As I said in my first post, I had a rude awakening when reading through the requirements for each project. My reaction was panik and the first thought was "oh @#$%, I don't think I can do any of this!"
A few hours of "simmering", looking at the amazing
gallery at the Masters Registry and realizing that it was too late now to pull out, I decided to apply some old "exam tactics".
Read through the projects and evaluate each one.
Focus on those projects that I feel I can do with my present abilities and leave the others for later. This may sound like I am evading the "challenges", but I feel right now it is best to get working on the first items, get into the swing so to speak, and get feedback from the assessors. At this point I have no idea how "good" (or bad!), my workmanship really is.
So, here is my reaction to the projects:
Construction
A1Cube, Cone, & Sphere * - no idea how one would do that! - already a good start!
A2 Textured Bi-cone Bead - Ok, I have an idea for that one, but need to clarify on the forum if what I have in mind is allowed
A3 Syringe Project - I thought this would be fun, but after reading Julia's website, I actually am not sure what they really want ... so perhaps not such a good one either
A4 Constructed Box - I think i would like to do this. I have never made a box, but done some other construction work and I enjoyed it.
A5 Sleeve Container Pendant - I looked at the pics in the Gallery and really liked this project. And I have a really cute idea for it ... so one that looks like a good one to start with.
A6 Box with Friction Lid - Again, this is something i have never done, but would like to try. I may use a piece that I am busy with at the moment as "the lid".
A7 Necklace of Graduated Beads - I am not really into beads ...
A8 Nesting Rings with Gem - I love this one and have already started making some rough sketches over coffee.
A9 Necklace with Handmade Chain - handmade chain ... as I said, the only metal work i have done is sing wire to tie my garden plants up ...
A10 Candidate’s Choice - no idea what I would do here ... maybe the item I have just made for the internet competition?? ... hmmm ... maybe ... although I want to use that one as my Senior Instructor's piece
Color
B1 Bezel set After Firing - Oh, this is more like my cup of tea :-). Will check for exact things that are allowed, but maybe make a piece to go with the ring I am currently making. need to check exactly what they expect as a "bezel" though. definitely enough ideas and possibilities on this one.
B2 Set Multiple Faceted Stones - Another one that I really like. No idea what item I would make, but this has lots of options and is a project "for me" :-)
B3 Torch Fired Enamel Earrings - I know I said I would stick with stuff I know to start with, but having read the posts on the forum (open only to participants on the Maters Registry), I am really intigued and interested. maybe I play around with this a little ...
B4 Basse-taille Enamel Panel - this is another interesting project. I have an idea for a 3D type piece - wonder if it would work ... need to get some transparent enamel though. All mine are opaque
B5 Plique-a-jour Earrings - this sounds very tricky and without proper guidance may just have to wait
B6 Resin Inlay in a Wearable Piece - Hmmm ... here agian I had thought this would be a piece I would tackle until I read Julia's website and now i am a little confused as to waht they are looking for ... maybe give this a miss until I find more clarification. I so liked Julia's bracelet that was "dismissed' by the assessors ...
B7 Resin Handle on Tool or Utensil - I don't understand this at the moment ...
B8 Dry Media (Prismacolor, etc.) - no idae what prismacolor even is :-(
B9 Patina Sampler * - ya well no fine, as we say here in South Africa ... I am just not a great patina fan. I always maintain i was a magpie in my previous life ... i like the shiny stuff ;-)
B10 Candidate’s Choice - again, no idae what I would do here.
Materials
this whole category is going to be really bad ...:-(
C1 Brooch with Stilt Rivets - No idea what they are or how to make them :-(
C2 Box with Metal Clay Lid - Oh, I can probably tackle this one. I have this lovely bark that Igot from one of my florist clients and it would be lovely to make a box out of it ... at this point not sure what type of lid to make though
C3 Five Glass Panels * - well, glass is not exactly a strong suit. However, i ahve found this nice coloured glass in an old parking lot recently and I may just have an idea to try something with it
C4 Bracelet with Frames - Again, this is one item I thought I could handle, but then I read the description and now I am really confused as to waht they want ...
C5 Fibula - Another shocker ... Thought I could make this one but now it turns out this item needs to be forged! - Forged? I haven't got the first idea how to do that
C6 Combine Metal Clay with Rigid Plastic - This is interesting and although I have no idea how to tackle it, it is a project that intigues me ..
C7 Use Metal Clay with a Natural Material - again, I clearly misunderstood this one and after having read the description I haven't got a clue ...
C8 Passive Collaboration - OK, I think I can come up with something here. Maybe something from one of our crafts markets, some aftrican beads or something ...
