Final Work Showcase 10 (Yellow and White Gold Crown Ring)

A ring fit for any princess.

Pave set black and white cubic zirconias are accentuated by fine engraving and millgraine to create a truly royal effect in this ring designed to look like a crown. 

The green stone is also an synthetic cubic zirconia but is perfectly complimented by the yellow and white gold. 

Final Work Showcase 9 (Platinum Engagement Ring)

Yet a another beautiful variation of the classic Engagement Ring in a classic white metal known as platinum.

Graduated diamonds elegantly recede in claw settings from a central stone of 0.55 cts, Platinum allows for very dainty jewellery as the metal retains its strength even if it is worked to very thin thicknesses.

Work Stages (Progression of Digital Art Painting)

I love tiaras and drawing or even better making them, is my passion. Sometimes the inspiration takes me and before I know it I have doodled a concept design for a tiara. If the design inspires me further I may continue the picture but digital methods often lend themselves to experimentation.

This swan inspired tiara was begun in pencil and then taken further in Microsoft Paint (with a mouse). 

I printed out my previous digital doodle, drew on it some more with pen and then re-imported it into Microsoft Paint and continued further also adding more facial features. 

The earring and necklace design was then also roughly sketched on paper with the intent on copy and pasting it onto the developing art work. 

With the earring added the rest of the detail and facial features were to be taken to the max in digital only. 

Progression in the face and stones. 

This was the final result with the intent of adding a different necklace than the original design idea. 

The alternate necklace design ended up being a choker and with the addition of a fur detail finished my inspired painting in Microsoft Paint. 

Perhaps the original necklace concept may become part of a new digital painting....

Final Work Showcase 8 (Silver Eagle Cuff Links)

A set of Cuff Links made from solid silver to represent stylized eagles. These were made end of 2013 for a matric dance. The eagle and its 9 pinion feathers were a pre-requisite of the client and thus purposely included. 

The rough finish and oxidizing was intended to tone down the " bling factor" and imbue the cuff links with a more down toned sophistication.

The final product was much appreciated by the client.

Final Work Showcase 7 (9ct White Gold Engagement Ring)

Hand crafted in 9ct White Gold and set as per client request entirely with Cubic Zirconia. It seems that the more thrifty clients these days know how to prioritize cash flow as the synthetic Cubic Zirconias may very easily be swapped for diamonds at a later stage.

Geometric design and classic symmetry combine to form the very straight forward yet extremely "bling"  engagement ring. It was made end of 2013. 

Final Work Showcase 6 (Spanish Dancer Digital Painting)

I think my full length Spanish Dancer is finally finished. It is made to be printed out on A1 without pixilation. 

This post serves as written permission for anyone to download or copying of this image but only if credit is given to the artist and creator of this blog for originating this work. Permission is given for download and copying but not for sale of those copies. 

Final Work Showcase 5 (Evenstar Pendant)

Hand crafted from solid silver and set with cubic zirconias, this pendant, inspired by the famous one from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy may also be made in white gold and diamonds. The quality and beauty surpasses any of the mass produced versions for sale on the internet (see for yourself). 

The pendant is approx 4cm in length and weighs about 13grams. 

For more info email the jeweller at danielgswan@hotmail.com. 

Final Work Showcase 4 (Barbie Doll Tiaras)

I have always loved crowns and tiaras. This passion started die to two major events that occurred in the 6th year of my life. I won a competition in my pre-school and part of the prize was to be crowned king of the pre-school. The cardboard crown became one of my favourite toys. This mind altering event was followed a few months later by the televised wedding of Princess Diana. Her scintillating tiara flashed so brightly that the sparkling seared itself into my mind forever. I had to be involved with that sparkle all my life, so I became a jeweller. Sadly, one hardly ever get the opportunity to make crowns and tiaras. In order to satiate my desire for surrounding myself with sparkly head jewellery, I began making them (from costume jewellery) for Barbie Dolls. It was actually this hobby, beginning at about age 12, that lead me to became a jeweller by trade. 

