Final Reflections: On Hollowforming

And so it is at last that we come to the end, with one final project: the hollowform.  It could be anything, so long as it was wearable.  It was also to be based off of a historical art period or artist.  Whilst at first I thought of fabricating a chased and repousse brooch in the style of what Roman centurions wore on their cloaks, I settled in the end on a simple pendant, with a simple shape and a simple bale.  Romans are famred for their architecture, and so this simple pendant was based off of a column; I used copper because I like the way it looks like sandstone when heated right.

As for the bale and the stone set in the top, I wanted a bale that made sense as something that would be put on top of a pillar.  The Romans often put statues on the tops of pillars, but such a thing would require casting, and did not readily solve the problem.  In the end my bale came to be a shape inspired by the more intricate capitals, which I came across as I went along.  The stone reminded me of marble, and that is why I chose it.

The column itself was made in a process very similar to a very long band ring, and then chased to add the detailing.

Overall, the piece needed some cleanup, and this cleanup is still an option.  There were gaps that did not fill, and the ability to fix them is passed.  It was a hollowform piece; it solved the requirements of a project, but I would not say much more than that.

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