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Collecting Textures for Lost Wax Ring Casting
Back to wax! It feels great to be back at the bench creating work. The past 2 months have been spent preparing for and then interpreting the data from 3 focus groups. I now have a much clearer idea of what my customers are looking for in the silver rings I create. So off I go, working in wax on the 2nd and 3rd drafts of designs. As you will see if you look back in older posts, the lost wax casting process begins with fabricating ideas in wax. These are then used to make a mold that molten silver is...
Focus Groups Completed!
What a whirlwind this past 2 weeks have been! I conducted my first ever, focus groups in West Hartford CT and Kingfield, ME. I have been preparing for months now, getting the work to an acceptable ‘finished’ level, selecting the pieces I would use, deciding what the collections would look like, numbering and photographing all the work. A huge thank you to the entire Mitman family who were so supportive, in particular Christi my wife and Ruth my mother. What were the participants asked to do? After a short meet and greet I began a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation. At...
Preparing for My First Jewelry Focus Group
Holy crap, it’s getting real! For the past 2 years I have been working on ring collections in near isolation. Working away in the woods, fabricating, experimenting, failing, elaborating and growing. Over 500 designs. Unidentified burger ring .925 The time has come to put myself ‘out there’ and actively solicit feedback on this body of work. In order to grow and move forward, to achieve the goals I have for myself, this step is absolutely necessary. It is however also a bit TERRIFYING! Asking for feedback from people who know and purchase jewelry, people who have strong opinions has the...
The New Casting Machine and Burnout Kiln are Up and Running!
The vacuum casting setup I have been using has some increasingly frustrating disadvantages. I was only able to cast about 40 rings in a session the casting quality was not very good, at best about 75% success rate Lack of control over many of the most essential casting variables (accurate temperatures and casting atmosphere) Pouring molten silver into a flask like this allows oxygen and temperature variables to cause a number of problems with the finished castings. So I went looking for an upgrade solution.I found it in the Neutec J2R casting machine. This is an amazing piece of technology,...
The Silver Beehive Logo Contest!
Yes, I know, I am an artist and I should be able to design my own studio logo! Well.... when it comes to graphic design, I struggle. I drew many versions of the Maine Sugarworks (our soon-to-be-closed maple syrup company) logo but could never quite complete the project. I design in wax and metal all the time but somehow a logo is different (in my mind anyway). So I went looking for a way to get help. I quickly found 99Design. It is a service that connects designers and clients in a 'contest' format. You decide what you are looking for...
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