Picture Yourself Creating Metal Clay Jewelry

Citation preview

Picture Yourself Creating Metal Clay Jewelry Tammy Powley Publisher and General Manager, Course Technology PTR: Stacy L. Hiquet Associate Director of Marketing: Sarah Panella Manager of Editorial Services: Heather Talbot

© 2008 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, Web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval systems, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Marketing Manager: Jordan Casey Acquisitions Editor: Megan Belanger Project Editor: Jenny Davidson Technical Reviewer: Robin Faulkner PTR Editorial Services Coordinator: Erin Johnson Interior Layout: Shawn Morningstar Cover Designer: Mike Tanamachi DVD-ROM Producer: Brandon Penticuff

For product information and technology assistance, contact us at Cengage Learning Customer and Sales Support, 1-800-354-9706 For permission to use material from this text or product, submit all requests online at cengage.com/permissions Further permissions questions can be emailed to [email protected]

Indexer: Sherry Massey Proofreader: Tonya Cupp

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008902385 ISBN-13: 978-1-59863-506-5 ISBN-10: 1-59863-506-9 eISBN-10: 1-59863-691-X Course Technology 25 Thomson Place Boston, MA 02210 USA Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions with office locations around the globe, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan. Locate your local office at: international.cengage.com/region Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education, Ltd. For your lifelong learning solutions, visit courseptr.com Visit our corporate website at cengage.com

Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09 08

Dedicated to Teresa Donohoe, who taught the first “real” jewelry class I ever took at the Winter Park Adult Vocational Center in Winter Park, Florida.

Acknowledgments irst, I have to thank my wonderful

F

husband, Michael, for making this book a team effort. He took on the job as official book photographer as well as jewelry coach. Other family members who deserve thanks are my sister and brother-in-law, Tracey and Barry Thompson, who are responsible for helping me create the accompanying DVD. Thanks also to the gang at PMC Supply for the use of numerous high-quality images that are included throughout the text. This was a major help due to the large number of photographs required for such a book.

iv

Then there are the wonderfully talented artists who offered their work for the gallery section and project chapter of this book, thus providing a major boost of inspiration to my readers. Many of these artists are friends of mine who not only provided items for the book but also provided support, both emotional and motivational. Finally, my editors, Megan Belanger and Jenny Davidson, and all the members of the publishing team really came through for me, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with all of them.

Table of Contents Creating Patinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Liver of Sulfur on Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Silver Black on Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Making Holes in Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Using Straws for Holes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Using a Hole-Puncher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Making Clay Snakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Making Clay Bail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Adding Wire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Chapter 6

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings . . . . . . . . . 119 Jewelry Findings Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Ear Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Head Pins and Eye Pins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Bead Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Crimp Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Jump Rings and Split Rings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Clasps and Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Jewelry Connecting and Finishing Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Crimp Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Bead Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Unwrapped Wire Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Wrapped Wire Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Wire Curls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Opening and Closing Jump Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Fabricating Simple Wire Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Hook and Eye Clasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Jump Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Eye Pins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Curly Head Pins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Wrapped Hook Clasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Coil and Hook Clasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Ear Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Chapter 7

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Super Easy Projects for Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Star Attraction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

ix

About the Author

T

ammy Powley is a writer, designer, and teacher. She is the author of numerous jewelry making

books and has been published in various print publications, including Jewelry Crafts Magazine, Bead Step-by-Step, BeadStyle, and Art Jewelry. Since 1998, Tammy has been the Guide to Jewelry Making on About.com. She is a PMC Guild member and has taken metal clay classes from Susan Lewis as well as Jenny Shibona. Tammy has a Ph.D. in Texts and Technology, and as her “day job,” she teaches college English. You can learn more about her published work and other interests at www.tammypowley.com.

v

This page intentionally left blank

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv

Chapter 1

About Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Types of Art Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Types of Precious Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Note on Low-Fire Metal Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Cost of Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Metal Clay Jewelry Design Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Metal Clay for the Jewelry Hobbyist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Going Pro with Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Chapter 2

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Must-Have Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Multi-Purpose Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Handy Dandy Metal Clay Tools and Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Starting with a Starter Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chapter 3

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques. . . . . 41 Important Firing Safety Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Right Firing Method for You: Low-Tech to High-Tech . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Gas Stove Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Butane Torch Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Hot-Pot Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Cone System Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Kiln Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Chapter 4

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Picking the Perfect Spot to Form Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Setting Up the Tools and Equipment for Forming . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Important Safety and Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

vii

Picking the Perfect Spot to Fire Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Setting Up the Materials and Equipment for Firing . . . . . . . . . . 68 Important Safety and Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Work Area Show and Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Everything and the Kitchen Sink to Boot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Have Toolbox Will Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Giving and Getting Inspiration at the Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Real Jeweler’s Bench for Real Jewelry Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 A Studio for the Teacher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 A Glass and Metal Clay Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 A Mess Can Be Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Changing Table Turns into Firing Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 From Cars to Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Chapter 5

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Using Olive Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Rolling Out Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Storing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Cutting Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Carving Dry Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Texturing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Using Stamps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Making and Using Slip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Hydrating Dry Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Appliqué or Layering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Making Molds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Adding Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Paste and Organic Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Smoothing Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Sanding and Filing Dry Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Filing Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Burnishing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Polishing Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Polishing Cloth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Rotary Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Rock Tumblers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Magnetic Polishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

viii

Sunbeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Ruffles and Old Lace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Y-You Are a Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 ID Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Ribbon Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Go Groovy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Quilted Heart Earrings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Tone on Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Guest Artists’ Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Maple Leaf Necklace by Cyndi Lavin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant by Amanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Stained Glass Window Pendants by Shahasp Valentine . . . . . 196 Textured End Caps by Carol A. Babineau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Chapter 8

Metal Clay Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Robin Walter-Bonnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Branch of the Family Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Heart and Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Royalty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 What Is Normal?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Alice Alper-Rein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Sea Charmbangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 When I See One Bird I Think of You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Spinning Bead Kaleidoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Pendant Clasp with Dangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Color Your World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Judy Kogut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 So Purple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Star of the Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Elaine Luther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 El Dia de los Muertos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Hershey Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Anti-War Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Pokey Pendant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Spoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

x

Table of Contents Lora Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Split Lentil #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Jean’s Bead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Shield Earrings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Holly Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Secret Places. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Fallen Pods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Life’s Renewal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Heather Gill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Flirty Flower Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Ring Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Hang Ten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Ornamental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Tag It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Michela Verani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Snakeskin Lentils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Beautiful Button Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Donna Barao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Spiral Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Dori Daus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Face of Contentment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Christine Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 A Whole Lotta Luck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Where Are You Going Little Lady? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Dear Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Donna Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Queen’s Ransom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Wristlinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Amanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Fall Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Submersion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Louise Little. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Southwest Petroglyph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Shahasp Valentine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Rococo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Celechee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

xi

Melissa Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Charmed Kiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Cherry Blossom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Sarah Peacock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 The Tribeca Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Anna Necklace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Hip to Be Square Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Personalized Ribbon Necklace with Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Protector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Robin Faulkner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 The Jar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Butterflies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Hollie J. Mion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Caribbean Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Pyramid Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Star Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Appendix A

Metal Clay Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Sources for Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Cool Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Dick Blick Art Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Metal Clay Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 PMC Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Rings and Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Santa Fe Jewelers Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 U. S. Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Addicted to Rubber Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Artgems Inc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Auntie’s Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Beadshop.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 The Bead Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 B’Sue Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 CGM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Dick Blick Art Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

xii

Table of Contents Gemshow Online Jewelry Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 HHH Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Jade Kraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Jan’s Jewels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 JSBeads.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Land of Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Monsterslayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Ornamentea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Out on a Whim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Rings and Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Schmooze with Suze. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Shipwreck Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Soft Flex Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 South Pacific Wholesale Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Urban Maille Chainworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Wire-Sculpture.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 International Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 African Trade Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 The Bead Company of Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 The Bead Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Beadfx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Beadgems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Beadworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Canadian Beading Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Gem Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Gems2Behold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Hobbycraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 The House of Orange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Katie’s Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Kernowcrafts Rocks and Gems Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Mee Ngai Wah in Sham Shui Po . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Space Trader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Other Helpful Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

xiii

Introduction ewelry making is one of the fastest

J

growing hobbies today, and metal clay is becoming a considerable part of the jewelry making community. Metal clay is a clay-like substance that when fired turns into an actual piece of hard metal. No, it’s not magic, but it does feel like it when you first start working with this unique substance. This book is designed to unlock some of the secrets of this exciting jewelry medium and turn the uninitiated jewelry maker on to the fun and beauty of making your own metal clay components. Years ago, when I first started playing with what was then a revolutionary product, metal clay was not as user-friendly as it is now. You needed to have a kiln, period—the end. No kiln? Then you had no way to fire your clay. However, thanks to technology, you no longer are tied to kiln-only metal clay jewelry because there are a number of low-fire metal clay alternatives available to the home-crafter. With a simple butane torch, you can fire small pieces of clay with lower temperatures than their predecessors required. Metal clay technologies continue to advance, and as a result, new types of metal clay as well as related products come out regularly. What is available today may still be here tomorrow, but your choices will continue to expand.

xiv

When I started to develop this book, I knew I wanted to concentrate on low-fire metal clay because I wanted anyone to be able to make the projects in the book, even with zero jewelry making experience. I realized that the average hobbyist might spend $20 on a torch to get started but would not (understandably) want to spend several hundred dollars on a kiln. Thus, the low-fire clay is where I began. But, then I realized that if my target audience had no previous jewelry making skills, then I needed to include more than just how-to information about metal clay; I needed to provide a comprehensive book that also included basic jewelry techniques as well. So, that is the focus of this book: super simple to make metal clay component projects teamed up with basic jewelry techniques resulting in projects that allow you to make finished jewelry pieces that showcase your metal clay creations. Along with easy projects, I begin by discussing the various types of metal clay and provide a more specific definition than what I’ve offered in this introduction. Tools is another area of this text, which includes an extensive list of tools you must have to begin as well as tools you might like to collect if you continue pursuing this hobby.

Introduction

Firing information is also important, and while you will really only need a hand-held butane torch for this book, I also discuss other types of firing options such as a hot-pot and kiln. Then setting up a safe and clean work area is covered because as with many forms of metal work, which is essentially what you’ll be doing, safety is a factor to seriously consider. Next, before jumping into projects, you’ll need to understand some metal clay methods as well as some basic jewelry techniques needed to construct your finished jewelry. Then, following the jewelry projects, you’ll be amazed and inspired by the work of super-talented metal clay artists who are showing off their skills in the book’s gallery section. In fact, you’ll notice additional jewelry designs from some of these same artists sprinkled throughout other areas of the book. Finally, you’ll need to know where and how to get your hands on metal clay and other needed supplies, so there’s a handy resource and vendors’ section at the back to help you locate what you need to get started.

This book is really designed as a stepping stone— just a place to begin your journey. From here, you can go on to try all sorts of more advanced metal clay techniques and methodologies. The world of metal clay is relatively new when compared to other jewelry media, so there’s no reason you can’t “begin at the beginning” today but eventually find yourself well versed and entrenched as a metal clay expert in the future.

xv

1 About

Metal Clay t’s metal. It’s clay. Both materials appear to be complete opposites of one another, so to combine the two just seems to boggle the mind at first. Imagine a clay substance similar to polymer clay: you can roll it, shape it, cut it, and form it with your hands. Yet, after the firing process, you can file it, saw it, hammer it, and solder it. Really, the concept is more than brilliant. This is metal clay, a substance that is initially clay but after it is fired becomes dense metal.

I

Two Japanese companies now manufacture metal clay and each has its own name for these similar products. Precious Metal Clay, referred to by the acronym PMC, is manufactured by Mitsubishi Materials; Art Clay is manufactured by Aida Chemical Industries. Both brands come in two types of precious metals, fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver, or 22kt gold. Obviously, the fine silver variety tends to be more popular due to the price difference, but many metal clay artists, once they become proficient in the craft, eventually venture into the realm of gold metal clay, sometimes even combining the two to create two-tone jewelry items. So, how can this product turn from soft clay to dense metal? The reason this is possible is that the clay is a combination of metal particles, water, and organic binding materials. Therefore, the clay is very soft when you first start using it. However, once it is dried and fired with a torch or kiln (depending on the type of clay used), the water and organic materials literally burn out of the clay, and you end up with solid metal. Because part of the materials are no longer inside the clay (now metal) there is some shrinkage as well, so what you start out with will become a little smaller after firing.

Types of Art Clay

A

long with different manufactur-

ers of metal clay, there are various types and forms of the clay such as lump, syringe, and even paper. Let’s look at some of the metal clay products available from each manufacturer. First, let’s look at Art Clay. As I mentioned before, Art Clay is made by Aida Chemical Industries, which is located in Japan. It started producing this product for Japanese resale in 1994. They are considered a “green” company because they use recycled metals for their clay. Some of these metals originally were used in computers or photography materials.

Art Clay Silver Slow Dry: This clay requires a burn-out temperature of 1472 degrees F and results in approximately 8-10% shrinkage of materials. The term “slow dry” refers to the fact that it dries a little slower than other metal clays, which can be helpful when you have a very detailed piece to create. It can be fired using either a kiln or a torch. Again, as with the first standardized clay mentioned above, due to anywhere from a 10- to 30-minute firing process, many use a kiln when firing this clay. The packaging for Art Clay Silver Slow Dry is shown in Figure 1.1.

This list is in no particular order. I just want to give you an idea of the range of products available: Art Clay Silver: This is the original Art Clay product that spurred on its predecessors listed below. The clay must be fired at a temperature of 1598 degrees F and shrinks about 9-12%. It can be fired using a torch or kiln, but because very often the burn-out process may run as long as ten minutes or more, depending on the size of the piece, many metal clay artists prefer to use a kiln for this type of clay. Holding a torch for 10 minutes is not real fun.

2

Figure 1.1 Art Clay Silver Slow Dry. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

About Metal Clay

Chapter 1

Art Clay Silver 650: Now we are getting into Art Clay’s 650 series (packaging shown in Figure 1.2), which means it fires at a lower temperature, as low as 1200 degree F. Of course, that’s on the low end. So, the lower the temperature the longer you’ll need to fire it. Ideally, you want to fire this clay around 1436 degrees F because then it takes less time. For a piece that is no larger than an inch in diameter and weighs 25 grams or under, it can take anywhere from one to five minutes to fire. Shrinkage is 8-9%.

Figure 1.3 Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe: This has the same attributes of the other 650 series, but it is available in syringe form, meaning that you literally get a syringe of it inside the package (shown in Figure 1.4) and use this to apply the clay. It’s handy for making tiny fixes as well as decorative elements, though it does take a steady hand.

Figure 1.2 Art Clay Silver 650. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry: Like the Art Clay Silver 650, this clay is good for small items you’d like to fire with a torch, and “slow dry” means that it dries a little slower—four times slower than the standard type of Art Clay Silver. Shrinkage is 8-9%. Some of the advantages of a clay that dries more slowly is that you can work with it longer without having to worry about it getting too dry. For example, if you have a piece that is very intricate or detailed and it will take a while for you to form the piece before it dries and then gets fired, then you may want to opt for the slow-dry variety of clay. The packaging for Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry is shown in Figure 1.3.

Figure 1.4 Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 3

Art Clay Silver 650 Paste: The paste version (packaging shown in Figure 1.5) is useful for fixing boo-boos as well as pasting over organic items like a leaf. Then, during the firing process, the leaf is burnt away and the silver remains in the shape of the leaf. Since it is a paste, it is often applied with a paintbrush.

Figure 1.5 Art Clay Silver 650 Paste. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Art Clay Gold Paste: Art Clay Gold is available in paste form as well as clay form. After firing, it becomes 22kt gold. The clay form is used much like the silver clay, so you can shape and form it, whereas the paste form is often used as a glaze over glass or porcelain or it can be used as an accent on fired silver clay, which then must be refired after the gold paste is applied. It requires a kiln for firing. The gold clay firing temperature is 1804 degrees F for about an hour, and the paste fires at 1472 degrees F. Shrinkage is about 15%. The packaging for Art Clay Gold Paste is shown in Figure 1.7.

Art Clay Silver Paper: Like real paper, you can fold, bend, or cut this metal clay form (packaging shown in Figure 1.6). However, it is very dry, so you would need to work rather quickly. Also, it requires kiln firing. It comes in a piece that is about 3” x 3” in diameter and weighs 10 grams.

Figure 1.6 Art Clay Silver 650 Paper. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 1.7 Art Clay Gold Paste. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

4

About Metal Clay

Chapter 1

Types of Precious Metal Clay ext, let’s take a look at some of the metal clay products available from Mitsubishi Materials. As with the Art Clay products I discussed, I say “some” because since both companies come out with new products regularly, this is not meant to be a definitive product list. The product name is Precious Metal Clay and is often referred to as its acronym, PMC. You probably recognize the name Mitsubishi from the car industry. Along with automotive products and PMC, this company manufactures electronics, construction, and engineering products. They introduced PMC to the United States in 1996, and they continue to develop new metal clay products for use in jewelry making:

N

Figure 1.8 PMC Standard. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

PMC Standard: This is the original form of PMC that started the whole Precious Metal Clay series. It must be fired in a kiln and requires a longer firing time than any of the other PMC products. It also has larger shrinkage, about 29%, and its firing temperature is 1650 degrees F (900 degrees C). The packaging for PMC Standard is shown in Figure 1.8. PMC+: This form of PMC was developed after the standard and has less shrinkage, 12%, and also requires lower firing temperatures, 1470 degrees F (800 degrees C). PMC+ still must be fired in a kiln, though: anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Because of the lower temperature, sterling (versus fine silver) findings are suitable for PMC+. The packaging for PMC+ Clay is shown in Figure 1.9.

Figure 1.9 PMC+. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

5

PMC+ Sheet: This is a thin sheet of clay, resembling paper, that has no water in it, so it is flexible and easy to bend, fold, and form. You also don’t have to worry about the drying issues like you do when using the clays. It is about .01 inches thick (30 gauge). It also shrinks about 12%. The packaging for PMC+ Sheet is shown in Figure 1.10.

PMC3: Finally, we come to PMC’s lowest firing clay, PMC3. It fires anywhere from 1110 to 1290 degrees F (600 degrees C to 70 degrees C) depending on the length of firing time: the longer it’s fired the lower the temperature can be. This clay can be fired with a hand-held butane torch or a hot-pot, which sort of looks like a potpourri burner and is discussed in more detail in Chapter 3, “Firing Equipment and Techniques.” The packaging for PMC3 Clay is shown in Figure 1.11.

Figure 1.10 PMC+ Sheet. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 1.11 PMC3. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

6

About Metal Clay PMC3 Paste (Slip): The paste form of PMC3 has the same properties as the clay form as far as firing and shrinkage (about 12%). However, since it is in a paste form, it can be used for a variety of purposes such as painting over organic items and patching mistakes. You can, of course, make your own slip by diluting regular metal clay, but if you need a good deal of it, buying pre-made is handy. The packaging for PMC3 Paste is shown in Figure 1.12.

Chapter 1

Figure 1.13 PMC3 Syringe. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

PMC Gold Clay: The gold metal version of PMC has many of the same attributes as the low-fire PMC3. According to the manufacturer, kiln firing is recommended for PMC gold; however, they say it is possible to torch fire it as long as the temperature is kept constant for at least two minutes after the piece has glowed red. It is made of 91.7% pure gold, 8.3% silver, water, and organic binder and shrinks about 12%. So, after firing, it is 22kt gold. The packaging for PMC Gold is shown in Figure 1.14.

Figure 1.12 PMC3 Paste. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

PMC3 Syringe: Using a syringe to apply metal clay offers a number of design opportunities. A good deal of detail can be created by those with patience and a steady hand. It also has the same properties as regular PMC3 clay; it’s just packaged differently and is a little moister than the clay form. The packaging for the PMC3 Syringe is shown in Figure 1.13.

Figure 1.14 PMC Gold. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

7

Note on Low-Fire Metal Clay

T

here are many different types of

metal clay products available, but since I’m focusing on the low-fire variety for this book, I want to note an important point before continuing. Some of this I discuss later in the book, but before jumping into working with this particular form of clay, it’s helpful to know a few facts about it first.

8

When you are planning to use a torch or hot-pot to fire your metal clay pieces, the biggest issue with this low-fire clay is size. You must be mindful of size limitations when forming your metal clay pieces. If they are too large, you can have issues with the finished product breaking. This is because all the organic material may not have been burnt out during the firing process. A good rule of thumb is to keep pieces no larger than a silver dollar. Remember those silver dollars from way back when? Picture this in your mind as you make pieces to fire later on and just be aware that the larger the piece the longer you’ll need to fire it. If you make something larger than silver dollar size (more than 25 grams of clay for example), then consider using a kiln. With this in mind, I made sure that all of the projects in this book make small pieces, such as charms and pendants. But, if you want to start branching out into other designs you might create on your own, just keep this rule in mind. It is really not fun to make something beautiful only to see it crack or break in your hands later on—very uncool!

About Metal Clay

Chapter 1

The Cost of Metal Clay

T

he price range of all the types of

metal clay varies depending on the product’s characteristics and the amount purchased. Like most items we buy these days at big super stores, the more you buy the less expensive it works out to be. I think it is important to talk about the cost factor of metal clay early on because those new to the craft often hesitate to jump in and try it due to the assumption that it is too expensive. To help break down the cost, it is helpful to first look at the way metal clay is sold. The clay is individually packaged to keep it fresh, as contact with the air will dry it out, and then it is sold in various gram weight amounts, which differ between the two manufacturers. For example, the smallest gram weight of a PMC3 packaged for retail sales is 6.3 grams, and the smallest Art Clay 650 (also a low-fire clay like PMC3) is available in a 7 gram package. Both PMC3 and Art Clay 650 come packaged as large as 50 grams. There is a price break when purchasing the larger amounts, but keep in mind that as soon as a package is opened it is exposed to the air, thus compromising the softness of the clay as it begins to dry out. Sometimes, especially for the beginner or for anyone who has limited time for this hobby, smaller packages make more sense.

Prices vary between different retailers, so it helps to comparison shop, and there is a list of metal clay vendors provided in Appendix A of this text. However, generally speaking, the retail cost of metal clay is a little more than $1 a gram. The cost of regular silver (such as silver plate or wire) fluctuates, and actually, like many precious metals, has risen over the last few years, but it normally ranges in price from $10 to $14 an ounce. When comparing metal clay to regular silver, it seems at first like metal clay is unreasonably expensive, doesn’t it? But, you’d be amazed at how many jewelry components you can make out of a small lump of metal clay. A little goes a long way. Also, when considering the cost of this product, it’s important to remember other factors such as the cost of equipment and materials needed to form and fire the clay and the cost of your time when creating with the clay versus using hand-fabrication methods normally used with silver and other metals. So, yes, metal clay isn’t cheap. It’s not like modeling clay or even polymer clay that you can pick up at your local craft store for a few dollars. However, before shying away from this medium, it is important to remember that money alone is not the only factor to consider when determining the cost of the clay.

9

Metal Clay Jewelry Design Advantages ow that you have a better under-

N

standing of the large assortment of clays available for making jewelry (and I only touched on a few, not all of the types vendors carry) as well as the general cost of the clay, you may be wondering why you'd use clay to begin with. What are the advantages of using metal clay versus just making jewelry with regular hard metal? The answer to that question depends a lot on the type of jewelry you are making, but by and large, metal clay provides a way to create very detailed jewelry pieces in a lot less time than traditional metal jewelry techniques.

10

Not all techniques will be faster with metal clay, but many are. To illustrate my point, I’ll compare metal clay to metal casting. Just as an example, many jewelry items such as small silver charms are made using a process called lost wax casting. The jeweler creates a wax mold; sets it in a plaster-type substance, called investment, inside a tumbler; allows the investment to dry, usually over night; burns out the wax from the hardened investment (a process that alone usually takes a few hours); uses a torch to heat metal in a centrifugal machine; and then using the force in this machine, shoots the hot metal into the tumbler. This is then quickly cooled, and the charm (or whatever is being made) is pulled from the now wet, goopy investment material. But, we aren’t done yet. Next, the item must be sawed, filed, cleaned, and polished before it is complete. Shew!

About Metal Clay

Chapter 1

Now, taking this same item as another example —a small silver charm—and using a low-fire metal clay (such as Art Clay 650 or PMC3), the jeweler forms the clay into the charm, which may require rolling, cutting, and manipulating it in various ways; lets it dry (usually over night); checks the dried clay to see if any clean up is necessary, such as a little filing; and then fires the clay, which can take as little as five minutes with a butane torch. Next, the jeweler must clean the fired charm, which is now a hardened fine silver charm. If she wants a quick clean and shine, she uses a burnishing brush. If she wants a higher shine, she might toss the charm into a tumbler or use a polishing wheel. Ta da! The same charm can be made in less time and with fewer pieces of equipment. Granted, not all comparisons of metal clay and traditional metal methods will be like this example, but you probably get the picture by now. It’s a fun alternative to many metal techniques, so why not explore the possibilities?

Figure 1.15 Beads and clay and baubles.

11

Metal Clay for the Jewelry Hobbyist ost jewelry making hobbyists

M

begin the craft by learning how to do basic bead stringing. Then they might start branching out into other jewelry making methods such as wire work, bead weaving, and metalsmithing (just to name a few methods available). While this book is designed with the total “newbie” in mind, it is also a good place to begin for those who may have some jewelry making skills under their belts already. In fact, frequently after learning the basics, jewelry hobbyists want to take on more diverse techniques but aren’t sure where to begin or what to try next. That’s why metal clay is a great option to consider for a number of reasons.

First of all, this hobby is really growing, but there still aren’t a ton of people doing it yet, unlike bead stringing, which is pretty saturated. Just count the number of people you know who make beaded jewelry, or walk down the aisles of a few arts and craft shows, and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Not that this is a bad thing, but if you are trying to expand into other areas of jewelry making and want to find a way to create a signature look to your jewelry designs, then metal clay could be a perfect fit for you. It’s not saturated like bead stringing, so there is room for many more to join in and make a niche for themselves.

Fig 1.16 Metal clay fan pendant by Judy Kogut.

12

About Metal Clay Another lure for the hobbyist is the chance to learn to create your own jewelry components. This is when the idea of “signature” comes into play. By being able to make your own charms and pendants (just a few examples that are commonly made with this medium), you are able to add one more handcrafted touch to your finished jewelry designs. As you develop your metal clay skills, you can play around with different methods and eventually create a look to your jewelry that says “you” when someone else sees your work. Plus, it’s very cool to be able to say, “Oh, that pendant? Where did it come from? I designed and made it myself.” But, where does the hobbyist learn to work with metal clay? Obviously, you have already started if you are reading this book, and as I explained in the introduction of this text, the focus of this book is for beginners. So, there is a lot of good beginning-level information right here for you. However, once you have devoured the pages in here and tried the different projects I have developed, there is a lot of great information available if you know where to look.

Chapter 1

Jewelry magazines are a great resource these days because there are so many of them, and a good number are turning their readers onto metal clay. Art Jewelry, Jewelry Crafts, and Jewelry Artist are three magazines that often have metal clay projects published in them. All are available on newsstands, so they are easy to find. I’ve even seen some of these for sale in my local grocery store. Vendors are another place to see about metal clay information. There is a list of suppliers provided in Appendix A of this book, and many of them have websites with free information covering techniques as well as providing tips for using the products they sell. Finally, if you are really going to get serious about metal clay, you may want to see about taking a class. Check with your local rock and gem club because these clubs normally teach a wide range of jewelry making classes. They are also some of the more economical places to take jewelry classes since the instructors are club members and the clubs are non-profit organizations. I took a ten-week metal clay class at my local club for only $25. Another place to look for classes is through either the PMC Guild (www.pmcguild.com) or Art Clay World (www.artclayworld.com).

13

Going Pro with Metal Clay

T

alking about getting serious,

believe it or not you can actually become a metal clay professional. Early on, one of the unusual aspects of this medium was the formation of related organizations that encouraged the idea of a professional approach to metal clay. Granted, many other types of jewelry making, such as metalsmithing, also have organized, professional groups, but it took a while for them to form; metal clay groups seemed to pop up very quickly after the initial introduction of this product. A lot of this was due to vendors who saw an opportunity to expand on the products. The PMC Guild is one such group. It sponsors conferences, provides related publications, offers information and community outlets on its website (www.pmcguild.com), and promotes educational opportunities for members. Founded in 1997, the guild offers certification classes through a company called Rio Grande (a vendor of PMC as well as all kinds of other jewelry making products). Their certification program is called PMC Rewards and the process allows members to become certified at two different levels. There is a third level where a select few are allowed to become Senior Instructors, but they limit this.

14

Figure 1.17 Textured metal clay and crystal bead earrings by Judy Kogut.

PMC Connection, on the other hand, another jewelry vendor-turned educator, has its own certification program. Like the Rio Grande’s, it has different levels, but in this case, they provide all three and don’t limit the number of seniorlevel instructors. Both require students to make a certain number of projects using specific skills and then these are graded by a certified instructor.

About Metal Clay

Art Clay also has a certification program, which is set up very similarly (see Art Clay World at www.artclayworld.com). Specific classes require the completion of predetermined projects. These projects are designed to develop a certain number of skill sets that must be demonstrated by the students in order to receive certification status, and eventually, candidates can graduate and become senior- or master-level instructors and teach these same classes to other Art Clay fans. True, there is no requirement to become certified in order to teach metal clay classes; however, certification has a number of benefits. Discounts and other benefits make the certification process worth it for those who are interested in making a career out of teaching others to create with metal clay. Instructors are able to purchase clay and related supplies at reduced rates, they have access to curriculum resources that help them teach specific skills, and of course, there’s the prestige that goes along with the certification as well. Additionally, senior- and master-level instructors can, in turn, teach certification classes themselves, so it’s sort of a revolving-door system. You learn from a certified instructor, and you can then teach others to be certified.

