New Design Blog

I'm just about to start in 2nd year in Jewellery and Metalwork at Duncan of Jordanstone College and I want to create a new blog as part of my course i.e. Design Studies. I also want a new address so I can record my progress and developments being a jewellery designer!
My new blog address is http://sheilarousseldesigns.wordpress.com
I hope you'll look in!

Angora Accessories

Just thought I'd show you the end result of my latest experiment with an angora jumper. I decided to make a clutch bag from the boiled washed jumper and line it with lovely butterfly material I had left over from some cushions I made a while back. I thought the big button was just perfect for finishing it off.

Clutch Bag

Butterfly Lining

I transformed the rib of the jumper into some pairs of cuffs, and decorated them with antique effect lace. Perfect for peeking out under a winter coat and keeping the draughts out.

I'm still trying to find a button to complete the third pair I made!

It's been a very busy few weeks, I've had workmen constanly in my house but the good news is that we are on the last of the finishings for the extension. Off to Ikea today for some ideas for Tom's room.

I've been volunteering with a couple of local Dundee Jewellery designers over the last couple of weeks -
Holly Willcox and Islay Spalding.

Holly has been one of the Jewellery Designers in residence at Duncan of Jordanstone College for the last year. I spent a morning with her, watching her work and getting the opportunity to try some soldering, hammering and sawing to make a wee silver ring. she designs and makes beautiful silver jewellery. Have a look at designs at www.hollywillcox.co.uk

One of Holly's silver necklaces

I've been lucky enough to be working with Islay Spalding too. She designs and makes really funky resin and silver pieces as well as really unusual silver kilt pins. Have a look at her website www.islayspalding.co.uk

I'm enjoying getting a shot of tools and materials in her workshop and beginning to learn a few basic techniques.
Some silver hallmark tags that I made for some of Islay's necklaces.






Islay's silver and resin jewellery.
Have a look at her website www.islayspalding.co.uk

Birkhill Primary Boys Sport's Champion

It's been a busy time with my son recently as he has been off to induction days at Monifieth High School then 3 nights at Dalguise outdoor adventure holiday, science days, sports days, school swimming gala, prizegiving assembly and leavers assembly. Tom was the boys school sport's champion and won a lovely silver trophy as well as a medal. He was really pleased with himself as he was the house captain of the winning house this year too. Well done Tom!

Visit to Aberdeen Degree Show

It seems that the more free time I have the less I seem to do! I'm not sure why that is but maybe I'm a bit lazy. I've still got builders in my house working on the extension and it's coming on nicely. The walls are being plastered as I type so hopefully we'll get on with some painting at the weekend.

I've not been totally lazy, I've been making some bits and pieces but they're still to be completed. I'm looking for one Mother of Pearl button (one and a half cm) to finish off some cuffs and a nice big button for a felt bag......watch this space. I've been on a pattern cutting course and made a great pair of trousers that fit! I 'll need to make some more before I forget what to do.

As part of my summer project I've been asked to visit the Art College Degree Shows. Last week my niece and I went up to Aberdeen to see what they had been up to. We both wanted to see the 3D Designs, Textiles and Fashion Departments.


Below are some of the pieces that caught my eye!

Metal and Ceramics by Nicola Walster

Seeing the Invisible by SuZie Guthrie




Textiles & Surface Design by Ingrid Stout



Textiles & Surface Design by Steph Reid




3D Design by Kelly McAllister

The 3D Designs Department was a real mixture of pieces including textiles, ceramics, metalwork, galsswork and jewellery. It was all really interesting to view and I like to take my time to study the peices in detail, look through sketchbooks ( there weren't too many on display) and read how the students have been inspired to make their collections. Luckily so does my niece likes taking her time too so we were both happy!

I thought it was interesting that Textiles and Fashion departments had used empty shop units in the Academy Centre in Aberdeen to display their work. The textile display was just like walking round a real shop selling lots of great fabrics, accessroies, interiors and artefacts, it was a pleasure to see. The fashion was well laid out too as there were manequins displaying the collections and rails filled with lots more designs and gave the feel of a fashion show about to commence.