For today's post I thought I'd post on the only two "real" Barbie tiaras I've ever made. These two 1\6th scale (Barbie Doll Scale) tiaras are made from solid sterling silver and set with synthetic stones. I wish I had the ready cash to have made them in white gold and diamonds. 

Silver and Cubic Zirconia Barbie Doll Tiara.

Silver and Synthetic Sapphire and Cubic Zirconia Barbie Doll Tiara.

These tiaras are for sale or others could be designed from scratch. For more info, email me. 

danielgswan@hotmail.com

Final Work Showcase 3 (Orange Sapphire Engagement Ring)

To start 2014 with a bang, I will post one of the most exciting pieces I did end 2013. 

18ct Yellow Gold Engagement Ring set with 22 times 0.015pt Diamonds and a 1.15ct Oval " Padparadshahesque" Sapphire. 

Final Work Showcase 2 (Liz Loubser Exhibition Earrings)

I was invited to take part in this exhibit. I'd like to thank Liz Loubser and her team for this awesome opportunity and exposure. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liz-Loubser-Designer-Jeweller/320522451411103?fref=ts

These were my entry named "Bubbles", after my mom's nickname, for obvious reasons. beads wear strung on copper wire to create the top and bottom components, then cast in solid silver. They were joined by loose hanging ball chain and a pin with butterfly catches added at the back of the top. They hang at approximately 6cm. 

Final Work Showcase 1 (White Gold and Diamond Engagement Ring)

In these posts I will merely feature individual pieces that I think exemplify my talent best. 

9ct White Gold Engagement Ring set with Diamonds. 

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. 

Collection of Work (My Best Work Since 2005)

Here follows a gallery of what I consider to be my best work for the last 8years.

18ct White Gold and Diamond Ring 2013

A3 Pencil Drawing 2007

Silver "Sphere"Ring 2010

Digital Painting 2013

Acrylic Painting 2011

Silver Holy Spirit Ring 2011

9ct White Gold and Diamond Cameo Pendant Brooch 2013

Water Colour, Marker Pen and Ball Point Pen A3 Sketch 2007

Icicle Tiara in 1\6th scale 2010

Silver and Red Cubic, DNA Neckpiece and Earrings 2011

Silver and Garnet Thunder Ring 2007

Flaming Skull Digital Painting in Microsoft Paint 2013

Media (Digital Art 1)

I have recently discovered digital art but only on the level of Microsoft Paint and a very rudimentary exposure to the free online program GIMP. I love digital art and wish I could afford a proper rendering program and a course in utilizing it. One of the aspects of digital art that I really appreciate is that you can upload any of your "real" art or even a doodle and work it further ad infinitum in digital. This allows for even the oldest or most arbitrary scribble to be photographed with your phone and then to be worked into the phenomenal piece it was meant to be. I also appreciate the process as you can save at every pivotal junction leaving a series of artwork as the art develops. Lets see what I mean in visual by looking at some of my digital attempts. 

In my Spanish dance digital project already blogged before I reached several significant juncture of this was one. the picture evolved from a pen and ink sketch into the final artwork that I sold to a paying client. 

This was the final product. 

After the sale I decided that I'd like a full length version. This is its current state and as far as I'm concerned its not finished. this is the wonder of digital. you can keep going and save at any stage, leading to many different artworks.  

I often doodle, especially in ballpoint pen, my favourite medium. Digital allows me to use my phone camera to take these doodles to a much further level. 

This pen drawing was destined to be turned into a digital artwork. 

The digital rendering of the lion done in pen seems more like a real painting now. 

This artwork is one of my favourites. It started as an acrylic painting. I hate acrylics and gave up even though I loved the concept. So my Blackberry camera and MS Paint and GIMP came to the rescue. I loved doing it. 

Digital really is the future, but don't think lack of skill for actual art principles will help you if you can only work the program. You must still be a real artist, digital is just a tool.