Chapter 1

It seems that there are so many designers selling jewelry lately that competition is fierce. If you have a jewelry business now or have thought of starting one, teaching may be a better alternative. I have taught jewelry classes as well as writing classes, and I also sold my jewelry at art shows, galleries, and boutiques for many years. I have found teaching (and writing) to be much more rewarding than selling and marketing my jewelry. Because of the professional structure created by these metal clay organizations, those who may want to step into the teaching side of the jewelry business have a ready-made program to follow along with continuing curriculum support and discounts to boot. Just to clarify, certification is not required to teach others to make metal clay jewelry. I have taken a certified level 1 class from a certified instructor as well as a very similar non-certified class from someone with just a lot of experience, and I learned plenty in both classes. Though you may just be learning the basics of this jewelry making form now, which is why you are reading this book in the first place, it is still nice to know that as your abilities increase, you have some exciting options to maybe turn “pro” some day.

15

“Namaste” pendant on sterling chain designed by Sarah Peacock.

2 Tools and Supplies for

Metal Clay

T

his chapter covers a slew of metal clay tools

and supplies, but even then, it is not a complete list of what is available from numerous jewelry supply vendors. That would be a book in itself! Some items included here are the “must-have” materials, and really, you don’t need that many to get you started. Many of the tools and supplies are super handy and nice to get if you can afford them or are starting to get serious about working with metal clay, but it is possible to live without them, especially in the beginning of your journey into metal clay. Still, it is helpful to know what you need now and what you might like to add to your toolbox in the future.

Must-Have Metal Clay Tools and Supplies ike any form of jewelry making,

L

there seems to be an endless number of tools and supplies available for the metal clay artist, and vendors come up with new gizmos and gadgets on a regular basis. It would be great to be able to purchase every single one of them. Of course, this is not really possible for the average home-crafter or even professional metal clay artist. So, we have to think long and hard about what sorts of products are necessities and maybe even become creative and figure out alternatives to help us form, cut, fire, and polish our metal clay masterpieces. Let’s start with the must-have items.

Figure 2.1 Plastic metal clay roller.

18

Roller: Very similar to a rolling pin you would use for making bread, a small plastic roller is used to roll out the clay. These are usually white or clear plastic, about five inches long, and about 1⁄2 " in diameter. The clear plastic pipes are nice because you can see through the pipe and thus see the clay as you roll it out. You can use other round items to roll out the clay, but make sure they are not porous like wood. One alternative to buying a metal clay roller from a metal clay vendor is to make your own. Just go to any hardware store and purchase the same diameter of PVC pipe. Then cut it to the length you need using either a saw or a PVC cutter (which will give you a smoother finish on the end). Of course, even though PVC is very inexpensive, you can’t usually buy five inches of PVC pipe. Normally, you’ll have to buy more like 10 feet, so unless you have nine friends who want metal clay rollers, it may be worth it to just buy the roller. They cost as little as $1. Figure 2.1 shows a roller I received from a kit purchased for one of the metal clay classes I took a few years ago.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Craft knife: A craft knife, such as an X-acto knife, is perfect for cutting out small pieces of clay. Make sure the blades are nice and sharp and kept very clean. You don’t want to contaminate the clay. You can pick up a craft knife at all kinds of places such as your local craft store (of course), hardware stores, and I’ve even found them at the dollar store. When you do buy one, remember to also pick up extra blades. Once you start using your knife regularly, it doesn’t take that long for the blade to dull, especially if you use it for other crafts besides clay. So, you want to make sure you always have at least a few new blades on hand. Otherwise, you will not get a clean cut, and that can be very frustrating because it will require more clean up later for you. Figure 2.2 shows a simple craft knife you can find at most craft stores. Round-nosed pliers: To make just about any kind of jewelry, you need a good set of handtools, and that especially includes round-nosed pliers, which are a specialized hand-tool for jewelry makers. The nose is round so that you can wrap wire around it and make perfectly round loops (or at least, after a lot of practice they become perfect). While you can often find other pliers at a hardware store, you won’t be able to find these there. You’ll need to get them from either a jewelry supply vendor (such as from the web), a bead shop, or a craft store. Many of the larger craft stores now carry a decent amount of jewelry making supplies these days, including pliers. When shopping for your round-nosed pliers, make sure the ends are nicely tapered. Sometimes the lesser expensive brands will have a wider nose versus tapered, and that can make a big difference as far as how easy they are to work with as well as the finished product you end up with. Also, try to get a pair that has a spring-hinged handle, just because they are less stressful on your hands while you are working.

Chapter 2

Figure 2.2 Craft knife.

Prices vary, but you can spend anywhere from as little at $6 on up to $40, and higher price doesn’t always equate to higher quality, so make sure you either are able to look at your pliers in person or that the vendor you purchase from has a reasonable refund policy in case you want to return them. Chain-nosed pliers: The nose on these is flat on the inside and rounded on the outside. Like the round-nosed pliers, you’ll want a pair that has a spring handle. Also, be aware of the length of the handle. If you have smaller hands, pliers with extra-long handles can be awkward to work with. Some vendors stock pliers that have long or short handles, so that’s another option to consider when purchasing your pliers. Chainnosed pliers are used for bending wire, holding wire, opening and closing jump rings, and general all-purpose functions. Make sure the inside of the nose is not textured or it could mark your wire. This is especially critical if you use fine silver wire (as metal clay is also fine silver) because fine silver is a little softer than sterling silver wire.

19

Flat-nosed pliers: These are very similar to chain-nosed pliers, and sometimes the names are used interchangeably. Just about anything you can do with chain nosed you can also do with flat-nosed, but it’s handy to actually have both of these for some techniques. For example, when you open and close jump rings, it’s much easier and more effective to have a pair of pliers in both hands as you work, one pair holding one side of the jump ring, and the other pair holding the other side. This makes it much easier to snap the jump ring closed or pull it open and causes less stress on the jump ring. Also, make sure the flat nosed pliers are smooth inside of the jaw. Filing out marks on your wire is not fun!

Figure 2.3 Pliers set. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

20

Wire cutters: Wire is a great medium to use along with metal clay because you can actually fire pieces of wire into the clay. This is handy for adding bales to the top of a pendant, for example. You want a nice pair of flush-cut wire cutters. There are a number of different types of wire cutters available, but flush cut are the best for general wire work. Flush cut means that when you cut wire with them you get a straight cut. Some wire cutters will cut more diagonally and thus give more of a pointed end than a flat end to the wire. With a flatter end to the wire, there is less filing required and less of a chance of cutting the wearer of your jewelry with pointy or rough wire areas. Look for a flush-cut pair with a spring handle. To keep the cutter from becoming damaged, do not use it on memory wire (there are shears available specifically for memory wire) or very large wire gauges. Wire around 16-gauge (.051 inches, 1.29 millimeters) is the largest you’d probably want to go with an average pair of wire cutters. You can have problems with dulling or even gouging the cutting area of the pliers. If you need to use thicker wire for your jewelry designs, consider using a jeweler’s saw instead. Figure 2.3 is an example of a tool set that would be perfect for basic bead stringing and simple wire work. It includes a pair of round-nosed, chain-nosed, and flat-nosed pliers as well as a pair of wire cutters.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Burnishing brush: One of the great things about fine silver is that it doesn’t take too much to polish it up. When heating most metals, a reaction occurs that causes fire-scale, which basically means your metal is dark and dirty and needs to be cleaned and shined. Fine silver, unlike sterling silver, doesn’t get a fire-scale on it after firing, so a simple burnishing brush, like the brass brush shown in Figure 2.4, is all you need for a basic cleaning after you fire your clay pieces. After firing and cooling the metal clay component (obviously it’s not good to touch metal after it’s been heated with a torch), you just need to brush the piece with the burnishing brush to give it a quick cleaning. Once you’ve burnished the metal piece, you can then decide what, if anything, you’d like to do next. For example, you can oxidize it with something like liver of sulfur and actually make it darker so that the details pop out better. Or, if you like silver to have some polish, you can determine how bright you’d like it to be and use a number of techniques for finishing your piece. Chapter 5 provides more details concerning burnishing, oxidizing, and polishing fired metal clay components.

Chapter 2

Files: Metal files are useful for filing off rough areas left on your fired pieces. While you do want to do clean up before you fire your dried clay, you can’t always catch everything. Therefore, small hand files are what you need to get rid of those little rough areas or scratches. Jewelry supply vendors have all kinds of different types of files available. Since many of the metal clay items in this book are pretty small due to the use of low-fire clay, smaller files are best. You can buy these as sets, and the sets include different shaped files such as round, triangle, knife edge, flat, and half-round. The different shapes are used because you may have different surfaces to file. For example, if you need to get into a hole, then the round file is useful for that. If you are filing something that is a little domed or curved shaped, then the half round shape is useful. It really depends on what you are making and which areas of the piece need to be cleaned up. A good rule of thumb is to try to have a piece as clean as possible, meaning no rough areas or scratches, before firing so that very little filing is necessary after firing. A set of small files, sometimes referred to as jewelers’ files, can cost between $5 and $10. Besides using them to clean up rough areas on fired metal clay pieces, they are also useful for finishing off the ends of wire, so that’s one reason they are a must-have type of tool. Just about any jewelry maker that works with metal and/or wire will need a set of files. I’ve actually had a number of sets and have files all over the place in my work area and toolboxes because they are so indispensable. For as little as $10, it’s worth having a few sets around. See Figure 2.5 for a sample of metal files.

Figure 2.4 Brass brush. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 21

Polishing cloth: Just about every jewelry maker has to have a polishing cloth (see Figure 2.6). I mean, there’s really no substitute for them, and they are not that hard to find or that expensive. Even many discount stores sell these as do jewelry shops and jewelry supply vendors. They normally cost around $5. While the brass burnishing brush will clean the metal components after firing, you’d be amazed at how much a little elbow grease and a polishing cloth will shine up a piece of silver jewelry. It’s well worth the investment.

22

Figure 2.5

Figure 2.6

Files.

Polishing cloth.

©Speedy Peacock Photograph

©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay

Chapter 2

Multi-Purpose Metal Clay Tools and Supplies or those artists who tend to think

F

outside of the box—the kind that have that MacGyver gene in them—there are a lot of materials you can use for metal clay work that normally have a totally different purpose to them. These multi-purpose items are not only easy to use but often easy on the pocket book too. In fact, metal clay artists are some of the more inventive jewelry makers around. I’ll show you a few items you’ll probably be able to find around your house right now that are perfect for working with clay. After looking through the list, go on a scavenger hunt around the house. Many of these items you probably have in your kitchen junk drawer (admit it, we all have at least one of those), in your garage, utility shed, pantry, or if you are a die-hard crafter, you’ll want to dig around in your craft supplies to see what else you can dig up. Granted, the clay may not be cheap, but the tools can be. Once you start working with the clay, though, it won’t be long before you’ll start becoming a metal clay tool MacGyver as well. Playing cards: These are not for playing poker or even old maid. Clay artists like to stack a few playing cards (see Figure 2.7) on either side of the clay as they roll it out, the same number on each side. For example, you may have three cards stacked one on top of the other to your right, your blob of clay in front of you, and then three more stacked cards to your left, on the other side of the clay. Thus, the cards lift the roller up just a little as you roll. This really helps keep the thickness of the clay consistent as you roll.

When experimenting with a new design, make sure you keep notes about technical things like this—the number of cards you use—because it can make a big difference in the success of your project if you try to duplicate it. I normally keep a small notepad by my work area and jot down items like the number of cards I used as I work so that I can refer to it later. Also, if you find that your piece is too thick or could be thinner after firing, you can double check your notes to see how you may want to alter the thickness the next time you make it. Of course, you can find playing cards just about anywhere these days: the grocery store, discount stores, and dollar stores all carry them.

Figure 2.7 Playing cards—not just for poker any more.

23

Paintbrushes: If you’re an artsy-crafty sort of person, you may have some small paintbrushes already, but if not, the dollar store is a good place to purchase these. Look in the children’s area of the store to locate them, or another source is your local craft store. Often inexpensive paintbrushes will be available in sales bins in the discount area of the store. They are useful for dabbing small amounts of water (use distilled) onto your clay as well as patching areas with clay. Get small brushes, the kind found in most children’s paint sets, but don’t spend too much on them so you can dispose of them regularly. In fact, if you are extra frugal, you can save your old brushes and send them to some jewelry suppliers who also provide scrap refinement services. Older brushes can be a problem because they can leave small pieces of the brush on the clay, and then you end up having more issues than when you started to use the brush to fix or patch an area. Now you might have tiny hairs to pull off to boot. Clay dries as you work on it, so make sure you have your brushes and some distilled water handy before you start working with the clay.

24

Straws: Don’t throw those straws away after going through the drive through for burgers and fries. Plastic straws have a number of different uses for clay lovers, and you will want to start collecting different diameters of straws each time you go out to eat. I especially like coffeesized straws because they make nice holes in the clay, but larger straws are good for wrapping clay around to make bales. If you wrap clay around a straw and intend to fire with a torch (like we do with a lot of the projects in this book), you’ll need to pull the straw out—carefully—before firing. If you plan to fire your clay items in a kiln, then the straw will burn away during the process. However, as explained in Chapter 3, “Firing Equipment and Techniques,” this comes with some safety concerns. Plus, it’s stinky too. So, just be aware of this as you decide how and if you plan to use straws to construct your metal jewelry pieces. Lids: Though you can buy a large assortment of clay cutters, sometimes you can create your own. Different sized small lids from jars can be used like cookie type cutters in your clay. You’ll want to select lids that have pretty straight sides; otherwise, you’ll end up having to use your craft knife to do a lot of clean up work when you cut shapes out of the clay.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Emery board: After the clay dries, you’ll want to do some clean up, making sure the edges and other areas are smooth. A fingernail file or emery board is perfect for this, though some metal clay artists prefer to use silicone sand paper since there is less chance of particles coming off and contaminating the silver dust that you add to your slip jar. You’ll want the kind made from cardboard instead of the metal ones because they tend to have a grit that is more similar to sandpaper. Of course, you can also use fine sandpaper too, but what’s nice about the emery board is the shape is easier to hold as you clean around the edges of your dried metal clay pieces. I can’t imagine anyone not having one of these in her house (dig around in the junk drawer some more), but if you don’t, you can pick one up at your local drug store pretty easily and inexpensively. Figure 2.8 is an example of these simple household items that you can use to construct your metal clay jewelry components.

Chapter 2

Jars: You need at least one small jar, about the size of a baby food or small caviar jar, like that pictured in Figure 2.9. I realize you may not have either in your house right now, so it’s worth putting it on the shopping list for your next trip to the grocery story. If you aren’t a caviar lover (which is too bad because it tastes great on a baked potato oozing with butter), then opt for the baby food jar since it’s much cheaper, and unless you have a baby, just empty the baby food out of the jar and clean it well. Small jars, around two to three ounces in size, are perfect to store your slip in, which is a mixture of clay and a little water. This slip is a pasty consistency. Slip works sort of like a metal clay glue, and it’s pretty easy to make your own (see Chapter 5, “Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques”).

Figure 2.9 Slip jar.

Figure 2.8 Emery boards, straws, inexpensive paintbrushes.

25

Templates: Similar to the idea of the using lids as cookie cutters, you can use plastic templates (like the one pictured in Figure 2.10) and a craft knife to cut out various shapes in the clay. If you ever took a geometry class (shivers down the spine!) or you have a math wizard in the family, then there is a chance you’ll have one of these around the house. If not, no big deal because they are not that expensive—around $5 or so. You can even find them at most office supply stores and discount stores where you may already purchase school supplies for your children. Before you start having flashbacks of high school geometry class, don’t worry about having to figure out how much pi is equal to when you pick up one or two of these plastic templates. They are used very similarly to the way a draftsperson uses them though. You can place them over the clay, and instead of using a pencil like you would with paper, you can use a craft knife and cut out the shapes. Another option for these is to use them and make templates out of cardboard or thin pieces of plastic that you can then place over the clay and cut around.

Figure 2.10 Circle template. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 26

PVC pipe: I already mentioned using PVC earlier in this chapter when I discussed the type of roller you need to roll out the clay. The small plastic rollers you can purchase for metal clay are not that expensive, but you may already have some PVC in your garage right now, especially if you’ve ever had anyone do any plumbing work or put in a sprinkler for your house. PVC pipe is something to put on your scavenger list as you roam through your house loading up tools and materials to borrow for your metal clay needs. Plastic wrap: A clean, non-stick work area is essential when rolling out and forming your clay. The clay will stick to just about anything. Though a dab of olive oil helps with this (more on this later), still, you need to think about this when you find a place to roll and form your clay. Covering your work area with plastic wrap is one option, especially the press-and-seal type wrap because you can press it down on your work area and it sticks. Metal clay artists are notorious for discovering unique, non-stick work areas, so I know this is not the only way to prepare a place for you to work on your clay. It just happens to be my favorite because the press-and-seal wrap is very easy to work with and you can toss it in the garbage when you are done—one less thing to clean.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Clear plastic paper protectors: Another popular option is to use those clear plastic paper protectors that you may have in your office or have used before for school projects. Available at your local office supply stores, clear plastic paper protectors used in folders and notebooks are also good non-stick work surfaces. Plus, they are pretty easy to clean and don’t cost that much. Thus, if one gets too icky to consider cleaning, just toss it out and use a new one, but remember that any silver residue can be added to your slip jar. Often you will purchase these in bulk, a dozen or so per package. Graph paper: When trying to cut a straight line, graph paper is very helpful. Slip it under your plastic wrap before sealing or into a paper protector (see Figure 2.11), and you have instant guidelines. In fact, the whole graph paper and plastic paper protector is used by lots of metal clay artists because it’s not that expensive, it’s easy to purchase at a number of different stores from office supply to discount stores, and if you take a metal clay class, it is ultra portable as well.

Figure 2.11 Slip graph paper into paper protector.

Chapter 2

Lace and textured cloth: The ability to create textured surfaces is one of the big pluses with metal clay, and you can discover a zillion ways to do this. Fiber is one way, so start collecting scraps of lace and any kind of interesting fiber textures, like those pictured in Figure 2.12. You can roll it onto the clay and come up with some really interesting effects. If you are already into fiber—maybe you sew for example—then you probably have a scrap bag full of goodies you can finally use. See, you were saving them for something, really! If not, no fear, even if you haven’t sewn on a button before, you can head into your local fabric store and find what you need. Very often they will have discount scrap bins with rolls of leftover fabric and trimmings. But, if you can’t find what you are looking for there, you can ask them to cut even as small as one quarter of a yard for you with no problem.

Figure 2.12 Scraps of lace and textured fiber.

27

Olive oil: To keep your hands and tools, like your roller, from sticking, a tiny amount of olive oil (see Figure 2.13) is the way to go. And, yes, it’s the same stuff you use to cook with. I know, weird, isn’t it? But, you’d be amazed at how well this works. Be careful though. A little goes a long way, so watch it with this stuff or you will have a slimy piece of metal clay on your hands, literally, on your hands, on your roller, on your work surface. You get the picture. You may want to have another caviar jar around to keep your oil in so you don’t have to lug around a large bottle of this stuff.

Figure 2.13 Olive oil.

Figure 2.14 Selection of rubber stamps. 28

Rubber stamps: Again, you craft-o-holics have an edge here. Rubber stamps are one of my favorite multi-purpose items to use with metal clay because you can get some really cool detailed effects with them. When you read further on in the book in both Chapter 5, “Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques,” and later in Chapter 7, “Metal Clay Jewelry Projects,” you’ll see what I mean, but for now, look around to see what kind of rubber stamps you have in your craft stash. No stamps? Then you can buy them at just about any craft store. Smaller stamps work better for some of the small charms and pendants you can make with low-fire clay, so just be aware of the size issues when you are shopping for new stamps. Also, normally the smaller the rubber stamp, the smaller the price tag as well. If you do find some really nice textured stamps you like that are extra large, that’s fine too because you can always cut the clay down to size as needed. See Figure 2.14 for examples of stamps that are a nice size for metal clay. One caution about rubber stamps and selling your finished metal clay designs: The images from most rubber stamps are copyrighted, so there are some restrictions as to their use when selling items that you made using the stamps. However, there are some rubber stamps that are called “angel stamps,” which means they have more lenient rules about using them in products you plan to sell. Each angel stamp manufacturer has its own version of this policy, but generally speaking, these companies normally allow crafters to use the stamps and sell small quantities of their finished products. Of course, if you plan to move to China and open a metal clay pendant factory using a cool rubber stamp you found, then this is against even the most relaxed angel stamp guidelines, but for small numbers of hand-crafted items, the angel stamps are the way to go if you think you’ll ever want to sell the finished jewelry piece. If you plan to wear the items yourself or give them away, then copyright isn’t a problem.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay

Chapter 2

Handy Dandy Metal Clay Tools and Supplies hile it is possible to live without

W

these tools I call “handy dandy,” once your addiction for metal clay kicks in, you’ll eventually want to start adding to your supply cabinet and toolbox. With each new item, you add new possibilities and maybe some new techniques to master, as well as great new jewelry designs to create. New tools can mean a new metal clay skill or two, and as a result, you can expand on your design capabilities. Selecting which tools to add after you get your basics purchased is very subjective. The decision on what to buy is not going to be the same for every artist because it depends on the direction you plan to go once you start making more metal clay jewelry. Don’t feel like you need to buy all the tools now. Beginners should start with the “must haves” and then “multi-purpose” tools and supplies first. Once you have those collected, take your time. Buy a new tool or jewelry supply here and there until you start to have a better understanding of what you really need. As you make more jewelry, you’ll start to have a better feel for what you like to do. If you are into stamping and have dug up a few rubber stamps around the house or bought a few at the local craft store but are ready to move onto a new stamping technique, then that’s the time to consider buying something like a brass texture plate or metal alphabet and number stamp set.

Clean-up tool: This is a common tool for anyone who works with clay, not just metal clay. In fact, if you have any ceramic shops around you, more than likely they carry this tool as well other similar tools for cleaning up clay. If ceramic shops are a thing of the past where you live (ah, the 1970s were fun), then plenty of jewelry suppliers and metal clay vendors also sell these, so they are pretty easy to locate. The handle part in the middle is made of wood. On one end of this wooden stick is a pointed metal piece that’s pretty sharp, so you can use it to clean around sharp edges of the clay or actually cut away clay when necessary. On the other end is a sort of shallow metal scoop, which isn’t as sharp as the pointed end but still useful for getting into areas of the clay component and finishing off areas of it. You’ll want to clean any clay pieces with this tool when the clay is still wet. Once it’s dry, this tool is not going to work that well for you. Figure 2.15 shows this tool as well as close-ups of both ends.

Figure 2.15 Clean-up tool. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 29

Metal sculpting tools: While these may look like dental cleaning tools, they are actually highly advanced, technologically engineered metal clay tools—not! That’s right. These tools, shown in Figure 2.16, are those same horrific instruments you see spread out on the tray in front of you at the dentist’s office, but these are not so scary once you use them for your own metal clay needs. They are perfect for scraping, forming, and sculpting your clay. You can find tools like this all over the place. Many tool shops carry these as do jewelry suppliers of course, but you can also find tools like these at a lot of flea markets. The cost ranges, but for the most part, you are talking about only a few dollars a piece. Buy them singly or sometimes they are available in a set.

Tweezers: You may want to have a few pairs of tweezers on hand (see Figure 2.17), especially since a lot of the items made in this book are on the small size due to the use of low-fire clay. These have all kinds of uses. For example, after you fire a piece of metal clay, you don’t want to burn your fingers by touching it, so use tweezers to pick up hot pieces and dip them in water to quench them. Another use for these is when you are trying to move around small items on top of the clay, such as a small imitation stone that you may want to fire into the clay. Unless you have microscopic fingers, you’ll need to hold small items with tweezers to get a more accurate placement. Again, these can be purchased from a variety of outlets and normally cost less than $5 a piece, sometimes much less if you are a thrifty shopper.

Figure 2.17 Tweezers. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 2.16 Various metal sculpting tools.

30

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Wipe-out tool: This is an odd name for a tool— “wipe-out tool,” as shown in Figure 2.18. It almost sounds like it has something to do with surfing, but the idea of “wiping out” has to do with erasing, or practically erasing, mistakes made in the wet clay. They are also referred to sometimes as clay shapers and are available in various sizes and shapes. Maybe there’s a line you didn’t mean to make on the clay or you have a rough edge you need to smooth. The tips on the end of the wooden handle are made of silicone rubber, so it doesn’t absorb the clay, and you can clean the tool by just wiping it clean. One end of the handle has a beveled rubber tip and the other end of the handle has a more pointed rubber tip attached to it. The cost on this tool is about $5 or so.

Chapter 2

Cutter set: Because you are working with clay, the process of forming it is very similar to other clay-like material. You can roll it, cut it, and shape it. In fact, a cutter set is very similar to a cookie cutter. Granted, you can make templates yourself using plastic, placing them on the clay, and then cutting the shapes out with a craft knife in order to form different shapes in your clay, but once you use these metal cutters made for quickly cutting out shapes from the clay, you’ll realize they are well worth the expense, which isn’t that much really. Most of these sets go for about $10. They are available in all kinds of different shapes such as the ones pictured in Figure 2.19—diamonds, circles, squares, and ovals. Metal clay suppliers carry them as well as polymer clay vendors. When you make your next trip to your local craft store, cruise through the polymer clay area and you’ll find a pretty good assortment of cutters.

Figure 2.19 Cutter set. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 2.18 Wipe-out tool. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

31

1 8

⁄ " alphabet and number stamps: Message jewelry—charms, pendants, rings, and other types of jewelry that have some kind of written text imprinted on them—is very popular. It looks like it would be really difficult to get those letters perfectly imprinted into the metal, and actually, when trying to do this with regular metal, such as metal plate, while it’s not rocket science, it does take some skill to do it properly —that and a lot of practice. With clay, however, you can use the same tools such as these metal stamps pictured in Figure 2.20, but you just have to press them down into the clay ever so slightly to get your impression. Once the clay is dried and then fired, voilà, you have your text permanently stamped into the metal, just as if you had taken a hammer and metal stamp to a sheet of metal and hammered it in. These kinds of stamps come in different sizes, so consider the average size of your finished pieces before you decide on the size of stamps you need to get. Generally, these are sold in sets and include the alphabet and numbers, but you can buy metal stamps with all kinds of different designs on them and even have them custom made for you if you wanted to do something like imprint a logo or your signature on your metal jewelry.

Brass texture plates: Adding an interesting texture or two is a good way to enhance your metal clay creations, and brass plates (see Figure 2.21) engrained with various textures is one way to get this effect. Most of these brass plates are rather small, about two to five inches in diameter. The idea is that the metal clay artist dabs a little olive oil or other non-stick product to the plate and then rolls the clay over it to impress the texture into the clay. Once it’s dried and fired, the texture is permanently impressed into the metal. Use an oxidation technique (as described in Chapter 5), and the texture really pops out even more. The cost of these plates runs about $5 each.

Figure 2.21 Brass texture plate. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 2.20 Alpha/No stamps. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

32

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Mini cutter set: This set of miniature metal butterfly and leaf cutters, shown in Figure 2.22, is just one example of the numerous varieties of metal-cutting settings available to the clay artist. Along with butterflies and leaves, you can also find cutters in lots of other shapes such as flowers, stars, and moons. Check with metal clay vendors, but also most craft stores carry a lot of different cutters since these can also be used for polymer clay. They are usually around $10 for a set that has anywhere from 6 to 12 cutters in it.

Chapter 2

Spray bottle: As you work with the clay, you’ll notice it will start to dry out. The longer it is exposed to the air the more it will continue to dry, and this can cause a number of problems such as cracking and just plain making the clay more difficult to work with. Therefore, it is important to keep the clay moist as you work with it. One simple way to do this is with a small spray bottle (see Figure 2.23) filled with distilled water (since it’s cleaner than regular tap water). You don’t want to make it dripping wet, so just an occasional spritz is all you need. These little spray bottles are pretty easy to find. Clay vendors often sell them, and you can usually find them at most drug stores as well as dollar stores, as they cost around $1 or so.

Figure 2.22 Mini butterfly cutter set. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 2.23 Spray bottle. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

33

Clay vault: It is critical to keep clay in an airtight container after opening it. The longer it is exposed to air the more quickly it will dry, until you get a dried-up rock rather than a piece of clay. While water will often help you revive it, the best defense is a good offense so to speak, so it’s better to have a good storage container to keep it in and be ready to store it right after you are finished using it. This is not something to be done later. There are some containers especially made for this purpose, such as a product called a clay vault as shown in Figure 2.24. You just wrap your clay in a little plastic wrap and then store it in the plastic clay vault. If you have various types of clay you are working with, for example PMC low-fire and maybe regular art clay, you will also want to make sure to label the containers so you know what is what when you are ready to use them again. Obviously, it is pretty important to know which type of clay you are working with. If you don’t have a fancy container as of yet, another option is to put the clay in plastic wrap, put it back into the clay package, and then put that into a Ziploc plastic bag or some other kind of plastic container.

