The Simple Hinge
July 23, 2014
Inspirational Art
This necklace isn’t so off the beaten path when it comes to composition, but it is a bit different in its construction. The hinge construction is somewhat of a trademark for Louise Fischer Cozzi; although, I have wondered why this kind of simple way of connecting hasn’t been seen more. The metal wire goes through one shape into another in order to form the hinge upon which they are connected. This allows the flat beads to move and rotate while on the wearer. This rotation hides and reveals the surface of the shapes as the wearer moves.
I love the simplicity of this type of construction, but I also think this could be pushed, using that hide and reveal result, to allow unexpected images that come and go. This would create compositions at the point where the surface textures meet up. Yes, this would take a bit of planning, but how fun and intriguing a piece it would be!
To see more of Louise’s hinged jewelry, along with her other beautiful decor and quilts, take a look at her website here.
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.
Of Triangles and Fans
July 12, 2014
Inspirational Art, Technique tutorials, Tips and Tricks
Maybe you’ve already saw this in our newsletter a couple weeks ago, but many of you probably did not. And it certainly fits the current theme, for what are fans, but dimensional triangles? I know, I’ve been pushing the theme a bit hard this week, but it was fun, wasn’t it? Now it’s time for you to have more fun with the ideas we talked about this weekend. If you need a push, I would highly suggest grabbing a copy of Helen Breil’s new digital book, Fan Fold Designs. Just look at the cool designs you can learn to create just on the cover alone.
As Helen explains, “This design-based book is the result of my exploration of the design possibilities of folding clay. I was inspired by the paper folding and origami arts as well as the fabric arts of silk Shibori scarves and ribbons. The strong design element of the fold lines seem to naturally invoke a bold and dramatic look.” Agreed. I already have my copy, and as busy as I am, I just couldn’t help but stop in the middle of my day when I got it in order to try out a few things. These techniques are easy and fun and have so many possibilities.
And speaking of our newsletter, if you don’t already get it, you can get by signing up on our website on the left hand side of our main page. It comes out just twice a month, but includes news on classes, products, events, and conversations as well as reporting on what’s happening here for The Polymer Arts magazine. Every issue also includes useful tips and lists the most popular blog items seen the last couple weeks with additional insights and words from our readers. Just another way to get your polymer fix!
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.
Outside Inspiration: Triangles Emerging
July 11, 2014
Inspirational Art
I am really pushing the idea of what a triangle is in today’s offering, but I had to think up some excuse and quick to share this incredible work with you. This piece you see below is all paper. Intricate, perfectly cut and layered sheets of paper. Check out the detail shot below it before I go on to explain what this has to do with triangles.
This paper art is laser cut and then meticulously assembled by Eric Standley. It relates to triangles because there are many triangular shapes and suggestions of triangles, but no actual triangles that I could find. All these triangles emerge from the overlapping of other shapes, primarily circles and squares. Since he creates these in primarily circular, mandala like designs, it’s no wonder triangles are emerging everywhere. What is a cut up circle but a bunch of pie slices, which are essentially triangles. Triangles are also natural in a circle when you have overlapping circles equidistant from the outside edge. Squares also create triangles in some of his pieces for a similar reason, although, triangles aren’t always the result when squares overlap. Sometimes you just get more squares.
That is all to say that you can create multiple shapes in a piece by overlapping larger shapes. Its nothing fancy, but the resulting intricacies you create can make a piece look far more involved than it might be. In the case of these paper sculptures, they are already very intricate to start with but more so for this approach.
I found Eric’s work on a site called Web Odysseyum. The images on this page of the site will give you a much closer look at his work than his website, but visit them both if you are as amazed at this as I am.
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.
Triangle Treatments
July 10, 2014
Inspirational Art
Triangles, like any other flat form, can be treated like a simple canvas to be filled with all sorts of potential colors, textures, accents, lines and shapes. The thing about triangles though is that you are working with what is visually an arrow so you have this added dynamic characteristic to play with that is not seen in any other shape.
