Interviews with Dandan Wang

The work "Rebirth" is inspired by the whale fall. Whale carcasses can support the entire marine life system. Born in the sea, hidden in the sea, dedicated, light up all things. The design style combines organic ecology and natural elements to explore the blending boundary between nature and future organic ecology. The main design element is extracted from the shape of the whale in the process of sinking to the seabed, which echoes with the bright flowers, reflecting the power of rebirth.

The project began by looking for a piece of jewelry that can show vitality and highly interact with the wearer. Whale fall first became the subject of research, and after several model experiments and iterations, a whale-shaped handpiece was finally presented. In addition, Considering the comfort of wearing, the connection buckle and the fixed part of the jewelry were carefully considered and studied.

Because this piece of jewelry is more inclined to convey artistic works and design concepts, I want to design a series centering on the theme of rebirth in the future design plan, including necklaces, rings, earrings, etc. It will be more suitable for People's Daily wear and more commercial.

It takes about a month from the beginning of inspiration to the maturity of the whole design concept.

On the one hand, I want to participate in the competition. On the other hand, I happen to have an inspiration I like very much and want to turn it into a real product.

My friend is a 3D designer, and she helped me a lot with modeling techniques.

I think art lovers, collectors, and fashionistas might like this work.

The reason why the work is named Rebirth is a symbol and respect for the whale fall that inspired the work, symbolizing the splendor and sacrifice of the whale's entire life.

iPad Procreate, Nomad, Rhino, KeyShot.

CAD drawing is very convenient and efficient. The tool I use most often is Procreate, which can save a lot of time and is very efficient and flexible. 3D modeling and rendering tools also perform well in terms of visual representation and perspective.

The most challenging part is how to combine the hollow structure with the whale shape, and through multiple model experiments to match its wearability.

In fact, I have been registering and following the A’ Design Award & Competition for a long time, maybe for various reasons I have not had time to prepare my work, but I often receive official emails reminding me of the submission deadline. I think participating in international competitions can also improve my design ability, so I decided to give it a try this time, but I didn't expect to win the prize the first time I participated. I was very surprised and excited. I am very happy that my design work has been recognized by international judges and seen by more people.

I graduated from the University of New South Wales, majoring in jewelry and Graphic Design. I have studied, worked, and lived in Sydney for more than 6 years. Now I live and work in Shanghai, China. I chose jewelry design as my career because when I first arrived in Sydney, once I was at home looking through the guidebook I brought back from Sydney Airport, I was suddenly attracted by an Opal ring, and a sense of happiness came up. At that time, I was thinking why not become a jewelry designer, and it turned out to be a great decision.

I have loved drawing since I was a child and found that nothing could make me so focused and enjoyable that I would even forget to eat or sleep. So my dream was to be an artist or a designer from then on. However, the process of pursuing my dream was not smooth sailing. I met many difficulties and made a lot of effort, but I never gave up. I believe that there is always something to be gained by paying for nothing in return, and the results will not disappoint those who have been working hard for their dreams.

To be honest, becoming a designer has been my dream since childhood, but I was once forced to give up studying design, but fortunately, I persisted. I admire those people who persist in their dreams and never give up.

As a jewelry designer, I'm more focused on contemporary jewelry, exploring the boundaries between art jewelry and fashion jewelry regarding wearability and durability.

Never give up.

If I have time, I would like to design a ring for my mother, because my mother has provided me with great spiritual support on my way to becoming a designer, because when everyone is against my study of design, only my mother has always supported and encouraged me to stick to my dream. When I was very young I vaguely remember my mother always wearing a ring with a blue stone, but that was a long time ago. So I want to design a ring for her and thank her for all she did for me.

If there is a chance, I want to do a project for a children's charity, for those children who have dreams but for various reasons, these dreams are difficult to realize. I want to make some jewelry pieces together with these children and encourage them not to give up their dreams easily. And I also want to encourage all girls to believe that they deserve all happiness and beauty. This is also the original intention of my decision to do jewelry design, I believe jewelry can bring people happiness and confidence.

I love Zaha Hadid's architectural design. Its ultra-modern futuristic exterior, smooth internal line construction, and unique spatial structure design elements are breathtaking. Her design also gives me some inspiration, especially some futuristic structural shapes and smooth line elements.