34

Polishing attachments: When you are ready to make some finishing touches on your fired clay pieces, you may want to consider getting some polishing attachments to insert into a Dremel or other rotary tool. These are sold mainly by jewelry making suppliers and are made for polishing and cleaning metal. They come in all kinds of different finishes, so it’s best to consider first the type of finish you would normally like on your metal and then go from there when determining the type of polishing attachments you will want to use.

Figure 2.24 Clay vault. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Rawhide hammer: The good old rawhide hammer (see Figure 2.25) is a favorite with anyone who works with metal, clay, sheet, or even metal wire. What’s great about the hammer is that since it’s not a metal hammer—it’s made of rawhide instead—it will not mark up your metal. Use it to form and flatten your metal. Every once in a while, after firing some metal clay items, you may notice that they don’t look totally flat anymore. Maybe you had the flame a tad too close while you were working but you caught it before you ended up with a puddle of silver. No problem—just use the rawhide hammer to gently flatten out the finished piece. It doesn’t normally take but a few firm hits, and it will make a big difference. Also, if you are adding wire to your jewelry design, using the hammer on it will also help flatten and work-harden it a little for you. The head of the hammer is rawhide and the handle is normally wood. These are more often used by jewelry makers, so they are easiest to locate from a jewelry supplier and the price is anywhere from $15 to $20.

Figure 2.25 Rawhide hammer. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Chapter 2

Rock tumbler: Sure, this is a rock tumbler (see Figure 2.26), and it is used to polish little stones. You may have had one of these or something similar to it when you were a little kid and it took forever to get those pebbles polished. Now jewelry makers have learned that rocks aren’t the only items you can polish with one of these. You can also polish metal in pretty much a similar fashion. Add your choice of cleaning solution and some stainless steel shot (small bits of steel used as a tumbling medium for the purposes of burnishing the metal while it polishes), drop in your metal, and let it rip. You’ll want to make sure you don’t put in any porous stones that may be connected to your metal. There are special soap solutions sold for this purpose, but you can also use liquid dish soap. I often add some lemon-scented ammonia to the soap. I’m not sure why, but I think it works better. Like when you were a kid, it will take a good long time to clean your jewelry. How long depends on how many pieces you put into it for cleaning, but expect a few hours at least. Lapidary and jewelry suppliers carry these and the price varies, but on the low end of the price range you can usually get one for about $40, not including the stainless steel shot which is about $20.

Figure 2.26 Tumbler. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 35

Magnetic polisher: In the same way that a rock tumbler can be used to clean metal jewelry, a magnetic polisher, like the one shown in Figure 2.27, will do the same thing, just a lot faster, as in minutes versus hours. However, the price difference is substantial, as in hundreds of dollars. So, you need to determine what the time you might be saving is worth to you. I’ve made a lot of metal jewelry of all kinds. I purchased a minimagnetic polisher a good number of years ago while attending a wholesale jewelry show, and the thing is still ticking away, so I feel it was worth the $250 I paid for it. If you do eventually decide to get a magnetic polisher, make sure you do a lot of comparison shopping because I’ve seen the prices on these as high as $400. It is worth looking around before you purchase one. Like the tumbler, you put in your soap solution, stainless steel shot, and then metal items. Then turn it on for about 20 minutes, and when you pull out your jewelry pieces, you’ll be amazed at how sparkling they are. That’s right, 20 minutes. In fact, if you just want to polish one or two pieces, the time is even less.

Stainless steel shot: For any kind of polishing machine, whatever kind you might decide to get, you’ll need stainless steel shot. Make sure it is stainless steel and not just steel because otherwise you will end up with a lot of rusty metal. You’ll need to store the shot in water once you start using it, so just remember this. If you don’t store it in water, then you’ll need to make sure it is totally dry before leaving it out. Otherwise, you’ll ruin your shot and will have to buy more. It is sold by the same suppliers who sell polishing equipment and goes for about $20 for around a pound of shot, which actually doesn’t look like that much once you get it because it’s so heavy.

Figure 2.27 Magnetic polisher machine.

36

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Liver of sulphur: This mixture of potassium sulfides, called liver of sulphur (see Figure 2.28), is used to create a patina affect on metals. Because you can get some great details on metal clay jewelry, using this chemical diluted with water is a great way to make the details pop out more in your design. The fumes of liver of sulphur are toxic, however, so be sure to work in a well-ventilated area when using it to oxidize your finished metal clay jewelry pieces. You can purchase this chemical from just about any jewelry supplier who sells metal items, and it is also available at some hardware stores. The cost depends a lot on the amount purchased, but a few ounces normally runs less than $5.

Chapter 2

Metal hole puncher: Though you can put holes in your clay before firing, sometimes you might decide to change a design around and add holes after it has been fired. One simple way to do this is with a metal punch, such as the one pictured in Figure 2.29. This two-hole punch is very easy to use. Simply slip the piece of metal in it and turn the screw handle until it goes through the metal. The punch pictured is made from steel and cuts 3⁄32" on one end and 1⁄16" holes on the other end. It can punch through silver, copper, plastic, or any soft metal up to 14 gauge. It costs about $20 and is available at most jewelry equipment suppliers.

Figure 2.29 Metal hole puncher.

Figure 2.28 Liver of sulphur. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

37

Starting with a Starter Kit ow that you have seen a list—and

N

really, this is by no means complete—of some of the metal clay tools and equipment that you either must have or may want to purchase some day, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. Remember, first, that you can build up your tool kit gradually once you get the must-have items. Plus, many of these you may already have on hand if you are already a jewelry maker or crafter. If not, then another option to consider is buying a starter kit that has a selection of the main tools you’ll need to get started. These are especially helpful if you are starting from scratch, and of course, you often save a little money when you buy the kits because often if you buy each individual item separately it ends up costing more. So, you have the advantages of convenience and possible price breaks. Starter kits vary a lot depending on the vendor. So, look around to find a kit that suits you. Some vendors also offer different size kits, selling kits that have just the bare essentials to larger (and of course more expensive) kits that have the essentials plus lots of extras. The bare essential sort of kits normally will have items such as a torch, a fire brick, the roller, a few carving tools, and some packages of metal clay. The larger kits will have these items and then lots of extras such as videos, textured plates, and lots of different carving and forming tools. It really is a personal decision on which kit fits your needs and your budget.

38

Starter kits usually also are designed around a certain type of metal clay. For example, Figure 2.30 is an advanced (as in more bells and whistles) PMC starter kit. It includes packets of PMC3 clay, paste, and syringes; an assortment of hand-tools; brass plates and non-stick solutions; molds and oxidizing liquids; and then the purchaser’s choice of firing systems (hot-pot, torch and hot pad, kiln, or cone system) and educational materials (book or DVD). The Art Clay starter kit shown in Figure 2.31 has a lot of similar supplies, but instead of PMC, it includes Art Clay in the low-fire variety in different amounts of clay, syringe, and paste. Educational material includes an instruction pamphlet and a DVD. Other supplies in the kit are sandpaper, a rubber block, non-stick medium and work surfaces, and other hand-tools such as a roller, a clean-up tool, file sets, tweezers, burnisher, and lots more. Like the previous kit described, you also have to select the type of firing method. The kit examples shown are on the high end of the price range because of the large number of tools and the amount of clay provided in the kits, and depending on the fire system selected cost around $300. Smaller kits, which provide fewer items, usually cost around $75 to $100. If you are setting up your little metal clay studio and have little in the form of tool resources on hand already, then a kit is probably your best bet as far as cost and convenience.

Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay

Chapter 2

Figure 2.30 PMC starter kit. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 2.31 Art Clay starter kit. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 39

PMC Hot-pot. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

3 Metal Clay Firing Equipment

and Techniques nce you get your basic hand-tools gathered together, the next step towards becoming a metal clay jewelry maker is to select the proper equipment you’ll need to fire the metal clay. This section covers a number of methods you can use to finish your metal clay pieces after they have dried. There are a variety of options available depending on factors such as the jewelry item(s) you are making and the type of clay you use. While this book concentrates on low-fire metal clay, and thus there are really two ways I suggest firing clay discussed in this chapter (torch and a hot-pot), I’ve also included other methods as well so that you at least have a general understanding of them in case you decide to move onto other types of clay once you get a handle on the low-fire clay. I have also included a safety tips section. Obviously, safety is an issue when working with any kind of open flame, so make sure you use some common sense and follow these as well as any other manufacturer’s safety instructions.

O

Important Firing Safety Tips ’ve attempted to give you some

I

general information about firing with some extra added emphasis on the hot-pot and butane torch since these are the two methods used to fire projects in this book. I know there are some die-hard metal clay artists out there who say the kiln is the only way to go, but this book is not for die-hard artists. This book is designed for the beginning hobbyist who wants to try something new and who may at some point in the future become a die-hard metal clay artist. Plus, remember, low-fire clay does not have to be fired in a kiln, though you can use a kiln for it if you want to. I recommend starting with the torch or hot-pot, and then as you become more comfortable with metal clay, move on to more advanced forms of firing. Work your way up so to speak so that you have a good handle on the basics before you spend too much money on additional equipment.

42

I realize the firing process is one area that may take a few readers aback because we are talking about some major heat as well as some fumes from burn-off residue. And, I agree that safety is a factor that is very important, but just because you need to be safe does not mean these methods are not accessible. It just means you need to use your noodle and common sense as well as follow directions provided by manufacturers of the equipment and materials you will be using. In fact, I suggest always erring on the side of caution and going beyond the basic safety directions provided by any vendor. There’s no such thing as being too safe. Here are some general safety reminders that I discuss at different points in this text but are worth repeating. 씰 First, ventilation, ventilation, and more ventilation. The old kitchen stove hood is not going to cut it either. Nothing beats the great outdoors when it comes to ventilating, or if you have access to a commercial-level air system, that’s wonderful. But, the average home will not have this capability, so areas like a screened or unscreened porch, deck, or garage with the door open are all possible areas to work when firing.

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques 씰 Another safety rule is once it’s hot—it is h-o-t! Don’t touch it, whether it’s a hot-pot, kiln shelf, or fired piece of metal clay. And, trust me, you will want to touch it. I don’t know why, but it seems to be an instinct of some kind for humans to find ways to burn their fingers. Have your tweezers handy at all times as well as a large jar of water. A good pair of heat-resistant gloves is also a worthwhile investment and can be purchased at most hardware or home-improvement stores.

Chapter 3

씰 Dress appropriately when working with an open flame. Have your hair pulled back, your sleeves rolled up, and make sure all clothing items are tucked away and will not flop around and thus catch fire. 씰 Finally, be aware of what you are doing without distractions. This is part of the enjoyment of any hobby any way. Everyone needs some “me” time, and working uninterrupted so that you can concentrate on what you are doing is just as important for your safety as it is your sanity.

43

The Right Firing Method for You: Low-Tech to High-Tech ust to refresh your memory as to

J

why you need to fire the clay in the first place, remember that metal clay is made with a mixture of metal particles, water, and organic binding materials (see Figure 3.1). This mixture provides a soft clay material that you can cut and form with your hands along with the aid of a few sculpting and cutting tools. Once you have formed the jewelry component to your satisfaction, you then have to allow for the clay to dry. Drying actually is pretty critical to the whole process because if the clay is not totally dry then it can’t be totally fired either, and this will undermine the integrity of the finished piece. Some methods for drying include using a hair dryer, a small warming plate (like you might use to keep a cup of coffee warm), or the old-fashion method—time. Twenty-four hours is a general rule of thumb when drying out metal clay without any kind of assistance from a dryer or warming plate. Some of this depends on your environment too. I live in a very humid climate, so I normally play it safe and allow it to dry overnight. Since I don’t fire the pieces in the same place I form the pieces, this works well for me. I make a number of clay items, normally using up a whole package of 20 or so grams worth, and then I set them in a safe place to dry. Then, when I have the time a day or so later, I carry them out to where I fire and do them one at a time. This way, my clay is used up and doesn’t dry out as it sits around when I don’t have time to play with my clay (even though there are ways to keep the clay from

44

drying out quickly, still, nothing beats a freshly opened package of clay), and when I’m finished firing, I have a number of excellent pieces to use in my jewelry instead of just one little old piece.

Figure 3.1 PMC3 package. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Once the clay is thoroughly dried, you need to use a firing method so that you can burn out the organic material and thus make it into a solid piece of metal. You will actually see the organic material flare up and burn away if you torch it, for example. As the organic material burns away, the clay shrinks ever so slightly, about 10% on average (see Chapter 1 for percentages of shrinking for each type of clay). So, keep this in mind when you are making your pieces. They will be a tad smaller when you finish firing them.

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques For something like charms and pendants, like we will make in this book, that’s not a big deal; however, if you become more advanced and want to make something like a ring, obviously, that can really affect the final result—as in the ring not fitting you! Given all the basics of forming and drying the clay, how do you then decide which is the best technique for firing your metal clay jewelry components? A few variables need to be considered when trying to figure this out. First of all, to a large degree, the type of clay will dictate your firing options. As explained in Chapter 1, there is an assortment of clays on the market and each has a prescribed firing temperature. Therefore, the temperature in a large way determines the way you will fire it. For low-fire clay, which is the main focus of this book, it will fire as low as 1200 degrees F for Art Clay 650 (pictured in Figure 3.2) and 1110 to 1290 degrees F for PMC3. Since butane fuel burns around 3100 degrees F, it is possible to use a butane torch to fire these low-fire clays.

Chapter 3

Another important consideration is size of the clay piece. Even if you use low-fire clay, if the item is larger than an old silver dollar, a butane torch may not be enough to fire it properly because it is too large (possibly too dense as well) to be fired completely with this process. So, then you’d need to use a kiln for larger items, no mater what type of clay you use. For this reason, I’ve kept all the projects in this book “downsized” so that you can just use a torch. Most newbie metal clay artists aren’t ready to shell out a few hundred dollars for a kiln, and you really don’t need to if you keep the size of your low-fire clay pieces on the small side. Finally, another important issue to think about when you are trying to figure out how you plan to fire your metal clay pieces is cost and space. I can attest to having space problems, and of course, as I mentioned earlier, kilns aren’t exactly cheap, even though you can get a pretty decent one for a few hundred dollars when you are ready to commit a little more time and money to your creative clay urges. In Chapter 4, I go into more detail about setting up your work area, but it doesn’t take much to imagine that a kiln takes up more room than a little torch and heating pad set up.

Gas Stove Metal Clay Firing Method

Figure 3.2 Art Clay 650. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

As low-tech as you can possibly get, one method for firing low-fire metal clay as suggested by the manufacturers of Art Clay is to literally use your stove top (see Figure 3.3). Due to the temperature limitations (natural gas burns at around 2000 degrees F), only low-fire clay can be fired using this method. Now, before I go on about this process, let me say that I have my reservations about doing this mainly because of ventilation considerations. I’ll talk about safety issues later on in this chapter as well as in Chapter 4, 45

“Setting Up Your Work Area,” but for those who may want to try using a gas stove top to fire, other than the gas range in your kitchen, the only other piece of equipment you’ll need is a stainless steel mesh grid or net of some kind that you will place over the top of the burner unit. A grid like the the one pictured in Figure 3.4 is pretty commonly found from most jewelry suppliers who also sell soldering equipment. Another option over the actual burner on your gas stove is to use a portable stove like you would for camping. You can purchase burner attachments from most camping supply departments and discount stores and then connect them to a tank of propane, which actually burns cleaner and hotter than natural gas at around 3450 degrees F. This way you can conduct the firing outside where there is plenty of ventilation.

1. Place the grid over the burner so it is in

the middle of the burner, turn on the burner, allow it to heat up, and locate the hottest part of the grid, which will be red in color. 2. Next, turn off the burner, and holding the

metal clay item with tweezers, set it directly on the red area you located in the previous step. 3. Turn the burner back on again, and wait

for the organic materials to burn away. You’ll see a quick flame and some smoke while this happens. 4. Wait for the metal clay item to turn a

bright orange color and start timing it so that it stays on the burner for a total of five minutes.

Steps for Firing with a Gas Burner You’ll need the following supplies: 씰 Gas burner or portable stove unit and propane tank 씰 Stainless steel grid 씰 Tweezers 씰 Jar of water

Figure 3.3 Gas burner. 46

5. After the five minutes are up, turn off the

burner and let the piece continue to sit there undisturbed for about 20 minutes. 6. Finally, pick the metal piece up using

tweezers and set it in the jar of water to finish cooling off before you pick it up with your fingers.

Figure 3.4 Metal screen. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques

Chapter 3

Butane Torch Metal Clay Firing Method A small, hand-held butane torch, as shown in Figure 3.5, is one of the most popular ways to fire metal clay, and again, it is used for the lowfire clay like I use for the projects in this book. The torch is my favorite way to fire this type of metal clay because it’s pretty easy to do and doesn’t take that long. As someone who has also used a torch for other metal jewelry making techniques like lost wax casting and soldering, I may also tend to gravitate towards this piece of equipment because it’s in my comfort zone. I know that at first those new to working with a torch might be a little nervous about it, but if you follow common sense safety procedures, you’ll soon overcome your initial misgivings about using a torch. The butane torch, in fact, is one of the easiest to learn to use because it is so small and fits comfortably in your hand. Regular butane fuel, like the kind inside cigarette lighters, is the same fuel used in this type of torch, and to load up the fuel, you just hold the tank in an upright position, insert the tip of the butane tank (which is also usually pretty small and can be held with one hand) into the bottom of the torch (which should not be hot, so let it cool for awhile if you just finished using it), and push as demonstrated in Figure 3.6. You’ll hear the fuel going into the small tank on the torch. Once you get a good amount inside the torch, you’ll also detect that it is noticeably heavier. You can buy the torch and fuel at hardware stores, and in fact, if you run out of fuel at some point, you can purchase it at most drug stores and even grocery stores. Look for it in the same area where barbeque equipment and supplies are located. The torch is pretty inexpensive, normally costing less than $20.

Figure 3.5 Butane torch. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 3.6 Filling torch with butane.

47

Along with a torch, you’ll need a heat-resistant surface area to place your metal clay piece on while you fire it with the torch. There are a lot of specialized items available such as fire bricks and asbestos-free soldering pads available from jewelry supply vendors, and you may also be able to find substitute items at your local hardware store for this. If you at some point decide to buy a kiln, you can use a kiln shelf, like the one pictured in Figure 3.7. Just like with a fire brick, you place the metal clay piece to be fired on top of the kiln shelf, and it will protect the surface underneath. Granted, if you have a kiln you may think you won’t use a torch that much, but if you want to fire just a few items and you are using low-fire clay, then it makes more sense to use a torch versus heating up a whole kiln for just a piece or two. Fire bricks, asbestos-free soldering pads, and kiln shelves normally cost anywhere between $5 and $10 depending on the size. For extra large ones, they can be as much as $20, but for the purposes of firing small metal clay pieces, the smaller ones, normally around 6 x 6 inches, will do fine.

Figure 3.7 Kiln shelf. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

48

Steps for Firing with a Butane Torch You’ll need the following supplies: 씰 Butane torch 씰 Heat-resistant surface (fire brick, kiln shelf, etc.) 씰 Tweezers 씰 Jar of water 1. Place the fully dried metal clay item on a

heat-resistant surface such as a kiln shelf or asbestos-free pad. 2. Turn on the butane torch and slowly heat

the metal clay item from a few inches away, moving in a circular motion over the piece in order to heat it evenly (see Figure 3.8). If you get too close with the flame, you’ll see the metal clay start to bubble or take on a shiny appearance. If this starts to happen, move the flame farther away. It means you are too close and may end up melting it rather than firing it.

Figure 3.8 Initial firing with a torch.

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques 3. While heating the metal clay with the

torch, you’ll soon see the organic material spark and burn away causing some smoke. In Figure 3.9, you can barely see some dark areas around the item being fired. This is smoke, but as you can see it’s not a ton of smoke, just a little materializes as the material burns away.

Chapter 3

5. Before turning off the torch, make sure to

point it away from you and your metal clay piece (just in case you turn the knob in the wrong direction by mistake), and turn off the torch. 6. Quench the hot metal piece by picking it

up with tweezers and setting it in the jar of water.

Hot-Pot Metal Clay Firing Method

Figure 3.9 Producing a little smoke.

4. Once the organic material is burned away,

continue to heat until the metal clay turns bright orange. You may want to work in an area that is not strongly lit in order to be able to see the glow of the metal clay. If the lighting is very bright, you can’t really see the color change. At this point, continue to fire from two to five minutes depending on the size of the metal clay piece. The smaller the item, the less time it takes to fire completely. However, you really can’t over-fire a piece as long as you don’t have the flame too close.

This ceramic hot-pot kit, pictured in Figure 3.10, is designed with PMC3 in mind. It is a possible alternative to a torch if you aren’t ready to pick one of those up or if you have three-dimensional items, like beads, that might be a little tricky to fire using a torch. The pot consists of a small pot filled with fuel that burns inside of the bottom of the pot. It takes about 15 minutes to fire a piece of metal clay that is 20 grams or less, no larger than a silver dollar or fifty cent piece. If you fire more than one metal clay item at a time, their combined weight should also not be more than 20 grams.

Figure 3.10 Hot-pot kit. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 49

One thing to be aware of if you decide to use this is that you’ll need a very well-ventilated area to place the pot while the fuel burns. While the label on the fuel I purchased with my hot-pot says that it is non-toxic, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. You can never be overly cautious when it comes to ignitable liquids. The fuel is primarily made up of methyl alcohol and a little over an ounce is needed each time you fire with the pot. The hot-pot kit comes with a tiny clay flower pot that is placed in the bottom of the pot, fuel, firing grate, heat-resistant tile, and metal arrestor that is placed on top. It sells for about $40 and is available from vendors who sell PMC and related supplies. This pot was designed just for PMC3, by the way, not any other type of PMC or any Art Clay products, even the low-fire variety. So, it is not recommended that you try to use it with metal clays other than PMC3. After several uses, some metal clay artists have reported that their hot-pots have gotten cracks in them. According to the manufacturer’s directions (from Sierra Thermal Industries, Inc.) a few small cracks are fine; however, if they become larger and make the pot actually split open, then the pot is no longer usable. An additional safety note is to remember that once you heat up the hot-pot, you cannot touch it with your bare hands. Honestly, there should be no reason you should need to touch it, but if you do, make sure you have heat-proof gloves on to protect your hands because you will burn them if you touch the pot while it is heated.

Steps for Firing with a Hot-Pot You’ll need the following supplies: 씰 Hot-pot kit 씰 Hot-pot fuel 씰 Fireplace lighter or match 씰 Tweezers 씰 Heat-resistant gloves 씰 Jar of water 1. First, find a well-ventilated area to assemble

and set up your hot-pot such as a porch or garage with the door open. 2. Next, start to assemble the hot-pot and

other items in the kit. Place the bottom of the pot on top of the tile, which should be placed on a stable table top (as shown in Figure 3.11).

Figure 3.11 Bottom of hot-pot. 50

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques

Chapter 3

3. Then set the tiny flower pot inside the bot-

tom of the pot as demonstrated in Figure 3.12. You’ll notice inside the pot there is some soft insulating material. Make sure to leave this in the pot. Do not remove it.

Figure 3.13 First hot-pot grate.

6. When you are sure you have all your metal

clay piece or pieces set on top of the round metal grate, take the top section of the hotpot you assembled in step 2, and place it on top of the bottom part assembled in steps 3 to 5. They stack one on top of the other.

Figure 3.12 Add tiny flower pot to bottom.

4. Add the fuel to the flower pot until it

reaches the rim, and then add the round fire grate on the opening of the bottom section of the pot. You’ll notice they fit just about perfectly together. 5. Now take the metal clay item(s) you have

ready (which should be completely dry of course), and set it on top of the grate you just placed in the previous step. See Figure 3.13 for an example.

Figure 3.14 Hot-pot pieces stacked. 51

7. Now you are ready to install the wire mesh

flame arrestor on the top part of the pot. This comes in the kit as two rectangular pieces of mesh. Hold them so that you are making a large plus sign with them, the middle areas of the two pieces up against each other as illustrated in Figure 3.15, and fold the two sides of one piece over the middle pieces so that they overlap each other.

pot so that you can ignite the fuel in the flower pot. From here on, you do not want to touch any of the hot-pot parts with your bare hands due to the heat. Wear heat-resistant gloves or use tweezers if you need to touch any of it.

Figure 3.16 Add flame arrestor to top of pot.

Figure 3.15 Start assembling flame arrestor.

8. Then fold the other two sides in the same

direction, bending them so they are at about a 45-degree angle, and insert them onto the top of the hot-pot as demonstrated in Figure 3.16. 9. Once the hot-pot is assembled, locate one

of the larger holes on the side of the pot (there are a number of them like the one you can see in Figure 3.17). Then, take a long match, light it, and insert it into one of the large holes in the bottom of the

Figure 3.17 Locate hole on hot-pot. 52

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques

Chapter 3

10. About a minute after lighting the fuel, the

organic binding elements in the metal clay will burn away. You’ll see some smoke when this happens. Even though you are doing this in a well-ventilated area, I suggest moving away from the pot so that you can keep an eye on it but will be farther away from any fumes while the fuel burns. 11. Wait 15 minutes, which is enough time to

allow the fuel to completely burn away as it fires the metal clay piece(s).

Figure 3.18 SpeedFire Cone System with a small propane tank. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

12. Making sure to wear heat-resistant gloves,

take the top part of the hot-pot off, and use tweezers to pick up the metal clay items and place them in the jar of water. 13. Once the metal clay pieces have cooled in

the water, they are safe to touch and dry off.

Cone System Metal Clay Firing Method The SpeedFire Cone System, as pictured in Figure 3.18, is made up of a fiber cone that is connected to a tank of propane, and therefore, since propane burns at around 3450 degrees F, it becomes plenty hot enough to fire all types of metal clay, not just the low-fire varieties. It can also fire up to 100 grams of metal clay. Now, propane can actually become too hot and end up turning your silver clay into silver puddles, so this system also includes a pyrometer, which is a device used to control temperatures, and if you plan to use this system or a kiln (as discussed later), a pyrometer is very important to have in order to be able to control the temperature settings. The sensor on the pyrometer goes inside of the cone through a hole on the side. Then on top of the cone is a metal mesh grid where you can place the items you plan to fire. Under the cone is a one-pound propane tank. So, actually, it is supposed to work like a very scaled-down kiln.

The Cone System includes the fiber cone section; metal mesh grid; pyrometer with probe; various brackets, nuts, and screws (as some assembly is required after purchasing the system); and a fuel tank stabilizer base. It sells for about $150. You have to buy the propane tank separately, but they are available at most hardware stores for around $5. You can also attach it to a much larger propane tank if you want the ability to use more fuel (see Figure 3.19). While this system is less costly than the average kiln, one thing to think about before deciding to purchase one is that for another $50 or so, you can actually buy a small kiln.

Figure 3.19 SpeedFire Cone System with a large propane tank. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

53

There are a number of important safety guidelines to follow when using this method of firing, and the manufacturer provides a document covering these when the system is purchased. One of the main safety points to remember is where the system will be set up when firing because due to the nature of the system’s design, the heating element is positioned under the cone and, therefore, open flames can come up through the top of the cone. The manufacturer recommends working in a well-ventilated area (again due to the use of fuel as well as burning organic binding materials which is the case with other methods of firing metal clay previously discussed) and having at least an 18" clearance on all sides as well as the top of cone. This way, if any flames do flare up, items that may be combustible, such as curtains or clothing, will not be in the local area of the flames. Another obvious safety issue is that the top of this sucker is going to get really hot, so do not touch it. Even after turning it off, the heat will still be there, so if you want to remove metal clay items, you again need to use tweezers and quench them in a jar of water. (This is a good way to recycle old pickle jars.) Along with safety guidelines, the manufacturer of the SpeedFire Cone System provides a range of times and temperatures for different types of metal clay. For the low-fire metal clay, for example, it recommends a 10-minute firing at a temperature of 1290 degrees F or a 20minute firing for temperatures of 1200 degrees F.

For Art Clay 650, it recommends a five-minute firing for a temperature of 1472 degrees F or 30 minutes at 1200 degrees F. Optimally, it suggests using the longer firing times and lower temperatures, however. Remember that because this has a pyrometer attached to it, this provides a way to determine the temperature at which you are firing your pieces. Now, let’s get down to the “how-to” part of this firing system.

Steps for Firing with a Cone System You’ll need the following supplies: 씰 SpeedFire Cone System 씰 1 pound propane tank 씰 Tweezers 씰 Butane lighter 씰 Jar of water 1. Use the manufacturer’s instructions to

connect the propane tank to the other parts of the system. 2. Make sure that the pyrometer (see Figure

3.20) is reading the correct temperature for wherever you are firing at. For example, if you are in your garage and it is 80 degrees F in the garage, then the pyrometer should also read 80 degrees F. If necessary, you will need to adjust the pyrometer using the small plastic screw attached to the face of it. 3. Place the dried metal clay items to be fired

on top of the grid (see Figure 3.21), and with one hand, insert a butane lighter under the code and above the stove unit and ignite it, and with the other hand, slightly open the valve (the black knob right under the cone), thus lighting the burner element. 54

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques

Chapter 3

5. Finally, when you have the temperature

you want, let the clay pieces fire for the recommended time (see Figure 3.22). For example, if you are using this on low-fire clay and want to fire at a temperature of 1200 degrees F, then you’ll need to let it fire for 20 minutes.

