History is Pretty Neat.

A while back, the Smithsonian Institute decided that in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Hope Diamond's donation, they'd do something special.  They decided to reset the diamond temporarily in a new setting, and, while the setting was being constructed, to display the diamond without a setting entirely.  They actually let visitors to the museum's website vote on which of three designs they would like to see.  In addition, they opened up a contest for people to design their own interpretations of how the Hope Diamond should be set.  The top five designs will be displayed on the Smithsonian's website, and the designers will receive two hundred dollar American Express gift cards.

The deadline was midnight last night.

I'd been meaning to enter for months, to get a design down and start working.  Unfortunately, I've had other deadlines, and I'm never one for working too far in advance.  So I was still working on it yesterday.  And working, and working.  Finally, I realized that there was literally no way to finish painting and scan it before midnight.

So, in order to finish it on time, I scanned it in and finished coloring it in Photoshop, which worked.  I finished a little after 11:30 last night, saved the file, and submitted it.  Assuming computer gremlins didn't eat the submission,  I'm in the running!

What with the deadline and my less than expert Photoshop skills, the design lacks something of my usual meticulousness, but it's not bad.  I intend to go back and finished the actual rendering in the upcoming weeks, after I take care of a few things that actually have deadlines.  Until then, here's the Photoshop finished version.  (When I get the rendered version finished, I'll repost this one next to it so you can compare and comment.)



Being the perfectionist that I am, I wasn't satisfied to print out a photo of the Hope Diamond and then design around it, as the website suggested.  So I spent an afternoon (a few weeks ago, when I wasn't so pressed for time) and hunted down a line drawing of the facets.  It was an education!  For example, I'm now angry that the Hope Diamond was ever recut from the French Blue.  (Well, very likely recut from the French Blue, anyway.)  I mean honestly.  On the other hand, I understand that we recut stolen jewels.  That's just how it's done, or people take their stuff back, but that's a crime against the previous cutter, and the gorgeous cut.  (And, well, a crime anyway, actually.)

I have also been working on some new pieces in three dimensions!  Last week I learned to felt, thanks to the internet and a very lovely gift of wool and tools from my dear mother.  (A very big thank you to the lady she bought them from too, for making sure she brought back everything I needed!)  I can't believe how much I'm enjoying felting, but it's pretty amazing.  I started out just practicing, but figured it'd work best if I had some sort of a goal, so I made these bracelets.  I might actually keep working on one of them, and I've started a necklace as well, but for now, here are some pictures!