Mermaid Bracelet in Iridescent Blue

This is my mermaid bracelet in a new color, my favorite color, blue. This color knocked my socks off when I removed her from the mold. I love it! It's an iridescent, transparent, saturated blue. The mermaid changes color from aqua to blue to lavender as you rotate her in the light. She would be wonderful as a necklace, IF, I can find tiny beads in this color of blue.


Available here:
Mermaid Bracelet with Dolphin in Iridescent Blue by In Art studio on Etsy

Mermaid Bracelet in Antique Ivory Resin with Octopus, Dolphin and Treasure Chest

I love old scrimshaw, so I wanted to make a mermaid bracelet that looks like Antique Ivory. I think it looks like a bracelet found in an antique shop or maritime museum, or a bracelet carved at sea by a sailor, on an old whaling vessel. Titled "Treasure" from my Iridescent Sea Series. Imagine this Saltwater Siren swimming around your wrist. Stunning!
This beautiful Mermaid and her sea life friends are a 3-dimensional jewelry sculpture cuff bracelet, full of detail, down to tiny scales on both the mermaid's tail and tiny pearls and crystals. The Mermaid and her octopus girlfriend are trying on jewelry from a treasure chest. The girlfriend octopus has gone "over the top" with a tiara and jewelry on each arm, and is reaching for more. A baby dolphin is getting in on the fun, and sports a pearl necklace. A school of tiny fish are hogging the mermaid's mirror.

Available here: Mermaid Bracelet "Treasure" in Antiqued Ivory by In Art studio on Etsy

Jeweled Dragon Bracelet Clamper Style

About a year ago, I had a customer ask me if I could design a dragon bracelet, similar to the vintage HAR dragon bracelet. I had never seen a HAR dragon, so I did some Google searching and was immediately overcome with jewelry lust. But, at the prices these bracelets were going for, I knew I would have to make my own. Except my dragon bracelet version has horns and wings.
I sculpted this 3-D dragon, with all the same detail as my large dragon wristband, but at a much smaller scale. I had to wear my magnifying head piece, over the top of my reading glasses, to sculpt this little dragon. I knew he would be top heavy, so I designed the bracelet in an oval shape, to stay put on the wrist. My Dragon has a long tail, that connects to the body, with a spring loaded hinge. This bypass, clapper style bracelet is nice for easy on and off. I wanted vintage stones, but finding a reliable supply is almost impossible. So, I used the ones I found, to mold my own stones. This makes it possible to cast the stones is any color I want. The Swarvoski rhinestones, interspersed throughout the dragon bracelet, gives the bracelet just the right amount of sparkle.
Here are the first two dragon bracelets, one with clear stones and one with fiery red orange stones. I have been having a great time playing with colors on these bracelets.

I have 3 more finished and photographed.

Available in size small and medium. You can read more about my Dragon Bracelet and purchase one here: Dragon Bracelet Jeweled Clapper Style by In Art studio on Etsy

Dragon Bracelet Wristband

This is my black dragon wristband with a metallic bronze finish. It looks like a dragon bracelet you picked up at an antique shop, or found digging around some ancient ruin. It just looks more refined. I think this color might appeal more to both men and women. I love how this antique finish accentuates all the tiny details. My Honey-Do says it's his favorite.

The solid brass latches came with the antique finish and really look good with this version of my dragon wristband.

 

 

You can read more about my Dragon Bracelet Wristband in Antiqued Bronze and purchase one here: Bronze Dragon Wristband by In Art studio on Etsy

Designing a Dragon Wristband - Finished

I was so excited, the day I finally de-molded my first black dragon wristband. After sitting all night in the pressure tank, would I open the lid to find disaster? I held my breath. OMG it worked! My original dragon sculpture was transformed into a sexy, black dragon wristband, just as I had imagined. I made all my family members try it on.  He is so big, bold and 3-D. I love it! This is the first of my dragon jewelry designs. I am currently designing a smaller, more feminine dragon bracelet, with lots of rhinestones.