Figure 3.20 SpeedFire Cone System pyrometer. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 3.22 Heated cone system. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

6. Just as with other firing methods, you’ll

Figure 3.21 SpeedFire Cone System metal grid. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

see the organic material burn away, and once the firing time has been accomplished, you can turn off the unit. Use tweezers to remove metal clay items and place them in your jar of water.

4. Continue to open the valve a little at a

time until you get to your desired temperature (which remember varies depending on the type of clay used). This may take a few minutes to open the valve; check the temperature and wait a few minutes and check again, and then repeat until you get to the temperature you want because it is not an instantaneous procedure. It takes awhile for the pyrometer to read the temperature when it changes, and also large drafts of wind or air can make the temperature fluctuate.

Kiln Metal Clay Firing Method Getting serious about metal clay means you are ready to get a serious piece of equipment—a kiln. Now there is nothing to stop you from starting with a kiln to begin with, but I think the cost and space requirements are prohibitive to your average beginner. Granted, it is very easy to get caught up in a new hobby and overspend, but the “morning-after feeling” is not a pleasant experience when you soon realize that you may not have the knowledge-base let alone the time to dedicate to the craft and thus justify the expense. 55

If you really feel like you’d like to try using a kiln, another alternative is to find a place to take a metal clay class or maybe hit up a friend you know who has a kiln. However, these are not always available options to everyone, which is one reason I decided to focus this book on lowfire clay and related firing techniques. Once you get these techniques down, you will be in a much better place to decide whether you are ready to take on the commitment of purchasing a kiln. To help prepare you for when that time comes, I have included some information later on the different kiln options as well as some basics on how to use one. Another item to remember as well is that kilns are not just used for making metal clay jewelry. You can use them for enamel work, fused glass (a favorite of mine), annealing lampwork beads, and also lost wax casting. When selecting a kiln, one of the first things you’ll start to notice as you shop around is that they tend to be configured differently. For example, some may be set up so that the doors open in different ways. The kiln shown in Figure 3.23 has a door that is placed in the front of the kiln and opens out to the side, just like a door in your home might. Some people refer to these as front-loading kilns. The brand name of the kiln pictured is Lily Kiln and is available at PMC Supply (who you may have noticed was nice enough to supply many of the images in this book). It costs a little shy of $600 and comes with a kiln shelf (like the one mentioned in the butane torch firing instructions) and kiln furniture—little pegs that are used to allow you to stack items in the kiln (see Figure 3.24).

This is a programmable kiln, which many metal clay artists prefer because it provides a way to automatically set the temperature and time, very much like you can on a programmable microwave oven when you are nuking your frozen pizza. Another feature is the handles on the sides, another item appreciated by metal clay artists, especially those who travel teaching metal clay classes, and the inside chamber is 8 inches wide, 5.75 inches high, and 7.75 inches deep.

Figure 3.23 Lily kiln. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 3.24 Kiln furniture. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph 56

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques Another common configuration on kilns is to have the door open on the top, also called a toploading kiln, such as the Paragon kiln pictured in Figure 3.25. Paragon is a very popular brand of kiln and is sold by a large number of vendors. This particular model is called a Paragon FireFly Kiln and sells for a little under $300. The chamber measures 8 inches square by 4 1⁄2 inches high and can reach temperatures up to 2350 degrees F. It is not programmable, but it has a digital pyrometer (see Figure 3.26) so you can gauge the temperature more accurately with this type of kiln than with a kiln that does not have one. Of course, you can buy a kiln without a pyrometer and buy it separately later, but as someone who has already tried guessing at temperatures with a pryometerless-kiln, well, it’s worth the extra money to buy one (as low as $40) if you buy a kiln that does not come with one like this model does.

Figure 3.25 Paragon FireFly kiln. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Chapter 3

Figure 3.26 Pyrometer. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Another understandable issue with the kiln is cost. So far, I’ve mentioned two specific brands, one for about $600 and another for about $300, half as much as the first one. I’ve also seen itsybitsy kilns—no pyrometer or temperature gauge at all—going for as little as $150. Therefore, this is the type of equipment that you need to really shop around for because the prices vary depending on the bells and whistles you want to pay for as well as the size of the kiln you’d like to purchase. And size is another major issue with a kiln. While itsy-bitsy may work today, six months from now you may outgrow it. It is very much like buying a computer: it’s a good idea to upgrade a little when you make your initial purchase so that it doesn’t become obsolete too soon. Try to think ahead. Today you may be making tiny little metal clay beads and charms. But, tomorrow, you may decide to use your kiln for slumping fused glass bowls. Can you fit something that size in your kiln?

57

Finally, after thinking about cost, size, and configuration, you need to think of space—as in where the heck are you going to set this sucker up? For example, the Paragon FireFly Kiln may be only about 8 inches on the inside, but on the outside it is 15 inches wide by 18 1⁄2 inches deep by 12 inches high and weighs 45 pounds. That is far from an eight-inch piece of equipment, right? You also want to make sure you have some free space, at least a foot or more circumference, around the kiln so that air can circulate and nothing will accidentally get ignited if it is too close to it (like curtains for example). Plus it must be placed on a heat-resistant work surface, and don’t forget you’ll need it close enough to an outlet to plug in it. When I acquired my kiln, I lucked into a beat up old workbench with a metal top that an engineering company was going to throw away—a workbench from their lab where they conducted chemical tests on dirt. I have it set up in the corner of my garage with the kiln and other supplies on top of it.

Steps for Firing with a Kiln You’ll need the following supplies: 씰 Kiln 씰 Kiln shelf 씰 Kiln furniture (if you need to stack items) 씰 Tweezers 씰 Heat-resistant gloves 씰 Jar of water 1. If you plan to stack items in the kiln, such

as multiple kiln shelves, you’ll need to make sure you have kiln furniture handy (see Figure 3.27). You can put in one shelf, then place the kiln furniture pieces in the corners, and then stack another shelf on top. If you just plan to use one kiln shelf or have nothing else you need to stack, then you won’t need to use the furniture or set this up before you begin.

Now that you have lots to think about as far as picking out the perfect kiln—maybe more than you’d like to think about—here are some basic instructions for firing metal clay with one. Obviously, there are a lot of variables to consider since kilns can differ as much as the items you plan to fire.

Figure 3.27 Kiln and kiln furniture. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

58

Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques 2. If you plan to fire more than one piece at

a time on the shelf, you’ll need to be sure you are using the same kind of clay so that all the pieces fire at the same temperatures and for the same length of time. 3. Once you know what you plan to fire, lay

the pieces out over the kiln shelf making sure there is some space in between each piece so that air can circulate and none of the pieces are touching. If you have three-dimensional items, such as beads, you need to place them on a fiber blanket (a type of ceramic fiber material used a lot by lampwork artists) or in a heat-proof container of vermiculate. Vermiculate is a phyllosilicate mineral that is normally used for agricultural purposes. For example, it is often mixed in with potting soil to help with drainage. However, it has many other applications, including creating a heatresistant soft area to rest clay items on while firing. You can often find this in your local hardware/gardening store.

Chapter 3

6. Once the firing time has elapsed, turn off

the kiln, and to help cool it down more quickly, vent it by opening the door a little and then closing it. Make sure you are wearing your heat-resistant gloves when you do this because it’s very hot (duh!), and do not look directly into the hot kiln because the radiant heat can damage your eyes. Also, if you fire with stones set in the clay, skip this step and just let the kiln cool without venting so as not to damage the stones due to the abrupt temperatures change. 7. Now you can either vent it some more, or

you can just let it completely cool overnight. Some artists will also unplug the kiln (see Figure 3.28) after each use. If you can’t wait until morning and decide to vent it some more until you are comfortable opening the door all the way, again make sure you are wearing protective gloves, and use tweezers to pick up each fired piece and quench it in water.

4. Slide or set the kiln shelf in the kiln and

arrange any items like the kiln furniture as necessary (previously mentioned in step 1) to accommodate the number of items you are firing. 5. Set the temperature and time per manu-

facturer’s instructions. (Again, this depends on the type of metal clay you are firing as the temperature and time required varies. See Chapter 1 for more details on clay temperatures and firing times.)

Figure 3.28 Closed and unplugged kiln. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

59

You’ll need a place to form and fire your metal clay creations, like this workspace created by Amanda from British Columbia.

4 Setting Up Your

Clay Work Area he famous essayist and novelist Virginia Woolf declared that to be successful in any sort of creative endeavor, a woman needed a “room of one’s own.” That is still true today for both women as well as men. However, that is easier said than done because, if you are like most people today, space is at a premium in your home Therefore, before you dive into your metal clay work for the first time, it is a good idea to step back for a moment and determine where you plan to work. Some up-front thought and strategizing, including planning and organizing your space, will make your experience much more enjoyable, successful, and safe. This chapter discusses some of the elements necessary to have a comfortable and safe work area to form metal clay as well as fire metal clay. We also get a chance to peek into the work areas of some metal clay artists to see how they have developed functional work areas that fit their needs and lifestyles.

T

Picking the Perfect Spot to Form Metal Clay nless you have a spare room in

U

your home or an unattached building on your property that is sitting empty, languishing for just the right utilitarian purpose, more than likely you will have to stop and really put your thinking cap on when it comes to figuring out where you can work with your clay. For most of us who are lucky enough to even have an extra bedroom in the house, it is a catch all for all the miscellaneous paraphernalia we don’t have room to store. And an extra building on the property? You mean that shed with the kids’ bikes, the lawnmower, shovel and rakes, and of course, the spiders that go along with all that stuff? So, “extra” is a relative term really. Very few of us have the luxury of having so much room in our house that we have lots of empty areas to choose from when it comes to setting up our metal clay workspace. Therefore, you have to get a little inventive at times, but you also have to consider some of the elements necessary to make up the perfect spot to work in when forming your metal clay masterpieces. First of all, the primary concern for determining where you will work is how clean the environment is in that spot. Clay is not partial to dirt or any other sort of alien ingredients. Therefore, it is critical to work in areas that you can make sure are free from cross-contamination. For example, I have a lot of animals in my house, which means lots of dog and cat hair floating about.

62

It also means lots of little paws walking around on countertops and sticking their noses into, well, whatever looks interesting. Along that same line, you don’t want metal clay contaminating things like food, and you also don’t want it getting onto little children’s hands because they may stick those hands in their mouths. (Did I say may? I mean will!). These are obvious safety hazards that you want to avoid (I cover more of them later in this chapter). You need to find a room that you can clean up and close off, at least while you are working on your clay. For me, that is the guest bathroom. I clean off the countertop and sink areas, making sure all pet hair is gone, close the door so I don’t have any furry visitors, and work away (see Figure 4.1). Granted, this isn’t very popular with my pets and I have seen more than one paw shoved under the door, but so far, it is my best option for finding a place to work that is clean and private. I mean—how much more private can you get than a bathroom?!

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

Chapter 4

table would be wonderful, but as I said, not 100 percent necessary. You’ll want to use something as your work surface on top of this area as well. This helps keep things clean and also provides a way to keep your clay from sticking too much. In Chapter 2, “Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay,” I discussed a number of options for this. Here are a few examples of methods to protect your work surface:

Figure 4.1 It is important to find a clean work area to form your metal clay creations.

From what I gather, I tend to be like many metal clay jewelry makers in that I have one place to form my clay and another place to fire my clay. So, I’m going to assume that is the general norm for my readers as well. In fact, along with my own metal clay set up in this chapter, you’ll also get to see the work and studio areas of a number of helpful artists who agreed to contribute pictures of their workspace as well as thoughts about how they developed and currently work in these areas now.

씰 You can use plastic wrap, freezer paper, or one of my favorites, press and seal type plastic wraps, to cover your counter or table. These are great because you can throw them out when you are done, and they also protect the work surface (especially important if you are working in your kitchen). And, of course, remember to scrape off any silver residue and add it to your slip jar. 씰 Cutting mats (see Figure 4.2), used by a lot of paper artists, are also a pretty popular work surface. They have a grid on top and they are “self-healing,” which means you can cut on them with a craft knife and not damage them.

Setting Up the Tools and Equipment for Forming When it is time to figure out where you plan to form your metal clay, probably the top priority is going to be, as I mentioned before, a clean area to work. You want a pretty good-size work surface as well, but honestly that doesn’t have to be huge. Try to find a spot that is at least a few feet in diameter so that you are fairly comfortable working. A kitchen counter, bathroom counter, or small table will do. A room with a nice long

Figure 4.2 A cutting mat is one option for a work surface. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

63

씰 As mentioned in Chapter 2, a plastic paper protector with graph paper inside also works really well. Again, refer to Figure 4.1 and you’ll see that is often what I use in my bathroom/studio space. 씰 Teflon craft sheets (see Figure 4.3), also know by the name Super Parchment, are another good option. They come in a variety of sizes, and as the name suggests, they are non-stick. Just clean them and reuse them later. You can buy different sized sheets of these, as well as long rolls and then cut them to fit your work area if you prefer. 씰 Glass or Plexiglas is also used by some clay artists because you can then transport it some place afterwards to dry.

These are just a few ideas. I think you get the picture: You want something clean and non-stick to place over the spot where you roll and form your clay. Now, you need to figure out what you’ll need around your work area. Since the clay dries as you work, it is critical to have everything set up and ready to go before you start cracking open that new package of clay. Think about what you plan to make, and then pull out what you need and set it nearby (see Figure 4.4). At a minimum, though, you’ll need some of the following items within reach: 씰 Shallow dish of distilled water 씰 Paint brushes 씰 Various sized straws 씰 Olive oil 씰 Clay roller 씰 A few sculpting tools 씰 Craft knife 씰 Jar of slip 씰 Playing cards

Figure 4.3 Teflon is a good non-stick choice for metal clay work. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

Figure 4.4 Have items nearby so you don’t have to dig them out in the middle of your clay work. 64

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area After forming the clay, another important part of the process is to allow the clay to dry, and this means you need a spot for this as well. You’ll notice the clay will look a little lighter in color when it is “bone-dry,” which is what metal clay artists call this level of dried clay. It is also pretty fragile at this point, so handle it with care. As mentioned previously, the clay must be completely dried before it is fired. Otherwise, the extra moisture will cause the clay to be unstable and can result in cracked or even broken pieces. It is definitely worth the time to ensure your clay pieces are dry, or a lot of hard work will be lost and possibly a lot of metal clay will be too. Of course, you can attempt to recycle it by making it into slip or even try to figure out another way to rescue some of the clay, but your results are not guaranteed. It makes a lot more sense to make sure the clay is dry rather than try to fix errors later on. Again, because I want to keep little paws out of my clay, I have selected a spot that I can close off. I have emptied one of the drawers in the bathroom cabinetry right below where I work (see Figures 4.5 and 4.6). I tend to work on one piece of clay formation after the other, so as I finish one of them, I just open the drawer and set it on a non-stick piece of Teflon, which I already have placed in the drawer. Once my pieces are all safely inside the drawer, I can pack up my supplies and tools, and my studio turns back into a guest bathroom. I don’t have to worry about my clay pieces being disturbed. When I’m ready to fire, I just pick up the Teflon, gently slide my pieces onto a paper plate, and bring that over to my firing area.

Chapter 4

Figure 4.5 An emptied drawer right below where I work is the perfect place to store my clay pieces and allow them to dry undisturbed.

Figure 4.6 Teflon placed on the bottom of the drawer keeps the clay from sticking.

65

I live in a very humid climate, so I allow the pieces to dry overnight before I fire them. If you live in a dryer climate, some clay pieces (depending on their size) can dry as quickly as 30 minutes on their own. If you are the type that hates to wait for your clay to dry, then you can try a number of popular methods used by metal clay artists to speed up the drying time such as drying it with a hair dryer, coffee cup warmer, or food dehydrator. One issue with these faster drying methods, however, is that they can sometimes cause thinner pieces of clay to warp a little, but most can be flattened after firing by either using your hands to press them down or if a piece is very thick, you can use a rawhide hammer to tap it flat. Another word of caution, though. If your clay was not thoroughly dried during your speedy drying attempt and it does warp some, if you try to flatten it, this can actually cause it to break. Storage for all your clay tools and supplies is another concern and very helpful if you are like me and need to be able to pack up your metal clay supplies when you aren’t using them. While I’m lucky that my guest bathroom doesn’t see a lot of guests other than my cats who enjoy drinking out of the faucet, I still need to have it available for its original purpose now and then. To help with this, I have a small rolling cart, pictured in Figure 4.7, where I store a lot of my metal clay supplies when I don’t have them spread all over the counter. By having a few small boxes as well as baskets in the cart, I can put away my stuff pretty quickly as well as pull it out when I’m ready to work.

66

Figure 4.7 A small cart on wheels provides a way for me to pack up and roll out when necessary.

Important Safety and Other Considerations Any sort of jewelry making, or form of craft for that matter, requires some thought when it comes to safety procedures. So, considering the safety factors of metal clay is nothing new to your average crafter. Though firing tends to be the first part of metal clay jewelry construction that comes to mind when you think of safety, there are some other elements to think about while working with this medium. Below are some safety tips to keep in mind during the pre-firing part of metal clay work: 씰 Protect your skin from being exposed to metal clay as much as possible. You won’t be able to help getting at least a little on your hands while working with the clay, but remember that skin has pores, which can absorb all kinds of substances.

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area 씰 This is an obvious safety factor, but it is still important to state: Do not ingest any of the clay. This means that if you do work in your kitchen area, you must be careful not to use items that are also used for food preparation such as a cutting board. If you decide, for example, to use a plastic cutting board for your clay, then make sure that is all you use it for, and never try to use it when making dinner later on. 씰 Be careful of dust while sanding. Some metal clay artists suggest making sure that the clay piece is cleaned up as much as possible before it dries so that there is less need of sanding later on, and this is a good practice to work towards. However, it’s pretty difficult to not ever have to file dry or fired metal clay. So, when you do have to file, you don’t want to breathe in the particles that you are creating. You also don’t want to get it into your eyes, so protective gear like a mask and goggles can go a long way, as can (sounding like a broken record now) good ventilation. 씰 If you are a woman of child-bearing age, take extra care in all aspects of metal clay (or any craft medium for that matter). Obviously, you can’t know the exact instant when you might become pregnant. We all take minor safety risks now and then that aren’t a major deal for most of us, but it could be a bigger deal than you think if you are pregnant and unaware of your condition.

Chapter 4

씰 When working with products to create a patina or oxidation, be sure to read the manufacturer’s recommended safety guidelines and follow them. 씰 Be sure to keep children and animals out of your work area. This can cause contamination issues for the clay anyway, but more importantly exposure to the clay can be harmful to extra sensitive skin on a baby as well as the pads and noses of your pets. Plus, what do most young children and pets do when they see something new? They put it in their mouths. So, it is important to be extra-vigilant about this.

There is no reason why you can’t safely work with metal clay. A lot of this is really just common sense, so it is worth the time and effort to design a safe working environment (see Figure 4.8) for you and your family when you decide to take on this new form of art medium.

Figure 4.8 Jocelyn L. Cooley has a lot of workspace and ventilation in her converted garage turned metal clay studio.

67

Picking the Perfect Spot to Fire Metal Clay f you are just starting out, then you only need a spot to fire with a hot-pot or butane torch, and that’s really not a huge area. I’m lucky enough to have a permanent torch set up in my garage because both my husband and I are involved with jewelry making, and so we like to have a permanent spot to use our torches; one is butane and the other is a larger propane torch. In my case, I mainly use this spot to fire my clay. For him, he mainly uses it for soldering (though I’m trying to lure him over to the metal clay side of the house). Figure 4.9 shows our not-so-neat but obviously often used firing area.

I

Setting Up the Materials and Equipment for Firing You’ll need a flat surface of some kind and a chair or stool to sit on while you fire with a torch. Depending on the size of the metal clay piece, you could be holding that torch for up to five minutes, so you want to be comfortable. For our firing spot in the garage, my husband’s old college desk is now our firing desk. It is set up right next to a ventilation system we have in the garage, but it is also just a foot or so away from the garage door, so normally, I just pull the door up when I fire. For more details on the tools you need to fire clay, refer to Chapter 3, “Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques.” When you have a desk and a comfortable place to sit ready, you’ll need to include the following items in your firing spot (see Figure 4.10 for a more close up view of where I fire): 씰 Jar of water 씰 Tongs 씰 Heat-resistant surface (fire brick, kiln shelf, etc.) 씰 Butane torch

Figure 4.9 My firing area in my garage also doubles as my husband’s soldering spot.

68

씰 Your choice of safety equipment (such as eye protection)

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

Figure 4.10 You don’t need that many pieces of equipment to create your firing set up.

You may have noticed that while I do have an overhead lamp in my firing area, I didn’t really mention lighting much. That’s because you actually don’t need a lot. In fact, you don’t want it too light because it is easier to see your clay heating up if it is a little on the dark side. So, while my husband turns on the lamp when he solders, I turn it off when I fire. For those who prefer a hot-pot, along with the fuel that goes in it (previously discussed in Chapter 3), you really just need a safe spot to place it while it burns. The hot-pot kit comes with a small tile that you set the pot on while it is burning the fuel, but under that you need something to set the tile on, right? You also need to make sure you have plenty of air circulation (yes, more ventilation issues here). I like to set my pot up on my front porch, which basically consists of a large cement sidewalk that leads into a square slab at the front of my door. The firing takes 15 minutes, and while I don’t sit there staring at it the whole time, I like to be able to keep an eye on it by occasionally looking out a window. We don’t have any animals roaming about outside (mine are all indoor) or young

Chapter 4

children where I live, but someone (like a delivery person or mail carrier for example) could accidentally knock it over, so I think it is a good idea to monitor it a little. During one of the metal clay classes I took a few years ago, the instructor used to place her pot on a larger tile, about the size you would normally use when tiling a kitchen floor, and then she would have this on top of a picnic table in the front room of the workshop. We all worked in the next room, so no one was in there being exposed to fumes, but again, she could walk by and check on it very easily.

Important Safety and Other Considerations Some hobbyists who are new to the art of metal clay are immediately turned off to the idea of firing the clay because of the safety factors involved. However, with some forethought and simple precautions, there is no reason why this really needs to be a problem. Again, very often safety is tied with basic common sense. Below are some simple procedures to follow when firing your metal clay jewelry components: 씰 The broken record continues: Ventilation is one of your main priorities when firing dried metal clay items. This is especially important when dealing with toxic substances such as fuel that may be in your butane torch or hot-pot. 씰 It is also a common practice by many metal clay and metal workers in general to fire toxic substances such as plastic in kilns. This practice developed previously with lost wax casting methods, which sometimes involves using plastic molds. The plastic burns out in the kiln, and as you can imagine, burning plastic is not good to inhale.

69

씰 Wear protective gear when handling hot-pots and kilns so that you don’t accidentally burn yourself. A good pair of heat-resistant gloves can go a long way in protecting your hands from burns. 씰 Have your kiln established in a safe area, and make sure to have a small fire extinguisher in the area. Actually, this is a good idea in any home. Make sure you don’t have items stacked on top of the kiln or too close to the sides of the kiln. This is also important because kilns need air to circulate around them so they don’t become overheated.

Metal clay continues to be one of the most popular emerging crafts out there. It already has a huge following of artisans who work with kilns, torches, and hot-pots every day, and they do it safely. Therefore, there is no reason why you can’t as well. Just use your noggin and be smart and safe while you work (see Figure 4.11).

씰 When the kiln is finished cycling, vent it, turn it off, and unplug it from the wall immediately. If you tend to space out and forget you are running it, buy yourself a little timer that you can clip to your shirt. Set the timer to indicate when the kiln should be finished running, and this way, you will be automatically alerted when it is ready to shut down. 씰 As mentioned previously in the other safety section of this chapter, women who are or may become pregnant need to be extra cautious. While not all metal clay artists are women, a large majority of them are, so this is an important point to understand.

70

Figure 4.11 Hot-pots, kilns, torches, and other equipment should be used where there is ample ventilation.

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

Chapter 4

Work Area Show and Tell any of the guest artists whose

M

work you see in the gallery section as well as scattered in other areas of this book went one step further with their generosity and literally opened their doors for us—the doors to where they work on their metal clay creations that is. As I began to develop this section of the book, I wondered where everyone else was working. I imagined luxurious studios full of light streaming in through large windows, which of course overlooked quaint babbling brooks or large mirrored lakes surrounded with lush wilderness and birds chirping as they flew overhead. Isn’t that supposed to be where an artist works, in an artistic setting? Back up and rewind; I was relieved to find out that instead, most jewelry designers share my same dilemma of not enough space and not enough resources to expand space even if they need it. So, they became inventive about where they work, and they offered to show and tell us how they created a workspace that met their needs and their budgets as well. I learned a thing or two from peeking inside their studios and I know you will too.

She works directly under her microwave and next to her sink with a low bar stool for her to sit on and a swivel floor Ott for lighting. Though she’s next to the kitchen sink, Donna warns to be careful not to use this too much to wash your tools because eventually you can damage the plumbing, but for a quick wash of your hands now and then it is okay. When she wants to dry her clay, she sets it on the stove area. For firing, she takes her kiln outside on her porch. This way she has plenty of ventilation. Donna also can become portable with her clay work when necessary because she teaches classes as well. She packs up her supplies and her kiln and travels around the area of Phoenix, Arizona teaching classes in PMC, so she has learned to adapt to a lot of different workspaces in a relatively quick time when necessary. You can find more about her classes and a clay dehumidifier she designed and sells through eBay at http://www. geocities.com/redbiz50/LiL-BeLLA-com.html.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink to Boot Pictured in Figure 4.12 is Donna Lewis’ favorite corner of her apartment, a 24-inch deep by 29-inch wide spot on her kitchen counter where she makes her wonderful metal clay jewelry. In fact, this spot is the same place she constructed her piece she calls “Queen’s Ransom,” which was a finalist in the 2007 Saul Bell Design Award Competition. So, in this case, size does not matter.

Figure 4.12 Donna Lewis has a spot in her kitchen for her metal clay work. 71

Have Toolbox Will Travel Do you live in a small apartment, house, or condo? Is it so small that no matter how much you think about it, you just can’t imagine carving one more inch of space out for one more activity? Then consider a portable studio as an option. That’s what Melissa J. Lee finally realized was the best solution for her needs when it came to her metal clay space. She keeps her supplies in a large black toolbox (pictured in Figure 4.13) and a plastic shoe box. She has a card table at the ready along with lots of newspaper to spread out to cover the top. When it is time to make her jewelry, she puts up the card table wherever it is convenient, spreads out the papers, puts her cutting mat over that, and she is ready to roll, literally. She is ready to roll, form, cut, and whatever else she needs to do to make many of the metal pieces she includes in her jewelry designs, which she sells at melissajlee.etsy.com. Most often she sets up her portable metal clay studio in her living room, but a set up like this can be put up in just about any room where you have a little space.

Melissa fires her work in her garage, either using a torch or kiln. She has a small table with her torch set up and then she keeps her Paragon SC2 kiln on a rolling cart (see Figure 4.14). When she needs to use it, she can just roll it out and plug it in. After she’s done and the kiln has cooled down, it is very easy for her to pack it back up and roll it out of the way.

Figure 4.14 Melissa J. Lee has devised a method to make her kiln portable as well.

Figure 4.13 A portable metal clay studio is the brain-child of Melissa J. Lee. 72

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

Giving and Getting Inspiration at the Office When imagining an office, most of us think of stacks of paper, a computer, and maybe a fax machine and phone. Heather Gill thinks about how she managed to muscle in on some of her husband’s office space. Thanks to her perseverance and his good-nature, she was able to set up a space of her own to create her metal clay jewelry, which she sells through www.hawaiiheather.etsy.com. (See Figure 4.15 for an overhead shot of her workspace.) The couple eventually plans to move to a house with a three-car garage, and Heather has already called “dibs” on part of this space so she can have an area for her kiln as well as her clay forming spot. Until then, she continues to make do with torch firing her pieces outside and forming her clay inside at their home office.

Chapter 4

As shown in the head-on shot in Figure 4.16 of Heather’s workspace, she has a little metal bucket for storing her sculpting tools and a lazy Susan for her hand-tools like pliers and wire cutters. A desk lamp provides a little extra light directly over where she works, and then behind all of this she has a couple of table-top plastic storage bins to store her clay and other assorted tools and what-nots she needs. This is something to consider. Just because a room already has a designated function, this doesn’t mean it can’t have dual purposes. An office can also be an art center as can a bathroom or kitchen counter.

Figure 4.16 Here is a head-on shot of Heather Gill’s metal clay work area.

Figure 4.15 Heather Gill has an office/metal clay studio in her home.

73

Real Jeweler’s Bench for Real Jewelry Artist Elaine D. Luther, of Creative Texture Tools (www.creativetexturetools.com), steps it up a notch with the use of an authentic jeweler’s bench, pictured in Figure 4.17. This is the sort of bench you will find in the back of most fancy jewelry shops where the jewelers work to set stones and repair jewelry items that are brought in from customers to get fixed. These benches have a large work surface and lots of cool drawers and nooks and crannies to store and attach tools. Since Elaine also practices traditional metalsmithing, this bench has worked really well for her needs. She used the sweeps drawer of the bench to do most of her clay work because it happens to be at the perfect height for her, and she adores being able to have all her tools right there in, on, or attached to the bench. Elaine’s space works as both her office and studio covering a total of 60 square feet and includes a number of large windows and French doors, so she gets lots of natural lighting. However, this has also resulted in less wall space for storage. That combined with the fact that her house is over 100 years old and thus has electrical limits has required that she find a few different places for her kiln, which is portable. She either sets it up in her basement or, more often, her kitchen. For torch firing, which she also does, she is able to have her set up on the bench because it has a steel insert on the top and thus protects it from the flame. She puts a fire-resistant pad on top of that, followed by a magnesia block, and then uses a small hand torch.

