Functional Art Forms
Target market and concept • Since learning and using a series of techniques when working with polymer clay and metal. I have produced a range of artwork that are beautiful and useful in the home and for my target market, located in South East Queensland. • The target market I have chosen includes females aged 15-50 years old, who has a creative style and shop at local markets, flee markets and/or crystal hippie stores like Tree of Life. • Thus, these objects are perfect for them. Through the use of pastel colours, expresses a calm and soothing theme through the artwork/’s.
Inspiration • The inspiration for this task comes from the Psychonomic caulis butterfly, Colorado hairstreak butterfly, and imperial blue butterfly, found in South East QLD. • Using the different shades of purple, pink and blue helps get across the meaning of seeing the beauty in change and being able to go through it. By using peaceful colours; pastel pink, purple and blue and yellow. • From this, I have decided to make three objects to be used in the home; a cup, pin and hat hook. • With the use of elements and principle, I hope to communicate a peaceful feeling and calm environment, where everyone can express themselves and adapt to change to my target audience by following shape, line, texture and colour.
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Object 1: Pink Butterfly Cup • The purpose of this functional item, is to add decoration and spice to your mug collection, with a pop of creativity and colour. • I brought a white ceramic cup and glued my polymer clay butterfly onto it. Appealing to the target audience and being a functional cup in the home. • The colour is red and white, to make the dark pink colour, using both the sculpey and fimo brand of clay and mixed them together to get a nice colour and consistency of pink. If needed to be lighter, white would be mixed into make a light pink colour.
Object 1: Process • To make this, I mixed pink polymer clay together; sculpey and fimo. Creating a smooth consistency, which I rolled out using my hands and the rolling machine. Once rolled, it was ready for me too cut out butterfly shapes using cookie cutters; one big and small. Once cut out, these were baked for 10 minutes on 120°c. • Glued large/small butterfly shape onto the front of the ceramic cup with hot glue.
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Using both brands; sculpey and fimo, I mixed red + white = pink
Cut out butterfly shape, using cookie cutter.
Next I hot glued the small
Final object, secured with hot
butterfly to the bigger one.
glue.
Object 1, Process: Before vs After Bake
- I baked all my polymer clay pieces at 120°c for 10 minutes, then let it cool for another 10 minutes. Everything cooked properly and even, as the clay came out the same way I put it in.
- To improve this, I would smooth out the edges more and top, making sure there is minimal dints/none if possible, as well as a stronger glue, such as super glue or 2 part glue instead of hot glue, so everything stays in place.
Object 1: Final Process
Object 2: Butterfly Broach • Acts like a name badge, that can be pinned/clipped to anything. • Appealing to the target audience and being a functional object as it can be attached to your clothes, bag, hat etc. Because its usable and adds style to your outfit.
Object 2: Process • I mixed blue and red to make purple for the body and entellus, then yellow for the wings of the butterfly. • Next i blended the colours together more using the rolling machine. • Then, used a butterfly cookie cutter to make the wings and added the body and smoothed out edges, using my fingers/hand.
• Ibaked it at 120°c for 10 minutes, then let cool for another 10 minutes. Glued broach attachment to the back of butterfly, using hot glue.
Also, it had a hint of green in the yellow wings, making it look like a murky dull yellow colour instead of bright
Original broach; I made a ew one, as I glued the finding on after I baked the clay. Proving, not enough support, for the finding to stay glued to the polymer clay.
Mixing colours together Colour's used to create butterfly; yellow, blue + red =purple, white + red =pink.
Object 2: Process •
First I flattened the yellow polymer clay, then used a tiny cookie cutter {tear glass shape) and make four wings. Next I flattered and smoothed the edges of them.
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Then I used a plastic clay knife to cut a strip of purple, as the butterfly body. After this, I joined the four wings onto the body and smoothed out the edges using my fingers.
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Finally, I glued the finding on using super glue and baked the broach at 120c for 15 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes afterwards.
Flattened yellow polymer clay.
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Joining all pieces together.
