Tokyo Handmade Marche Preparation Part 2: Prototyping New Works <White Clover>

Hello.
I am YOMI, a clay accessory artist at atelier Filmerge.

Last time, I posted an article about 'tables' in preparation for exhibiting at Tokyo Handmade Marche Spring 2025.

I have already purchased the table I introduced there on Amazon.
I will introduce it in another article at a later date.

Quietly working on prototypes for new items

Now, continuing from the 'cherry blossoms' I will be exhibiting at Tokyo Handmade Marche, I am currently prototyping clay flower accessories for spring (April).
This is what I have been practicing recently.

White cloverIt is a wild plant that grows relatively everywhere, and I imagine some of you might have made flower crowns with it when you were children.

The fresh green and the white pom-pom-like flowers are lovely, and that is what inspired me to create them, thinking they would be perfect for April.

How to make them

For the leaves, I use the same method as the cherry blossoms from last time, cutting out three leaves from a single block of clay and shaping them. I think this method requires less effort and increases strength compared to making each leaf individually and joining them together.

For the flowers, I wrap light green clay with white (translucent) clay, cut it into small pieces with fine scissors, and recreate the gradation from light green to white.

How much detail should I put in?

The shape of the flowers and the shading of the colors.
I am still a bit worried about how much of the leaf patterns and shapes I should reproduce.

For me, I am not looking to pursue realistic clay flower modeling. I want to incorporate just the right amount of stylization into my work so that when worn as an accessory, it feels 'nice' or is 'easy to match with clothes'.

How much detail to include, and how much to stylize.
I think that is where my individuality and values as an artist come into play, so I want to try making various things and find the best balance.

Cutting out the flowers is a very delicate and nerve-wracking task, but perhaps it is similar to the feeling of making Japanese 'nerikiri' sweets.
I ended up getting absorbed in it and mass-producing them. Haha.

Once they are shaped and dried, I will apply varnish, think about the layout and combination of leaves and flowers, and turn them into accessories.

Like the cherry blossom accessories, I think the main items will be earrings/pierced earrings. They would also look cute as brooches, necklaces, or barrettes...

If you have any ideas for 'accessories you would like to have,' I would be happy if you could let me know in the comments.

I will introduce them here again once they are finished.