74

Figure 4.17 Elaine D. Luther is lucky enough to own a real jeweler’s bench.

A Studio for the Teacher One space challenge for some metal clay artists goes beyond finding a spot for one person to work. What about those artists who also teach their craft? Carol Babineau, who is an author as well as Senior Art Clay instructor, has had a double challenge: finding a place for her to create her metal clay jewelry as well as finding space to offer her classes. She finally found a solution to one of her space issues at the Picker

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area Building, a refurbished cotton mill located in Nashua, New Hampshire. A canal runs beneath the building, and this is where the bales of cotton used to be dropped after the seeds were picked. Trap doors are located on all four floors of the building, and the vaulted ceilings are 18 to 20 feet high. Full of old-fashioned charm and lots of space, Carol’s part of the building, which is about 500 square feet, allows her students to really spread out, and there is still room for her own desk as well where she can demonstrate techniques to her students. Figure 4.18 is a picture of the table where her students sit and work. Just behind this is a kiln and behind that a small gallery area. To the side, she has a spot for the clay to dry as well as containers for lots of tools. Carol lists her class schedules on her web site at artclaystudio.com.

Chapter 4

When Carol isn’t busy teaching in her studio, she is working away at home and has found the perfect spot in her circa 1825 home, a 9 × 16 foot room once designated as a clockmaker’s workshop. With a total of four windows in the room, she has fantastic lighting. She has her work station set up in front of one of the windows (see Figure 4.19) so she has a pleasant view while she works and a large work surface allowing her to have just about all of her clay materials within easy reach. In fact, if you look closely at this picture you can see she has a metal clay project in the works on top of the green mat.

Figure 4.19 Carol Babineau’s well-lit home studio has a great view.

Figure 4.18 Carol Babineau’s Art Clay Studio is located in the Picker Building in Nashua, New Hampshire.

75

In Figure 4.20, we see Carol’s home studio space at a different angle, which includes a drying area for her clay, a tumbler to polish her finished pieces, a lighting tent and equipment where she takes pictures of her work, and then an area where she assembles and makes the finishing touches to her metal clay jewelry. She keeps her kiln next to one of the many windows in the room so that she can open a window and get some extra ventilation during firing.

A Glass and Metal Clay Act Leikyn Huckins has a wonderful spot (see Figure 4.21) for working on her glass and metal clay creations, and she also has an extremely supportive and understanding husband who obviously admires her creativity. Originally occupying a small corner of her husband’s home office, Leikyn’s space has slowly grown to where she occupies most of the 11 × 13 foot room, and her husband now has just enough space in there for his desk. Which is at it should be, don’t you think? Her kiln is tucked away in the corner of the room between her two desks. The higher desk is for her glass, since it is more comfortable to cut glass while you stand, and it has lots of storage space for sheets of glass. It was a Christmas gift from her husband. The lower desk is for her metal clay forming. The top of her metal clay desk is a piece of Formica that was targeted for the junk yard. Leikyn’s husband, who happens to be a talented contractor, reclaimed the Formica and used it as the top of the desk, which he also constructed for her jewelry making needs.

Figure 4.20 Carol has room to make metal clay components as well as assemble, finish, and photograph them.

Figure 4.21 This work area was a gift of sorts from Leikyn Huckins’ thoughtful husband. He’s a keeper! 76

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

A Mess Can Be Best Though fairly new to metal clay jewelry making, Christine Street has taken off with this medium, diving in head first and loving it. She admits that she tends to work in chaotic harmony in her selected metal clay spot that spans one side of a wall in one of her rooms (see Figure 4.22). The window directly over her work table provides some needed light along with an adjustable lamp she can pull over from the side of her desk while she works. A dress form on one end of her workspace adds an artistic touch, but it is also functional as Christine can hang her finished necklaces on it. On her desk, she has six plastic drawers filled with supplies. Five of the drawers are filled with supplies to make her jewelry: clay, sandpaper, polishing clothes, cutters, templates, texture plates, toothpicks, straws, jump rings, chain, pliers, and well, you get the picture. One of the six drawers she uses for more business-related supplies such as envelopes, business cards, tape, bubble-wrap, and so on. A container with smaller drawers is filled with beads. She fires her metal clay outside. Like most beginners, she primarily uses a torch for her firing, but she has recently upgraded to a kiln and has it on a wheeled cart so she can roll it outside when she is ready to use it.

Chapter 4

Changing Table Turns into Firing Table Stay at home mom, Amanda, from Vancouver, British Columbia, has found a resourceful way to sneak a little metal clay time into her busy life. In between keeping up with her young toddler as well as all the housework, she still manages to sell some of her metal clay and other jewelry through her website at www.pomomamadesign.com. Who else but a mom would realize that a changing table, which is no longer needed for the baby, is the perfect spot to fire her metal clay? Brilliant! You can see in Figure 4.23 that among the hanging bikes and storage containers, Amanda’s firing spot has everything she needs, and because she often can only manage to squeak out 10 minutes here and there, a chair is not necessary. On top of the table she has her firing set up, and underneath on the various shelves of the changing table, she has other items she uses for her metal clay work.

Figure 4.22

Figure 4.23

Christine Street is an example of how a novice metal clay maker can soon become proficient with practice.

Amanda transforms an old changing table into a metal clay firing area. 77

Her torch, fire brick, heat-resistant pad, wire mesh, tongs, warming tray, and a few other odds and ends are set up all the time and ready for her when time permits (see Figure 4.24). A pair of safety goggles is within reach of her workspace as well. Like many mothers, Amanda is a busy woman, so this set up is perfect for someone who probably rarely sits or has time for herself. But she shows how much you can accomplish if you are organized.

In another area of the garage, on top of a bookcase, Amanda has a spot to form and dry her clay (see Figure 4.25). She keeps this up high because, of course, she has little helpers in the house, which include her preschooler and cat, both of whom find her work to be fascinating. While her set up is not super fancy, she can still manage to form, file, paste, and fire, even though she admits to normally only getting 10 minutes here and there to actually work on her jewelry. But, add those 10-minute intervals up, and you end up with some much-needed mommy “me time” as well as some great metal clay jewelry.

Figure 4.25 A bookcase keeps Amanda’s work area up and safely away from little ones who want to help her.

Figure 4.24 On top of the changing table, Amanda has a firing area ready to go when she is ready to fire.

78

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area

From Cars to Clay Very few people appear to use their garages these days to house their cars. Actually, for those who do, it seems like a waste of space, and Jocelyn L. Cooley would tend to agree. With a little (okay a lot) of help from her electrical contractor husband, Jocelyn converted two-thirds of her garage into a metal clay studio. Now that is some well-used space! Her studio includes full spectrum lighting, a circuit dedicated to her kiln (an issue many metal clay artists have to deal with), a sink, and even a heating and air conditioning unit to keep her comfortable as she works. See Figure 4.26.

Chapter 4

Jocelyn does not apologize for the mess she may make in her studio. That’s why she has a door that she can close and no one has to see it. And hey, messy equates to busy in my book. However, she is not cramped for space at all and has plenty of room to work as well as ample storage. She has one part dedicated to her metal clay forming (see Figure 4.27) and another set up for her beading and assembling work (see Figure 4.28).

Figure 4.26 Jocelyn L. Cooley’s garage-turned-studio is a great use of space.

79

Figure 4.27 A desk used just for metal clay work is one perk of having your own place to work.

Figure 4.28 Jocelyn’s messy work area is also a sign of how busy and creative she is. 80

Setting Up Your Clay Work Area Her kiln and drying area (see Figure 4.29) is also in the garage, so she can do it all right there, from forming her metal clay jewelry pieces to firing them, finishing them, and then adding them to her beaded jewelry designs. Jocelyn admits that out of the many homes she has lived in over the years, all of them smaller than her current house, she never gave herself permission to have a room just for her art work, and she proclaims that finally giving herself this gift—a room of her own to be creative in—is the best gift she’s ever received.

Chapter 4

I hope this virtual tour of metal clay studios as well as the previous information on what you need to do to make a safe and comfortable place to work has been helpful and has perhaps inspired you to carve out a little space for yourself. It is amazing how inventive artists can get when it comes to finding space to “do their thing.” It is worth the time to think about where you plan to set up your metal clay work, and even if you have to make it semi-portable or break it down and put it all way when you aren’t working on it, you can see from these examples that it is do-able, no matter where you live.

Figure 4.29 Jocelyn has a place set up for drying and firing her clay.

81

Amanda, a metal clay artist from British Columbia, used a simple stamping technique for this charm.

5 Basic Metal Clay Tips

and Techniques isting every single possible technique available

L

to metal clay artists is probably an impossible task. It seems like someone comes up with a new technique on a daily basis, so I’m not going to even suggest that this is a comprehensive chapter on metal clay techniques. However, I do attempt to cover at least most of the more common methods, which you’ll find helpful for completing many of the projects in this book, and I give some tips along the way. Many of the techniques described in this chapter use tools and supplies previously discussed in Chapter 2, “Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay,” so refer to this previous chapter if you would like more details about them as you read through the techniques in this chapter.

Using Olive Oil ike many other forms of clay material,

L

metal clay can be sticky to work with. And, not only can that make it difficult when forming your jewelry pieces, but you don’t want your precious clay sticking to places it doesn’t belong and thus losing some of it as a result. One clever solution is using olive oil. I normally fill the cap of my olive oil bottle with a little of it and leave it out to dip my fingers in when necessary, as shown in Figure 5.1. Unlike cooking, you don’t have to worry about getting extra virgin olive oil; extra light olive oil works fine and is a tad cheaper. The reason you use olive oil versus other types of oils is due to its organic nature; it doesn’t smoke like other types of oil when you fire the clay.

Dab a little on your hands, your roller (as shown in Figure 5.2), stamps, anything that may stick. However, when I say “a little,” that’s exactly what I mean. A little goes a long way. If you use too much, you will have a slippery metal clay mess— yuck! There are also other products on the market that will work the same way. One is called Badger Balm, and it is available from most metal clay vendors as well as some drug and health food stores. But, obviously, olive oil is way more convenient to pick up at your grocery store.

Figure 5.2 Dab a little olive oil on the roller you use to roll out the clay.

Figure 5.1 Olive oil will keep your clay from sticking to your hands and your tools.

84

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Rolling Out Clay efore you begin rolling your clay, you’ll want to set up your work area as described in Chapter 4, “Setting Up Your Clay Work Area.” This means you’ll have pretty much everything ready to go when you start working with the clay because, remember that the clay dries out as it is exposed to air. You don’t have to be a speed demon, but you don’t want to lollygag either.

B

Just as if you were rolling out dough to make cookies, you want to try to get your clay to be a consistent thickness as you roll it out. That way pieces that you cut from the clay will be the same thickness as well. One method to help with this is to stack playing cards on either side of the clay (see Figure 5.3). On your work surface, set an equal number of playing cards on either side of where you plan to roll your clay. The more cards you use, the thicker your piece of clay will end up. On average, three to four cards are most often used. To save yourself some time, you can also have preset stacks of cards taped together and ready to go. Use a number card that corresponds to the number of cards in the stack (so three cards would have the number 3 card) and position it face up on the top of the stack to help identify the number of cards in each one. Now dab a little olive oil onto the roller to coat it. Put a small amount of clay in the center of your work area between the two cards, press the roller down onto the clay and roll back and forth, as demonstrated in Figure 5.4, so that the ends of the roller are over the cards and the clay piece is in the center of the roller. Do this a few times until you get your piece flat.

Figure 5.3 A few playing cards stacked on either side of the clay helps keep it an even thickness when rolling.

Figure 5.4 Use the roller to roll the clay flat.

85

Storing Clay nce a package of metal clay is open,

O

the clock starts to tick because as it is exposed to the air it starts to dry out. Therefore, it is important to have a good storage strategy in place. Now, there are ways to hydrate your clay to a certain extent and you can also use it for slip (both of which I discuss further on in this chapter), but hey, this stuff isn’t cheap and there is only so much slip one person can use. Therefore, storing clay is a serious subject.

As you can see from Figure 5.5, when you open a package of Precious Metal Clay, you’ll get a lump of clay wrapped inside of a piece of plastic. Art Clay comes similarly wrapped, though in a more air-tight piece of plastic, but once this piece of plastic is opened, it is exposed to air just like Precious Metal Clay, so you have the same issues really: keeping leftover clay as airtight as possible.

Figure 5.5 When opened, metal clay is exposed to oxygen and thus starts to dry out.

86

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques One thing to remember is that as you work with the clay, you can’t just leave it out on your workspace. Pull off a small amount to work with (see Figure 5.6) and immediately return the clay to the plastic wrap, and then put that inside some kind of air-tight container.

Chapter 5

One option available for helping with clay storage is to use products made for this specific purpose such as the Clay Vault or Clay Safe, which is pictured in Figure 5.7. The vault is used for long-term storage, overnight and maybe a few days after that. It is larger than the safe and includes a water crystal that helps with the hydration of the clay. The safe is used while you are working, so you can put the unused portion back into the plastic and then set that into the safe and then keep on working. When you are ready for more clay, you just pop the safe open and pull out the plastic wrapped clay. I have found both of these to be better options than trying to store the clay back in the original packaging. The safe is much easier to handle while you are working and the vault keeps the clay better hydrated for longer storage.

Figure 5.6 Return the unused portion of clay to the plastic for storage.

Figure 5.7 The Clay Safe is helpful to store clay while you are working. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

87

Cutting Clay ne technique for forming clay is

O

to cut it into various shapes, and there are all kinds of ways you can do this depending on what you are making. Pictured in Figure 5.8 is an example of one popular cutting method where you use small metal cutters to cut out shapes in the clay. Yes, these sure do look like miniature cookie cutters, don’t they? And, basically, that’s what they are. After rolling out the clay, you simply press down on it with your choice of metal cutter, and just like a cookie, you now have a piece of metal clay in that exact shape.

Once you have cut out the shape with the cutter, simply remove the clay from around the cutter, as demonstrated in Figure 5.9, or sometimes if you are using very small cutters, the clay will stick inside the cutter and you just gently remove it.

Figure 5.9 Remove excess clay from around the metal cutter.

Figure 5.8 Using a small metal cutter, which looks like a cookie cutter, to cut shapes in the clay.

88

Another method for cutting is using a craft knife. You can use this for cutting straight pieces of clay or for cutting around templates that you place on top of the clay.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Carving Dry Clay efore the clay becomes completely

B

dry, which is referred to as “bone-dry,” there is a middle stage where it is still a little cool to the touch. This is called “leatherhard” and since it is not totally dry yet, it still has some moisture in it. At this stage, you can carve on the clay by using any number of carving tools. Old dental tools available at many flea markets are excellent for carving into the leather-dry clay. (see Chapter 2 for more information on carving tools).

You can either carve freehand or you can create stencils and trace over them onto the leatherhard clay. One simple way to create a stencil is to use one of your playing cards. Draw your design, such as a large star or heart, and then with scissors cut around your design. Position it over the clay and use a carving tool to draw around the stencil and thus carve the design into the clay. If you have some drawing skills, another method is to use a pencil and draw your choice of image or pattern directly onto the bone-dry clay. Then outline this again using a carving tool. Obviously, you can really vary your approach to this technique depending on your comfort level as well as the finished look you hope to create. It does take a steady hand and some imagination, but it’s yet another way to add some distinct textures and designs onto your clay before firing.

89

Texturing Clay ne of the very cool things about

O

metal clay techniques versus traditional metal jewelry methods is the fact that texturing can be accomplished so much easier and faster with clay, and the different possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Once you get hooked onto texturing your metal clay, you’ll start to see all kinds of potential in everyday items that you may already have on hand. Sarah Peacock, whose work is also included in the gallery section of this book, was inspired by nature when she used a leaf to make an impression into metal clay and created the pendant shown in Figure 5.10. She calls it (appropriately) “Aspen Leaf Pendant with Stone.” All she had to do was place the leaf on top of the rolled out clay, roll it into the clay, and voila! You have a leaf texture in the clay.

One of my favorite ways to create a textured effect on metal clay is by simply using different types of fibers. If you’ve ever sewn, then you may already have a bag of fiber scraps to dig through. If not, then check out the bargain bins at any fabric store. One type of fiber that is wonderful for this is lace, and as you can see in Figure 5.11, you simply place the fiber of your choice over the clay and roll it like you normally would. When you pull up the fiber, you’ll see the impression of it in the clay, and this will stay there when you dry it and then fire it later on.

Figure 5.11 Lace is a very simple way to create a textured effect on your metal clay.

Figure 5.10 Look to nature for textural inspiration like Sarah Peacock did for the pendant pictured above. 90

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques There are also products on the market that are made for creating texture in metal clay. Brass texture plates are available from most metal clay vendors, and they basically work the same way as the lace example, though you may want to dab a tiny amount of olive oil on the plate first so that it doesn’t stick (see Figure 5.12). Now one thing to be aware of with brass plates as well as just about anything you use for texturing purposes, the deeper the relief on the item you use to roll the clay the deeper the impression of the texture you’ll have in your clay. So, keep this in mind when you are looking for items to use as texturing tools. It has been my own experience that brass plates, for example, normally have a very low relief and so create a very subtle effect—too subtle for my own personal taste. But, they do have their uses. I know some metal clay artists like to use them to decorate the back of some of their pendants or other jewelry items to give them a slightly more finished appearance.

Chapter 5

Figure 5.12 Brass plates are available from metal clay vendors and create a very subtle texture on the clay.

91

Using Stamps

A

long the same lines as texturing,

using rubber stamps on metal clay is a great way to add textural elements or impress other types of designs into the clay. In fact, you’ll see the use of rubber stamps in some of the projects in this book because this is not only an easy technique to learn for any level of jewelry maker, but it also works well with lowfire clay. And, size is something you will want to consider when selecting the stamps for your metal clay purposes. If you plan to make small charms and pendants—remember, no larger than a silver dollar for low-fire clay—then you will want to make sure your stamps are not overly large.

After rolling out the clay, normally three or so playing cards in thickness, add a small amount of olive oil to the stamp, press it into the clay as illustrated in Figure 5.13, and lift up. You want to firmly press into the clay, but do not rock the stamp back and forth or you won’t get a solid image. And, heck, if you goof up, it is not a big deal. Unlike paper that you would have to throw away, with clay you can just roll it back out and start over until you get the impression you want. You will probably want to practice this a few times until you get the feel of how hard you need to press into the clay, and the thicker the clay piece the harder you will need to press.

Figure 5.13 Press the rubber stamp firmly into the clay after rolling it out. 92

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Making and Using Slip

S

lip is actually metal clay paste. You

can purchase paste (aka slip) or make it yourself using leftover bits of clay. It is used for a number of purposes when making metal clay items. For example, you may use it to glue one piece of wet or semi-dry clay (sometimes called “leather-hard”) to another piece of clay (see more on this technique, known as appliqué, further on in this chapter). You can also use it to fix or repair metal clay pieces as well. For example, in Figure 5.14, I’m attempting to use slip to secure a small portion of dried clay that broke off of the piece I was working on. Believe it or not, it actually worked too! I just dabbed a little slip onto the areas where the piece broke off (because I had dropped it while the piece was still drying) and reattached the broken piece. Then I let it dry again before I fired it.

To make slip, you need a small empty jar like a baby food jar, caviar jar (see Figure 5.15), or cold cream jar in which to mix and store the slip. It is nice to have a few small jars on hand so you can have one jar for your ready-to-use slip and another jar for clay dust that you can collect when filing dry clay or scraps or dried-out clay pieces that you will eventually start to accumulate as you make more metal clay jewelry.

Figure 5.15 A small jar is perfect for mixing and storing metal clay slip.

Figure 5.14 Slip is handy for repairing dried clay items that may have broken.

93

To make the slip, along with a jar to keep it in, you also need some metal clay—just a few scraps will do to start off—and some distilled water. You need a small paintbrush to help mix it up and apply it as well. If you are starting this hobby from zilch, then don’t worry too much about using a bunch of your clay right away to make slip. Like I said before, you can actually buy metal clay paste, which is another name for slip. However, it really doesn’t take long before you’ll start accumulating parts and pieces of clay that you can slip into your slip jar. Once you have a little clay in your jar, add a small amount of distilled water and stir it up with the paintbrush. Do a little at a time. If you use too much water, it will be soupy rather than pasty, and you are really attempting to create a paste for of the clay. If you want some thinner slip, say for example you just want to smooth over a piece of clay that is cracking a little bit, then dip the brush into a bowl of distilled water before dipping it into the slip. This will dilute it a little.

94

Most metal clay artists have multiple slip jars for different consistencies of paste as well as different types of clay. They may have one jar with PMC3 and another jar with Art Clay 650 (both are low-fire like we use in this book) and they may have another jar for standard PMC. So, the idea is that eventually you may want a separate slip jar for each type of clay and for each type of consistency you prefer (super thick paste, medium thick paste, thinner paste, etc.). For now, pick one type of clay—either PMC3 or Art Clay 650—and intend on making one slip jar that is a medium thick paste. You can always add other jars later to your collection as you need them and as you make more metal clay jewelry.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Hydrating Dry Clay ry clay is a concern that you

D

really can’t get away from when working with metal clay, but don’t despair. If you space out and don’t store your clay correctly, you can hydrate it with water. It takes some doing, which is why so many metal clay artists have found inventive ways to use slip, but it is possible to make metal clay soft again, not necessarily the same consistency as it was coming out of the package for the first time, but usable. There are a few different degrees of dry clay. If you are working with fairly new clay, but it has been out awhile, then it may just take a drop of distilled water worked into a ball of clay to bring needed moisture back to it. A small spray bottle of water is also good for this purpose, so this is a quick fix. If it is getting a little dry as you work with it, just add a little (very little) bit of water, and you should be good to keep working. Spray it at a right angle versus directly on the clay, and let the mist come down onto the clay. This way, you just get a very small amount of water and do not end up with metal clay mud.

Now, if you are way beyond this point to where you have a rock of hard clay versus a ball of slightly dry clay, then your clay needs some major resuscitation. This means more water and more patience. Chop it up into small pieces. Some artists use a dedicated food processor for this, a nutmeg grater, or a coffee grinder (dedicated meaning you can’t use these items afterwards to prepare food), but you can use a craft knife as well. Put all these small shavings and pieces into a jar and add a small amount of distilled water. Let it rest for awhile to allow the clay to soak up the water and then check the condition of the clay. It is better to add water little by little so you don’t end up adding too much. Once you see it coming back to life, empty the contents onto a non-stick surface like plastic wrap and start kneading the clay with the wrap. Otherwise, you’ll end up with clay all over your hands, and this will just be a waste since you can scrape the dried up clay off the wrap later on. Knead until you have as much of the water as you can get into the clay and put it back into the container. Eventually, you can get the clay back into workable condition if you just keep at it. If it is too wet and you don’t have any more dried up clay, let it sit for awhile to see if it will dry out some. The longer it sits the more it will dry out. Then follow the same procedure, kneading it with plastic wrap.

95

Appliqué or Layering uch like the idea of appliqué in

M

sewing, this technique is a way to layer one piece of metal clay over another. You can use it for a variety of purposes such as attaching bales or for just adding extra decorative elements to a design. The charm in Figure 5.16 is an example of a piece that has two layers. First, I made the oval piece and added a hole at the top, and then I made the star.

Christine Street combined multiple techniques including appliqué, stone setting, and much more in this layered pendant exhibited in Figure 5.17. She made two teardrop sections, one with a synthetic peridot stone and one without, then dried and sanded each before layering them and using slip to glue them together. By doing each separately, she was able to create a smooth bezel area for her stone. This layering also provides some wonderful dimension to the finished pendant.

This is another time when you will want your slip jar handy because you use the paste in your jar to work like a glue between the layers of clay. For the charm pictured in Figure 5.16, both the star and oval were cut out using metal forms as described in the “Cutting Clay” section earlier in this chapter. Then I used a paintbrush to dab some slip on the back of the star, and placed that in the center of the oval shape. Like all metal clay pieces, you’ll need to allow them to dry thoroughly before you fire these.

Figure 5.17 A synthetic peridot is included on the top layer of this appliquéd pendant created by Christine Street.

Figure 5.16 Two pieces of clay are connected and layered using an appliqué technique. 96

If you are interested in experimenting with gold clay, the appliqué technique works well for this because you can create a silver bottom layer and then make the top layered piece using the gold clay. As a result, you have a two-tone effect when you have fired them together.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Making Molds

S

ince metal clay is so soft when

you first start forming with it, the material lends itself well to working with molds, and there are a lot of different ways to make your own molds. For example, you can make a pretty simple mold by pressing a favorite charm or button into a piece of polymer clay and baking the polymer clay piece to harden it. If you are pretty good at carving, you can also use polymer clay in the same way and instead of pressing something into the clay, you can carve your own design into it. Another popular method for mold making is to use two-part silicone compound. This method is preferred by metal clay artist Shahasp Valentine whose silicone molds are shown in Figure 5.18. Shahasp starts by using line drawings that resemble stained glass window designs. Then she carves the designs into wax and covers this with two-part silicone that she presses into the carved wax. After she allows it to set (per the manufacturer’s instructions), she has her mold ready for the clay. You can see Shahasp Valentine’s entire process, which she calls the “Stained Glass Window Technique” in Chapter 9, “Metal Clay Projects,” where she was kind enough to share with us the procedure for making one of her signature pendants.

Figure 5.18 Shahasp Valentine is inspired by stained glass designs to make her molds for metal clay.

However you decide to make your molds, either with polymer clay or silicone, once you have your mold ready, simply add a tiny amount of olive oil to the mold to keep the clay from sticking. Then press the clay into the mold, making sure you have enough metal clay to cover the entire design of the mold. Carefully pull the metal clay from the mold, insert any findings such as wire for a bail (fine silver findings are best since they will not develop fire-scale), and allow it to dry completely. Once the piece is completely dry, it is ready for firing.

97

Adding Stones ust like traditional metal work, you

J

can also include gemstones in your metal clay jewelry pieces. You can add stones either before or after the firing process, but there are some limitations if you want to fire with the stones in the clay. While some stones like diamonds and rubies can generally deal with high temperatures, they can have inclusions in them that you can’t see with the naked eye, and if heated, you could get cracks in the stones. Very often synthetic stones or laboratory grown gemstones are the way to go when firing stones in dried metal clay. You can also try heating the stones before using them in your metal clay to determine if they can handle the heat or not, but then you may damage the stone and not be able to use it for anything.

If you plan to heat your clay with the gemstone in it, you can do this a few different ways. For example, you can form the clay into a bezel that wraps around the gemstone. Pictured in Figure 5.19 is a pendant that metal clay artist and instructor Robin Faulkner created using PMC3 and rubies. You can see that she used this bezel technique to hold the rubies in the clay. Because of the clay shrinkage factor, even with the use of a bezel, you need to make sure to push the stone into the clay; otherwise, as it shrinks, it will force the gemstone up and could pop out of the bezel.

Figure 5.19 Robin Faulkner set two synthetic rubies in this swirl silver pendant.

98

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques Another way to add a stone before firing is to press it down into the clay. The trick with this is that the clay needs to be thicker than the stone. One method to figure out how thick the clay should be relates back to the idea of using playing cards. Christine Street used this method when setting the peridot stone in the appliquéd pendant shown in Figure 5.17. She placed the stone upside down on a table and stacked the cards up next to it. Then she put a piece of Plexiglas on top of them, and continued to stack cards until the stone no longer touched the glass. Finally, to take the shrinkage of clay into consideration, she added one more card. This is how she knew the clay she rolled out would be thick enough to accommodate the stone. To help relieve pressure, some metal clay artists cut a small hole in the back of the stone before firing the clay.

Chapter 5

If you prefer to add your stone after the clay has been fired, you can either glue them onto the clay, use a pre-fabricated fine silver bezel and fire it with your metal clay, or you can create a metal clay bezel and place the stone in the bezel after firing. That’s what Christine Street did for the ring pictured in Figure 5.20. With this method, you need to figure out how much the bezel will shrink. For example, if you use PMC3, the shrinkage is 12 percent. Measure your stone and then multiply the size of your stone by .12 for the correct dimensions of the bezel.

Figure 5.20 Christine Street set this peach moonstone cabochon in the metal clay ring after firing.

99

Paste and Organic Materials or a traditional metal technique

F

such as lost wax casting, using organic materials is nothing new. Instead of a wax or plastic mold, the jewelry maker can substitute any number of organic materials including leaves, flowers, and sticks. This is because the organic material disappears during the burn-out process just like the wax or plastic does.

Begin by selecting the organic item. Just as with lost wax casting, similar materials may be used such as leaves, small twigs, and flowers—anything that will burn away. Now, of course, if you are planning to use low-fire clay, you need to remember to pay attention to the size of the organic items. They need to be no larger than a silver dollar. Other types of metal clay that must be fired in a kiln will not have this restriction.