Here, Jana Lehmann demonstrates a variety of treatments on her triangles with no seeming rhyme or reason. However, it works and beautifully so. For all the variety in the color and treatment, all the triangles are the same shape and point in the same downward direction. Plus, they are all working in harmony with the contrast of floating circles against the rigid sides of their triangular boundaries. The disparity in application along with the pointing triangles and floating circles, especially the one that got out and is now dangling off the point of a triangle, make it a really dynamic piece. And we can’t ignore the consistently perfect application and clean finish of every element that is the hallmark of Jana’s work and a source of awe for so many of us. That kind of craftsmanship brings out the intense beauty of what could have been an overly chaotic design without it.
Jana may be the most exploratory polymer artist when it comes to shapes. Just take a quick look at her Flickr page to see just how she pushes and bends the idea of a triangle as well as squares, circles, and every other shape it would seem.
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.
Triangulating Books
July 9, 2014
Inspirational Art
Here is a neat use of the triangle form in an unexpected place–a three-dimensional book! Triangles as 3-D forms are, yes, usually called pyramids but since we are jumping off from the most basic form, this counts, right? Besides it’s too cool not to share as soon as possible.
I found this on the Creative Journey Studios site as a sample of pieces that Dayle Doroshow will be teaching there in November. Here’s the description for the The Unfolding Pyramid class “Personal imagery, found objects and other mixed media will be combined with polymer clay to create a pyramid structure that unfolds to reveal a hidden surprise. Polymer clay techniques will include transferring photocopy imagery, carving and antiquing, making and using three dimensional clay pieces, and weathered surface treatments.” Okay, who isn’t dying to go take this class?
Aside from that wonderful opportunity, this structure is a fantastic example of taking the common form for an object–in this case a rectangle is standard for a book–and replacing it with another form to either make a statement or to push yourself creatively. Not only is the triangle form for a book uncommon but it is really a melding of a box and a book. And with Dayle’s trademark antiquing and use of ancient imagery, this unusual piece is just steeped in a sense of mysticism and mystery.
For this and other Creative Journey Studios Classes, see the Creative Journey website. To see where else you can take classes with Dayle and for more of her work or to purchase her books or DVDs, visit her website and poke around for a bit!
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.
Boomerang
July 8, 2014
Inspirational Art
The terms we use for various shapes are simple generalizations of a concept–squares are anything with four straight equal side, a circle has a circumference that moves around a center point with equal distance and a triangle is nothing more than a shape with three straight sides. Using that simple definition as a jumping off point, you can push the triangular shapes into variations of the definition. In the case here, Bénédicte Bruttin rounds off all the triangular sides and even has one scoop down to create something closer to an arrow, although, I see boomerangs more than anything. Regardless, the shape is very directive, pointing down in a series with these little points of additional focus in the beads used to hang them, filling in the space scooped out of the standard triangle shape. Altogether, this makes for a rather dynamic set of beads. The subtle crackling on the surface–another series of lines that denote movement–doesn’t do them any harm either.
There has been a lot of Bénédicte’s work making the rounds on Pinterest. It’s a really strong body of work you’ll find on her Flickr page as well, with a fun contemporary look and lots of shape play. Check it out!
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.
Merging Graphic and Organic
December 16, 2013
Inspirational Art
Polymer works well for creating almost any look but there are a lot of artists whose work reflects an organic influence while another large portion of the community leans toward more graphic work, heavy into geometric forms and lines. Artists in both camps borrow from the other as well. This week we’ll look at how the two seemingly opposite styles are often combined to create contrast, tension and variation in polymer art.
This is the piece that first got me thinking about this. Jana Lehmann works very heavily in perfectly measured and graphic forms. Her precision can be seen in this necklace but the stylized representation of trees in a kind of spherical landscape brings us back to the idea of a natural scene.
The chosen colors also harken back to the organic in this piece as might the waving hang of the bottom beads. It would be hard to call this geometrically based but there are many concentric circles and the repetition of exact shapes on both sides. It’s a very nicely done reversible piece as well, carrying the same style and sense of precision contrasting organics to both sides.