All in all we enjoyed our day in Aberdeen. I just to get down to some sketchbook work now for my project.

Home and Garden

We have started work on our house to extend the upstairs attic room and convert it into a living area, a bedroom and a shower room.
It has been a huge upheaval and a marathon to find new homes for all that was in the upstairs room.
Removing the flat roof created a big problem as the day it was taken off the rain came down. The water was pouring in through the light sockets in the bathroom, bedroom (over the bed) and in the kitchen.
It eventually got sorted out and so far there's only been some drips throught the kitchen ceiling and the kitchen door frame.
I had always liked the idea of open plan, but this was taking it a bit too far!



In amongst the chaos of the work going on in and around our house the flowers are continuing to bloom - something to do with all that rain last week I think!
It's amazing they contine to grow as we are not really gardeners and don't do too much apart from keep the weeds down.
I have to say that the colours are rather fantastic and they help brighten up the mess all around the house at the moment!

New from Old Jewellery

It's been a busy last few weeks but I'm finally getting round to my blog again. The lastest project is the last one of 1st year. I can't believe that I've completed my 1st year at Art College. Just the assessments and results to go now.

I chose a Craft and Design project for my last option. I had ten and a half days to complete it. It involved making something new from something old. There were a various themes to choose from: performance, atmosphere, statement, ornamentation and the oportunity to make a garment, accessory, jewellery or a soft furnishing.

It's always the same at the start of a project, I have a million ideas flying around in my head and start to panic a bit as well as become excited. I thought the best way forward for me was to look around for something old that could be transformed. I had it in my head that I would like to create some kind of soft furnishing. I also thought that I would like to create some accessories too, but what theme could I choose?

After searching through every charity shop in Broughty Ferry, I came across some lovely angora/wool knitwear. My ideas were on the move again and I instantly thought about felting the knitwear to create a new material. I found a tweed skirt in a similar colour and another tartan patterned skirt all of which I bought. I was considering cushions and a throw at this point, soft, warm and comfy.

Back home to make felt! I first of all picked the knitwear apart and did a few experiments in the washing machine with it.

Back at college with all my materials and after going over the brief with the tutors I reconsidered my idea and decided to try to develop some accessories.

Lots of research, drawing, sampling and experimentation later my statement jewellery and a accessories designs were finished.

Finally a call out for help from one of my nieces to model for me and "Hey Presto" one finished project!

The "Spirit of Angora" Collection

It has been an interesting two weeks at Art College. I have been in a Jewellery Design class and we were looking at working on a lighting design.
For inspiration I thought about the patterns light makes when it is shining on water. I already had some photos from my holiday in Turkey of the sunset. I also took lots of photos at Broughty Ferry of the sun (yes it was sunny one day believe it or not!) shining on the Tay.



Some material samples.
I played with lots of different materials during the two weeks. These two above are the ones that I have taken through to my finished piece.

One of my design developments. The orange you can just see at the back ( it's not too clear on the photos) is the sunset photo printed onto acetate. If it was a free standing piece You'd be able to see all round the design

This is my final design for lighting. I've put some LED lights inside jsut to show the lighting design and its effect.

Jewellery Design Project

What is my GOLD?
This was the title for my latest 2 week project at Art College. I decided that my Gold was my life and time. I enjoyed using old clock bits and pieces, using Photoshop to enhance my photos and digital clock bits & pieces to develop my research into what my designs could look like.

Here are some of my sample design ideas.
I like the idea of having a snooze button, a rewind button and a pause button in my life. I like the fun side to this as well as the more thought provoking meaning.
If I decide to go on to study jewellery design in second year I would like to take these design ideas further and create wearable pieces.
I've got a 2 week textile project, then another 2 week jewellery project then I put forward my request for my study option for 2nd year. How time flies!

A Few Bits from Semester One

Colour and The Word

We were given a letter of the alphabet and had to choose a word then interpret it in colour in some way.
That was a challenge but looking back it was fun. I chose "Kitchen" as my word and made up a "Kitchen Scrap Book" using colours, shapes, recipes and designs from the 50's. There are about 8 pages in the book but I've just copied a couple and the finished book with the miniature wire kitchen utensils attached.