In a very similar fashion, the same idea can be accomplished with metal clay. Metal clay is layered over the organic material, dried, and fired. Paste is recommended for this, so this becomes a great way to use up all that slip you might have been accumulating. If you don’t have very much slip yet, you can also buy metal clay paste for this as well. Cyndi Lavin, a mixed media artist, demonstrates the technique for using organic materials with metal clay in Figure 5.21.

Figure 5.21 Artist Cyndi Lavin shows how to use leaves as organic elements in your jewelry.

100

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques Once you have your organic material selected, you are ready to start coating it over and over again with metal clay paste or slip, and after the piece finally dries, fire it. The firing method depends on the clay you use. (For low-fire, you can still use a hot-pot or torch. See Chapter 3 for more information on the method of firing each type of clay requires.) There need to be a number of coats, each one drying before the next coat is added, in order for the organic item to be sturdy enough after firing. Otherwise, you will have a very thin piece when you fire it. Remember that whatever you are coating will not be there after you fire it, so you need to have a thick layer of clay over the piece. For the maple leaf pictured in Figure 5.21, Cyndi used a total of ten coats of metal clay paste, coating, drying, coating, and drying, all before firing it. Since Cyndi is one of the guest artists who provided projects for this text, you can see a more detailed explanation of the finished project she created with the leaf in Chapter 9. Figure 5.22 shows a similar jewelry piece created by Amanda, whose work is also shown in the gallery section of this book. She made the silver leaf charm using this same technique and combined it with dangles of stone and pearl beads.

Chapter 5

Figure 5.22 Amanda’s silver leaf is very similar to the one Cyndi made using the same organic and paste technique.

101

Smoothing Clay

T

hough you can clean up your clay

jewelry pieces at various points in the process using an emery board, fine sandpaper, or jeweler’s file, it is a good idea to try to clean up sooner rather than later. And the initial clean up I am talking about is done when the clay is still wet, right after you have formed it into your jewelry component by using any number of techniques, such as cutting it with a metal clutter or setting it in a mold as previously described. As an example, sometimes when I use a metal cutter on the clay and pull away the unused clay from around the outside of the metal cutter, there may be a little bit of a ridge around the piece where the cutter did not cut precisely enough. I’m talking about a very small amount, too small to really cut away. So, smoothing the clay is your best option to clean something like this up, and there are a few ways to go about doing this. If it is a very small area, I have found that sometimes it might be as simple as pressing the tip of my finger against the clay, but you have to be careful about this because if you press too hard, you can leave finger prints in the clay. When a piece is flat, for example, you do not want to press on top of it with your fingers because you will end up impressing your prints directly into the clay. Another option is to use a paintbrush and dab a tiny amount of water (distilled of course) onto the area in question. Again, it sort of depends on how much area we are talking about and where it is on the piece. You do not want to end up with a lot of wet clay, especially if you have pressed some sort of design or pattern into the clay.

102

You could end up making it so wet that the design becomes distorted. However, if it is something like a bail or rope of clay that is getting a little dry, a wet paintbrush and even a little thin slip will help smooth out these dry areas. Finally, a good option for smoothing all kinds of rough spots in wet clay is a “wipe-out tool,” which was discussed in Chapter 2. As demonstrated in Figure 5.23, the silicone tips on this tool are helpful for erasing mistakes or smoothing out rough areas. Because the tips of the tool are silicone rubber, you can easily clean the tool, and it does not absorb any of the clay. No matter which way you decide to try to smooth out spots in your wet clay, do as much as you can before you set it aside to dry. Take a good look at the piece—the top, the edges—any areas around the piece you can smooth out now before it dries will save you clean-up time later. So make a habit of examining the wet piece and smoothing before moving on to the drying process.

Figure 5.23 A wipe-out tool is handy for smoothing the clay while it is still wet.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Sanding and Filing Dry Clay

T

hough you want to clean up

your clay while it is still wet, inevitably you will not manage to catch all the areas that need smoothing. Be prepared, then, to spend a little time cleaning up your dry clay pieces before you fire them. This can be done a few different ways depending on what is most comfortable to you. Fine sandpaper is one option. Just rip off a little of it and gently rub it against any rough areas of the dry clay. Remember that the clay at this stage is pretty fragile, so take care when doing this. One nice thing about using sandpaper is that you can get into some small nooks and crannies. Make sure to use sandpaper that does not develop loose particles while using it. Otherwise, the clay dust will not be suitable for your slip jar since these particles will not burn out.

One way I prefer to file dry clay is with an emery board. The clay at this stage is pretty soft still, so you just need to drag the emery board against any rough areas of the clay. I find the emery board to be easy to hold while I work, a little more comfortable than sandpaper, but this is a personal preference sort of thing. Try out both techniques and see which you like best. As with the sandpaper, you want to be a little cautious with any loose particle that may come off your emery board as well.

103

Filing Fired Clay inally, after you have smoothed

F

your wet clay and filed your dry clay, you are ready to fire the clay item you have formed. Afterwards, though, you may still see some spots you missed. Also, when the clay is wet or dry, it can be hard to get certain spots cleaned up, such as holes you cut in the clay. You have to be careful about not handling the clay too much to get to areas like this because you can end up damaging the piece before you even get to fire it.

This is when an additional filing with a jewelers’ file comes in to play. You can purchase these as sets of about 8 to 12 files, as shown in Figure 5.24. They come in a lot of different shapes, so you can use a round file, for example, to file the inside of a hole in your fired clay piece. Or you can use a flat, square file to file around the edges of a piece. Much like the idea of the emery board, you just need to scrape along the areas that are rough. File in one direction rather than back and forth to ensure an even edge to the filed area.

Figure 5.24 Small jewelers’ files are useful for cleaning up fired clay items. 104

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Burnishing Clay reating friction is one of the easiest

C

ways to get an initial polish on your metal clay. This is called burnishing. By rubbing the fired clay pieces with a burnishing brush and some soapy water or some water with baking soda in it, you will be amazed at how bright it will look after only a few minutes. Part of the reason why metal clay can be cleaned this way is because it is fine silver. Sterling silver has alloys mixed in with it (such as copper), so it takes more work to shine it. Figure 5.25 shows how to use a burnishing brush on a fired piece of metal clay. After firing, the piece will look white and almost sort of chalky in color (which is caused by metal crystals that are not in alignment after shrinking in the firing process), but once you rub the brush over it, you’ll soon see it start to shine. A burnishing brush is a very rough brush with bristles made of metal. Brass is often used for the bristles because you can create some good friction as you rub the metal bristles against the metal surface of your metal clay piece. This process takes only a few minutes depending on how large the fired metal clay piece is and how high you want the shine. Other burnishing tools look totally different from the burnishing brush, but they accomplish the same thing because you are rubbing metal onto metal. Some burnishing tools include a tapered piece of metal with a wooden handle on it.

Figure 5.25 A burnishing brush may be all you need to get your metal clay clean and shiny.

I have even known people to burnish with old metal knitting needles. These pointed burnishing tools are handy if you have hard-to-get to crooks and crannies in a piece because you can get the pointed part in there and rub with it. But, to get started, a burnishing brush, a bowl of soapy water or water with baking soda, and some elbow grease are all you need. Depending on the look you want for your final jewelry component, you may want to stop the polishing process after you burnish it. It depends on your personal preferences. Read on to find out additional methods for polishing your fired clay jewelry pieces.

105

Polishing Fired Clay nce metal clay has been fired and

O

burnished (as described previously), you have many methods available to you if you decide to continue the polishing process. For example, if you want a much higher shine or mirror finish on the metal clay item, more polishing will be necessary. If you have used a patina or oxidation method (described further on in this chapter), you may also need to polish some of that off if you find it is darker than you want it to be. It all depends on the look you want for your finished piece of jewelry, so this is something you really have to decide for yourself. Here are a few options available to the beginning metal clay worker. Once you get your feet wet, though, polishing is an area of metal work that is pretty extensive, so you may want to consider exploring this some more.

Polishing Cloth One of the most affordable and low-tech methods for polishing metal is a common jewelry polishing cloth (see Figure 5.26). Simply rub the metal with the cloth, and you will remove tarnish and other dirt. As you use these, they will get dirty— as in black—but you can use a polishing cloth until it literally falls apart. They are very soft so they don’t scratch the metal, but at the same time their fibers, which are pretreated with chemical compounds that dissolve tarnish, help (aided by your elbow grease) create the fiction needed to get dirt off of the metal. You will normally find a use for these after you oxidize or add a patina to your metal clay pieces and discover your finish to be darker than you want, so you can remove some with the polishing cloth.

Figure 5.26 A polishing cloth is an affordable way to get an initial shine on your metal jewelry.

106

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Rotary Tools

Rock Tumblers

A motorized rotary hand tool is one option for beginners because many people have these already. Dremel is a common name-brand tool used for all sorts of handyman-type projects. I have one of these that I got many years ago when I first started playing around with metal fabrication, and it even came with a little set of cleaning and polishing attachments as well as a small jar of polishing compound call rouge. If you already have one of these, then consider using it. However, it is not always the best tool to use for jewelry making, and there are a number of other rotary tools, also called flexible shafts, that are designed specifically for a jeweler’s needs. The motors are normally a little stronger, and jewelry vendors who sell these flexible shafts also sell lots of different attachments such as mounted silicone wheels and cylinders.

Rotary rock tumblers have gained in popularity in the metal jewelry world over the past few years because they are a fairly economical way to polish jewelry quickly, especially if you have a lot to polish. If you just have a piece now and then that you want to polish, then this method may be more than you need. However, if you get to the point where you find your jewelry pieces starting to pile up because you don’t have the time (or patience) to polish them as you would like to, then consider this method for polishing your fired metal clay and other metal jewelry. Be aware, though; you have to be careful about any jewelry that has stones in it. Some stones, like turquoise, are porous, so they should never be submerged in water. The items in the tumbler will, well, tumble around too, so this can crack crystals or other items on jewelry. For metal jewelry that has no beads or stones on it, this is not an issue.

To use a flexible shaft and silicone attachment, insert the attachment into the shaft. Before starting to polish, do a safety check: make sure your hair is pulled back; you are wearing eye protection; you are not polishing a chain that can easily get tangled up into the rotary tool; and you are wearing protective gloves (the metal will get hot as you polish it and you won’t be able to hold it as it heats up). Once you are safely set up, hold the jewelry item you plan to polish with one hand and the flexible shaft end with the other while pressing down on the foot pedal. As the silicone attachment turns, move it over the jewelry item you want to polish. The attachments come in different grades, from coarse to ultra-high shine. Work through the different attachments (many come in kits) until you get the polish you prefer.

Along with a rock tumbler, you will need some stainless steel shot (normally two pounds of shot are needed for a three-pound capacity tumbler), water, and some liquid soap (the kind used for washing dishes or burnishing soap). New shot must first be cleaned before you use it, and remember that it should be stainless steel shot. There are other metal shots available, but if it isn’t stainless steel then you can have rust problems. Just put it in the tumbler along with some liquid soap and water. The water should cover the shot and be about a half inch over the level of the shot. Put the tumbler into the motor unit and run it for awhile, checking to see how dirty the water is. You will probably have to replace the water a few times. When you empty the tumbler, make sure to use a fine sheave so you don’t lose any of the shot, some of which can be pretty tiny.

107

When your shot is clean, put it back in the tumbler with more water, more soap, and a few items to be polished. The amount of jewelry you can polish is dependant on the size of the tumbler. The more jewelry in the tumbler, the longer it will take to get them all cleaned. Once you have the barrel filled with shot, water, soap, and jewelry, set it back on the motor unit and let it go for about an hour and check it. If your items are polished to your liking, then you are done. If not, then let it go for another hour. It should not take more than two hours or either you have too much jewelry in it or your shot may need to be cleaned again. The shot should be cleaned regularly as you use it, and it should be stored in water when you aren’t using it. Your rock tumbler will take a little maintenance now and then, normally requiring you to oil parts of the machine. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for care and maintenance as this will vary depending on the brand and size of the machine.

Magnetic Polishers A magnetic polisher is good way to go if you have a lot of polishing to do on a regular basis because it is very easy to use and one of the quickest ways to get a high polish on a piece of metal jewelry. It does cost a good deal more than a rock tumbler, but the cost is offset to some extent because it takes a lot less time and little maintenance is required for the machine. Like the rock tumbler, you’ll need to add clean stainless steel shot, water, soap, and your jewelry to the plastic container that sits on top of the magnetic part of the machine. I also sometimes add a little lemon ammonia as well if I’m trying to get a really high shine on something. If you look at Figure 5.27, you’ll see the shot and water in the polishing container. This is the shot I use and it is very fine, made with tiny little steel pins, so it gets really good coverage on small, detailed jewelry items.

Figure 5.27 A magnetic polisher is a quick way to polish metal jewelry pieces.

108

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

For the smaller magnetic tumblers (which is what I have), about three to four average-size jewelry items can be polished at a time. If the pieces are really small, for example some of the extra small metal clay star-shaped charms I made for projects in this book, then I might put as many as six pieces in it. After you have the plastic container loaded, set it on top of the base. You will feel the metal shot pull towards the base because of the magnets. Then turn the knob on the front of the machine (refer to Figure 5.28) to the time you want it to run, put on the lid, and flip the red switch to start it up. Normally, it will take about 20 minutes to clean three to four jewelry pieces. If you just have one jewelry piece, it can take as little as 10 minutes. When the tumbler is running, do not open the lid to the container. Otherwise, you’ll have soapy water and shot and jewelry all over the place. It is kind of like a blender that way. As the timer ticks away, everything inside the plastic container swirls around. In a similar fashion to the rock tumbler, the magnetic tumbler needs to have clean shot. If the shot is not clean or the tumbler is over-filled with jewelry, it can cause the jewelry pieces to become a dark dull rather than shiny bright color. If this happens, don’t worry. Just empty out the container and clean the shot as described previously. Then fill it back up with clean shot, water, soap, and just a few of the jewelry items this time and start over.

Figure 5.28 The timer and “on” switch for the machine are on the front of its base.

109

Creating Patinas f you have ever seen any authentic

I

antique or vintage jewelry, then you may have noticed the metal areas on this sort of jewelry have unique patinas that have developed over time. This is because exposure to oxygen changes the look of the metal, a process referred to as oxidation. Patina gives a piece of jewelry character, and in some cases, it enhances the look as well because it helps to bring out details as the darker areas create more contrast. If you look at the pendant in Figure 5.29, which was made by metal clay artist Sarah Peacock, you’ll see that details such as the texture and the lettering are enhanced by the patina she added to the silver.

Figure 5.29 Patinas help show off details in this pendant from artist Sarah Peacock. 110

Sterling silver has alloys in it that cause it to tarnish more quickly than other metals, so the oxidation process can happen relatively quickly if it is exposed to the air for awhile. Fine silver, on the other hand, is almost pure silver (99.9 percent), so it takes a much longer time for natural patinas to develop. Since you can get a lot of great detail on metal clay using some of the techniques discussed in this chapter, such as texturing or using rubber stamps, oxidation or a patina on metal clay jewelry can help the details “pop” out better. But, who wants to wait years for a natural patina to develop? Luckily, you don’t have to wait because you can create your own by forcing the process to accelerate. While there are lots of different methods for doing this, two of the more popular methods include using liver of sulfur (also used as a plant fertilizer) or a product called Silver Black (a mixture of hydrochloric acid and tellurium).

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Liver of Sulfur on Fired Clay Liver of sulfur is a natural product, but you still will need some ventilation when you work with it because it is pretty stinky stuff. It smells like rotten eggs, so while the smell won’t necessarily harm you, it is not very pleasant. Most jewelry vendors sell liver of sulfur and you can sometimes find it at hardware stores as well. It normally comes in a jar, and it looks sort of like little dark green pebbles. However, some vendors also sell it in liquid form. You can make various degrees of patina and oxidation depending on how long you leave your metal in the solution, so there is a degree of personal preference mixed with experimentation when using this solution. Figure 5.30 shows a charm that I left in the solution for just a few seconds. It has a very subtle patina to it, which would have been much darker if I had left it in there longer. Notice how it has almost a golden color to it, and you can see the texture I created using a little lace on top of the clay as I rolled it out.

Figure 5.30

Chapter 5

To use liver of sulfur on your fired metal clay jewelry, you’ll first want to clean the jewelry piece(s) with a burnishing brush. Then take two small bowls (I use old plastic whip topping bowls) and fill each with about a cup of distilled water. In one bowl, add a few tablespoons of baking soda. For the other bowl, heat the water in a microwave for about one minute, and then add a tiny amount of the liver of sulfur, about the size of a piece of rice or pea. The more you use, the darker your item will become. Stir it up to make sure it is dissolved. You want a pair of tongs and paper towel handy. It is okay to put your hands in the solution, but since the water is hot, it may not be that comfortable. Dip your jewelry items in the liver of sulfur solution and wait for it to get the color you want it to be. You may want to do a quick test run first by just dipping it in and pulling it out a few times to see how it looks. When you pull it out, place it into the water and baking soda bowl to help stop the process and stabilize it. If you want it darker, you can put it back in the solution again. Because you really can’t mix up a small amount of liver of sulfur solution, it’s a good idea to be prepared to patina a number of jewelry pieces at the same time. To dispose of the solution, pour it onto your grass or a potted plant (remember it is also a plant fertilizer). Live of sulfur has a fairly short shelf life, so keep it away from light and make sure you tighten the lid on the container when you are finished using it.

Experiment with liver of sulfur to get the patina effect you prefer.

111

Silver Black on Fired Clay For super quick oxidation results, there are a number of products available from jewelry supply vendors that will instantly blacken your jewelry. Silver Black and Black Max are both brand names for these sorts of products and they are considered hazardous since they contain hydrochloric acid, so read and follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines when using these products. These solutions blacken whatever they touch; therefore, depending on the final look you are trying to accomplish, you’ll probably have to remove some after you apply it.

Figure 5.31 Silver Black instantly blackens your jewelry.

112

The process requires that you clean the piece of metal clay jewelry with a burnishing brush, then apply the blackening solution (which does not require any mixing but can be used straight from the container), and then polish the areas that you don’t want to be black any longer. If you dip the entire jewelry piece into the solution, all of it will be black, so it is a good idea to use a small make-up sponge or a cotton swap to dab detailed areas in the metal with the solution that you want to darken. Rinse it very well with water. Then use any of the polishing methods described previously in this chapter. If you just need to remove a little of the black, then a polishing cloth may be all that you need. If you need to remove a lot of the black, then you will want to use a more powerful polishing method like a rotary tool or tumbler. Figure 5.31 shows a metal clay pendant that I used Silver Black on and then ran through my magnetic tumbler for about two minutes. You can see the different effects if you compare this pendant to the charm pictured in Figure 5.30, which I dipped in liver of sulfur.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Making Holes in Clay any of the metal clay jewelry

M

components I enjoy making—which you will notice once you start on the projects chapter of this book—happen to be charms and pendants. There are all kinds of other items you can make with clay, but these are two of my favorites, and they are a good way to get started with this medium. One design element that is necessary to consider when making charms and pendants is how you plan to attach these to other jewelry components later on. Thus the issue of the hole comes up. Charms and pendants need holes in them so you can attach things like jump rings, bale, and wire to them when you incorporate them into larger finished jewelry items. Here are two super simple ways to add holes to metal clay.

Using Straws for Holes While the clay is still wet and you are busy forming it into whatever you plan to make, this is a good time to add a hole to the metal clay, and all you need is a little straw. Figure 5.32 shows how a coffee straw is perfect for pressing down into the wet clay. Pull it up, and you’ll see a tiny amount of clay inside the straw. Either add this to your other clay or drop it into your slip jar. Different diameters of straws will give you different sized holes, so you may want to start collecting these with this in mind. One very small drawback of this method is that you need to do some preplanning before you start forming your charm or pendant as you don’t want to have to worry about the clay drying while you make up your mind where to put the hole.

Figure 5.32 Simple plastic straws are handy for adding holes in soft metal clay while you are still forming it.

Using a Hole-Puncher If you space out and forget to add a hole or you aren’t sure where you want it to begin with, then you can easily add it afterwards. One way to do this is with a metal hole-punching tool. The hole-punch pictured in Figure 5.33 is pretty low-tech. Just insert the item you want under one of the screws on either end of the tool, and once you have it in place, turn the screw until it goes through the metal. That’s pretty much it.

Figure 5.33 A metal hole-puncher is a way to punch holes in metal clay after it has been fired. 113

Making Clay Snakes nakes or long round strands of

S

clay can come in handy for all kinds of reasons, so I’m including it as a technique. Though I’ve seen people use a flat piece of glass and roll it over the clay to create a snake-shaped piece of clay, I’ve also found them to be pretty simple to do with my hands. Begin by adding a small amount of olive oil to your hands (just a little), and with a little clay in the palm of your hand, as pictured in Figure 5.34, begin to roll it back and forth with your pointer finger. Do this until you have the beginnings of a fairly fat snake of clay.

Next, transport the fat snake of clay to a nonstick work surface and keep rolling back and forth like you did in the palm of your hand, only this time you have a larger flat surface to work on so your snake can get longer and thinner as you work with it (see Figure 5.35). This actually takes a little patience, but keep at the rolling until you get the thickness and length that you desire.

Figure 5.35 Figure 5.34 Start rolling your clay snake in the palm of your hand.

114

Transfer the clay snake to a non-stick surface as it become longer.

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Making Clay Bail

A

dding a bail to some jewelry com-

ponents is a way to both add decorative design elements to a piece and provide a way to connect items like chains to pendants. One way to do this relates back to the snake technique previously described. After rolling out a clay snake, use a craft knife and cut the length you need, as demonstrated in Figure 5.36.

Determine where on the other metal clay item you want to attach the bail, as shown in Figure 5.37. This may require you to move the snake around a little until you figure out the best spot to attach it. Once you know where you want it attached, add some slip to both ends of the clay snake, and press the ends of the snake up against the other metal clay. The slip works as an adhesive so that two pieces now become one piece. Once the clay is thoroughly dried, it is ready to be fired.

Figure 5.36 Clay rolled out into a long snake can work as a bail for pendants and other jewelry components.

Figure 5.37 A clay snake becomes a bail with the addition of a little slip on each end.

115

You aren’t limited, however, to using a snake of clay as a way to create a bail. In Figure 5.38, notice how Christine Street used a flattened piece of clay and then cut it so it was pointed on either end. She then attached the pointed areas to either side of the pendant to make a geometric looking bail.

Figure 5.38 The bail on this pendant from Christine Street has a geometric element to it.

116

Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques

Chapter 5

Adding Wire ire is another medium you can mix with your metal clay to create connections. Fine silver wire is preferred if you plan to incorporate the wire inside of the clay because fine silver will not get firescale on it during the firing process like sterling silver wire will. Plus, it is nice to be able to say that the entire piece is made of fine silver.

W

You can get the wire inside your clay a number of different ways. If the clay is thick enough and the wire is the right thickness as well, you can simply insert the wire inside of the clay. This can be tricky if you have thin or small clay pieces, though, so it takes a little consideration depending on the item you plan to make. Another way to get wire into the clay is to use a sandwich approach where you layer the wire between two pieces of metal clay. Pictured in Figure 5.39 is a small pendant I made with two metal clay teardrop-shaped pieces. I made a small eye-loop piece of wire, added a little slip to the clay piece, set the wire on top of it, added a little more slip, and then put a second teardrop piece over the top of these. Since the slip works as an adhesive, it helped all the layers stick together. After allowing it to dry, I also added a little slip around the edges so you wouldn’t see two different pieces if you looked at it from the side. Again, allow it to dry completely before you fire the finished clay piece.

Figure 5.39 Fine sterling wire is another way to add connecting elements to metal clay jewelry items.

Once you get started with this art form, you’ll soon discover your own methods and develop short cuts and tips that work for you. This is really a “learn by doing” sort of medium. The more you do it, the more you will learn. The more you learn, the more you will be able to do, and like many other forms of jewelry making, there isn’t just one way to do anything. So, feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.

117

Robin Walter-Bonnell used lever-back ear wires, jump rings, and wire wrapping techniques to connect her metal clay “angel’s wings” to amethyst gemstones in these earrings she entitled “Oh Angel.”

6 Basic Jewelry Techniques

and Findings hile much of this book focuses on the “how to” of metal clay and using this medium to create signature jewelry components such as charms and pendants, there is one more crucial step that must be considered—putting it all together. Once you have the parts and pieces (the pendants, beads, and so on), the next step is to assemble all these elements to make fabulous jewelry. A metal clay pendant may be pretty cool on its own, but if you can’t wear it around, it isn’t exactly a piece of jewelry yet. Findings and construction techniques are important ingredients in the jewelry making mix. This chapter covers some of the more common jewelry findings you’ll need to use, construction techniques for assembling and finishing off jewelry pieces, and as an added bonus, you’ll also learn to make some of your own findings out of wire.

W

Jewelry Findings Defined

C

lasps, head pins, ear hooks,

and other components that aid you in connecting all the jewelry dots are generally referred to as findings and literally provide a way to attach all the materials together to form a finished piece of jewelry. They are available in a number of different metals such as sterling silver, fine silver, gold, gold-filled, plated, and base metals. Silver findings are good choices to team up with silver metal clay. Sterling silver (which is 92.5 percent pure silver) has a little bit of base metal mixed with it, so this gives it some extra strength that fine silver does not have. You’ll find a much larger variety of findings available in sterling versus fine silver as well. If you like the two-tone look, though, it can add some interest to a silver metal clay piece if you use gold-filled findings. Gold-filled is a nice alternative to 14kt or other high grades of gold, and unlike plated gold findings, gold-filled has numerous layers of gold over base metal so it lasts much longer if taken care of properly. Of course, if you work with gold metal clay, then you may want to purchase real gold findings to make a real quality piece of jewelry. Base metals are on the lower end of the quality spectrum when it comes to findings, and I would not recommend using them with metal clay components. Sterling silver findings are not so expensive to be cost prohibitive, and the quality difference of jewelry made with sterling silver rather than plated metals or base metals is significant. So, even if you are a beginner to all of this, spend a little extra for at least sterling silver. You will be much happier with the final results and will have adornments that will last.

120

Findings usually take a back seat when compared to other jewelry elements such as beads and charms, but they are very important since they are what you use to assemble your finished jewelry. Most bead vendors sell pre-fabricated findings, and some companies even specialize in selling only findings so that they can provide a larger selection and better price points for their customers. These days, there are a ton of options for the jewelry maker to use findings as a way to add extra design elements to a finished piece of jewelry (such as the earrings pictured in Figure 6.1), so findings no longer need to be second-class citizens to the jewelry making process. In this section, I define some general findings beginners need to become familiar with and discuss how they are used in jewelry making.

Figure 6.1 Heather Gill used jump rings to connect her metal clay fan charms to French hoop-style ear hooks.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Ear Hooks Earrings are some of the easiest jewelry pieces to make, and with metal clay, they are extra easy because you just need a few small charms to get started and your earring creations are almost instantaneous. Ear hooks of some kind (also referred to as ear wires) are essential to creating earrings, and there are all different types to choose from. Figure 6.2 shows three different types of ear hooks that are pretty popular right now. First (moving left to right), are the standard shepherd hooks or fish-hook style ear hooks. The ones pictured have an extra little wire coil above the loop as an added design element. Some of these earring styles also include a ball and coil together, and some have just a loop. The loop is not completely closed, so you can use chain-nosed pliers to open it easily and slip on charms and dangles. Next (in the center), are lever-back earrings, which are sometimes called Euro wires. The loop may or may not be soldered closed, so this is something you need to check when you purchase these. If they are closed, then just be aware of this because if you want to use wire to connect other components to them, you will need to put the wire onto the loop and wrap it closed while the wire is in the loop of the ear hook. These are great earring findings because they provide a look of sophistication, they are comfortable to wear, and they are much more secure on the ear than shepherd-style ear hooks.

Chapter 6

Finally (on the right side), is a cool pair of ear hooks called French hoops. They are hoop shaped, but as you can see, they also have a little loop on one end so you can add charms and other components to them. They have a very modern look to them and more of a trendy appeal. If you enjoy using geometric shapes as design elements, then these hoop type of ear hooks might make a good choice for you when constructing earrings.

Figure 6.2 Pictured are three different types of earring findings: shepherd hooks, lever backs, and French hoops.

Earring hooks come in all kinds of metals; however, I suggest sticking to silver and gold-filled. Plated ear hooks will often wear around the spot where the hook rests in the ear hole. Plus, some people are sensitive to metals, so the purer the metal, the safer for the ear. Surgical steel is also a good choice, but the color is pretty dull when compared to silver metal clay, so the look isn’t that great. If you need to wear hypoallergenic ear hooks, check into anodized niobium findings. The metal is normally a dull gray, but it can also be treated so that it turns into colors like blue and purple, which could look pretty interesting teamed up with fine silver charms and beads.

121

Head Pins and Eye Pins

Bead Tips

Head pins and eye pins are the next findings that are standards for many earring designs. Figure 6.3 shows eye pins on the left and head pins on the right. Eye pins, as the name suggests, have an eye or loop on the end of the pin. The eye is designed so that you can connect other items to the end of the pin. This is a great way to give earring designs added movement. Head pins are flat on one end in order to keep beads on them. Both these findings have similar purposes—to connect beads and other jewelry components to ear hooks, and like ear hooks, they are available in all kinds of different metals. Again, I suggest sticking with precious metals like sterling silver or fine silver, and if you want a little gold affect, gold-filled head pins and eye pins are a good choice.

