Work Stages (Design Inspiration 2)

It must be partly due to my grandfather's influence as he was a great fan of the grace and beauty of swans and also because of the obvious fact that our surname is Swanepoel (loosely translated to Pool of Swans), that I too am very inspired by swans in general. You will find me always doodling, whenever I am sitting in conversation or when needing to relax with a sketch pad. Inevitably the first things flowing from my pen will be either a crown, or wings or swans. 

My most recent swan "doodle", done in Oct 2013, involves the idea of combining a swan with the mythical concept of the phoenix. This will make a great tattoo or perhaps could become a neckpiece.

Done around 2003, this copy of a rough ballpoint pen sketch was inspired as part of my comic book project. 

This A2 pencil sketch was done in  2012 as a full drawing meant to tell the story of how our actions, whether graceful or not, have a ripple effect that can be far reaching into our lives. 

Different swan inspirations of which the top is a pre-sketch for a digital painting, the middle is an idea for a personal monogram that includes the letters "D" and "S" and the bottom one could end up being a jewellery piece like a brooch. 

My personal monogram/logo design has the obvious swan as the main theme coupled with the letters "S" and "D". It also includes a Royal Crown and lightning bolts, both symbols very dear to my heart.

The swan as one of my greatest inspirations had no other option other than to be included in what I, as a jeweller consider to be the apex jewellery piece, the tiara.  

These ideas are meant to represent hairpin tops. the swan and eagle motifs are obvious.  

One of many swan tiara ideas. 

This is one of my favourite tiara concepts....

...it can be seen here in the original drawing where it first manifested. 

More....

...and more.

This was one of the most comprehensive designs I ever embarked on and even included full cost of manufacture as can be seen in the photo. It was completed somewhere in 2003 but never manufactured as a piece of jewellery. 

This is my latest design for a swan tiara and is almost complete as an idea. I love the idea of a swan taking off into flight from a body of water. It is often forgotten that swans can fly. I like expressing the hidden aspects of swans, not just their obvious graces. 

I would really like the opportunity to make one of these tiaras one day, cost permitting.