Prototypes

 To test out some techniques I created a variety of  'prototypes' for my jewellery collection. 

For this technique I used very thin copper wire and created a loop by twisting one wire at the middle. 

I added small pearl beads and created another loop a small distance away from the first loop. I kept twisting the two halves of the wires until the twists reached the first loop. 

I added two more sections with beads, repeating the process until all the wire was used and twisted together. I twisted one part too tight, causing the wire to break, which I had to reattach.

I applied the same technique to the bracelet prototype that I was planning on making, however, this time I added different coloured and shaped beads that still fit into my colour palette. I tried using two different gauges of wire at first, but the small beads would not fit onto both wires. I immediately broke the first section off, reminding me that I needed to be more gentle with the thin wire.

 I repeated the process of twisting the wire and adding beads, bending the branches into shape and selecting different sized beads to add variety and a more natural look. As I went, I kept measuring it on my wrist.

I used beads and wire that were available for me to use from someone else's collection, hence the different coloured clasp. The entire process took me around three hours, which is an indication of how much time I will be spending on the final pieces if I choose a hands-on technique such as this one. I am pleased with the result, however, the bracelet is quite delicate and bends easily. This has its advantages and disadvantages of course.

For the hairpin on the right I used a bead wrapping technique to add two pearls together. I strung one pearl onto the wire and wrapped the wire around each side of the opening, adding the next pearl and repeating the process. The wire was difficult to bend accurately, which resulted in an imperfect finish. I will be using different types of wire for the final pieces, wire that is easier to bend. I will likely attach a hairpin instead of trying to make the pin myself, as the edges of wire are sharp and not meant to remain unconcealed. 

 I tried to create a maple leaf from wire, however, I scrapped this project quite quickly as it was way too difficult to work accurately with the tough wire, besides the fact that the individual pieces of wire were not long enough. I will try this again with a different type of wire. 

I created a spiral charm as well using round objects and two pearl beads with a loop on each end. The charm is relatively lightweight and could be used as an earring.

I created another spiral charm, one that was tight enough to hold a bead without it going through the wire. It turned out to be quite sturdy. I tested it by swinging the charm around with force and the bead remained in place. I attached it to the spiral charm I made earlier, thinking it would make both pieces more interesting and adding more dimension.

I would solder both wires together if it were not a prototype, or use two wires that were attached to each other. I do like the two pieces together, however.

For the next prototype I tried to play with tension to keep different parts of the charm together. I took one piece of wire and twisted it into a tight spiral with a loop at the end. For the bead I bent one piece of wire in half in a V shape. The shape ensures that the bead does not fall off the wire. I bent both ends of the wire further apart and pushed it into the spiral part. The tension kept the two parts together, but the bead was too heavy and dragged the two spread ends of the wire down a tiny bit, this means that working with tension is only successful with lightweight materials.

For the next prototype I made two different sized circles with a pin in the middle of the first circle. I strung a bead onto the pin and bent it in the middle. I attached the second circle to the bent pin. This created a lightweight construction that would be suitable to use as an earring.

I added and acorn to the middle of the second circle to see what size would fit nicely inside it, however, unless I use something extremely lightweight, this idea would not work very well. The acorn is simply a placeholder.

For the last prototype I braided three wires together. Due to the toughness of this wire, the braid does not look even. An easier to bend wire would eliminate this issue. The braiding technique made the wire incredibly sturdy while still looking elegant, which would be perfect for a necklace or bracelet. 

I added extra pieces of wire to the braid to create more dimension and movement to the piece. I am unsure whether I like the look of both wires, although it might just be because the wire did not bend very well and created a messy effect.

Creating these prototypes gave me an idea of what is possible in terms of time, weight and looks. I learned new techniques, such as the twisting and braiding, that will be useful for the final outcomes.