If you are already a bead lover, then one of the added benefits of working with metal clay is that you can make your own beads and focal elements (like pendants) for your bead stringing creations. When stringing beads onto beading wire, silk cord, or nylon cord, you need a way to finish off the ends of the stringing material as well as connect to the clasp, so that’s when findings like bead tips (shown in Figure 6.4) come in handy. These are also sometimes called “clam shells” because they have two shell-shaped pieces connected to each other. There is a hole in the middle of these where the stringing material is inserted. Then a knot on the end of the stringing material rests inside of the shells, which you then close around it. A little further on in this chapter I demonstrate how to use these. Bead tips are available in sterling silver, gold-filled, gold, and base metals. The clam shell varieties are some of the easiest to use, but there is also a similar style of bead tip that has just one side of the shell to it, which means the knot is exposed. While you can use these as well, I find that the double-sided bead tips are easier to deal with and a little more secure.

Figure 6.3 Eye pins and head pins are some of the more common earring findings used by jewelry makers.

Figure 6.4 Bead tips are one way to finish off beaded necklaces and bracelet designs. 122

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Crimp Beads Another way to finish the ends of beaded jewelry pieces, such as bracelets and necklaces, is by using a crimp bead (pictured in Figure 6.5). Crimp beads are actually beads in that they have a hole through them. However, their purpose is very different from your average ornamental bead: they are used on the end of stringing medium to secure the beads in place. Later in this chapter I give step-by-step instructions on how to use crimp beads, but for now, the important tip to remember about crimp beads (just as I’ve said about other jewelry findings) is to stick with either silver or gold-filled crimp beads. In particular, you want to look for crimp beads that are tube-shaped rather than round, and normally, the round crimp beads are made of base metal any way, so that makes it pretty easy to distinguish them.

Figure 6.5 Tube-shaped silver or gold-filled crimp beads are your best bet for a securely beaded jewelry piece.

Crimp beads come in different sizes, from as small as 1x1mm to as large as 3x3mm, but on average, you want them somewhere in the middle—2x2mm crimp beads. They work best with most beaded items and secure well to beading wire (a type of stringing medium that is made of twisted wire and then coated with plastic).

Chapter 6

Beading wire is a favorite of beaders who use crimp beads, and because it is so strong, it can handle heavy beads or those beads (like metal and crystals) that may otherwise cut into some other stringing materials. So, as a general rule that will work with your average type of beaded jewelry item, I suggest using 2x2mm sterling silver or gold-filled crimp beads teamed up with .014 or .015mm beading wire. For heavier jewelry, go with larger crimp beads and thicker beading wire; and with lighter jewelry, go with smaller crimp beads and beading wire.

Jump Rings and Split Rings Jump rings (as pictured on the left side in Figure 6.6) are used for all kinds of different purposes when connecting jewelry components together. A jump ring is a ring of metal that may or may not be soldered closed. You can purchase prefabricated jump rings that are either left unsoldered or are soldered closed. When they are not soldered closed, you can open them up to help connect different pieces of your jewelry together. There is a trick to opening and closing them, which I discuss in the “Jewelry Connecting and Finishing Techniques” section of this chapter, but the important item to remember about unsoldered jump rings is that they need to be cleanly cut so that you can fit the ends of the ring tightly together when closing it up. An alternative to jump rings in some cases are split rings (pictured on the right in Figure 6.6). They are a ring of metal where the rings cross over in sort of a spiral or spring formation (thus the name “spring rings”). These tend to be a little clunkier to use than jump rings, but some people think they are more secure.

123

Figure 6.6 Jump rings and split rings help to secure many jewelry components together.

While jump rings are mainly used to connect jewelry components together, don’t forget that you can also integrate them into your designs so that they are more than just functional. In Figure 6.7, Lora Hart created the metal clay pendant and then incorporated chain (which is really a bunch of jump rings connected together) and different-sized jump rings. All the circle elements connect literally and figuratively to her geometric design.

Figure 6.7 This metal clay pendant created by Lora Hart is connected to chain sections with a multitude of jump rings. She entitled the piece “Dante’s Beloved.” 124

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Clasps and Hooks After assembling all the jewelry components together to make a necklace, bracelet, or anklet, one final and very important element is the way you plan to fasten these jewelry pieces, and this is where clasps and hooks of various styles come into the mix. Years ago, findings on most jewelry pieces were pretty ho-hum. Their primary purpose was utilitarian, and they looked utilitarian and nothing more. But today, they are far from that; they can add a lot of pizzazz to a jewelry piece while at the same time making sure a necklace or other jewelry item is secure while you are wearing it. Pictured in Figure 6.8 are a few toggle clasps, which tends to be one of the more popular forms of clasps used today because they are very easy for jewelry wearers to connect. A toggle clasp is made up of two pieces: a T-shaped bar is used for one side of the clasp and a ring-shaped piece makes up the second piece of the clasp. To connect it, you simply slide the bar sideways through the ring, and then pull so the bar rests against the outside edges of the ring. As you can see from the two toggle clasps pictured, they come in different sizes as well as different designs and like most findings are available in a lot of different metals. When purchasing toggle clasps, look for measurements provided in millimeters to get a good idea of the size of the ring-section of the clasp. Spring ring clasps, shown in Figure 6.9, are another very common jewelry clasp. Pictured on the right is what your typical spring ring clasp will look like, but as you can see by the heartshaped spring ring clasp to the left of this, they also come in all kinds of different designs. There is an actual little spring inside the clasp, so when the latch part of the clasp is pulled

Chapter 6

back with your finger, this opens up the clasp and then you can connect it to a jump ring. These also normally have a small loop on the side, which you can connect to either a jump ring or directly to a bead tip. They are measured by diameter in millimeters.

Figure 6.8 Toggle clasps are very popular and easy to for the jewelry wearer to manipulate.

I’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to jewelry fasteners. Spring ring and toggle clasps are only two typically used clasps, but there are tons of other designs. Later on in this chapter, I even show you how to make some of your own using wire, so when putting your metal clay jewelry creations together, it is a good idea to spend some time thinking about the clasps just as you think about all the other components that make up your finished design.

Figure 6.9 Spring ring clasps are a commonly used form of jewelry clasp. 125

Jewelry Connecting and Finishing Techniques

A

long with understanding what

different types of findings are used for when making jewelry, you need a few basic construction techniques to help with your jewelry assembly. In this section, I show a few different ways to help connect jewelry components together as well as finish the jewelry pieces off. These methods include a combination of both bead stringing techniques and wire techniques which most beginners can learn fairly easily with a little practice. Bead stringing refers to the idea of taking beads and threading them onto various types of stringing media. Though you can make your own beads with metal clay, you can also purchase a large assortment of beads made from glass, gemstones, crystals, wood, and more. Pendants and charms made from metal clay combined with your choice of beads is a good place to begin when learning some of the basics for making completed jewelry pieces.

However, when I’m using wire to connect jewelry pieces together, I tend to prefer 21-gauge deadsoft precious metal wire. The dead-soft wire is easy to bend with my hands and my tools, but it is still strong enough to handle connecting the components. The use of metals such as silver and gold team up nicely with the metal clay pieces as well. Methods such as wrapped loops and eye loops can be a big help when incorporating your metal clay components. Add these wire methods to bead stringing construction methods like using bead tips and crimp beads and you’ll have the ability to make some incredible jewelry. For example, in Figure 6.10, metal clay artist Robin Walter-Bonnell used wire, beads, chain, and a spring ring clasp along with some basic jewelry construction methods to turn her “Namaste” metal clay component into an adorable bracelet.

Next to beads, I am big fan of wire because it is one of my favorite elements to use for connecting jewelry pieces. For demonstration purposes, I’m using a fairly thick, dark purple-colored wire so you can see the steps as clearly as possible.

Figure 6.10 This bracelet by Robin Walter-Bonnell incorporates unwrapped and wrapped loops to help connect the different jewelry components together. 126

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Crimp Beads To add a crimp bead onto beading wire, you will need at least two crimp beads (one for each end, and as I said before, I prefer to use 2x2mm sterling tube-shaped crimp beads), some beading wire of your choice, a pair of crimping pliers, and a pair of wire cutters to remove any excess wire. In this section, I explain how to secure a crimp bead to beading wire, and you can use this method for any sort of beaded jewelry such as a necklace or bracelet.

Chapter 6

Begin by slipping a crimp bead onto the end of some beading wire, as shown in Figure 6.12.

Figure 6.12 Add a crimp bead to the beading wire.

Before adding a crimp bead to the end of some beading wire, however, take a minute to look at the nose of the crimping pliers (see Figure 6.11). Notice that there are two sets of notches on the inside of both sides of the pliers’ nose. These notches distinguish these pliers from any others because they are made specifically to secure crimp beads.

Now, as shown in Figure 6.13, take the end of the wire and loop it back through the crimp bead leaving a small amount of extra wire as a tail. Make sure that the end of the wire that goes back through the crimp bead does not cross over itself but instead is parallel to it. Sometimes, crossing the beading wire at this point can weaken the integrity and thus the security of the crimp bead.

Figure 6.13 Figure 6.11

Beading wire is looped through the crimp bead.

The notches in the nose of the crimping pliers are used to secure crimp beads.

127

Position the crimp bead and thread in the second notch of the pliers, and close the pliers around the bead, as illustrated in Figure 6.14. You’ll see that the crimp bead curls after you press the pliers closed around it.

After the crimp bead is secure (see Figure 6.16), trim off excess beading wire (or if you prefer you can also cover extra beading wire with beads when you string them on). Now you have a good loop that can be used to hold your clasp.

Figure 6.16 A secure crimp bead helps create a spot for your clasp.

Figure 6.14 The second notch on the crimping pliers curls the crimp bead.

Next, as shown in Figure 6.15, turn the crimp bead to its side, position it in the first notch, and close the pliers around the crimp bead again so that you are compressing the curled crimp bead into a rounded shape.

Figure 6.15 The second notch compresses the curled crimp bead. 128

An alternative to using crimping pliers to attach crimp beads is to use a similar process as described earlier, but instead of using crimping pliers you use chain-nosed pliers and simply flatten the crimp bead after inserting the beading wire. It is really a matter of personal preference. I prefer using crimping pliers because I like the finished look better, but either way accomplishes the same thing—keeping your beads secure.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Chapter 6

Bead Tips I use bead tips quite a bit when I’m stringing gemstone beads onto stringing materials such as silk or nylon. To use beads tips to secure the ends of your strung jewelry designs, you’ll need two bead tips (one for each end of the necklace or bracelet), a pair of chain-nosed pliers, your stringing medium (I’m using nylon that came with a beading needle attached in the example described here), some hypo-cement glue, and some sharp scissors. Begin by tying a few overhand knots at the end of your nylon cord, one on top of the other, and use scissors to trim off excess cording. Then, insert the needle that is attached to the cording through the hole in the bead tip and pull the cording through the hole as shown in Figure 6.17.

Figure 6.18 Close the bead tip around the knot.

As you can see from Figure 6.19, the knot is secured inside of the bead tip and you are ready to start stringing your beads.

Figure 6.17

Figure 6.19

The nylon cord goes through the hole in the bead tip.

You can no longer see the knot once the bead tip is closed.

Continue to pull on the nylon cord until the knot rests inside one of the clam shell parts of the bead tip, add a tiny drop of hypo-cement glue to the knot, and then as pictured in Figure 6.18, use chain-nosed pliers to close the shells of the bead tip around the knot.

When securing the other end of your jewelry piece with the second bead tip, it can be helpful to use a beading awl; I like to use a simple corsage pin to push the knot down into the bead tip. Just insert the awl or pin through the knot, and push it down into the bead tip as you tighten the cord. 129

Unwrapped Wire Loops As I mentioned earlier, wire works really well for connecting jewelry components together and one of the easiest and most versatile techniques for doing this with wire is what I call the unwrapped wire loop. The result is a loop (also referred to as an “eye”) on the end of wire that you can then attach to different items such as a charm or pendant. To make one, you need some wire (obviously), a pair of chain-nosed pliers, and round-nosed pliers. A small jeweler’s file is also helpful if you need to file the ends of your wire. I used colored wire for demonstration purposes because it shows up better in the pictures, but normally, you may want to opt for silver wire if you are incorporating some of your metal clay pieces into your jewelry designs. File the end of the wire a little, and then start the loop by grasping the wire with chain-nosed pliers that are positioned about a half an inch from the end of the wire piece (see Figure 6.20).

Figure 6.20 Hold the wire with chain-nosed pliers.

Then use the chain-nosed pliers to bend the wire about 90 degrees so that you have what looks like an upside down “L,” as shown in Figure 6.21.

Figure 6.21 Bend the wire about 90 degrees.

Next, grasp the end of the wire with roundnosed pliers, as shown in Figure 6.22, and while holding the wire with the round-nosed pliers, curl the wire towards you.

Figure 6.22 Round-nosed pliers are necessary for looping wire.

130

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Chapter 6

You’ll end up with a loop or an “eye” on the end of the wire, as shown in Figure 6.23.

Figure 6.23 The end result is a loop on the end of your wire.

Wrapped Wire Loops Another option for using wire to connect jewelry parts and pieces is a technique I call the wrapped wire loop. It is very similar to the unwrapped wire loop I just described, and you’ll also need some wire, a jeweler’s file, a pair of chain-nosed and round-nosed pliers, plus a pair of wire cutters. Again, I’ve used colored wire for demonstration purposes, and really you could use colored wire as well if you like it, but just be careful not to overwork the wire too much with your metal tools because they can scratch the coating of the colored wire (which you may notice a little in my pictures since I was doing this in ultra-slow motion for the camera).

Figure 6.24 Chain-nosed pliers are again helpful for bending the wire at a 90-degree angle.

Now place the nose of your round-nosed pliers right at this bent area (as pictured in Figure 6.25), and grasp the end of the wire with your fingers (or you can use chain-nosed pliers if your wire is not that soft).

After filing the ends of the wire with a jeweler’s file, use chain-nosed pliers to grasp the wire a few inches from the end and bend it at a 90degree angle so that it looks like an upside down “L” (see Figure 6.24).

Figure 6.25 Pliers are useful tools when bending soft wire.

131

Use your fingers to wrap the wire around the nose of your pliers, as demonstrated in Figure 6.26.

Figure 6.26 Wrap the wire around the nose of the pliers.

Take the pliers out of the wire piece, and reposition the other side of the pliers’ nose back into the wire loop you just created, as shown in Figure 6.27.

Figure 6.27 Reposition the round-nosed pliers into the wire loop. 132

Continue to wrap the wire more (see Figure 6.28) so that it wraps completely around the roundnosed pliers and creates a completed loop.

Figure 6.28 Wrap a little more around the round-nosed pliers.

Figure 6.29 shows how the wire should look at this point. Notice the loop in the wire and how excess wire is available to wrap some more.

Figure 6.29 This is how the wire should look at this point in the process.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings Place the nose of the round-nosed pliers back into the loop, and hold the wire loop against the pliers’ nose with your pointing finger, as shown in Figure 6.30.

Chapter 6

Continue to use chain-nosed pliers as you hold the wire in place and wrap the wire about three or four times (see Figure 6.32).

Figure 6.30 Use your finger to keep the wire in place.

Figure 6.32 Make three to four wire wraps.

Now, hold the smaller piece of wire with chainnosed pliers and start to wrap the wire around itself as you continue to hold the wire loop in place with your pointer finger (see Figure 6.31).

Finish by using wire cutters to trim off excess wire, and you’ll have your finished wrap loop, as pictured in Figure 6.33.

Figure 6.33 Here is a completed wrapped loop.

Figure 6.31 Chain-nosed pliers are again used for wrapping the wire. 133

Wire Curls Finally, another helpful wire jewelry-making technique to learn is the simple curl. You can use this for a lot of different reasons, but very often, it is a good way to finish off the end of a piece of wire. To make a curl, you’ll need some round-nosed pliers and a pair of nylon-nosed pliers. You could use regular chain-nosed pliers instead of the nylon-nosed pliers, but the nylon ones are really nice because they won’t scar the wire as you work with it, so if you plan to work with wire a good deal, I recommend getting a pair. If you aren’t ready to invest in a pair of nylon-nosed pliers, another option used by some jewelry makers is to put masking tape around the nose of their chain-nosed pliers. Start by using round-nosed pliers to make a loop or curl on the end of the wire, as shown in Figure 6.34.

Now, hold this curl (or loop) with your nylonnosed pliers, as demonstrated in Figure 6.35, and with the help of your fingers, continue to curl the wire around this first loop as you press the pliers closed. As you make the curl larger, you’ll need to open and readjust the nylon pliers now and then.

Figure 6.35 Nylon-nosed pliers are a useful tool when working with wire.

As you see in Figure 6.36, you can make the curl as large or as small as you want. The more you continue curling, the larger it will get.

Figure 6.36 Pictured is a completed wire curl component.

Figure 6.34 Curl the end of the wire with round-nosed pliers. 134

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Opening and Closing Jump Rings Knowing how to properly open and close jump rings can save you a lot of strife when making jewelry, and believe it or not there is actually a specific way to do this. To make sure your jump rings are closed nice and tight, you’ll need two pair of chain-nosed pliers to go along with your jump rings, which as I mentioned earlier in this chapter, should be high quality and cut as precisely as possible. Otherwise, no matter how good your jump ring closing and open technique is, you’ll have problems with them staying closed.

Chapter 6

Now, while holding the jump ring with both pliers, you want to bring the side of the ring that is furthest from you towards you while simultaneously bringing the other side (which is closer to you) away from you, as shown in Figure 6.38.

With a pair of pliers in both hands, pick up an open jump ring and position it so that you have a pair of pliers holding one side of the ring and another pair of pliers holding the other side of the ring, as pictured in Figure 6.37.

Figure 6.38 Simultaneously bring one side towards you and the other way from you.

Figure 6.37 Hold the jump ring with a pair of pliers in both hands.

As you do this, the ends of the ring will meet and you may even hear a little “snap” sound as they click into place. To open the rings, you do the same procedure, just this time the ends of the rings are meeting, but you still push one side away and pull the other towards you. You never want to pull the rings apart sideways, or you will damage the roundness of the rings.

135

Fabricating Simple Wire Findings

T

hough there are plenty of jewelry

suppliers who sell a huge variety of findings for your jewelry-making needs, there is really no reason why even a beginning jewelry designer can’t make at least a few of her own basic jewelry findings. With a little wire and a few hand-tools you can make clasps, jump rings, head pins, and even ear hooks. There are a few added benefits to making your own findings. First, it can be a little less expensive. Also—and this is the major plus, I think—it adds one more unique and personal design element to your finished jewelry. You will be able to say, “I handcrafted the pendant from metal clay, and then I fabricated the clasp myself with a little wire.” Again, for the purposes of demonstration, I have continued to use a thick colored wire (thicker than what I would normally use), but as with the wire methods described in the previous section, I prefer to use precious metal wire when making findings. The type, size, and hardness of wire you will use to make findings will vary depending on the purpose for each finding, so experiment a little to determine what you prefer for your particular design needs. However, as a general rule, I tend to use half-hard or dead-soft 21-gauge wire. This gauge is my favorite size because it is so versatile and fits through most beads, but it isn’t always that easy to locate this size either, so 20- and 22-gauge work just fine as well. I use half-hard when I need to make a finding that will have to carry a good deal of weight. For example, if I am making a necklace that will have some heavy beads on it, then I go with 136

half-hard. If I am making a piece of jewelry that is fairly light, then dead-soft is fine and much easier to bend with my hands. You can also harden your soft wire a little by pounding it with a rawhide hammer if you feel it is necessary. You’ll notice I mention using a jeweler’s file to file off the ends of the wire pieces before working with them. It is also a good practice to double check on your wire findings once you are finished to see if there are any areas that may still scratch the wearer. If so, then file these smooth. The wearable art piece, “Nature Book,” shown in Figure 6.39, was created by metal clay artist Alice Alper-Rein. She constructed four doublesided “pages” of metal clay that you can flip around. They are held together by jump rings that she fabricated from 16-gauge fine silver wire. Along with allowing a way for the pages to be turned, the jump rings provide a spot for the chain to slip through so you can wear this book/pendant as a necklace.

Figure 6.39 Alice Alper-Rein’s “Nature Book” includes four pages of metal clay art.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Hook and Eye Clasp The hook and eye style clasp is one of the simplest clasps to make out of wire. To make one you’ll need about 1 inch of wire for the eye part and about 1 3⁄4 inches of wire for the hook part. For tools, you’ll need a jeweler’s file and a pair of round-nosed pliers. Nylon-nosed pliers are optional, but I like to use them to flatten the wire components after I make them so they are nice and flat.

Chapter 6

Make sure the ends of the “figure 8” are flush up against the sides of the wire so that the beading wire or other stringing media you might use does not come loose through any cracks in your “eye” section. Now you have the “eye” part ready.

File the ends of your wire first. Then, to get started making the “eye” part of the clasp, take about an inch of wire, and with round-nosed pliers, use half of the piece of wire to make a loop, as shown in Figure 6.40.

Figure 6.41 The eye section of the clasp looks like the number eight (8).

For the other section of the clasp, the hook, again use round-nosed pliers and make a loop on one end of the larger piece of wire (see Figure 6.42).

Figure 6.40 Round-nosed pliers are perfect for making round loops in wire.

Repeat this loop process, but this time, make the loop go in the opposite direction using the rest of the wire so that you end up with a piece that looks like a “figure 8,” as pictured in Figure 6.41.

Figure 6.42 Start the hook by making a loop on one end of the wire. 137

Next, grasp the rest of the straight part of the wire with the wider part of the round-nosed pliers, and wrap the wire halfway around the nose of the pliers. To finish off, use the narrowest end of the round-nosed pliers to make a tiny loop on the end of the hook area you just wrapped (see Figure 6.43).

Jump Rings Jump rings are used for all kinds of different purposes when making jewelry, and they are surprisingly easy to make. You’ll need some wire, something round to wrap the wire around like a small wooden dowel or a pen or pencil (I used a pen in the demonstration pictured), a good pair of flush-cut wire cutters, and a jeweler’s file. The wire cutters are important in this process because you want to be sure to make good, clean cuts with them. If your wire is cut so that the ends of the wire are straight, then this will mean less clean-up work with a file later on. Begin by wrapping some wire around your dowel or pen, as pictured in Figure 6.45. The more wire you wrap, of course, the more jump rings you can make.

Figure 6.43 Finish off the hook area with an itty-bitty loop.

Once the hook and eye sections are complete (see Figure 6.44), you can attach them to the ends of a necklace. To secure the clasp, just insert the hook part of the clasp through one of the loop sections on the eye part of the clasp.

Figure 6.44 Pictured is a completed hook-and-eye clasp.

Figure 6.45 A ballpoint pen is a good substitute for a wooden dowel when making jump rings.

138

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings Once you finish wrapping all the wire around the dowel or pen, you’ll have a spring of sorts, as shown in Figure 6.46.

Chapter 6

As you can see from Figure 6.48, you’ll end up with a number of completed jump rings as well as some wire scraps. Make sure the ends of the jump rings where you cut are flat so that they will meet up without any space between them when closed. If they are not flush up against each other, use a jeweler’s file to file the ends flat.

Figure 6.48 You’ll have both rings and scraps when finished.

Figure 6.46 Wrapped wire results in a wire spring.

Pull the wire spring off, and with wire cutters, carefully cut across each wrap of wire, as shown in Figure 6.47.

Figure 6.47 Use wire cutters to cut each jump ring off the wire spring.

Eye Pins Now here is a little déjà vu for you. If you read the technique on how to make unwrapped wire loops earlier in this chapter, then you already know how to make an eye pin, but I’ll give you a brief review just for the heck of it. To make your own eye pins from wire, you will need about two inches of wire (I like to use 21-gauge for sterling silver wire since most beads fit on it), a jeweler’s file, chain-nosed pliers, and a pair of roundnosed pliers. Use a jeweler’s file to file the ends of the wire smooth, then just as with the unwrapped wire loop technique, use chain-nosed pliers to bend the end of the wire at a 90-degree angle. 139

Next, as illustrated in Figure 6.49, grasp the end of the bent wire with round-nosed pliers and curl the wire towards you to form the loop or eye on the end of the wire.

Curly Head Pins Again, if you were paying attention earlier when I explained the wire curl technique, you already know how to do this, but here’s a brief review in case your mind was wandering. You’ll need wire, a jeweler’s file, round-nosed pliers, chain-nosed pliers, and nylon-nosed pliers. Just like with the eye pin, I suggest using 21gauge for most beads, but you’ll need to determine the size wire you need when you actually start making curly head pins for a particular purpose. For beads that have small holes through them (such as pearls), you’ll need thinner wire, and normally I use 24-gauge wire for most pearls.

Figure 6.49 Curl the wire to make a loop.

See, I told you it was really the same thing as the unwrapped loop. You just have to make sure you have an inch or two of wire left past the eye part so that you can string beads onto this part of your (now) eye pin (see Figure 6.50).

Figure 6.50 Voilà! You have a head pin ready to use. 140

Start with about three to four inches of wire, file both ends smooth, and use round-nosed pliers to make a loop or small curl on the end of the wire. Now, as I described previously for this technique, hold this curl (or loop) with your nylon-nosed pliers (see Figure 6.51), and use your fingers to continue to curl the wire around this first loop as you press the pliers closed. Occasionally open and readjust the nylon pliers as you make the curl larger.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Chapter 6

Wrapped Hook Clasp This style of clasp combines the wrapped loop technique with some of the same steps you follow to make the hook part of the hook-andeye clasp previously described in this section. To make a wrapped hook clasp, you’ll need about four inches of wire, a jeweler’s file, round-nosed pliers, chain-nosed pliers, and wire cutters.

Figure 6.51 Use the nylon-nosed pliers and your fingers to make the curl larger.

At this point, you do a little something different than you did when doing this as simply a technique. Because you are fabricating a head pin here, you need to straighten the wire a little because this is where you string your beads onto the head pin, and to do this, simply use chainnosed pliers and grasp the wire just past the curled part and bend it a little so the wire is straight up and down, as shown in Figure 6.52.

There is one important issue to be aware of before making this sort of clasp because unlike the hook-and-eye clasp where the loops are not wrapped closed, the loop on this clasp is wrapped closed. So, you need to determine if you need to connect anything to the loop part of the clasp before you wrap it closed when you are putting your jewelry piece together. For demonstration purposes, I’m going to assume you don’t need to connect it to anything first. File the ends of your wire, and start constructing the clasp by making a wrapped loop (see Figure 6.53) on one end of the wire.

Figure 6.53 Make a wrapped loop first.

Figure 6.52 Straighten the top of the wire to form a head pin. 141

Use round-nosed pliers to make a tiny curl on the end of wire, as shown in Figure 6.54.

Figure 6.54 Finish the end of the hook with a small curl.

About an inch or so from the wrapped loop, grasp the wire with round-nosed pliers and use your fingers to wrap the wire around the nose into a hook shape, as shown in Figure 6.55.

This type of hook (a completed hook is shown in Figure 6.56) works well when teamed up with a simple jump ring to make a completed clasp for a necklace.

Figure 6.56 Your finished wrapped loop hook is a versatile clasp.

Coil-and-Hook Clasp This coil-type clasp is useful when you want to use leather as a stringing medium in your designs. Leather is a good choice when making men’s jewelry. Using your metal clay skills, you can make a pendant for your guy, add it to a piece of leather cording, and finish it off with this coil-and-hook clasp. To make a coil-and-hook clasp, you’ll need a piece of three-inch, 21-gauge, dead-soft wire; one piece of four-inch, 21-gauge, dead-soft wire; a wooden dowel that is the same diameter as the leather you plan to use; wire cutters; a jeweler’s file; chain-nosed pliers; and round-nosed pliers. Because I like to use 1mm leather cord, I use a 1mm dowel, and I have discovered some bamboo skewers at my grocery store that are the perfect size to use for this.

Figure 6.55 Create a hook shape with the wire. 142

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings File the ends of both pieces of wire and then wrap the entire three-inch piece of wire around the wooden dowel. You may find it easier to start the wrap a few times around the dowel, then hold the wire against the dowel with flat-nosed pliers in one hand, and use your fingers on your other hand to continue wrapping. You want the coils to be as close together as possible, as shown in Figure 6.57.

Figure 6.57 The coils should be nice and tight.

Pull the coil off the dowel and use chain-nosed pliers to pull one of the top wraps out away from the coil (as shown in Figure 6.58) so it stands up at a 90-degree angle. Set this aside for a moment.

Chapter 6

Repeat this same process with the four-inch piece of wire, but this time, leave about a oneinch piece of wire unwrapped (see Figure 6.59).

Figure 6.59 Leave a little wire unwrapped for the other side of the clasp.

After removing the coil from the dowel, use flatnosed pliers to bend the one-inch section at a 90-degree angle, as shown in Figure 6.60.

Figure 6.58

Figure 6.60

Finish one side of the coil clasp.

Bend the wire at a 90-degree angle. 143

Make a small curl on the end using round-nosed pliers (as shown in Figure 6.61).

One is the loop and one is the hook, and you can attach these to your leather by adding glue to the ends of the leather and sliding it into the coils. Make sure to allow plenty of time for the glue to dry before the piece is worn by anyone.

