Keeping Dragons A-Round
January 8, 2018 Inspirational Art
I thought this week, we’d just check in with what our fellow clayers are posting this first week of the year and I found quite a few pieces of new work on Flickr.
This detailed and whimsical bracelet is by Dorota Kaszczyszyn. The individual ridges that make up the dragon’s back work so perfectly as separate beads fitted together to create the bracelet and I love how she integrated the closure into the design. The closures usually end up on top of the wrist in large bead bracelets anyways since the weight of the beads, being heavier than the clasps, spin to hang downward so why not just design for that eventuality? I thought it was a great way to finish off a well sculpted and textured set of beads that is sure to draw some attention.
This is not Dorata’s first dragon bracelet but is, thus far, my favorite. I do like the toggle clasp on some of the others versus a lobster clasp but the face on this guy is beautiful. See more of her dragons (and owls … another favorite creature of hers) on her Flickr photostream.
Variation on Owls in Autumn
October 23, 2015 Inspirational Art
You may recall a certain blog post at the beginning of the year with a clever necklace much like the one you see here but white and with a barn owl. Well, that wasn’t the only owl necklace of that kind she created. She took that and created a very lively variation on the design.
Now, I usually wouldn’t post the same type of design twice in a year, but there is something to be said about seeing how an artist stretches a great design. And it goes with our Fall color palette theme. And it’s really beautiful. So …
If you didn’t see or don’t recall the first post on the owl necklace design by Dorota Kaszczyszyn of VaniLlamaArt, you can jump back to it by clicking here before we go any farther. See how the structure is the same but she’s opened things up and moved from a minimal neutral palette to something wonderfully rich. The use of Skinner blends throughout gives a liveliness to the creature, with the illusion of light hitting what would be its shoulder wings and that blue on the body echoed on the end feathers. It’s a beautiful departure from the tight, stylized design of the first, which is equally stunning but with a different feel.
She has also recently created a metallic owl to add to her family which goes in the very opposite direction being very stylized and all silver. You can jump to this page on her blog to see all of them but do dive into the posts as well, especially the one on the piece we are looking at today as she reveals how she designed and created the smooth transition in Skinner blend beads. Click on the image to go directly there.
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Re-Imagining An Owl
February 2, 2015 Inspirational Art
While cruising the farthest corners of the internet last week looking for conceptual pieces, I came across a lot of beautiful representational imagery in polymer. Concepts are created in art using imagery; concepts can also be created abstractly, or concepts can be embodied in the function, location or timing of the piece. And, I think, all representational imagery is obviously not conceptual but sometimes simply the artist’s view or translation of something out there in the world or within our imaginations. Sometimes, you just want to sit back and enjoy something well- or cleverly rendered. So that’s what we’re going to do this week.
This first piece feels so much more than visually representational. I imagine that, while wearing this necklace with the segmented feather beads, the wearer’s movement would make the the feathers shift, in a smooth subtle way. I think it could bring to mind flight or the owl gently ruffling its wings. The idea of something that flies combined with a design that moves and floats is just lovely. It represents the bird and an action of the bird. Rather clever.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I thought this week, we’d just check in with what our fellow clayers are posting this first week of the year and I found quite a few pieces of new work on Flickr.
This detailed and whimsical bracelet is by Dorota Kaszczyszyn. The individual ridges that make up the dragon’s back work so perfectly as separate beads fitted together to create the bracelet and I love how she integrated the closure into the design. The closures usually end up on top of the wrist in large bead bracelets anyways since the weight of the beads, being heavier than the clasps, spin to hang downward so why not just design for that eventuality? I thought it was a great way to finish off a well sculpted and textured set of beads that is sure to draw some attention.
This is not Dorata’s first dragon bracelet but is, thus far, my favorite. I do like the toggle clasp on some of the others versus a lobster clasp but the face on this guy is beautiful. See more of her dragons (and owls … another favorite creature of hers) on her Flickr photostream.
Read MoreYou may recall a certain blog post at the beginning of the year with a clever necklace much like the one you see here but white and with a barn owl. Well, that wasn’t the only owl necklace of that kind she created. She took that and created a very lively variation on the design.
Now, I usually wouldn’t post the same type of design twice in a year, but there is something to be said about seeing how an artist stretches a great design. And it goes with our Fall color palette theme. And it’s really beautiful. So …
If you didn’t see or don’t recall the first post on the owl necklace design by Dorota Kaszczyszyn of VaniLlamaArt, you can jump back to it by clicking here before we go any farther. See how the structure is the same but she’s opened things up and moved from a minimal neutral palette to something wonderfully rich. The use of Skinner blends throughout gives a liveliness to the creature, with the illusion of light hitting what would be its shoulder wings and that blue on the body echoed on the end feathers. It’s a beautiful departure from the tight, stylized design of the first, which is equally stunning but with a different feel.
She has also recently created a metallic owl to add to her family which goes in the very opposite direction being very stylized and all silver. You can jump to this page on her blog to see all of them but do dive into the posts as well, especially the one on the piece we are looking at today as she reveals how she designed and created the smooth transition in Skinner blend beads. Click on the image to go directly there.
___________________________________________
Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:
___________________________________________
Read More
While cruising the farthest corners of the internet last week looking for conceptual pieces, I came across a lot of beautiful representational imagery in polymer. Concepts are created in art using imagery; concepts can also be created abstractly, or concepts can be embodied in the function, location or timing of the piece. And, I think, all representational imagery is obviously not conceptual but sometimes simply the artist’s view or translation of something out there in the world or within our imaginations. Sometimes, you just want to sit back and enjoy something well- or cleverly rendered. So that’s what we’re going to do this week.
This first piece feels so much more than visually representational. I imagine that, while wearing this necklace with the segmented feather beads, the wearer’s movement would make the the feathers shift, in a smooth subtle way. I think it could bring to mind flight or the owl gently ruffling its wings. The idea of something that flies combined with a design that moves and floats is just lovely. It represents the bird and an action of the bird. Rather clever.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Read More