Cindy Chao is one of my favorite jewelry masters, especially her masterpiece butterfly series, which is amazing, both in terms of craftsmanship and aesthetics.

So far, I think my best design work is ‘Rebirth’, because whales are one of my favorite design elements. This jewelry work is inspired by the whale fall, and I spent a lot of effort on the shape and wearing way. Of course, I also look forward to the next better work.

I hadn't thought of this question, because I know I will be a designer

Design to me is a reflection of the designer's ideological values. The designer's mission is to make the world a better place, make people's lives more convenient and efficient, and bring more emotional value to people.

Absolutely my mother.

When I was very young, I found that I liked drawing very much, and I got good grades in art classes. The most important thing is that I can keep a high concentration while drawing. I find that I am talented in art and I love doing it. And as I grew older, this hobby and talent did not disappear. From then on, I decided to do what I like for my future career.

I have loved drawing since I was a child and found that nothing could make me so focused and enjoyable that I would even forget to eat or sleep. So my dream was to be an artist or a designer from then on. However, the process of pursuing my dream was not smooth sailing. I met many difficulties and made a lot of effort, but I never gave up. I believe that there is always something to be gained by paying for nothing in return, and the results will not disappoint those who have been working hard for their dreams.

I am currently preparing my jewelry brand, which is mainly positioned in art fashion jewelry. The brand’s core concept is to enjoy the beautiful moment of your heart. At the same time, I am also looking for suitable business partners, especially in marketing and PR, as I hope to have more time and energy for design and creation.

For me, design is the reflection of a designer's ideological values. The designer's mission is to make the world a better place, make people's lives more convenient and efficient, and bring more sentimental value to people.

As a jewelry designer, my favorite part of the design is the process of inspiration collection and creation. I often draw some inspiration from nature, and a beautiful melody will also give me a lot of impulses to create. Sometimes, the perception of external things, such as buildings, surrounding colors, falling raindrops, and new things encountered in the journey, always enables me to capture some picture sense and design elements.

I love Zaha Hadid's architectural design. Its ultra-modern futuristic exterior, smooth internal line construction, and unique spatial structure design elements are breathtaking. Her design also gives me some inspiration, especially some futuristic structural shapes and smooth line elements.

The first jewelry collection I designed for the company was called Camellia Bear, and the main elements were a pink camellia flower and a white bear. It was also my first market-oriented work. I was very happy and excited, and learned a lot of valuable knowledge and working experience during the process from the initial idea to the final product.

I'm usually more creative when I'm at exhibitions and before bed because these times allow me to think and focus.

I like futuristic, organic, natural, streamlined design elements. I try to explore the wearability and durability of new jewelry materials, and the difference from precious metal materials in terms of emotional value and emotional resonance to the wearer.

In the process of my design, sometimes my emotions are complicated. Because good ideas don't happen all the time. Sometimes there is no good idea for a while, and I feel very depressed at that time, but I will adjust my mind in time to do something unrelated to design to relax my brain, such as doing some outdoor sports or having afternoon tea with friends. You'll find that you'll be more inspired. Connecting with other people and getting outside to feel nature and the traffic is a great way to get inspiration.

I felt very excited and accomplished that all the hard work was worth it.

I believe that the birth of an idea only needs 0.018 seconds between a thought, but to transform this idea perfectly into a product requires the designer's efforts day after day and perseverance in pushing down and starting again.

I think the important parts are visual appeal, creativity, craftsmanship, and the value it creates.

I think for me one of the positives of being a designer is the flexibility of working hours and locations. Sometimes working in a coffee shop may help me find more inspiration. Being a designer makes me full of enthusiasm for life and keeps me curious about new things and the ability to try. For me, the negative part maybe is going to bed late, because sometimes I try to complete a project without interruption till late, and I usually have inspiration at night.

I think people who are stylish, confident, independent, and interested in art will be my clients. I would not like to define my target client group by age, because I think people of different ages have different charms, but their sense is hard to change. I hope people can be brave to be themselves.

I am honored that my jewelry design work ‘Rebirth’ won A Design Award, which is a great encouragement for my career. I am currently preparing my brand, and I will continue to design several series in the next step, and I am looking forward to your attention and liking of my subsequent works.

At the moment I am an independent designer, but I also hope to have a team in the near future.

People can contact me through this email address: serena_w517@163.com