I received my longer rivets in the mail and mounted the hardware. My Honey-Do had helped me to pick out these solid brass latches. He suggested that the latches needed to look rugged and medieval, like the style of  my winged dragon. I think he made the perfect choice. I had to order longer rivets to accommodate the thickness of the faux black leather lining. I devised a way to merge the lining material right into the wet resin, during casting. This gives a homogeneous blend of the two materials, without the need for gluing.

I used a combination of 2 urethane resins to cast my dragon wristband. Hard urethane for the shiny rock crystals and flexible urethane for the rest of the dragon. I have though about the possibility of casting my dragon wristband in a different material. But, I do not think the design would work in any kind of metal. Sterling silver would be beautiful, but so expensive. And the dragon would be too heavy and clunky to wear comfortably. The flexible urethane allows his head, horns and wings to bend without breaking, when snagged. This material also allows the wristband to fit snugly on the wrist, so that the dragon stays put and does not rotate. You can read more about my Black Dragon Wristband and purchase one here: Black Dragon Wristband by In Art studio on Etsy

Designing a Dragon Wristband – Finding the Perfect Resin

Finding the right resin for my dragon wristband was a long process. The problem was information overload. Too many resins to choose from, each with it’s own set of technical specifications. I spent weeks sifting through pages of tech data sheets and calling supplies with numerous questions. Tensile Strength, Modulus, Tear Strength, Elongation and Shrinkage are just some of the physical properties that can make or break a design. Then there are the obvious choices of color, shore hardness and viscosity. Just how hard is this stuff going to be to work with? How many minutes of working time do you have before it kicks? Is it compatible with my mold material? Does it require any special mold release? Does the material require vacuum degassing or higher than normal pressures during casting? What is the cure time, cure temperature and post-curing requirements? How long is the shelf life? Is it UV resistant? Are there any special storage or hazardous material requirements to consider?

I find that narrowing down the choices, is made easier by compiling all the technical data into spreadsheets. By process of elimination, I finally arrived at half a dozen resins that might fit my needs. I ordered small quantities of each and started my testing. This is where I switch into what my Honey-Do calls my “Mad Scientist” mode. The testing part is always fun. I make numerous sample castings, and then stretch them, bend them, try to break them. I lay them out in the sun to test for color fade and UV degradation. I test for pigment compatibility. I test for post processes, like drilling and sanding, painting and gluing. Then there are the ambiguous properties. How does it look, how does it feel against the skin, how well does it “wear”? Working with a new material always requires a learning curve. All my testing, helps shorten this learning curve and always sparks new design ideas.

You are probably bored to tears by now, by all of this technical mumbo jumbo, right? Sorry, sometimes the anal engineer in me, gets carried away. I love all this stuff. But, even my Honey-Do’s eyes glaze over when I start to talk about resins. So show a photo of the dragon bracelet, already! I will post photos soon. My prototype is finished. But, due to a design change, I had to order longer rivets and they are still in the mail.

I have to admit that this dragon bracelet has been one of the longest, most challenging, of my jewelry designs to date. I love taking a jewelry design from idea to completion. To take an idea from conception, to sculpture, to molds, to finished product requires constant learning, careful planning and attention to details. And even then, mistakes can be made and disastrous results can ruin weeks of work. But, when a design works, when you hold the finished product in your hand and then try it on your wrist, and it sings that siren’s song of beauty. You know, that you can’t wait to tackle the next new idea.

Designing a Dragon Wristband – Dragon Wings

All summer my poor dragon sat, wingless.

The summers here in Colorado provide wonderful weather for working outdoors. So I take the opportunity to sculpt outside of my studio. These sculptures are mostly 3 foot and larger, that will not fit through the door and are too messy to work on inside. I sculpt with a modified concrete mix and wire. Totally different material and scale from my jewelry. I have found that switching mediums gives my creativity a boost.

One day, the answer to my dragon wings problem dawned on me. Duh! I was stuck in a rut! I had gotten so used to designing for my standard material, urethane resin, that I could not find a solution for my wings. The wings were not the problem. The problem was my material.

And so my hunt for the perfect new resin began.