Art Bead Scene Challenge: October 2012

Note:  If you are looking for the "'Sharyl's Jewelry' Design Packet Challenge #2" Reveal, please click here!
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For this month's ABS challenge, I decided to do something I had not done on Art Bead Scene before, and that was to make my own focal.  It's not a replica by any stretch of the imagination.   I didn't try to make it look the same.   I looked at the piece on my laptop...

Revolving by Kirt Schwitters 1919

Assemblage-Wood, metal, cord, cardboard, wool, wire, leather, and oil on canvas

Read more about this work of art 
on the Art Bead Scene blog

 ...then walked away to start to work on my piece.

Did I remember it exactly?  No, I was left with some vague memory of color and shapes, circles, lines, an angle.

A bit of brownish-beige, a bit of blue, a dab of green, 

a murky angle, lines.

This is the piece of brass once embossed, 

layered with patinas, and buffed.

Holes have been made in anticipation 

of the parts to be added.

Close up of the focal.   

I was planning to give this my first try at riveting, 

but my local stores did not have any small enough.

I resorted to headpins 

but they kept bending and coming loose.  

The piece will have to be redone with rivets,

but thought I would show it, pathetic though it is, 

in its current state!

I also embossed and applied patina 

to the bail I made

 and attached it,

then made a chain from hand-dyed ribbon 

and antiqued silver chain.

The chain only goes part-way up the ribbons.  

There are 2 multi-colored ribbons,
one with brownish tones, one with blue tones.  

There is a bit of sparkle along the edges
which I think adds to the look of the metal..

The ribbon drapes to the back to be tied.

It's so far from where I'd like it to be, but I do like the colors in the focal and I'm glad to have tried making all the main parts of my necklace!   

Hopefully next time you see it, it will have rivets!  :-)

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

NOTE:  The ABS Tour is Wed. Oct. 31st!   Visit the Current Monthly Challenge page for a tour of  the participating artists!  

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