Maria Eife’s 3D Printed and Lasercut Jewelry #WearableWednesday

CageBangle

I remember falling in love with Maria Eife’s work as soon as I saw it. That’s saying a lot since I’m not a jewelry diva. It reminds me a lot of the furniture I love– interesting lines with amazing textures. I decided it was time to catch up on her work and learn a little bit more about her process, starting with her Cage Bracelet.

This bracelet immediately reminds me of a basket, yet notice it has an inner and outer chamber. It’s so mysterious and you know it must involve 3D printing when you see its intricacy. I asked her about its beginnings.

The design originated with the idea to make a spherical. I wanted to make something geometric and precise, yet asymmetrical and random at the same time. The spines that make up the sphere are placed at random, but the overall form is precisely calculated. Basket weave was not my intention, but I like that some people connect to it that way.

When asked about her favorite work, Maria said she is definitely favoring the Cage Ring and is wearing it in gold every day.

CageRing

CageHoops
I was curious why someone coming from a jewelry and metals degree would have an interest in computer driven art.

3D printing and laser cutting allows me to create work that would be (almost) impossible otherwise. I can do complex, interlocking parts and intersecting forms.  I also really enjoy the process, building in CAD, drawing in Illustrator and the exciting moment I can hold the REAL object and then wear it.

Apparently there is more 3D work coming and I feel it really combines Maria’s more serious cage design with her playful dash of color. The chain is 3D printed in combination with natural stone beads. This is an example of her lapis piece.

Lapis

Binary
I know the piece I was first attracted to was her Binary1 laser cut necklace. With its cute take on numbers and fuzzy felt, it just seemed like the perfect necklace to represent my love of art and technology. Of course the question is how many other people enjoy this sort of jewelry? Aren’t people more traditional and metal loving in their choice of accessories?

I have done quite a few “traditional” craft shows and most people are fascinated. People respond to the design, the colors, the technology or all of the above. There are a wide range of women with a wide range of styles who wear my jewelry. It is bold, but it is still very wearable. There are, of course, people who prefer more traditional styles, and perhaps that is most people, but there is something for everyone. Those people will zoom past my booth in search of something tamer. Or something with more diamonds. 

I’m really glad that Maria stays true to her art, and I’m sure as more people discover the modern tools involved, she will generate even more interest. I had an interesting discussion in a design store recently with an employee that feared new technology. However, as soon as I mentioned 3D printing, she agreed that it was creating new opportunities for artists. Embrace the technology and get hooked on 3D printing. It may seem confusing with so many printers out there, but luckily we have a Desktop 3D Printers Buying Guide to help you out. Ideas may not be new, but sometimes a new treatment can make all the difference.

Print Guide


Flora breadboard is Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Join Adafruit on Mastodon

Adafruit is on Mastodon, join in! adafruit.com/mastodon

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 36,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


Maker Business — “Packaging” chips in the US

Wearables — Enclosures help fight body humidity in costumes

Electronics — Transformers: More than meets the eye!

Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Silicon Labs introduces CircuitPython support, and more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

Adafruit IoT Monthly — Guardian Robot, Weather-wise Umbrella Stand, and more!

Microsoft MakeCode — MakeCode Thank You!

EYE on NPI — Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — #NewProds 7/19/23 Feat. Adafruit Matrix Portal S3 CircuitPython Powered Internet Display!

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !



No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.