Taking a Simple Step

December 6, 2014

Exif_JPEG_PICTUREMy aim today was to bring up something to encourage you to create a simple piece; to make something with a minimum of detail, but that still has eye-catching impact. There are a lot of options. You could look at anything we posted this week, and after finding the element that most intrigues you, create something of your own. You could also look through the links for the artists featured and find other pieces that speak to you.

If you like the idea of attempting a simple piece, but would like some direction, there are many tutorials out there that could get you on your way. I found this one by Gretchen Amberg on the Sculpey website. Simple graduated color and bead size brings enough variation to carry the simple composition. A careful finish would be key to making an elegant piece. This tutorial uses Sculpey’s new hollow bead tray, but you could use light bulbs and various cutter sizes to accomplish the size difference and still retain the volume of the bead forms.

In any case, I hope this week’s theme has inspired you to try your hand at simplicity, even if it doesn’t seem to be your style. There are great lessons to be learned by reducing a design to very simple elements.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Outside Inspiration: Challenged by Simplicity

December 5, 2014

3343252940_2108b7476e_oIt would seem that successful, simple compositions would be fairly easy to achieve, but I have found that in order to be successful with simple creations is many times more difficult than with complex ones. When the elements are few and spare, every single choice made counts in a big way. This is how I see the challenge in the work of Jon Ryan. His work is gorgeous, but rarely even approaches complexity.

This carved scale aluminum brooch of his epitomizes this. There is really only one color, and that is slightly graduated. There is one texture in the scales, and the form is balanced. That is all that is here, and yet, you can recognize the genius of the design and the bold beauty of it, even if you don’t have any idea why that is so apparent. The genius is in being reserved while choosing elements that make the brooch feel alive. Scales are, of course, an element of reptiles, so there is a hint of a living creature. The slight change in the tint of the color makes the blue glow, so it gives off a sense of soft light and energy. Also, the form curves just enough on either end to introduce  movement. These choices along with an impeccable finish is what makes this feel so masterly. I have a hard time imagining how I would go about creating something anywhere near as elegant with such minimalism. I find it quite amazing.

Jon’s body of work is all about simplicity. And, lucky for us, there is an easily recognized correlation to be seen between his metal work and working in polymer. Take even just  a few seconds to look at his Flickr portfolio album to see what I mean. If you are intrigued by his work, you can read more about his process on his blog.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

A Few Floating

December 4, 2014

71db4c11fb3712c11cfe74a6969e741dSimplicity often works best when presented in an unexpected manner. A necklace of leaves is nothing unexpected. A necklace of three leaves floating, however, is.

This interesting neck-piece is the creation of Delphine Roche de Montgrand of Paris, France. There is grace in the simple triad composition, the slight variation of the leaf sizes and the way they are arranged. But, we are halted by the way they float around the neck, and then, I think, we linger because of the rich color and the naturally attractive fan shape that makes ginkgo leaves so popular. To add anything else here would ruin the quiet feel of an autumn morning so succinctly replicated here. Do you agree?

Delphine works primarily in replications of nature with a little splash of illusion thrown in here and there. You can read more on her blog through Google translate if you don’t speak French.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Simple Green & Winter 2014 is Here

December 3, 2014

moss glass petkovaFirst of all … yes, the Winter 2014 issue is being released today. I am pre-scheduling this blog to post at its usual time, and then I am getting back to testing and getting access ready for the digital issue today. If you are waiting on your issue, digital access should be in everyone’s inbox by dinnertime in the United States, which would be around bedtime in Europe, I believe. I am hoping for earlier, but with our plague of technical issues lately, I am going for some pretty thorough testing before we send it out. Send prayers and coffee sacrifices to the technical powers that be asking for a smooth digital release today. As for the print copies, they were not supposed to be at the post office for sorting until yesterday, but apparently our service got them out early because people are already receiving them in the United States. Keep an eye on your inbox and mailboxes! It is on the way, if not already there for you!

As for our simple theme this week, what can be simpler than monochrome and free-form? With the right color and overall texture, something as simple as this faux beach glass can be mesmerizing. This is a pendant by Maria Petkova, author of the blog Polymer Clay Diaries. According to her image description, this is a polymer, beach glass and acrylic paint. Which is the real beach glass, I am wondering? Or is there any real beach glass? Even not knowing the listed description, I would be fascinated by what this is made of, and why it is so eye catching. Like the last two pieces this week, it comes down to a sudden change in what is a broad, evenly treated surface. Interruptions and surprises always catch our eye, don’t they?

You can find more inspiration by Maria on her personal Flickr pages as well as on her blog as listed above.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Random Lines

December 2, 2014

beefball papa tall vaseOur piece today is not dissimilar from yesterday’s piece, but it’s differences delineate another approach to the simple application of elements.