Jana’s work is quite varied and yet has a signature sense of precision and a flawless finish to all her edges. More of her work can be found on her Flickr photostream and her 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.
This necklace isn’t so off the beaten path when it comes to composition, but it is a bit different in its construction. The hinge construction is somewhat of a trademark for Louise Fischer Cozzi; although, I have wondered why this kind of simple way of connecting hasn’t been seen more. The metal wire goes through one shape into another in order to form the hinge upon which they are connected. This allows the flat beads to move and rotate while on the wearer. This rotation hides and reveals the surface of the shapes as the wearer moves.
I love the simplicity of this type of construction, but I also think this could be pushed, using that hide and reveal result, to allow unexpected images that come and go. This would create compositions at the point where the surface textures meet up. Yes, this would take a bit of planning, but how fun and intriguing a piece it would be!
To see more of Louise’s hinged jewelry, along with her other beautiful decor and quilts, take a look at her website here.
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.
Maybe you’ve already saw this in our newsletter a couple weeks ago, but many of you probably did not. And it certainly fits the current theme, for what are fans, but dimensional triangles? I know, I’ve been pushing the theme a bit hard this week, but it was fun, wasn’t it? Now it’s time for you to have more fun with the ideas we talked about this weekend. If you need a push, I would highly suggest grabbing a copy of Helen Breil’s new digital book, Fan Fold Designs. Just look at the cool designs you can learn to create just on the cover alone.
As Helen explains, “This design-based book is the result of my exploration of the design possibilities of folding clay. I was inspired by the paper folding and origami arts as well as the fabric arts of silk Shibori scarves and ribbons. The strong design element of the fold lines seem to naturally invoke a bold and dramatic look.” Agreed. I already have my copy, and as busy as I am, I just couldn’t help but stop in the middle of my day when I got it in order to try out a few things. These techniques are easy and fun and have so many possibilities.
And speaking of our newsletter, if you don’t already get it, you can get by signing up on our website on the left hand side of our main page. It comes out just twice a month, but includes news on classes, products, events, and conversations as well as reporting on what’s happening here for The Polymer Arts magazine. Every issue also includes useful tips and lists the most popular blog items seen the last couple weeks with additional insights and words from our readers. Just another way to get your polymer fix!
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.
I am really pushing the idea of what a triangle is in today’s offering, but I had to think up some excuse and quick to share this incredible work with you. This piece you see below is all paper. Intricate, perfectly cut and layered sheets of paper. Check out the detail shot below it before I go on to explain what this has to do with triangles.
This paper art is laser cut and then meticulously assembled by Eric Standley. It relates to triangles because there are many triangular shapes and suggestions of triangles, but no actual triangles that I could find. All these triangles emerge from the overlapping of other shapes, primarily circles and squares. Since he creates these in primarily circular, mandala like designs, it’s no wonder triangles are emerging everywhere. What is a cut up circle but a bunch of pie slices, which are essentially triangles. Triangles are also natural in a circle when you have overlapping circles equidistant from the outside edge. Squares also create triangles in some of his pieces for a similar reason, although, triangles aren’t always the result when squares overlap. Sometimes you just get more squares.
That is all to say that you can create multiple shapes in a piece by overlapping larger shapes. Its nothing fancy, but the resulting intricacies you create can make a piece look far more involved than it might be. In the case of these paper sculptures, they are already very intricate to start with but more so for this approach.
I found Eric’s work on a site called Web Odysseyum. The images on this page of the site will give you a much closer look at his work than his website, but visit them both if you are as amazed at this as I am.
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.
Triangles, like any other flat form, can be treated like a simple canvas to be filled with all sorts of potential colors, textures, accents, lines and shapes. The thing about triangles though is that you are working with what is visually an arrow so you have this added dynamic characteristic to play with that is not seen in any other shape.