Self Portrait Christmas Project

I didn't realise that doing a self portrait was so difficult! Obtaining a likeness to me or what I think I look like seems to be almost impossible for me to achieve.

After lots of sketching looking in a mirror, trial and error with a variety of materials and serveral "aliens" produced I am quite pleased with my illustrative self portrait. I used water colours, ink and stitch. (The camera flash has caught the black of the hair so apologies for the photography)

I 've to hand this in the first day back. I don't feel particulary confident about it but I'm Art School to learn and I feel I've learned a lot working on my self portrait project so that has to be good!

Fansite - Digital Imaging

One of my recent projects was a Digital Imaging Project to create a Fanzine or a Fansite using Photoshop.

I decided to create a Fansite for the Artist/Architect-Cesar Manrique as I have visited Lanzarote so many times and I am still facinated by his work.
I developed a stitched image from one of his mosaics and used this as the heading for the Fansite. I also used my own photos that I had from my trips to the beautiful island.
The work for the digital Imaging Project was just one project in a bigger module and if it is selected it will be displayed in one of the Gallery spaces in the new year.

Poetry and Art

Another week has gone by at Art School or Uni as everyone now calls it!

We were asked to make a piece of art in response to a poem. We were give a selection of 12 to choose from. I had to read and re-read the poems to try to find one that inspired me and let my imagination take over. I narrowed it down to two poems then to the one I eventually used. The Poem by Robert Gray.

The vision of the woman bringing in the washing and the smell of the fresh washing, folding seams, together with the moonlight was my starting point.

My tutor was helpful in explaining more about the poem and then I was off creating a mind map of my ideas for it.

We have four days to finish each project so it really makes you make decisions very quickly something I've not had to do much of up till starting this course. I thoroughly enjoyed making my textile piece this week. I used a real variety of fabrics and a whole range of techniques including grinding fabric between two stones to wear and distress it. I really loved adding the final hand stitching I found it very relaxing and satisfying.

I hope to enjoy the Poem and my response to it.

The Poem

The paddocks there are so wide open

she says you always feel

that the lid has been left off everything.

It’s all gone hard and stale.

The children have to stay in the shade;

they hang on the verandah,

and the game they fight about is discovering

a demand upon her.

On the backs of her hands, in this light, open

small, dry screams.

She is bringing in the sunlit bed-clothes,

putting together the seams.

Sheets still pegged she takes into her fist,

and stands inhaling each one:

taut with air, white as a heron in the moonlight.

This, which she has done.

ROBERT GRAY (Meanjin; Vol. 60 Number 2 2001. First published in New and Selected Poems, Duffy & Snellgrove, Sydney 1998)

Calm at the End of the Day

Playing with Paper

I have been working on a Uni project - Form and Function ( playing with paper really!) All great fun. This has been the best week so far, I feel more comfortable making things.
I made a load of samples (a few are below) and experimented with different card and papers before deciding to make a corset!

I got there in the end after much PVA glue, Bostik and masking tape!

The corset is made from old music glued onto corrugated card with scrunched up white tissue paper pasted over the music. This was then folded like a fan then glued into position.
I used a dummy model to make a paper pattern then used the pattern to cut out the pieces for the corset.
It is held together with wide tape and strong glue.
I made small holes in the back then used gold rivets to cover over the edges of the holes, I then laced the back up with a gold cord. (sorry no picture of this)



The final piece is decorated with painted paper doillies and music printed onto acetate sheets, treated with a heat gun and burning tool. I rolled up some of the acetate sheets, glued them and cut them into circular shapes to add to the embellishment.

I have done a bit more work on my Sketch Book Project Pages in between my University work and study.
I also have to keep a Journal that I have to carry with me to record ideas, thoughts, interesting things etc. I've made a good start to it and just need to remeber to carry it around with me.

Here are some more pages of my Sketch Book Project -
"It Must Be... Time for Tea."