I started this piece because I've always wanted a piece of jewellery shaped like a dragon, and I wanted to do something really ambitious, just to see how it would work out. Plus, I also wanted to create a 'jewellery dragon', a symbol for the site.
So I started it a couple of weeks ago, just as I discovered that the 23rd of January is the start of the year of the dragon! Quite a coincidence...
AS you can see from the photos, the dragon is still unfinished. I have used emeralds for the main green of the body as well as green onyx as I wanted to make sure the skin had plenty of tones within it.
The underbelly is yellow sapphires, as are the nostrils (I wanted to use black spinels, but the only size I had was fractionally too large), and I used rubies for the eyes. To set the eyes I used head pins, just so that he had a pair of mad, staring pupils to give him that staring look!
But as I said, he's still unfinished. I need to complete the gem settings, finish doing wire sculpture on his face and feet, fill in the body where there are gaps...but I think you can see enough to see what an amazing dragon he will be!
(And we've called him George http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JlVqfC8-UI)
I'm going to set him on quite a thick chain, with a pearl hovering just above him, after all, dragons chase pearls... but most of this is still up for debate, I may go for a medium chain if I decide a thick one is too much. Because of the weight of the piece I can't go for too thin!
I'll post back once he's done!
This is the back....
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
I had this idea months ago, but originally for a pair of earrings. It morphed into a necklace as I wanted to add more detail to the trunk than earrings would allow.
I also wanted to add the gemstones you can see dangling from the branches. All in all I love this piece, and will be aiming a copy for myself in the near future!
For more details, see: http://www.jewellerydragon.com/HTML/Products/N22048/Necklace.htm
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
I've added a new advert to my YouTube channel, but you can enjoy it here!
http://youtu.be/trHqfgY-hvw
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
When I found these beads I bought them on impulse, not quite sure what I wanted to make from them, but with the quality of carving I just couldn't resist! Because the leaf is like a vine leaf (although purple), I decided to create a vine around it. I added silver beads to the wire to add texture.
This is now a favourite piece of mine, and I have to admit I immediately made a copy just for me!
For more details, see: http://www.jewellerydragon.com/HTML/Products/N22047/Necklace.htm
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
I love Edwardian pieces, and decided to copy a classic of a love bird. I have woven pure silver into the piece to give it texture.
I added an amethyst for an eye as I felt it would shine out, black may have been better but I felt it would make the piece look a little dead, and red would make the bird look mad!
This piece took hours of work, and remains the most complicated piece I have made (until the one I'm doing now, that is!).
For more details, see: http://www.jewellerydragon.com/HTML/Products/N22050/Necklace.htm
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
I love the glossy feel of hematite, and mother-of-pearl is exceptionally pretty.
I love black and white combinations myself, and decided that the not-as-black as onyx hematite was a good foil to the not-quite-white of the mother-of-pearl.
I especially love this piece because of its silky feel, although I had to work hard to make sure the pattern of the beads was even, and not stripy!
For more details, see: http://www.jewellerydragon.com/HTML/Products/B22008/Bracelet.htm
www.jewellerydragon.com
JewelleryDragon is available at the Harrison Lord Gallery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.