A large swath of continuous color is halted by a mix of color here as well, only in this vase by China’s Frank Khow (known as Beefball Papa on Flickr),the feel is crowded and energetic instead of being quiet and still. Yesterday’s work was simple and sparse, but today’s is more about abundance. As you can see, abundance doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, abundance is an easily visible proliferation of one thing, which in this case is a series of revealed extrusions. The draw to this comes from the impact of textural contrast–busy visual texture against a smooth and solid visual texture.

The effect is so strong here that the same busy versus quiet application can be presented with different color combinations or forms, and you’ll still have a similar feel and impact. You can see what I mean simply by visiting Frank’s Flickr photostream where he has several examples of this technique to compare.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Simple Interruptions

December 1, 2014

5789532915_29abe14684_o“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” You’ve probably all heard this adage and may even find yourself repeating it like a mantra as you sit at your studio table while tempted to add just one more color, one more accent or one more layer. Many, many times, you should really opt for the more simplistic approach. I want to focus on that this week. Let’s talk about simplicity as an approach and see just how beautiful simple can be.

This pendant is one in a series by Belgium’s NiQui that I think is very successful for it’s restraint. The mash of color within this monolithic black form is all about contrast and restriction, which makes what little color there is very strong. The stripes of marbled color break the line of the bar of black very suddenly and certainly, and then pulls your eye immediately to it. Depending on your view, or maybe even how your day is going, you can see that as lines breaking into the solid bar or as color being compressed to nearly nothing by the black.  Either way, you probably sense that there is energy and some kind of relationship between the contrasts of no color to a mishmash of it, and the question of what that relationship might be is what holds you there. It may be simple, but it holds the potential for complex ideas.

Simplicity is Nicole’s (NiQui’s) hallmark. If you want to see a lot of exploration in this area, do take a look around her Flickr photostream.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Staging Simplicity

July 24, 2014

Pushing the construction or composition of a necklace doesn’t have to be overly complex. Simplicity is sometimes the best path to unusual pieces.

With this composition by Russian artist Oksana Aleksandrovna Vedernikova (she works under the name  Silverpepper), the rather stark presentation really helps us focus on the delicate details of these of the gorgeously crafted polymer beads. The uneven drop length keeps the composition from feeling stagnant and gives each bead a separate height from which to be admired.

14456610120_5206df9134_o

Oksana rarely creates in typical or classical composition. If you enjoy the idea of pushing construction and presentation of your polymer within the art jewelry form, you will find further inspiration within her other creations. Just head on over to  her Flickr pages.

 

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

14-P2 CoverFnl-blog   Blog2 -2014-02Feb-5   Damask Ad

Taking a Simple Step

December 6, 2014
Posted in

Exif_JPEG_PICTUREMy aim today was to bring up something to encourage you to create a simple piece; to make something with a minimum of detail, but that still has eye-catching impact. There are a lot of options. You could look at anything we posted this week, and after finding the element that most intrigues you, create something of your own. You could also look through the links for the artists featured and find other pieces that speak to you.

If you like the idea of attempting a simple piece, but would like some direction, there are many tutorials out there that could get you on your way. I found this one by Gretchen Amberg on the Sculpey website. Simple graduated color and bead size brings enough variation to carry the simple composition. A careful finish would be key to making an elegant piece. This tutorial uses Sculpey’s new hollow bead tray, but you could use light bulbs and various cutter sizes to accomplish the size difference and still retain the volume of the bead forms.

In any case, I hope this week’s theme has inspired you to try your hand at simplicity, even if it doesn’t seem to be your style. There are great lessons to be learned by reducing a design to very simple elements.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

Outside Inspiration: Challenged by Simplicity

December 5, 2014
Posted in

3343252940_2108b7476e_oIt would seem that successful, simple compositions would be fairly easy to achieve, but I have found that in order to be successful with simple creations is many times more difficult than with complex ones. When the elements are few and spare, every single choice made counts in a big way. This is how I see the challenge in the work of Jon Ryan. His work is gorgeous, but rarely even approaches complexity.

This carved scale aluminum brooch of his epitomizes this. There is really only one color, and that is slightly graduated. There is one texture in the scales, and the form is balanced. That is all that is here, and yet, you can recognize the genius of the design and the bold beauty of it, even if you don’t have any idea why that is so apparent. The genius is in being reserved while choosing elements that make the brooch feel alive. Scales are, of course, an element of reptiles, so there is a hint of a living creature. The slight change in the tint of the color makes the blue glow, so it gives off a sense of soft light and energy. Also, the form curves just enough on either end to introduce  movement. These choices along with an impeccable finish is what makes this feel so masterly. I have a hard time imagining how I would go about creating something anywhere near as elegant with such minimalism. I find it quite amazing.

Jon’s body of work is all about simplicity. And, lucky for us, there is an easily recognized correlation to be seen between his metal work and working in polymer. Take even just  a few seconds to look at his Flickr portfolio album to see what I mean. If you are intrigued by his work, you can read more about his process on his blog.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

A Few Floating

December 4, 2014
Posted in

71db4c11fb3712c11cfe74a6969e741dSimplicity often works best when presented in an unexpected manner. A necklace of leaves is nothing unexpected. A necklace of three leaves floating, however, is.

