks I definitely have my 'thing', but as for transforming that into my final pieces...that's been a challenge this year! Now that I am working towards my final year work, I feel I will definitely come into my own, as I don't feel constrained by any tutors brief, but working on my own! So hopefully my final designs will be much stronger. In saying that, I am very happy with my overall grade of a 'B'! Only one more step to an 'A' for next year eh?! ;-) Here's hoping!

Till Later x

PS. Having a Bachelors Degree is awesome-Lisa Murphy BDes !-now to get the Honours next year!

Wednesday 29 April 2009

SketchbookSketchbookSketchbook!


Got our 3rd year degree assessments on Friday-eeeek! Busily finishing off my display-wish me luck!!!

Pictures of the finished product soon!

Till Later x

Friday 27 March 2009

Final Year Degree show P.O.A...ish

Plan Of Action.

Had a meeting with my course tutor yesterday, to look at my source research and see what my thoughts on my final year collection.

Well, I have so many ideas I don't know what I'll be doing!!

All I know is-

Whatever I do will be quite abstract-with no notable inspiration (ie nature) but a combination of shape,texture and muted rich colour?

I like the combination of black and gold (black acrylic and gold metal? oxidised metal with gold acrylic?)...
I like using the lazer cutter to rastorize images onto acrylic. (almost like etching onto metal-same type of effect.)...
I like chunky & weighty pieces...
I like the combination of acrylic with metal(I like the balance.)...
And I like simple, architectural shapes involving curves/straight lines vs curves/traditional forms combined with abstract forms...

And that's not all!

I just need to make sure it all comes together!-will be writing a brief for my 4th year which I will pop up when written.

Till later (when I have my thought more structured!!!)x

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Narrative project...done!


Firstly, I am going to say, I don't think the photographs do my 3 final brooches justice, as the images project a very 2D result. However the multiple layers produced using the lazercutter, create a depth that a plain image just doesn't have. All 3 brooches show the same image-a scantly clad lady, staring at (or perhaps lusting after!) a man smoking a cigarette. All use both acrylic-clear,mirrored and gold, backed with silver or have silver brooch fittings.

Brooch 1 -Black and clear acrylic layered and riveted.

Brooch 2-Gold Acrylic

Brooch 3-Mirrored Acrylic and Silver riveted.

So now to get my artist statement completed!...I'll pop it up when I'm done, hopefully it'll make sense!

Till Later x

Saturday 7 March 2009

Auflux?! or Oflux....


These designs are by Aurorisa Mateo, an outstanding independent jewellery designer and recognized architect in Europe. You can see the works at Oflux his online gallery and store. Just shows that any skills can be transferred into multiple disciplines! I do enjoy sculptural and architecture forms. The rings,however simple, do have a strong presence...my favourite is the ring in the back of the photograph....very architectural!

I will soon be posting my final piece (s!?) for the Narrative project...10days and counting!

Till Later x

Sunday 22 February 2009

Narrative project...


We have been given a narrative project, and to create a final brooch that conveys a message/ideal/story. A list of around 20 phrases/political issues etc such as 'Vanity', 'Globalization' and 'Until Death do us part' were given to us to choose from...and I chose 'Lust'. I'm already struggling with this project, trying to convey a message or story in a piece however subtly is baffling me a bit. However I keep having images from the Film Noir style popping up in my head... corseted woman, detective smoking cigarettes in the moonlight, shutters half open-streaming light and shadow into a space. Almost deception that can never be proved? All very up in the air at the moment! But I have got loooooots of images of shutters to keep me amused-maybe those will inspire me!

A lot of pondering still to do...

Till Later x

Friday 6 February 2009

Research Project...result!


Finally, I have some actual jewellery to show for this year! Third year has been hectic, but all studio design based stuff, not much workshop goings on! Safe to say, now that this project has ended, my poor little fingers are in pieces, my nails are non-existent...! Got to suffer for your art...right?!

This is my final outcome from the research project...a spine piece-but basically a long brooch!


It is made up of several elements...all similar forms though! Nice oxidised silver and yummy 24ct gold plating...noooice! Think the black on gold, may be a recurring thing in my final year work next year..hmm...

Next project is due to start at the beginning of the week...seems intruiging- a narrative project in whihc we will be purely inspired by NON-RESEARCHED inspiration, so no books, no internet, just a poem/story to create images from! Time will tell how I cope...it'll go either one way or the other!

Till Later x

Monday 2 February 2009

New York...


Think the picture says it all...

Will have a more descriptive post by next week, our current project is due to end-hopefully with a good result ;-)!

Till Later x