Target plan

The beauty of nail art.

Ubuhle bezinzipho.

My target plain is to make contemporary jewellery inspired by the beauty of nail art. My aim is to make jewellery for women, but my big target is to design for women who don't like artificial nails. As was going through research I noticed that Muslim women are not allowed to have nail polish or artificial nails because when they have to pray they have to put their make first which is god. Some jobs position does not allow workers to have nails; Chefs, Nurse, Boilermaker and Doctors are not allowed to have extension nails.

My plan is to use all different nail shapes and used them to create jewellery form; rings, bangles, necklace, earrings and pendant. At the beginning of the year, my plan was to make fingernail rings but I noticed that  I'm limiting my self. I decided to use nails petal to create jewellery my form. If you look at (fig1) below it a par of earrings where I used a stiletto nail shapes as the main shape. I used a round punch to create texture on the copper plate then I twisted the plate so that I achieve a 3D shape. My aim is to use the actual nail shape and change it to jewellery.

Fig1-Copper earrings.

   

Fig2- Ring with nail petal.

Using punches to create textures on the metal.

Fig1- Stiletto earring.

Fig2- Coffin nail earrings

Fig3- Twist coffin earrings

using stiletto and coffin nails shape to create jewellery.

Fig1- Earring.

Fig2- Drop earring

Fig3- Necklace.

Fig4- Ring.

Casting wax

Plastic nails and casting wax

Coffin nails shapes

In (fig1), I have these beautiful coffin nails shape with different sizes. I'm thinking of trying differences types of jewellery form.

Functions of jewellery.

The essay by Bruce Metcalf (On The Nature of Jewellery) talks about three functions of jewellery, Indicate of status, redeemable wealth and spiritual mediation. Looking at the jewellery that I'm busy making and exploring, they all fall in these categories.

I'm exploring the beauty of nail art by changing plastic rings into fingernail rings. I'm trying to accommodate all females status by making temporary nails for them. Not everyone is allowed to apply nail polish, especially nurse, doctors and chef their position of status at work doesn't allow them, but for me making these temporary nail fingers will accommodate them.

As it says on Bruce Metcalf essay;(“To the contemporary practitioner, the past can be a rich and valuable resource, as well as an inspiration”). Looking at the jewellery that was made in the old century only rich people who can afford to buy them because they used precious material and they value the jewellery piece. Every jewellery piece has a story. For me, if I design I look at the things that inspire my client before I make the jewellery. The contemporary jewellery that I made for my Platinum piece in (Fig1) it is more redeemable wealth because I used a lot of platinum with rare stone which is a Tanzanite.

Figure1-Sish, T(2020). Divo tie pin.

The jewellery im busy making it's not more focused on spiritual mediation, but as was busy going through research about nails I noticed that Muslim women are not allowed to have nails on, because when they pray they have to put they maker first(God).They only allowed having a mehndi design on their hands. Traditionally there are girls who can't live without artificial nails and they go crazy if their nails are not done. For me making these fingernails can accommodate every woman because the rings that I'm busy making in metal it's easy to take them off whereas the permanent nails you have to wait for days before you take them off.