This week our designer spotlight highlights the one and only Lex Camille Sova, designer behind lexadazy. Lex creates some super unique, funky designs that are somehow both great statement pieces or everyday wear. Learn more about her inspriation and processes below!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? Where are you located?
I am a designer currently located in Kansas City, Missouri. I graduated in 2012 from the University of Kansas with a BFA in metalsmithing and jewelry design.
What’s the story behind your designs? What inspires you?
In college, I admired precious stones with intriguing coloration and growth structures, and felt constrained by the high cost to acquire them. I realized that I could fabricate my own “gems” by means of silicone mold making and plastic casting techniques. I loved the results, but when I got an allergic reaction while casting plastics, my digitally rendered growth collection was born. My aesthetic is best described as confectionary (descendent of my childhood adoration for panoramic sugar eggs) and aggressive (my adolescence immersed in local punk culture, particularly inspired by adorning with bullets, heavy chains, padlocks, d and o-rings.) This juxtaposition results in wearables that look tasty enough to eat but are far too jagged to swallow.
How did you learn how to design in 3D?
In the final two years of my studies at KU, I was encouraged to take a computer jewelry design course taught by Phil Voetsch of Jewelry By Design in Prairie Village, Kansas. I continued refining my modeling skills independently using Rhinoceros 5.
What brought you to 3D printing with Shapeways?
Following graduation, the reality of losing access to an amazing metalsmithing facility set in, and I realized 3D design/printing would allow me to continue designing and producing without access to a studio. My first Shapeways haul lit a fire under my butt! Being able to focus on the design phase with modeling rather than pouring the majority of my time and energy into sheet/solder fabrication made it possible for me to design in higher volume. I do look forward to re-visiting traditional metalsmithing techniques (especially enameling and creative stone-setting) now that I have a clear vision of how printing technologies can streamline my process.
How do you promote your work?
Social media (Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) is my preferred method of promotion. I do enjoy participating in local pop-up’s, as it gives people the opportunity to physically interact with my work, and I’m able to observe reactions and experiment with presentation. The web, however, presents the challenge of appealing to a potentially infinite audience. I just launched a YouTube series showcasing the development of my collection and the interactions I have with home printers and scanners, as a way to address questions about my process and capture the evolution of my work as I expand my collection.
Who are your favorite designers or artists? Who in the Shapeways community has served as an inspiration to you?
To name a few- Threeform, Chrystif, Rob Elford, Aminimal, HEIDILEE. What I love about all of these designers is that their styles are worlds apart, but they have all figured ingenious ways to employ printing technologies in their creative processes without sacrificing any detail or personality. It is really satisfying to see fellow 3D designers pushing the limits of what can be accomplished with 3D modeling and printing.
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS SHOP:
- Amazing photography, jewelry shown in context
- Fun, unique items
- Nice variation of default photos
- Sections for easy shopping
Thank you, Lex! We are such big fans of your shop and loved hearing about where your ideas came from and what kind of inspirations have influenced your design process throughout the years. Keep up the amazing work! Don’t forget to check out her shop and follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as Lex’s portfolio website and other online shop. To be featured, email aimee @ shapeways.com.