Been so long, so long, so loooooong…

..since I’ve done a blog post.

Been busy.  Skull rings.  Class rings.  Guru beads.  Etc.

A book about skull rings.

Another book about Hong Kong.

A short film.

And besides, I actually haven’t had a lot of custom work recently.  Sold a lot of classic models.  A few Jupiters, a few Kings, a mess of Voodoo.  Don’t get me wrong, I dig making classic models too, but how many pics of a classic skull ring can I put on the blog?  I was waiting for something different and man did I get it.

This is my faceless Big Voodoo for artist Marx Myth.  I think I mentioned it before, but Marx is a goddamned genius and he needed something special.  He gave me absolute creative freedom on this so I was able to just GO and do something I really, really dig.

The front faceplate has a brushed metal finish, but the nose, teeth, and carved sides are still high-polish.  Marx has been in the loop during the entire process and highly approves.

In fact, he approves so much he got one for his wife.  A cool dimensional Little Voodoo with a sun motif and AWESOME turquoise eyes.

Quite a pair.  I’m delivering these in person (gives me an excuse to visit Lilly’s Pizza in Raleigh for that fuckin’ goat cheese and sausage pizza of theirs.)

I also got to make a full-custom skull ring for Desmond.  Some of the coolest stones I’ve ever been able to work with.  Desmond picked them out himself and I worked them into the design, which we also collaborated on.

I didn’t blacken this one either.  Desmond wanted it in bright high polish, so that’s what he got.  The stones catch the light and glow at ya like a cat’s eye.

Speaking of cat’s eyes, I’m also still chipping away at my special client’s sugar cat ring.  I’m using citrine stones for the eyes and I’m in the process right now of setting them.  Still a few days away from finishing this one.  That’s a Mystery Cave frame, if you don’t recognize it.

Not done.  I’ve also just finished a full-custom pendant for Benny.  This is a gift for his lady, so I put my back into it and ended up carving one of the better realistic skulls I’ve done.

I’ve talked about this before, but I really, really like this slider pendant style.  If you hang a pendant like this BELOW, the chain, you look like freakin’ Frankie Valli.  If you put the chain THROUGH the pendant like the image above, it’s a very modern look.  Looks sleek on a dude and sexy on a chick.

Oh yeah, and I also finished a big order of guru skull beads for my pal over at the Custom Mala Shop.  I’d feel great about this, but he just ordered 5 more.  Hey, I can’t complain.  Jason’s work is amazing.

Check him out at http://www.custommalashop.com.  The work is superb.  He’s on Facebook too.  You can see some of his work below using my skulls.

I don’t do beads and one of the reasons is that guys like Jason do them freakin’ PERFECTLY.

He’s on Facebook, like me.  Speaking of which…

With all the visits I get on this blog every day, how in the hell do I have so few FACEBOOK likes at https://www.facebook.com/MtMaloneyCustomJewelry

I guess skull-ring clients aren’t social media people….. Still, I have a ton of custom images up there and it’s a great way to get informed on specials and sales, so check it out if you’re into….facebooking and stuff.

I’m still working on some waxes as well.  Below is a floral design I’m working over on a Heidi frame.

Also you can see that I’ve got a zillion little silver skulls ready to be made into a Days of the Dead bracelet.

Same client.  Knows how to treat herself, right?  Hell yeah.

Not done.  Also working on a great new Chinese style Little Voodoo for Kat.  With Jade eyes.

More on this one later as it comes together.

For now, I’m having an old-fashioned and watching Beyond the Black Rainbow again.  More work soon(ish).  Stay tuned.

Glass or wax?

Dee isn’t only a client, she’s also an artist and designer herself.  She’s crafted and  sent me some BADASS glass skull beads.

These little f’kers are so cool- the pics don’t really do them justice.  Dee makes these in her shop.  She hasn’t put together an official online shop yet, but that might be in the future.  Who knows?

Pretty freakin’ cool.

I’ve been working on….yeah, more wax.  I’ve got a batch of little silver fellas coming out soon for a few clients, but most of my time right now has been spent making a cool realistic skull pendant for Benny.  These take a LONG time to put together and Benny’s been very patient.  I even screwed it up, cutting too much wax off the forehead in order to fit the symbol and had to re-build it.  (Thus two colors of wax….)

 

This is designed as one of those slider pendants where the chain runs right through the middle of it.  I’ve done a number of these and I think everyone knows I’m a big fan of this kind of mechanism.  It’s much more modern and less disco than a big roundish pendant hanging BELOW a chain.

Benny and his iron

Got  a cool shot sent back to me from Benny and his Carpe Noctem Big Voodoo.

That’s the thing about people who wear skull rings.  You can look at their eyes and see if it’s affectation or if it’s a true manifestation of their world-view.  This fella and the skull ring are practically one.

Jillian is another example with her kick-ass dog rescue ring.  So is Jim.

Wear ’em with pride.

Carpe Noctem in SILVAH

Okay, so I haven’t been posting as much as I should.  Get’s to a point when you’re either talking about doing it or ACTUALLY doing it and I have to admit I’ve been a little too busy for jawin’.

I did finish up Benny’s ring and I wanted to throw up a few pics.

It’s hard to capture just how badass these Big Voodoos with the full shank script carving look.   No reason in the world why the ring shouldn’t be considered from every angle when you’re coming up with a design, right?  Sure you only see the front when it’s on your finger, but what’s the first thing you do when someone asks about your ring?  You take the F’er off and hand it to them, right?  Why shouldn’t it hold up under scrutiny from different angles.

I hope Benny is happy with this one.  It’s a true piece of wearable sculpture.

Carpe Noctem

I’m working on a Big Voodoo for Benny.

As you can imagine, I do a lot of text carving.   People want all kinds of work carved into the foreheads, the shanks, or the sides of their rings.  Might seem a little boring to you, but I love doing this kind of thing, especially when it means something.

Benny and I have been knocking some ideas around, but we settled on “Carpe Noctem” carved around the shank and “Est. 1980” carved into the inside of the shank.   Benny’s doing it right.   Too many jewelers do tiny little text engravings – almost like they’re trying to hide the text.  They’ll crowd 20 some letters into a tiny little space (and then usually cram THAT into the INSIDE of the fucking thing instead of putting it right out there for everyone to see.)

The great thing about the shape of the Big Voodoo is that the head sits so high, you can easily see the “Est. 1980” carving when the ring is off.   This is the way to do it.  If you care enough about the text to pay for the custom work, make it BIG and BOLD so people can see it.

I’ve also been plugging away on the new Big Voodoo ring.  Not anywhere near ready yet, but stay tuned.