#astrophyiscs

So I’ve been seduced by resin and watching far too many space videos and Hubble images of nebula.  I already love using light in my work so I wanted to produce something that looked like a cloud of gas creating new stars within.  A star nursery.  It’s taken me months of trial and error.

At first glance it may seem like I’ve just dumped a ton of glitter and pigment powder into resin and given it a stir.  I wish it was that easy.  These have to be made in layers but hard level lines look artificial.  So I swish and swirl the resin around until it cures chaotically adding tiny amounts of powder and glitter teasing out tendrils of colour and flashes of iridescence.  I use a flattened toothpicks for the job. 

The next step was creating the look of stars forming within the cloud.  Enter fibre optics.  I cut and bundle the strands sealing them together with resin.  I then bend them out into all directions.  Finally I cut them down to fit into the mold. At some point I insert them into the resin being careful to set the main bunch into the central point of the mold. In some designs the threads are obvious - in others I’ve hidden the bunch using dark pigments.

At this point I have a sphere of resin with a fiber optic “stalk” sticking out.  I paint the last layer black and wait for it to dry.  I then cut down the stalk and drill it down flush to the resin.  The light is produced by a tiny LED widget.  Some pieces have static white light that I’ve dyed.  In others I’ve used a rotating RGB colour LEDs.  I seal the end and set it in another layer of resin.  Fortunately they have a handy ring that also makes it easy to turn on and off with a simple twist.  It takes three LR621 batteries equivalent to 364, AG1, SR621SW.  

I’ve had trouble uploading the videos so I’ll re-shoot tonight for an acceptable file size and format for Tumblr.  Unfortunately trying to photograph these spheres is very difficult.  They are glass and very shiny. You can’t see the depth and complexity in a photo.  Maybe I need a new camera with a good macro setting.  

It’s terrifying releasing a new product so different from my normal work.  Are these steampunk?  Not really but I hope my work transcends a genre.  I want to take light from tacky novelty jewellery into an art product for adults to wear that will amaze and wonder.  That is my goal with these.  I’ve made several of them so they will dominate my feed in the next weeks.  I hope you don’t get sick of seeing them.  It’s fantastic using colour again but it’s been a serious financial investment in resin, pigments, equipment, exotic glitters/sequins/foils, molds and LED lights.  Some I had to buy in serious bulk.  It’s impossible to calculate the hours I’ve spent creating and perfecting these.

I’ve used three different width sizes: 20mm (0.86in), 25mm (1in) and 30mm (1.2in).  I haven’t put a chain on some of them.  I will give options in type of chain or cord and drop length to buyers. Some may prefer no chain.  I’m also thinking about creating a stand turning it into a unique ornament when not being worn.  I’m also hoping, as my technique improves, to replicate specific nebula like the famous “Pillars of Creation” image captured by Hubble.  

Some may not see any “space” reference.  Friends have called certain pieces “an ice cave”, “underwater scene” and “storm clouds with lightening”.  

Star Box II

Well I enjoyed making the first solar system box - I had to make another.  This started as a basic pine box.  I stained it, swapped out the hinges and latch, created the “windows” and covered them with mesh and brass frames.  You can’t see it but there is a lock washer (it looks like a reverse gear with internal teeth) in each porthole illuminated by mounted LEDs.  The six sides are covered with riveted struts, brass features and vintage cut star cabs.  The central orbit field has a solid metal ring and twisted wire frame with brass claws.  I created tiny brass winders over two vintage gears with round cut outs.  Two different kinds of alarm clock winders are located on each side.  There is also vintage brass knurled nuts on the sides.  Finally there are 3 brass star cutouts above the hinged side.

The planets are driven by an internal wood disk with embedded magnets.  I also did a similar thing as the last piece - drilled holes in the lid and disk sitting above 4 LEDs.  As it spins the “stars” twinkle.  The lights and motor have separate battery packs with switches.  Sorry, I’m still not clever enough to rig a single battery pack and external on/off switch.  Next one....

I’ve been waiting to make these for a long time.  Finally had all the ingredients and a bit of bravery.  What many people don’t realise is making something new is always a risk, possibly ruining expensive supplies.  Fortunately these turned out well.   A simple glass locket filled with a vintage pocket watch spring, tiny metallic "planet" spheres, a half round golden "sun" all fixed in place with clear resin. It makes for a subtle yet intriguing piece of jewelry.  Understated.

The tiny ones are seriously small - the lockets are under an inch wide.  I've attempted some reality to the planets: Mercury is tiny and silver, Venus earth's sister planet is gold and the same size as Earth, Earth is silver, Mars smaller than Earth and copper. The giants start with Jupiter large in copper, Saturn slightly smaller than Jupiter and silver tone, Uranus is gold, Neptune is smaller and silver and finally, Pluto, tiny and metallic black.  I can’t keep any accuracy in relation to the size of the sun - it’s seriously huge in comparison.   

The larger one, just over an inch wide, was gold but arrived very scratched.  Instead of it sitting in my pile of rejects I decided to “distress” the patina to a brushed copper with the original gold poking through in places.  It works.  It also has a very light dusting of holographic glitter as a star field.  

If there is the demand I thought about customising these.  With a birth date, time and place I can generate a natal sun chart - where the planets were at the time of their birth. If there is serious clumping I might have to take some artistic license when positioning all the planets. It would require a 2 week build time for supplies and for the resin layers to cure.  

Orrery Locket

I wasn't sure why I bought the ball locket from one of my regular suppliers but I'm glad I did. I really wanted to attempt putting an orrery model in something that small. It was far too small for arms or any rotation so it's fixed - no movement at all. The gears are there to imply movement - nothing more. I created the black round 1/2 ball base in black resin. It is held there by a screw through the base of the locket and into the resin. The next challenge was finding ball head pins to represent all the planets within our solar system. Sorry to Pluto but there was no room left.

Perfect to add the wow factor to your Victorian and/or Steampunk costume but versatile (and symbolic) enough to be worn with contemporary fashion. It's on a very long (Gatsby length) chain so it sits low on the body. This will be a great length so it's easier to show friends and family without getting yanked or strangled.

Components: Bought filigree textured highed ball locket Black resin 1/2 ball Assorted ball pins Thin hollow pipes Screw Vintage gears Brass washer wing Brass tone rolo chain Assorted rings Lobster claw clasp

Build time: 7 hours

The pendant is just under 1 inches (2.4cm) wide and 2 inches (4cm) long including two large hanging links. The chain is brass gold tone rollo link, 36 inches long with a copper tone lobster claw clasp. It is designed to be worn low but can be altered if required.

Celestial Globe

This one has been really tough to crack.  I've seen glass "planet" pendants but they never looked accurate to me.  I wanted to combine the magic of our solar system - our sun and planetary neighbours, suspended in resin, on a pocket watch mainspring and gear - like a magic, miniature, mechanical orrery. There are many failures sitting on my desk.  Resin is a hard mistress.  You can do everything right but it can still go wrong, very wrong.  So to finally have a piece that I'm happy with is a relief.  So it may not look very complex but, trust me, the process was very complex with problem after problem to solve.  To achieve it required using two different kinds of resin and laying all the tiny elements.  The planets had to be accurate terms of position/order, size and colour.  Everything is contained in a glass globe sealed with a brass base and topped with a hanging loop.  The planets are all on the same level - midline of the sun.