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New Love For Modern Sculpting

It doesn’t take an art buff to enjoy great art and sculptures are certainly one of the oldest and finest mediums for artistic expression. Although I’m not so sure everyone can get used to artistic nudity as easily as others, one of the most famous sculptures I’ve ever heard of would have to be the statue of David by the Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. I certainly couldn’t say it’s my absolute favorite (since I don’t think I really have one yet!) but I can definitely appreciate the technical skill, time, effort, and patience it would take for any artist of any caliber to achieve such a feat.

camera-sculpture

This is certainly entertaining to think about when I look at this picture: it’s a photograph of a sculpture of a camera. Just the concept itself is something that makes me smirk, but that aside, I have to say it’s exceptional. The level of detail and the color variation and shading that are achieved in a sculpture is nothing short of masterful. The background setting being a fountain at a courtyard only seems all the more fitting. © Ana Ulin.

I’m interested in some of the more modern means of sculpting (such as what you can see in the photo below) lately, not so much to invest in attempting a foray into that craft, but just purely for creative curiosity. When making sculptures used for jewelry, there are many things as an artist you can do to make your work transferable. The newer tools are interesting to say the least and usually a lot more technical in their application than the usual chisel and hammer that one is probably used to associating with sculpting.

sculpture-armature

This is something that’s quite a bit different from the traditional marble carvings, but I do have a certain respect for the more new school practices when it comes to sculpture. This aperture is set up in such a way that a mesh layer (as seen in the bottom right picture) can be placed over the basic framework and clay can then be attached and molded onto this basic skeletal framework to then go through the extensive process of the real sculpting work. © Don Cochrane.

If I had to pick a type of sculpting that I could probably get into it would have to be something like pottery, such as in the photo below. I suppose if people could slow down from their high-tech and high-speed lives, they might enjoy putting their time into something a bit more fulfilling than a new app on their smart phones.

pottery-wheel-sculpting

Now here is something that’s a lot more my speed (but I’m an amateur at best). Using a pottery wheel is one of the oldest forms of sculpting and it’s certainly evolved into higher artistic expressions throughout the centuries (there are some exquisite relics and antiques out there in museums). © Arlington County.

metal sculpture bracelelt

Incorporating Sculpture into Jewelry

Sometimes we need to think outside the box. There is no better way to get in touch with your creative and artsy side than to give sculpture a try. A new and great application of modern sculpture can actually be found in jewelry. Many people are starting to make amazing works of sculpture, and making them into jewelry pieces that are one of a kind.Even those who are already sculptors are making jewelry, and here is some advice and tips for those who want to get started, or continue with what you know.

This great for the artist, as they can gain access to several more clients. It expands their business, so they are able to make more money doing what they love. Everyone knows that the life of an artist can be tough, and this is the perfect chance for them to break into a new media. Since jewelry is so broad of a medium, almost any sculpture can be formed into some piece of wearable jewelry, as long as its not too big. Earrings need to be very small, so they don’t weight down or pull on the earlobe. A little bit bigger sculpture size can be used for necklaces. So many colors and designs can be used for necklaces, so this is where you see the most sculptures existing in the world of jewelry. Bracelets and anklets can also be made via sculpture, and they also need to be relatively small.

metal sculpture bracelelt

This bracelet was sculpted out of metal. It has a lot of detail and a unique style. Taken by Konstantinos Koukopoulos.

When making sculptures used for jewelry, there are many things as an artist you can do to make your work transferable. The first is to make the ends of the sculpture attachable to a chain, hook, or any form of connection piece so it can be worn. This will make it much simpler for the piece to be used for jewelry, because sometimes it can become tricky to make into a piece of jewelry. The size is another important aspect as previously mentioned, so be sure to know what you are making before you start. The small sculptures that you’re making need to fit into a type of jewelry.

Some additional tools may be needed when making these sculptures of jewelry. Since the pieces are smaller than one would normally be making, more detail needs to be done. Specifically, small and fine detail. If you don’t already own tools to get the level of detail needed for jewelry, you may need some more tools. It shouldn’t be too many more that you need, especially if you are an experienced sculptor.

tools for sculpting

These tools may be some of the ones you may need to make jewelry. Taken by Mary-Lynn.

There are a few different types and colors of clay and metal that exist, so playing around and changing your normal medium could be a fun experiment to try when making jewelry. Several types to give a certain look, so learning about them may make you a more diverse and better maker of jewelry. These are just some small tips that may come in handy as you continue to develop your jewelry making skills.

Make sure to let your creativity flow, because jewelry needs to unique. Each woman should have a piece that can never be created again. It can be simple, elegant, classy, bright, or colorful. These are just a few of the many things that you can incorporate into pieces of jewelry. The ideas are actually endless. I personally like jewelry that is simple and makes a statement. Keep these small things in mind when you’re trying to create something that everyone will love.

Beading With An Edge

I know that I can come across as something of an elitist sometimes when I’m talking about something I really enjoy but trust me it always comes from a good place. I guess maybe I’m overly enthusiastic about certain forms of artistic expression but lately in the past few months I’ve been studying more and more about beads and embroidery, not so much for me to get some first-hand practice on the craft (although that might change in the future, though not just yet), but I’ve studied it for purely scholastic interests thus far. That said, as a simple consumer I’ve been on the hunt for some unusual beads that are one of a kind so I can get the most out of my hard-earned dollars. So after checking out that site in that hyperlink just for a few minutes, I could tell immediately that it would be a great resource for future reference.

beaded-corset

My interest in different cultures around the world was the motivation for putting up this photo, I’ll admit that much. Here is a beaded corset made in Southern Sudan. I have a certain affectionate respect for things that are hand-made like this corset. © Ann Porteus.