Here, Jana Lehmann demonstrates a variety of treatments on her triangles with no seeming rhyme or reason. However, it works and beautifully so. For all the variety in the color and treatment, all the triangles are the same shape and point in the same downward direction. Plus, they are all working in harmony with the contrast of floating circles against the rigid sides of their triangular boundaries. The disparity in application along with the pointing triangles and floating circles, especially the one that got out and is now dangling off the point of a triangle, make it a really dynamic piece. And we can’t ignore the consistently perfect application and clean finish of every element that is the hallmark of Jana’s work and a source of awe for so many of us. That kind of craftsmanship brings out the intense beauty of what could have been an overly chaotic design without it.
Jana may be the most exploratory polymer artist when it comes to shapes. Just take a quick look at her Flickr page to see just how she pushes and bends the idea of a triangle as well as squares, circles, and every other shape it would seem.
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.
Here is a neat use of the triangle form in an unexpected place–a three-dimensional book! Triangles as 3-D forms are, yes, usually called pyramids but since we are jumping off from the most basic form, this counts, right? Besides it’s too cool not to share as soon as possible.
I found this on the Creative Journey Studios site as a sample of pieces that Dayle Doroshow will be teaching there in November. Here’s the description for the The Unfolding Pyramid class “Personal imagery, found objects and other mixed media will be combined with polymer clay to create a pyramid structure that unfolds to reveal a hidden surprise. Polymer clay techniques will include transferring photocopy imagery, carving and antiquing, making and using three dimensional clay pieces, and weathered surface treatments.” Okay, who isn’t dying to go take this class?
Aside from that wonderful opportunity, this structure is a fantastic example of taking the common form for an object–in this case a rectangle is standard for a book–and replacing it with another form to either make a statement or to push yourself creatively. Not only is the triangle form for a book uncommon but it is really a melding of a box and a book. And with Dayle’s trademark antiquing and use of ancient imagery, this unusual piece is just steeped in a sense of mysticism and mystery.
For this and other Creative Journey Studios Classes, see the Creative Journey website. To see where else you can take classes with Dayle and for more of her work or to purchase her books or DVDs, visit her website and poke around for a bit!
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.
The terms we use for various shapes are simple generalizations of a concept–squares are anything with four straight equal side, a circle has a circumference that moves around a center point with equal distance and a triangle is nothing more than a shape with three straight sides. Using that simple definition as a jumping off point, you can push the triangular shapes into variations of the definition. In the case here, Bénédicte Bruttin rounds off all the triangular sides and even has one scoop down to create something closer to an arrow, although, I see boomerangs more than anything. Regardless, the shape is very directive, pointing down in a series with these little points of additional focus in the beads used to hang them, filling in the space scooped out of the standard triangle shape. Altogether, this makes for a rather dynamic set of beads. The subtle crackling on the surface–another series of lines that denote movement–doesn’t do them any harm either.
There has been a lot of Bénédicte’s work making the rounds on Pinterest. It’s a really strong body of work you’ll find on her Flickr page as well, with a fun contemporary look and lots of shape play. Check it out!
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.
Polymer works well for creating almost any look but there are a lot of artists whose work reflects an organic influence while another large portion of the community leans toward more graphic work, heavy into geometric forms and lines. Artists in both camps borrow from the other as well. This week we’ll look at how the two seemingly opposite styles are often combined to create contrast, tension and variation in polymer art.
This is the piece that first got me thinking about this. Jana Lehmann works very heavily in perfectly measured and graphic forms. Her precision can be seen in this necklace but the stylized representation of trees in a kind of spherical landscape brings us back to the idea of a natural scene.
The chosen colors also harken back to the organic in this piece as might the waving hang of the bottom beads. It would be hard to call this geometrically based but there are many concentric circles and the repetition of exact shapes on both sides. It’s a very nicely done reversible piece as well, carrying the same style and sense of precision contrasting organics to both sides.
Jana’s work is quite varied and yet has a signature sense of precision and a flawless finish to all her edges. More of her work can be found on her Flickr photostream and her 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.