This interesting neck-piece is the creation of Delphine Roche de Montgrand of Paris, France. There is grace in the simple triad composition, the slight variation of the leaf sizes and the way they are arranged. But, we are halted by the way they float around the neck, and then, I think, we linger because of the rich color and the naturally attractive fan shape that makes ginkgo leaves so popular. To add anything else here would ruin the quiet feel of an autumn morning so succinctly replicated here. Do you agree?

Delphine works primarily in replications of nature with a little splash of illusion thrown in here and there. You can read more on her blog through Google translate if you don’t speak French.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

Simple Green & Winter 2014 is Here

December 3, 2014
Posted in

moss glass petkovaFirst of all … yes, the Winter 2014 issue is being released today. I am pre-scheduling this blog to post at its usual time, and then I am getting back to testing and getting access ready for the digital issue today. If you are waiting on your issue, digital access should be in everyone’s inbox by dinnertime in the United States, which would be around bedtime in Europe, I believe. I am hoping for earlier, but with our plague of technical issues lately, I am going for some pretty thorough testing before we send it out. Send prayers and coffee sacrifices to the technical powers that be asking for a smooth digital release today. As for the print copies, they were not supposed to be at the post office for sorting until yesterday, but apparently our service got them out early because people are already receiving them in the United States. Keep an eye on your inbox and mailboxes! It is on the way, if not already there for you!

As for our simple theme this week, what can be simpler than monochrome and free-form? With the right color and overall texture, something as simple as this faux beach glass can be mesmerizing. This is a pendant by Maria Petkova, author of the blog Polymer Clay Diaries. According to her image description, this is a polymer, beach glass and acrylic paint. Which is the real beach glass, I am wondering? Or is there any real beach glass? Even not knowing the listed description, I would be fascinated by what this is made of, and why it is so eye catching. Like the last two pieces this week, it comes down to a sudden change in what is a broad, evenly treated surface. Interruptions and surprises always catch our eye, don’t they?

You can find more inspiration by Maria on her personal Flickr pages as well as on her blog as listed above.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

Random Lines

December 2, 2014
Posted in

beefball papa tall vaseOur piece today is not dissimilar from yesterday’s piece, but it’s differences delineate another approach to the simple application of elements.

A large swath of continuous color is halted by a mix of color here as well, only in this vase by China’s Frank Khow (known as Beefball Papa on Flickr),the feel is crowded and energetic instead of being quiet and still. Yesterday’s work was simple and sparse, but today’s is more about abundance. As you can see, abundance doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, abundance is an easily visible proliferation of one thing, which in this case is a series of revealed extrusions. The draw to this comes from the impact of textural contrast–busy visual texture against a smooth and solid visual texture.

The effect is so strong here that the same busy versus quiet application can be presented with different color combinations or forms, and you’ll still have a similar feel and impact. You can see what I mean simply by visiting Frank’s Flickr photostream where he has several examples of this technique to compare.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

Simple Interruptions

December 1, 2014
Posted in

5789532915_29abe14684_o“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” You’ve probably all heard this adage and may even find yourself repeating it like a mantra as you sit at your studio table while tempted to add just one more color, one more accent or one more layer. Many, many times, you should really opt for the more simplistic approach. I want to focus on that this week. Let’s talk about simplicity as an approach and see just how beautiful simple can be.

This pendant is one in a series by Belgium’s NiQui that I think is very successful for it’s restraint. The mash of color within this monolithic black form is all about contrast and restriction, which makes what little color there is very strong. The stripes of marbled color break the line of the bar of black very suddenly and certainly, and then pulls your eye immediately to it. Depending on your view, or maybe even how your day is going, you can see that as lines breaking into the solid bar or as color being compressed to nearly nothing by the black.  Either way, you probably sense that there is energy and some kind of relationship between the contrasts of no color to a mishmash of it, and the question of what that relationship might be is what holds you there. It may be simple, but it holds the potential for complex ideas.

Simplicity is Nicole’s (NiQui’s) hallmark. If you want to see a lot of exploration in this area, do take a look around her Flickr photostream.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  lpedit  

Read More

Staging Simplicity

July 24, 2014
Posted in

Pushing the construction or composition of a necklace doesn’t have to be overly complex. Simplicity is sometimes the best path to unusual pieces.

With this composition by Russian artist Oksana Aleksandrovna Vedernikova (she works under the name  Silverpepper), the rather stark presentation really helps us focus on the delicate details of these of the gorgeously crafted polymer beads. The uneven drop length keeps the composition from feeling stagnant and gives each bead a separate height from which to be admired.

14456610120_5206df9134_o

Oksana rarely creates in typical or classical composition. If you enjoy the idea of pushing construction and presentation of your polymer within the art jewelry form, you will find further inspiration within her other creations. Just head on over to  her Flickr pages.

 

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

14-P2 CoverFnl-blog   Blog2 -2014-02Feb-5   Damask Ad

Read More
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