You may recall that earlier this year I launched a Limited Run of retro stud earrings based on the iconic Rubik’s Cube. They were limited for two reasons 1) I wasn't sure how popular they would be and 2) they were an absolute BEAST to make! I made 10 pairs initially, crying and swearing through each one, and vowed I wouldn’t make any more…until this week when I was rooting around in the studio and found enough blanks to make 4 more pairs. Actually they were very popular and I had no trouble selling the original 10, so I was happy to make a few more pairs for those who missed out. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to photograph the process, which I neglected to do the first time around (because of all the weeping).

Step One - Mirroring Pairs

I always consider symmetry when designing a new piece, both the symmetry of each stud and across a pair. Some designs suit symmetry, as with my Art Deco Fandango studs which were based on architectural details. However, I wanted the puzzle cubes to look relatively realistic, so I drew them in perspective AND mirrored each pair, meaning that when they’re being worn each stud doesn’t face the same way. It’s a small detail that is often overlooked, but choosing not to mirror earrings can create a ‘jarring’ effect. Before I started painting I lined up the pieces into pairs to ensure I painted them in the right way.

Step Two - Careful Painting

Each stud is etched i.e. the design is laser cut into the surface. This is important because acrylic is inherently smooth, meaning that paint won’t stick to it. By etching the surface I create a rougher area that paint will stick to. But which paints do I use? It’s no secret that laser cut artists use acrylic paint pens, such as these ones by Posca. They have a high pigment content and they’re easy to handle. Paint pens can be pricey, but they come in a wide choice of colours and with nib widths ranging from liner to marker size.

I started by laying down a base of white paint across the entire stud. I didn’t do this for the first batch of studs, but trying it for the second batch resulted in better coverage overall.

Next, I chose a range of colours that most closely matched the original Rubik’s design and started painting in the coloured squares. This sounds easier than it was, and this is usually when the crying starts! You can see in the photos that the lines between the squares are very thin so ‘bleeding’ of paint between the sections is a risk. Also, a thin nib is needed to get into the tight corners, but that’s not always possible so I use cocktail sticks to help nudge the paint around. [Excuse me while I have a short rant about paint pens…all the colours aren’t available in each nib size, so I was stuck with using some chunky nibs to get the exact colours I wanted. Arrrgh!].

Step Three - Peeling

Protective paper is generally applied to acrylic and wood before it is cut to reduce the risk of scorching the finished piece. This of course means that each piece has to be peeled, and when they’re tiny that job is very fiddly. With the paint now dry I peeled the paper off each of the studs. This is the point at which I check that each square is properly painted and any errors can be clearly seen. I had to do a few careful touch-ups and then they were ready for finishing.

Step Four - Finishing

The final stage turns flat pieces into wearable earrings with the addition of ear posts. I tend to use stainless steel as it is less reactive for people with sensitive skin. As acrylic cannot be heated (or it will melt), soldering a metal ear post to the reverse is impossible: I use glue instead. There are some very good ready-made glues available, but I tend to use a two-part epoxy resin glue such as Araldite. The glue is dry to touch within five minutes and I leave it over night to dry thoroughly.

When the studs are securely attached I spray the surfaces with a clear lacquer and leave them to dry over night again. Finishing pieces with a lacquer isn’t absolutely necessary, and I don’t do this for small studs that only have a little etching, but it is useful for larger areas of paint and anything that is likely to come into contact with raindrops such as a lapel pin. I like to do my spraying in the garden because the lacquer is very strong smelling, but I always bring the sprayed pieces back inside to dry (I once left a batch outside and came back to a gnat graveyard).

The problems I faced with this design all stem from how small they are - each of the coloured squares is just too tiny for easy painting. Why not make them bigger, then? Well I did, but not for use as earrings. Really large studs are difficult to wear as anyone with small ear lobes will agree, and I couldn’t find an attractive way to turn them into dangly earrings. Instead, I enlarged the design and made them into lapel pins for wearing on jackets and jumpers. I’m happy with this outcome because in the form of a more inclusive lapel pin the Puzzle Cubes can now be enjoyed by more people!