Anodised Aluminium - Why is this my metal of choice?

The Blank Canvas

It’s all about colour and the freedom to create pattern and use my own colour palette. For me Anodised Aluminium is a blank canvas.

- Ready to absorb decoration, colour and texture, whatever I have in mind.

- Ready to form into highly dimensional shapes.

- Ready for a contemporary approach to design

A Contrary metal

Working in Anodised Aluminium is incredibly challenging. It's properties are very different to precious metals, over the years I have adapted my Silversmithing skills and developed a particular style of working in order to use it successfully.

Creating the colours

I hand paint a small smaple of pre-anodised aluminium sheet, fix the colour permanently then consider if texture will enhance the original slightly polished surface or not.

The Colour Selection process

Choosing the right pattern/colour to use for a design is time consuming and it can be a more challenging part of the making process, than the fabrication. This is because I have to consider;

- Will a colour combination or pattern may be distraction or be complimentary in the three dimension.

- How will light or movement affect the colours

When I have an idea for a jewellery design I'll loosely form the dimension and style in my mind then look through all the painted samples of Aluminium sheet I have created. Over many years I have accumulated many one-off jand painted samples of metals waiting to be selected for just the right project, and I also hand paint alumnium specifically for individual projects too. No finished painted piece is too small to keep just in case it has a special place on the next project

Contemporary touches

I like to add a precious and contemporary metal components to my jewellery too, if appropriate to the design.

The 'Autumn" long necklace shown above has been made of a combintion of Anodised Aluminium and Sterling Silver snake chain.

• Autumn Necklace is available by comission - you choose the colour pallette.

Price £125.00 / Free postage UK only (Paypal)

Delivery time 10 days.

Email me to order: dawnstorm@blueyonder.co.uk

Author: Dawn Meaden-Johnson