stamping with mehndi

figure 1 (stamps,mehndi and patterns)

I used the stamps that I made from piercing patterns off vinyl tiles. I then glued them onto clear perspex so that the actual stamp is visible when patterns are being stamped. I wanted to see if these stamps are successful and stamps the patterns. I used mehndi out of the tube I coloured each stamp and then pressed it onto paper as shown in figure 1 

Now that I know the stamps work I need to find handles for these stamps.At first I wanted to use a nail,with the head being glued at the back of the stamp and a glass bead at the end. I got some wooden dowel pins and wanted to use those instead like shown in figure 2 below.

figure 2 ( stamps with wooden dowel handles)

faded mehndi

 

bridal head accessory

this was a picture given to me by my cousin who is getting married and wants two bridal head pieces. she also asked if i could add my mehndi touch to i and tweak it so that it looks like its mehndi-like.
these were my designs.

some patterns were of Roome's were similar to that of the picture reference given to me by my cousin

Roome 1998:36

Roome 1998:39

Roome 1998:44

Roome 1998:47

using wax rolling worked well for these small elements

i aslo spend one entire day piercing this one element and filing it and sanding it to make it perfect so that i could make a mould of them and cast.

and my hand pieced flowers. lloks like everything is slowly coming together.

peircing out mehndi patterns

will probably turn this into a ring with a setting for this stone.

copper bracelets

I pierced after months,I cant believe it took me the entire day to pierce this.This just takes way too long.No way am I gonna make 3 of these,im gonna have to find another option to make these bracelets.
Im thinking of etching the same patterns.Im going to apply bitchumen on my plates,scribble patterns,etch and them turn them into bracelets.

mothers day

I need to make gifts for mothers day,for 3 grannies. Im making copper bangles which I know all 3 of them would wear as opposed to any other jewellery.It can be used to ease artritis pain because its made out ouf copper.

im gonna pierce out mehndi patterns that I found in a book (Roome 1998:121)

Il solder copper wire all around the cuff so that it will be wearable.

Mehndi earrings

mendhi stamp

mendhi stamp

This fusion of eastern and western jewellery needs to be predominant in all my work.In this case I want to create a pair of earrings that have both eastern and western influences.The eastern influence will derive from traditional indian patterns whilst the western influence will derive from the form and style of western earrings.Concerntrating on chandelier earrings,That I belive are decorative, these hang from the base which is usually a stud,it also has muliple levels that creates movement.

I choose to work with these elements was because I was given a set of wooden mendhi stamps from Mumbai ,India.The stamps derived from the traditional method of temporarily decorating the skin of brides.The traditional method of applying the mendhi was done using a plastic cone from which a tiny hole is cut and applied to the skin in fine patterns.The stamps are a easier method of applying the mendhi.The stamps are made by carving patterns onto wood.This stamp can then be dipped into ink and pressed onto skin.

mendhi applied using the stamp

I used the stamp to create a varity of patterns on a piece of paper.These formed chanderlier earring patterns that were just floating on the page.I then drew my final design that I began translating into metal.

final design

Working in thin plate 0.6mm would allow the earring to be elaborate but light in weight.I wanted to portray the elements in such away that it represents the mendhi pattern that is flat however I rounded the edges so that they were no longer sharp.

I started thinking about the way the elements needed to be attached and asked myself these questions,How small does the jumprings need to be?How do I make the stud with the post go with my design?Will it move nicely?How will the element for the upper ear attach to the ear?

I solved my problems by sketching ideas that came to mind.By me solving these problems allowed me to improve on my work from a design point of view and a technical point of view .I had all my elements that needed to be soldered.They were light in weight and because I highly polished them they looked so shiny and needed some sort of colour.I attached silver beads with red cubics that added sparkle and was the focal point.The reason for choosing the beads with the colour red symbolises the colour of the mendhi and added movement to the chandelier.

Local is lekker

18ct and sterling silver earrings,inspired by Mendhi designs

sterling silver neckpiece,pierced and cast elements

sterling silver pierced flower found on neckpiece

the cast elements,initially created from wax empressions

The hidden catch of the neckpiece

Each individual link attached