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on using super glue
Object 2: Final Process
Thin wire used
Final
Object 3: Wire Butterfly Accessory • Can be attached to many things to identify whose is what; tea handle, wine glass, backpack/bag etc. • Appealing to your target audience because these accessories can be attached and used to identify one's possessions. For example, a personalised wine glass charm, teacup handle accessory, earrings and more. With detachable loops that can be changed to suit the object.
Two .crimps,. wire and one Jump ring.
Object 3: Process • Bended aluminium based wire into a butterfly shape, using pliers and my hands, smoothing out edges, then repeating to make a pair. • Cut aluminium wire using pliers from tool kit. • The inspiration photo's helped me get an idea of what shape to make the butterfly's.
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• Got two crimps and some thin metal wire, then threaded one crimps through the wire and secured it flat using pliers, then threaded one butterfly wire charm through and threaded another crimp to the other side and secured it using pliers. • Finally, I attached one jump ring to the hook created from one crimp and attached a jewellery finding clip, secured using pliers, making it able to attach/detach from a wine glass. Then repeated this step to make another wine glass indicator.
--Original wire - - - - - - I changed my wire, due to the thickness and ability to bend, the thinner wire being more mailable and better quality wire.
Threading crimps and charm through wire.
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Use the green pliers to hold the wire and bend the wire into a utterfly shape, curving the edges, wrapped the wire around to secure the butterfly shape.
Object 3: Final Process
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Jemica's workshop •
I got some metal and textured it using one of the heads for the multi-face texturing hammer. Then used some stamps to press design into the metal, using the force from the steel hammer. Next, I used a pink sharpie to detail my design and make the letters stand out. Then used some ethanol spray and a paper towel to rub the remaining sharpie off the outside. Finally, I cut using a pair of tin snips to my desired shape and flattened the metal using a mallet. Marked and drilled holes to make a necklace, then used pliers to securely open and close two jump rings. Next I attached the necklace chain, using pliers to open and close the jump rings, then added two more jump rings to the top of the necklace and a hook and look finding to make the necklace length adjustable.
To create these earrings, I had to get a piece of metal, file it down. Then pressed stamps into the metal, using the force from the regular steel hammer to make a dint of m y desired shape; butterfly, gecko and heart. Then I coloured the shapes in, defining them more using a black sharpie and ethanol spray to rub off any excess sharpie from outside the groves. Next, Jemica taught me how to use the circle cutter and I had to place my metal piece into m y desired hole, press down using the regular steel hammer until you could feel the cylinder underneath. After this, I got a small tool and hammered that until, my tiny circle fell out and repeated these steps until I has a pair of each design; three pairs. Finally, I grabbed six stud backings and scratched the backs of those and the little circles, then glued them onto each other using the two part glue and let it sit for three days.
Final product of earrings
Reflection on Workshop/Unit I believe I am on track with my progress. As I have followed my plan day by day, whilst sparing every free time I get to work on my object/s. What worked well? Using the flat metal pieces provided, I filed the edges creating a smooth texture and textures some pieces to my liking. Exploring my creativity, when pressing stamps into the metal and making groves in the shape of a butterfly, gecko and heart. When working with the metal, I found it easier to shape, file and texture using different tins/faces. Then to flatten or shape the metal, I used the mallet, multi-purpose texturing hammer and regular steel hammer. Also, I found it easy to use the files; big and small and pliers, as these where small tools easy to handle. Over the span of the workshop, i learnt how to cut and shape metal using the circle cutter, as well as using the Dremel heads and polishing tool. Then what I did not finish, I was able to take home and assemble; i.e. glue finding to broach, using hot glue and shape butterfly’s out of wire with pliers. Overall, these techniques allowed me to use the tools properly and I learnt what to do and not todo. What was challenging? I struggles using the clippers, as the spring in them made it hard to cut metal, due to the it being wired tight. However, overtime I got better as I was used to the tool. On the other hand, I managed my time well, as I got everything done, using the Jemica’s and the tools available in class. After the workshop, I continued to make the necklace for mum in class. Using the tools available. What was interesting? I found using all the tools and cutting metal into different shapes and textures interesting. As well as stamping and making groves to colour in with sharpie.