Another mermaid ring in process Whisper of the Sea

[michellerobison]

It's in the wax yet but I will cast in shibiuchi and do a rainbow patina. The mermaid under glass will be polished so she shows up under the uranium glass. It's called Whisper of the Sea, the mermaid in all of us is calling out,but only the special few can hear her...

In my case she's screaming "save up for that tail!" or "start learning to make that tail!"

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ Looking good

[Moonflower]

Gorgeous! Are you getting a single cast or mold?

[michellerobison]

Can't mold it,too complicated. I have a ring base,then cut and build on to it,, I add scroll work and hand build and carve the setting for the stone of glass, then I have molds made from critters that I carved to reuse. The mermaids are built from scratch each time.
The only things I have from molds with out much work are the critters and the scrolls and a blank ring shank,the rest (mermaids and other scrolly details) is pretty much hand built ,each time.

It will be a single cast item, if I loose it in the casting,I start all over again...

[ShyMer]

My husband told me about the method you use for your jewelry. It's crazy how much goes into just one ring! I was glad to hear that you can reuse some of the parts though. I was like she has to remake it each time??

After understanding your method, I feel I can appreciate your work all the more. Gorgeous <3

[michellerobison]

Parts of it have to be redone ,from scratch ,each time but other parts are from a mold off parts I carved myself.It helps save time but I still have a day in carving and putting it all together... About half of it is from a base like the shank and sea creatures and some scroll work,the rest of it, the mermaids and some scrollwork (waves) all have to be done as I go. Even with some molded parts,you still have to cut,resculpt and alter to fit each stone...but it's a lot easier to do with your own molds. Things like star fish and some shells,I just carve as I do since they're quick to do.
The very first ring I did took two solid long days to carve ,then it was really rough looking.
After that I built working molds and built from scratch what i needed,to make building and keeping it sharp and clean and consistant looking much easier.