a few things

With midterms over it has been a whirlwind of activity.  I have not yet had the time to decompress but everything has to keep moving forward. I am demoing sculptris in my CAD/CAM II class. This will be our soft intro to 3D scanning and Zbrush. I am thrilled to get to teach what I actually want to teach with the tools I need to teach them. The sophomores did a vinyl cut wearable using illustrator and the vinyl cutter! They kind of knocked it out of the park. 

On another note I threw a ASIGA print under the microscope. The layering is nuts. This was at .5mm Z layer (the lowest/coarsest resolution).  The ASIGAs will print at .01mm which is incredibly fine but of coarse takes forever.  I have been printing all of my students stuff so there has been almost no down time with the printers.  

I GOT A MICROSCOPE. The nature lab at RISD hooked me up with an older microscope that they were decommissioning. I bought an articulating arm on amazon and boom now I have a microscope at the bench.  I have put most of my stone setting on pause to to focus on other things but I promise I will do thorough review later. 

The sophomores are making H-pattern rings which is exciting. We all practiced making patterns in illustrator.  Of course I had to take it a step further and make a laser cut stencil to trace the patterns on the metal.  I might have to sell these things! 

I have a big show coming up in July.  I am working on larger 3D printed neckpieces and bracelets loosely based on how self referential contemporary jewelry can be and how torn I am between the bench and the computer (more on that later).  I started modeling a cable chain necklace which will be printed in Nylon and have a metal component. For now I am testing the smaller parts in resin using the ASIGAs.  

I have to amp things up a bit.  On top of the large neckpieces I have to make five enameled brooches for ZOOM.  I am also working on a cuff version of my silver bangle (renders below).  I have not quite figured out if it should be open or shut on the end.  

After spying a book in Boris's studio I ended up ordering it! Modell-Lehrgang Fur Goldschmiede  It is a german goldsmithing course workbook.  It is not in English but it is full of amazing illustrations and handouts.  I started recording some of the more interesting pages. 

I think that is enough for now. 

Don't forget to follow me on instagram.   https://www.instagram.com/arhash/

 So many things to do!!!