The Art Of Ring Making.
My senior year zenith project consisted of ring making. Through its faults, I think the rings turned out pretty well. Using a handy product called Art Clay Silver (which was very expensive), I shaped clay dough into circular shapes. I encountered some problems, especially when realizing how fast the silver dried. The rings kept cracking, which resulted in the unrecoverable loss of two. Luckily, I salvaged the other four with repairs. I was able to overcome my other problem of visible cracks by filing off the cracks before firing. Firing the rings was tedious, but easily the best part. I had to torch them just enough to set, without melting the substance. I enjoyed watching the rings erupt in flames as the binder burnt away. They were then dropped into a cold cup of Freestyle tap water to cool and seal the bind. After firing, the rings were set and ready to file and shine. Filing took the longest amount of time over the course of two weeks. I buffed the jewelry using 10 different grits, The first of which started at 500, and the last ending at 8000. Because I had to get inside the nooks and crannies of the designs, the process was knuckle breaking. Finally, I used Wemol to polish and shine the silver. The substance covers the ring in a water resistant coating that preserves the metal from tarnishing. In the end, was left with four beautiful, homemade rings. The Bull Ring features five silver balls attached to an open crescent, while the Dome Ring is a simple minimalist infinity ring. My last two include the FCUK Ring, which has the letters hand stamped on a thick asymmetrical band, and the Star Ring, of which highlights the 3D clay shape.
I adored this project so much and would definitely do it again, despite its faults. During the process, I was able apply two 21st century skills- self direction and high productivity. Something I would’ve changed would’ve been the gentleness in which I handled the clay, as well the speed I was working. I should have watched a few more tutorials and examples before my excitement got the best of me. If I had had more prior knowledge, I probably would have been able to keep my fingers and clay subtle enough to work with over longer periods of time, which would have allowed for more intricate designs. My favorite star ring, which features a thin silver band with a hand carved star attached using a scoring technique. Overall, I’m so content with what I ended up with, and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I’ve already worn the rings in public, and gotten many compliments. Thanks to Freestyle and this project, I’m able to say, “Thanks, I made it myself.”