I like seeing the different uses that beading has in different ways, and how they’ve changed over the generations. If I remember correctly, corsets were originally more often used by men than women, but these days you don’t see many men wear them at all and they are typically marketed to and used by women around the world, a great deal more so than to men.

beaded-watch-band

I hadn’t considered beading to be as universally useful like in this photo of a beaded watch band. Some people may not like the color or the size or transparency of these beads but I can imagine a million different kinds of color schemes and bead styles that could be used just for a watch band… © Sally Mahoney.

It’s refreshing to see beading make a comeback in some way that’s a bit more masculine or asexual rather than just constantly leaning toward one specific type of feminine-minded personality category.

knight-armor-beaded-interiors

I remember learning several years ago about the general make up and how to craft and maintain some types of medieval armor and I then learned that many of the edges of some types of armor (shields and hilts of weapons included as well) and also battle skirts worn under the outer layers of thicker armor, often had beaded and embroidered crafting put into them. It’s amusing to me that such dangerous and masculine tools of warfare would be associated with something that is now stereotypically associated as being a feminine craft! © Patrick Lordan.

The Sculpting Of Then And Now

I think there’s a lot of interesting history and specific culture that creates the root of why people sculpt in the modern world.  But for millennia, we’ve often focused on purely the theological aspects and inspirations, which by and large, are still a major factor, if not an obvious aesthetic or physical feature.  The symmetrical aesthetic features of sculpting are nothing unfamiliar to the modern artist, whether you’re a photographer looking for the perfect model or a painter or cartoonist trying to get your eyes and hands to be that perfect proportion, symmetry is always a huge factor.  While we might not see a religious icon’s face in a modern sculptor’s work, we may certainly see certain cues from the old school artists who had a certain way of making the curve of a cheek look good enough to be considered worth of belonging to a deity.

mahakala-hindu-sculpture

I think the name mahakala is very fitting for a statue like this to be in such good condition after hundreds of years don’t you?  (The credit for the photo for this beautiful sculpture goes to bobistraveling via flickr.com).

Isn’t this an imposing looking sculpture of an ancient mahakala (meaning beyond time and/or death in the literal translation).  It is considered to be a physical depiction of an ethereal deity in Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, and is often depicted as having two, or four, or even six arms.  That’s certainly nothing new to those who enjoy studying different religions, take the deity Asura for instance, which is the name for another multi-armed deity in Buddhism and for other demigods in Hinduism (If you’ve ever seen the video game Asura’s Wrath then you can see that even a religion with thousands of years of history has an influence on pop culture today, even if it comes in the form of an over the top action video game that takes most of its thematic inspiration from Japanese anime).

Cartoon Mummy

Now I’m not an expert on carbon dating or well versed in the areas of sculpting in history enough to argue how valuable something is based on its age, but this ancient Egyptian sculpture of a mummy is probably worth more than any amount of money I could ever make in my lifetime!  Credit for this inspiring picture belongs to David Boeke of flickr.com.

With an appreciation for these beautiful sculptures from ages past it’s a great feeling to see how far people have come in the art form.  Well, of course we’ve advanced in more than just our ability to sculpt or build but you get what I mean right?

butler-campus-sculpture

This very modern piece of colorful metal sculpting actually adorns a college campus somewhere, and that’s not half-bad if you ask me, since most modern art looks like nothing but this one has a certain futuristic sci-fi appeal to me.  At any rate, credit for this guy belongs to Jack Pearce.

The Life Saving Fashion of Metal Jewelry

It may not be absolute crack pottery to think that wearing a piece of metal jewelry can affect one’s health positively.  While most of the information available should just be taken with a grain of salt, some of it is certainly worth consideration, and at the very least, even if it doesn’t work, you can still look pretty cool, right?

Now the theory is that there is some positive influence on the human body by having metal close by the skin, particularly the cardiovascular system.  It has actually been documented to happen with metal being worn as an accessory is that Ionic forces are indeed interacting with and altering blood flow in the body.  This can certainly come as some cause of relief for those who prefer homeopathic medical treatments as opposed to relying on modern science.  Make no mistake; this is not a cure for any disease or any new kind of treatment.  Many primitive cultures including ancient Greeks would use rocks with residual metallic elements in them to offer themselves some sort of healing factor.  While we are a far cry from those far gone times, it is nice to see that some of the old-fashioned remedies do still have a place even in the bleeding edge of history. Originally, costume or fashion jewelry was made of inexpensive simulated gemstones.

Research has shown magnets in general do positively affect living human tissue and electromagnetic fields have been used to aid in the healing of various wounds with the use of static magnets (including muscles, bones and joints).  While it is entirely not recommended as a medical treatment, some doctors may tout metal jewelry as useful as a prescription-strength pain killer and others may say it is completely useless and only a placebo effect at best.  However, evidence would suggest that the reality is somewhere lying between those two extremes with their usefulness not being neither miraculous, nor a simple ploy to boost jewelry sales.

Some images from flickr.com displaying some metal jewelry-

Hard to imagine this precious little ring might serve you better than a bottle of aspirin isn’t it?

Wear this instead of taking some aspirin for a headache?  Your choice.

Think Creative, Think Life!

One don’t have to be an artist to think creative. One just needs to do things (karma) in life that helps other lives. The art is a form to show one’s creativeness and to appreciate life in any form. So, create your uniqueness in form of art & life!

Copyright 2017 Ballatore