C9 Active Collaboration - This can be done ... maybe as a beader to collaborate on the trophy I am making right now... although how to ship a trophy to the assessors in the USA is another question ...
C10 Candidate’s Choice ... no idea
Metal Clay & Other Metals
Another bad category ... thank goodness for the gold options!
D1 Combine Silver and Gold - need to get some gold clay if i want to attempt this, although I am not sure how legal the gold clay is here in South africa and if it is even available; also quite pricey.
D2 Gold Paste as Detail - I have never worked with gold paste, but this does look like a really good project. lots of possibilities here. Maybe re-do the little sapphire ring I have made ... maybe rather design something new
D3 Gold Paste as Full Cover - Another project I can handle. Possibly even use the pods I have brought back from the farm on the last trip .. or maybe they wouldn't be a full cover the way i wanted to do them? ... need to check waht full cover is.
D4 Keum-boo on a Spoon - I love Keum-boo ... not sure about a spoon though ..wished it could hav been something else ...
D5 Combine Metal Clay with Steel - OK, so I am cheating. I had written this post yesterday and the computer crashed. Yesterday I dismissed this project as "unsuitable" for me at this point. Today I browsed through the gallery again and saw something that just triggered my imagination. So now I have a really fun idea for this project ... :-). And no, seeing something does not mean I am copying or even making it "similar". It is all about "inspiration", not copying!
D6 Metal Clay with a Copper Alloy - this is where I originally thought I could have some fun with copper clay ... in the meantime we are required to "metal smith" copper ... definitely not (yet) in my abilities.
D7 Metal Clay with a White Metal - as above
D8 Metal Clay with a Found Metal Object - Again, i am not sure what they really want. Also my "found" and their "found" are 2 different things :-). I take these things obviously too literally :-). I thought we were required to keep our eyes open on our walks through the park, the stroll down the street, etc. But "found" can even be in a shop! ...
D9 Using a Manufactured Component - This is quite do-able, but I have no idea what i would want to do. but certainly do-able
D10 Candidate’s Choice - I really think for this initial stage I should concentrate on the given projects rather than look at these.I think, much to my amazement, I actually do have 2 or even more projects in each category :-)
Miscellaneous
E1 Votive Figure - This is a cool project. I wanted to do some pre-columbian stuff, but found next to nothing on the internet on a quick initial search. Will have to go and search the family library if there are any usefull books there from our time in Columbia. The other option is to do something African. My friend Jane collect African artefacts and has masses of books on the topic - probably a good starting point if I would go that route ... of course I could also try to find a little Votive dog somewhere and start the project that way ... definitely lots of fun
E2 Hallmark and Stamp - this looks like a project I would love to tackle ... already sketched my design over some coffee (yes, I do drink lots of coffee ;-) and I usually use my coffee breaks to make notes or sketch stuff). Not sure at all about the handle at this stage though
E3 Metal Clay Paper - This is another fun one. I think I will try to finally set that stone I have lying on my desk for the last X months. i really want to see if that will work. If it does, I think it will be really pretty and show off the stone really well.
E4 Box with Hinge & Catch - I had a cool idea on this one. I have never made a hinge and/or catch but have always wanted to. So this is definitely a project I will try.
E5 Multiples Challenge - I don't think I quite understand the purpose of this one.
E6 Stencil Process - don't even start to understand this one :-(
E7 Miniatures - OK, if/when I tackle this one, I know what I am going to do :-). But it does sound like a lot of PT - not sure if my fingers are that "delicate".
E8 Mechanics - again, I am not quite sure what exactly they want. I have been thinking about the little sapphire pendant I made (see my website). But that has only got 2 moving bits, so I would have to add more ... but then i am not even sure if that would be acceptable in teh first place.
E9 Threaded Closure - Right ... this one is "it". I have never made anything like this, but the remark on Julia's website that someone made to her about looking at lots and lots of threads just kept moving around in my head and then - voila - tehre it was. I knew exactly what I want to make.
E10 Candidate’s Choice -see above
So actually, after a detailed analysis, it doesn't look as bad as I had initially thought.
in "A', I actually have to narrow down, but definitely want to do the sleeve pendant.
in "B" I have the 2 stone projects and possibly even the tourch fired enamel or even the basse-taille ... again, need to narrow down - who would have thought :-)
"C" is a bit trickier, but I have the collaboration options as well as the box with a lid ... keeping my mind open for other stuff as well.
"D", from being a "problem" has become one category with several options that I need to narrow down ;-)
and "E" also has several projects I am dying to do. First though will be the threaded lid and the hinged box :-). Can't wait to get going on those ...
So, while always keeping my mind open it seems I have more than nough on my plate to get STARTED ......