This morning I was mailing out the gifts for the 2011 annual Birthday contest winners, and I realized that I hadn't yet announced the third contestant who had guessed one of my current projects! Well, here we go then: The last prize winner of the 2011 contest is Jon Songserm, who submitted a concept design for a street lamp crown (sketch here), which was very close to my Chandelier crown doll. Thank you again for everybody's entries. All gifts but the grand prize are in the mail. I will be posting pictures of them for all to see in a couple of days, but in the mean time here is how I made the Chandelier Crown.
Original concept sketches were made about 2 years ago and put aside for while. No technical consideration or calculations are made: the project is pure idea at this stage.
December 2010 Chandelier idea is pulled off the shelf and wheels are set in motion for production. Measurements are taken, additional sketches are made, maximum weight and height are worked out, structure is determined and various needed components are identified and designed. The goal is to create the lightest possible piece, without compromising structural integrity or aesthetic. A detailed technical drawing of the most complex part is made and sent off for carving by a computerized mill, as its small scale prohibits successful hand-carving.
Seven weeks later a wax prototype is carved out and a rubber mold is made for multiple wax injections.
After all the parts are cast in bronze and silver, they are cleaned, assembled by hand and soldered into a structure.
The piece is then gold plated with 24k gold and the crystal assembly begins using a nylon cable.
The details of the design are worked out during assembly.
Chandelier in the early stage of crystal assembly. The weight increases with each added crystal strand, and as the crown turns more beautiful, it also grows into an almost unbearably heavy monstrosity. In the end 1,800 Swarowsky crystals were used in the final composition.
Finished chandelier crown for the project titled "The Weight of Light
"'The Weight of Light' happens to be 178 grams in this case.