Figure 6.61

Both sides of the coil are made to connect to each other.

Finish the end with a small curl in the wire.

Then use the same pliers to curl the rest of the wire into a hook shape (see Figure 6.62). You now have two coil sections (see Figure 6.63).

Figure 6.62 Bend the wire into a hook shape.

144

Figure 6.63

Ear Hooks Since you can make your own head pins, why not also attempt some ear hooks as well? Now, I will admit that these can take a little practice only because you want to try to get two ear hooks to be the same size and look the same as much as possible, but other than that, they use many of the same techniques (such as the unwrapped wire loop) that I’ve already discussed in this chapter. To make a pair of ear hooks out of 21-gauge wire, you will need two pieces of wire that are both 1 3⁄4 inches long, a jeweler’s file, chain-nosed pliers, and round-nosed pliers. One note about the thickness of the wire: make sure you don’t use anything larger than 20-gauge. Remember, these puppies need to fit through the pierced hole in your ear.

Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings

Chapter 6

As usual, file the ends of the wire, and then take your round-nosed pliers, position the wire at about the middle of the nose, and make a small curl on one end of the wire, as shown in Figure 6.64

Figure 6.65 Fingers again make a good tool here.

Take your round-nosed pliers again and position them back into the area you just wrapped and use your fingers to press the wire around the nose. This will give it more of a rounded affect (see Figure 6.66).

Figure 6.64 Make a loop or small curl on the end of the wire.

Next, measure about 1⁄4 inch away from the curl down on your wire, and use your fingers to wrap the wire around the largest end of your roundnosed pliers (see Figure 6.65).

Figure 6.66 Make the ear wires rounder by pressing the wire around the nose of the pliers.

145

Finally, grasp the end of the ear hook (the side that doesn’t have any curl on it, as shown in Figure 6.67) with chain-nosed pliers and gently bend the wire at about a 25-degree angle.

Figure 6.68 Both ear hooks should match as closely as possible, but don’t make yourself crazy over it.

Figure 6.67 Bend the ends of the ear hooks with chain-nosed pliers.

Repeat all of these steps for your second ear hook so you have two that match, as illustrated in Figure 6.68. Of course, don’t get too crazy about making them match. Keep in mind that earrings are worn on either side of your head, not right next to each other where you can compare them.

146

Making some of your own jewelry findings teamed up with your metal clay pieces is a great way to add design layers to your jewelry. Remember that you are not a machine, however, so don’t expect every single finding you make to be a carbon copy of the one you made before, especially when first learning the techniques. Though I used clunky old demonstration wire in this chapter to show the techniques for making various wire findings, by using sterling silver, fine silver, gold-filled, or other precious metals in the proper gauge, you will get a more polished look to your jewelry findings while still giving you that hand-crafted effect that makes artesian jewelry so special.

Raku lampwork beads, crystals, and turquoise are matched with the Happiness pendant.

7 Metal Clay

Jewelry Projects inally, it’s time to start making some metal clay jewelry! This chapter starts off with some beginning level projects that equal quick success and almost immediate gratification, even to those new to metal clay and jewelry making. But, anytime you feel you need a brief techniques review, don’t forget to flip back to previous chapters (Chapter 5, “Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques” and Chapter 6, “Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings”). Along with beginner projects, you’ll find a number of projects submitted by guest artists who have stepped it up a notch for you. These guest projects still use low-fire metal clay and many of the same basic techniques, but the projects are just a tad more involved for those who are ready for a little more of a challenge. And, I mean “a little” because these too are not so involved that a relative beginner could not try to tackle them.

F

Super Easy Projects for Getting Started

W

hen I say “super easy,” I mean

it. Every one of these projects was designed with the beginner in mind. I don’t think there is such a thing as making something too easy, as long as the finished product results in a jewelry piece you would be happy to wear. You’ll notice, in fact, that a number of projects in this section use the same or similar techniques, even some of the same design elements. I did this for a few reasons. First, I want to show how you can create a diversity of jewelry designs even if you use some of the same methods and tools over and over again. So, you don’t need to invest in a huge assortment of tools and supplies to make a good amount of finished jewelry. Plus, as you use these tools and methods repeatedly while you try out a number of these projects, the benefit (other than making some pretty jewelry) is that you get to practice the techniques more than just once. As a result, you will no longer be a newbie to these techniques, and thus your skill level will increase. Face it: there’s no way to become an expert of a technique if you just do it one time.

150

Unless there are any specific tools or arrangements needed for a particular project, it is safe to assume that for all the projects in this chapter you will need a basic set up as described earlier in Chapter 4, “Setting Up Your Clay Work Area.” This includes a non-stick surface to work on, items like distilled water and olive oil, and generally used tools such as the roller and craft knife. Remember to always have a clean work area and use olive oil to lightly coat tools and your fingers while working with the clay. Have your work area set up and ready to go before cracking into your metal clay, and make sure you have something to keep the clay in as you work, such as a clay safe. It is tempting to want to work with a large amount of clay at one time, especially if you know you plan to make multiple items, but it is better to pinch off a small amount (normally about a dime size) and make just a few pieces at a time. That way, the clay stays as moist as possible while you work, and you don’t have to try to be Speedy Gonzales while rolling, cutting, and forming the clay.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects As far as firing dry clay items, a torch or hot-pot (if you are using PMC3) can be used for any of the items in this chapter because they are all made with low-fire metal clay. However, sometimes it is just more convenient to use one over the other. For example, if you have a large number of very small charms (like those used in the Star Attraction project), then a hot-pot is a good choice because it can fire at least a half dozen at a time. If you have one larger item, such as the pendant used on the Happiness project, then it is very easy to just use your torch because it only takes about five minutes from beginning to end. In the following instructions, I will direct you to fire, but unless there is a compelling reason to use one method over another, I will leave that decision up to you.

Chapter 7

Happiness Most jewelry obviously appeals to women, but more and more men are wearing jewelry these days. This Happiness pendant (shown in Figure 7.2) is a perfect candidate for jewelry that can be worn by either of the sexes. It also only uses a very small amount of clay, so it is a good project for using some of those leftover pieces that seem too small to do very much with. Because this pendant is not meant at all to be uniform, each will be a little different as far as general shape. It is supposed to look like some kind of ancient artifact dug up from the old ruins, so don’t obsess about the size and shape. Allow the clay to form naturally as you roll it out.

Figure 7.1 Remember to get all tools and supplies gathered before opening up that package of metal clay.

Figure 7.2 Use leather for making jewelry that has a unisex appeal.

151

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Happiness Chinese symbol rubber stamp 씰 4 inches of 21-gauge sterling dead-soft sterling wire 씰 Coil hook * 씰 Glue (hypo-cement or tacky glue) 씰 18 inches of 1mm leather 씰 Round-nosed pliers

Figure 7.3 Allow clay to form into an odd shape as you roll it out.

씰 Chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Liver of sulfur or Silver Black * You can find instructions for making the coil hook used on this project in Chapter 6, “Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings.” 1. Using two cards stacked on either side of

the clay, roll out the clay so that it is large enough to accommodate the stamp, but do not attempt to shape the sides very much if at all. You want an organic look to it, as shown in Figure 7.3. 2. After dabbing a tiny amount of oil on the

stamp, press it firmly into the clay and pull up. As long as most of the stamp makes it into the clay, that’s fine (see Figure 7.4). 3. Use a small straw, as demonstrated in

Figure 7.5, to cut a hole in the top of the clay piece.

Figure 7.4 Remember to add some oil to the stamp so it doesn’t stick.

152

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

5. At this point, you need to decide if you

want to add some patina. I recommend this because it will help the detail on the pendant to show up more, and it will also give it more of an ancient look to it. Following the instructions in Chapter 5, “Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques,” use either Silver Black or liver of sulfur to patina the pendant. For the pendant shown in Figure 7.7, I used liver of sulfur.

Figure 7.5 Cut a hole at the top of the pendant using a small straw.

4. Allow the clay piece to dry thoroughly,

and then fire it (see Chapter 3, “Firing Equipment and Techniques”). Do not worry about filing unless there are areas that might scratch the wearer because, again, we want an organic shape (see Figure 7.6). Even if there’s a little curl or uneven areas on the edge, that is fine.

Figure 7.7 Liver of sulfur was used on the pendant pictured.

Figure 7.6 Normally you need to file items before firing, but not with this pendant.

153

6. Now, insert some wire through the hole in

the pendant, and bend it over (see Figure 7.8) so that there is one long piece of wire and one shorter pieces of wire.

7. Wrap the shorter piece around the longer

piece of wire using the wrapped loop technique (see Chapter 6, “Basic Jewelry Techniques and Findings”) and continue to wrap the rest of the wire around (as shown in Figure 7.9).

Figure 7.8 Use wire to make a bail for the pendant.

Figure 7.9 The wrapped loop technique is a method you can use to secure the bail.

154

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

8. At this point, you now have some wire

wrapped around the hole in the pendant and a straight piece of wire at the top of the pendant. Again, use the wrapped loop technique (see Figure 7.10) and make another wrapped loop on this straight wire, thus creating a loop at the top of the wire.

Figure 7.11 Read the label on your bottle of glue to ensure the glue will dry clear.

As you can see from Figure 7.12, you can create any number of different pendants that appeal to both men and women. The leather cord also adds a more unisex design element.

Figure 7.10 Finish wrapping the wire on the bail.

9. Slip the leather through the loop at the

top of the pendant, and glue the coil hook sections on either end of the leather. Allow this to dry completely before wearing. I used tacky glue (see Figure 7.11) which will dry clear.

Figure 7.12 Robin W. Bonnell uses natural shapes of metal clay in this “X-rated” pendant, which is strung on leather.

155

Star Attraction You won’t be missed when you wear this loaded up bracelet (displayed in Figure 7.13), which is chock full of little silver star charms. This project demonstrates that you can make a dramatic piece of jewelry even if the metal clay components are on the small side. Plus, you will be a silver star master after you make enough for this bracelet. But, hey, practice makes perfect. Once you have all your charms made, you are ready to add them to a piece of chain. Swarovski aurora borealis clear crystals on either side of the chain provide a little extra sparkle and a practical method for connecting the toggle clasp. Though it takes a while to get all the charms made and all the items assembled, the basic techniques used here are very easy. Persevere and you will be rewarded with a beautiful bracelet that won’t help but get noticed.

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 15mm star-shaped cutter 씰 Metal hole puncher 씰 Carving tool 씰 2 6mm Swarovski aurora borealis clear crystals 씰 25 5mm 20-gauge sterling jump rings 씰 6 inches of medium link chain 씰 1 8mm sterling toggle clasp 씰 6 inches of 21-gauge round sterling wire 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 2 chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 1. Start with about a six-inch piece (see

Figure 7.14) of medium-size link chain. The toggle clasp will add length to the finished bracelet, so if you need a longer bracelet you’ll want to start with a longer piece of chain.

Figure 7.13 Load up a chain bracelet with lots and lots and lots of sparkling stars. 156

Figure 7.14 Link chain is a good choice when you want to add lots of dangle elements.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 2. Cut your sterling wire in half, and with

three inches of wire, start a wrapped loop, but before wrapping it closed, attach the loop to one end of the chain as shown in Figure 7.15.

Chapter 7

5. Now it is time to make the metal clay star

charms, and you will need a lot of them. Count the links on your piece of chain. You will need half that many. So, if you have 50 links, like my chain, then you will need 25 star charms. 6. With three playing cards stacked on either

Figure 7.15 Attach the loop to the chain before wrapping it closed.

3. Wrap the loop closed, and now slip one

side of the clay, roll out and cut the star charms from the metal clay as shown in Figure 7.17. If you want to create a mark on the charms to help you determine where to cut the holes later, use a carving tool to mark on the clay after you have cut out each charm. This can work later for you as a guide when you need to position the charm inside the metal hole puncher.

crystal bead onto the wire, and again start another wrapped loop on the other end of the wire, but before wrapping it closed, slip one part of the toggle clasp onto the loop, as shown in Figure 7.16.

Figure 7.16 Use the wrapped loop method for attaching the clasp to the chain.

Figure 7.17 You will need lots and lots of star charms.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining

wire, and attach the other side of the toggle clasp to the other end of the chain. Set this aside for later.

7. Allow the charms to dry, file them with an

emery board, and then fire them. Because there are so many small charms, I recommend saving time by firing with the hot-pot. That way, you can get at least six fired at the same time. 157

8. Once your charms are fired and burnished,

you will need lots of jump rings (see Figure 7.18): one for each charm.

Chain is a wonderful component to use when making jewelry because you can attach all kinds of other items to it such as beads and charms. Pictured in Figure 7.20, Christine Street used chain with heart-shaped links to connect to her metal clay heart charm.

Figure 7.18 Make sure to have one jump ring for each star charm.

9. To finish assembling the bracelet, get the

chain section you set aside earlier, and with the jump rings, connect a star charm to every other link on the chain, as shown in Figure 7.19. Remember you’ll need to use a pair of pliers in each hand for this (per Chapter 6).

Figure 7.19 You’ll feel like a star with all these stars on your wrist.

158

Figure 7.20 Christine Street used a metal clay heart charm, embellished with a blue crystal, and attached it to chain that has heart-shaped links as well.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

You will need the following supplies and materials:

Sunbeam This necklace projects combine two simple metal clay techniques, stamping and cutting. First, you use a round cutter (I actually used the end of my roller) to cut out a circle of clay, and then follow that up with a rubber stamp to impress a design into the clay. Both techniques are some of the easiest you’ll find, and both are some of my favorites because they are easy but also affective as well. This Sunbeam necklace project is a good example of that, and because of the bright nature of the sunbeam design on the pendant, I decided to go with equally bright colored beads in green and purple (see Figure 7.21 for the finished necklace). If you are even a little nervous about making your first metal clay jewelry piece, then this is a good project to consider. Even the bead stringing that goes along with the metal clay charm is easy to handle.

씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Sunbeam rubber stamp 씰 19 6mm Swarovski Tanzanite-colored bicone crystals 씰 16 8x15mm reconstituted green turquoise cylinder beads 씰 34 4mm silver daisy spacer beads 씰 4 inches of 22-gauge dead-soft sterling round wire 씰 2 2x2mm sterling crimp beads 씰 1 10mm twisted toggle clasp 씰 Crimping pliers 씰 20 inches of .014 beading wire 씰 Jeweler’s file 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 Chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Metal hole puncher 씰 Liver of sulfur or Silver Black 1. Start by rolling out some metal clay,

making sure to have three playing cards stacked on either side of the clay. 2. Then standing the roller on end, press it

into the clay to form a circle indent into the clay as shown in Figure 7.22.

Figure 7.21 The right beads can really set off your metal clay creations. 159

4. Next, get the sunbeam rubber stamp ready

like the one shown in Figure 7.24, add a tiny amount of olive oil to it, and press it firmly down into the clay and lift up as shown in Figure 7.25. My rubber stamp is a little bigger than the circle I cut, but that’s okay. I actually like how this looks a little rustic. I think it gives it more of a Southwestern feel to it, but if you prefer a more uniform look to your pendant, you’ll need to cut a circle that is the same size as your rubber stamp.

Figure 7.22 The end of the roller can also act as a circle punch in the clay.

3. Now you have a circle impression in the

clay (see Figure 7.23), and you need to use a craft knife to cut the clay out of the circle.

Figure 7.24 You need a sunbeam stamp similar to this one from www.amstamps.com.

Figure 7.23 Cut around the circle using the craft knife.

160

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

7. At this stage, you want to add some wire to

the metal clay charm so that you can create a bail for your strung necklace. Create a wrap loop with the wire, but before closing it up, slip the pendant onto the loop of the wire, as shown in Figure 7.27.

Figure 7.25 Press the stamp down onto the clay.

5. Allow the pendant to dry, file it with an

emery board, and then fire it. 6. After it is fired, punch a hole at the top

using the metal hole puncher, and if desired, add a patina with liver of sulfur or Silver Black. Again, I recommend treating it with either of these so the details will show up better. (See Figure 7.26.)

Figure 7.27 Make sure to add the pendant to the wire before wrapping it closed.

8. Finish the wire part of the pendant but

add one daisy spacer bead, a crystal bead, and another daisy spacer onto the wire, and make a second wrapped loop on the other end (see Figure 7.28). Trim off and file wire as needed.

Figure 7.26 Your pendant is ready to go at this point. 161

Figure 7.29 Add colorful beads to the beading wire to jazz up this necklace design.

11. Slip the bail you created already on your

Figure 7.28 Add a loop to the other side of the wire in order to create a bail.

9. It is time to start stringing. Add a crimp

bead and one side of the toggle clasp to the end of the beading wire.

metal clay pendant onto the beading wire, continue stringing on the rest of the beads for the other side of the necklace, and finish off the piece with another crimp bead and the other section of the toggle clasp. Using beads in your jewelry designs is a great way to punch it up with color or connect to a theme such as this piece by Robin W. Bonnell pictured in Figure 7.30.

10. Once the crimp bead is secure, start string-

ing on your beads in the following pattern: one crystal, one daisy spacer, one turquoise bead, and one daisy spacer. Continue this pattern of beads as illustrated in Figure 7.29 until you get to the middle of the necklace. You will have used eight turquoise beads and ended with one daisy spacer and a crystal bead.

Figure 7.30 Robin W. Bonnell added an assortment of beads to this “Angel Wings” jewelry piece. 162

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Ruffles and Old Lace Fiber has more than one purpose when you combine it with metal clay. The metal clay flower charms in this bracelet have a lacey texture added to them. A patina finish adds an additional touch to the feeling of “old lace.” Side-drilled pearls flip around back and forth so they are reminiscent of ruffles. For this bracelet project (see Figure 7.31 for a look at the finished piece), you’ll use metal clay techniques such as texturing and cutting. You’ll use the metal hole punch tool, which provides a method for making holes after you have fired. (Though, obviously, you can make the holes before you fire the clay. This is just an alternative so that you can see it is possible to easily cut the holes after firing.) Then you’ll use bead-stringing methods including closing jump rings and attaching bead tips as you assemble all the ingredients for this jewelry piece that is flavored with old-world charm.

Chapter 7

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 1 12mm flower cutter 씰 Scrap of lace 씰 32 5mm side-drilled pink pearl beads 씰 8 6mm Swarovski aurora borealis clear crystals 씰 8 1-inch sterling head pins 씰 5 5mm 20-gauge sterling jump rings 씰 1 12mm pewter flower clasp 씰 2 sterling bead tips 씰 10 inches of .015 beading wire 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 Chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Metal hole puncher 씰 Liver of sulfur or Silver Black 1. Begin by rolling out some metal clay that

is four cards thick, and once the clay is flat, put a piece of lace over the clay and roll again to create a lace impression into the clay (see Figure 7.32). 2. Now use the flower cutter to cut out a

flower section (as shown in Figure 7.33), and repeat this twice so you end up with three metal clay flowers. 3. Allow the pendants to dry, file them with

an emery board, and then fire them. 4. After they are fired, punch a hole in each

one using the metal hold. (See Figure 7.34.)

Figure 7.31 Create a ruffle using side-drilled pearls and combine them with lace textured metal clay charms. 163

Figure 7.34 Punch a hole in one of the petals on each flower charm.

Figure 7.32 Flatten the clay first and then roll over the lace to create an impression in the clay.

5. Now you are ready to use liver of sulfur to

add the patina to each flower. I did not dip mine for very long because I wanted to make them more of a golden color (see Figure 7.35) rather than get them too dark, but it is up to you how long you want to keep them in the solution.

Figure 7.33 Cut the textured clay with a flower-shaped cutter.

Figure 7.35 The longer the flowers are left in the liver of sulfur solution, the darker they will get. 164

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 6. Set the flowers aside for a few moments

so you can prepare the crystal dangles. Slip a crystal on a head pin, and make an unwrapped wire loop at the top of the crystal, trimming off the head pin with wire cutters as needed. You’ll need to make eight crystal dangles.

Chapter 7

10. Add another three pearls, one crystal

dangle bead, three pearls, and then the first flower charm onto the beading wire (see Figure 7.37).

7. Attach jump rings to each flower charm. 8. At this stage, you are ready to start string-

ing. Sometimes I suggest adding a bead tip to one end first and then stringing, but because the pearl beads can vary the size of the bracelet so much, for this project, I suggest leaving the beading wire unfinished on both ends until you are sure you have all the beads on it that you will need. You can attach a bead stopper (a springlike device made for bead stringing), a paper binder clip, or even just a piece of tape to one end of the beading wire to help keep your beads from falling off as you string.

Figure 7.37 While stringing on the beads, try to position the flower charms so they are in the center of the bracelet.

11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until you have

added all your beads. You should end up with three pearls on the other end of the beading wire as shown in Figure 7.38.

9. Thread on three pearl beads, one crystal

dangle, and another three pearl beads onto the beading wire, as shown in Figure 7.36.

Figure 7.38 Figure 7.36 Side-drilled pearls can cause variations in the finished bracelet size.

Alternate pearls, crystals, and flowers down the length of the beading wire.

165

12. Hold the bracelet up around your wrist to

ensure it is long enough, and make sure all the beads are close together while you do this. You’ll see how the pearls will flip around and create a ruffle effect as you tighten the tension of the beads on the beading wire. If you need more beads, add them on either end of the beading wire. If you need fewer, pull some off both ends to ensure they are an even number. 13. Once you have determined that your

bracelet is the correct length, attach bead tips to both ends of the beading wire (see Figure 7.39).

Figure 7.40 Add more flowers by using a flower-shaped clasp.

Flowers easily suggest romance, and the flower earrings pictured in Figure 7.41 by Amanda are also combined with pearl beads. These flowers were not cut from a simple flower cutter, however. Instead, she created a flower stamp using polymer clay, and then stamped the flower sections from the metal clay using this stamp. Therefore, her flowers are three-dimensional.

Figure 7.39 Add bead tips to both ends of the beading wire.

14. Complete the bracelet assembly by adding

jump rings to each of the flower clasp sections, and then use chain-nosed pliers to gently curl the hook on the bead tips around the jump rings on the clasp sections. See Figure 7.40 for a look at the flower clasp.

Figure 7.41 For romance, think flowers and pearls! 166

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Y-You Are a Star Y-necklaces, like the one pictured in Figure 7.42, are still very popular and have become a staple item in most of our jewelry wardrobes. One important element of making a Y-necklace is that centerpiece that connects the necklace straps as well as the dangle in the middle. Now, using metal clay techniques such as cutting and appliqué, you can make the center section and then add beads and wire to finalize the necklace design. You’ll recognize the star cutter from the Star Attraction bracelet in this same chapter, but now it is layered on top of an oval metal clay section. Fire them together to create a layered pendant.

Chapter 7

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Metal clay paste (aka slip) 씰 Paintbrush 씰 15mm star-shaped cutter 씰 1 10x15mm oval cutter 씰 Small straw 씰 19 4mm fire-polished red Czech beads 씰 16 4mm hematite star beads 씰 1 20x8mm hematite teardrop bead 씰 3 5mm 20-gauge sterling jump rings 씰 2 inches of 21-gauge half-hard sterling wire 씰 2 feet of 22-gauge, dead-soft sterling wire 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 2 chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Nylon-nosed pliers 1. You’ll need to make the metal clay center-

piece first so you can assemble the rest of the necklace. Roll out some metal clay four cards thick, and use the oval cutter as shown in Figure 7.43 to cut out the first part of the centerpiece. 2. Now use a small straw and make a hole at

the top and at the bottom of the oval, as shown in Figure 7.44.

Figure 7.42 A Y-necklace center component is the perfect choice for some metal clay jewelry making. 167

3. Make the star part next. The clay should be

four cards thick. Use the star cutter and cut out a star from the clay as shown in Figure 7.45. Allow it to dry, and file with an emery board as necessary.

Figure 7.43 The oval is the bottom part of the Y-necklace centerpiece.

Figure 7.45 The star cutter is used for the second part of the centerpiece.

Figure 7.44 Small coffee straws work well for cutting small holes in the wet clay.

168

If either piece curls at all while drying, spray with a small amount of water, wait about 30 seconds, and press the piece flat with your roller. Both pieces should be flat; otherwise, there could be a small space between them after you connect them with the paste.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 4. After both the oval and star have dried,

you are ready to attach them using slip, as shown in Figure 7.46. Using the paintbrush, dab a little slip onto the middle of the oval and also on the back of the star. Then place the star on top of the oval, and allow them to dry.

Figure 7.46 Layer the star on top of the oval metal clay section.

Chapter 7

6. Take three jump rings. Using a pair of

chain-nosed pliers in each hand, attach one jump ring to the bottom hole on the center section and two jump rings to the top hole, as shown in Figure 7.48.

Figure 7.48 Use the jump ring technique described in Chapter 6.

7. Next, use some 22-gauge sterling wire, 5. Once they are dry (see Figure 7.47), file the

sides of the oval with an emery board as necessary, fire either using a hot-pot or torch, and burnish with a burnishing brush.

round-nosed pliers, chain-nosed pliers, and nylon-nosed pliers to make a curly head pin (as described in Chapter 6 and shown in Figure 7.49).

Figure 7.47

Figure 7.49

Once they are dry, they will be stuck together.

Make your own head pin using a little wire. 169

8. Slip the hematite teardrop onto the head

pin and make a wrapped loop at the top (see Figure 7.50).

Figure 7.50 The wire wrapped loop technique is also described in Chapter 6.

9. With some 22-gauge sterling wire, make an

unwrapped loop on the wire, add on one red crystal bead, make another unwrapped loop on the other side of the bead, and trim off excess wire. Attach this to the teardrop section created in the previous step. 10. For the unwrapped loop on the other side

of the crystal, attach this loop onto the bottom jump ring on the oval/star centerpiece, and use chain-nosed pliers to close the loop around the jump ring (see Figure 7.51). Set this aside for later.

Figure 7.51 Created your Y center section using a teardrop, a crystal bead, and some wire.

11. It is now time to make the wire and bead

chain. Again, use 22-gauge wire, make an unwrapped loop, add one red crystal onto the wire, make another unwrapped loop on the other side, and trim off excess wire. Repeat this for star beads as well, and connect as you go (see Figure 7.52) until you have alternated between nine crystal beads and eight star beads for your chain. 12. Connect this first chain piece to one of

the jump rings at the top of the oval/star centerpiece, as illustrated in Figure 7.53. 13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 to make and

connect the other side of the Y-necklace.

170

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Figure 7.54 Make your own simple hook using half-hard sterling wire.

Figure 7.52 Make a chain with beads and wire.

Once you get a little fine silver metal clay making under your belt, you may want to consider trying out some gold metal clay, and one way to get a little extra bang for your buck is to use this same method of appliqué to layer two different colors of metal such as the gold and silver star pendant pictured in Figure 7.55. Just add a jump ring and chain to turn the pendant into a readyto-wear necklace. The gold clay used for this pendant is also the low-fire variety, so you still don’t need a kiln to make this piece. True, gold clay is much more expensive than the silver clay, but as you can see, a little can go a long way when it comes to jewelry making.

Figure 7.53 Connect the chain to the metal clay center section.

14. To complete the necklace, use the 21-

gauge half-hard wire to make a hook-andeye clasp as described in Chapter 6. Attach them to both ends of the bead and wire chain as shown in Figure 7.54.

Figure 7.55 Layer a gold star over a fine silver oval piece. 171

You will need the following supplies and materials:

ID Me Remember how popular those identification (aka ID) bracelets were back in the day? Every kid had one. They normally were square and all looked the same except for your name or initials that were engraved on them. This ID Me bracelet (see Figure 7.56) spins off from this trendy jewelry piece from the past, but it is updated with the help of metal clay. You will use metal clay techniques for cutting clay, stamping with metal alphabet stamps, and then oxidizing with Silver Black. Then use your jewelry skills to connect jump rings, add a beaded dangle, and fabricate a little wrapped hook.

씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Small straw 씰 Metal alphabet stamps 씰 Diamond-shaped metal cutter 1 1⁄2 × 3⁄4 inches 씰 1 10x8mm blue crystal teardrop bead 씰 3 5mm 20-gauge sterling jump rings 씰 2 inches of 21-gauge, half-hard sterling wire 씰 2 inches of 22-gauge, dead-soft sterling wire 씰 2 2 3⁄4 inch long pieces of mediumweight sterling chain 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 2 chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Nylon-nosed pliers 씰 Silver Black 씰 Polishing cloth 1. Begin by rolling out your clay four cards

thick and using a diamond-shaped metal cutter to cut out your clay piece as shown in Figure 7.57. 2. Next, using a small drinking straw, cut out

Figure 7.56 Personalize your metal clay with alphabet stamps.

172

holes on both ends of the clay piece, as demonstrated in Figure 7.58.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Figure 7.57 Make the metal clay section first using a diamond-shaped cutter.

Figure 7.59 Determine where you will place the letters on your piece before you start stamping.

4. Once the piece is dry, file the sides with an

emery board as necessary, fire either using a hot-pot or torch, and burnish with a burnishing brush. 5. The next step requires dipping the metal

Figure 7.58 Add holes to both ends of the diamond piece.

piece in Silver Black. This will help the lettering to show up much more. After dipping it in the solution, take a polishing cloth and rub until you get the look that you want. Mine was very dark after dipping, so I rubbed a lot before I got the effect you see in Figure 7.60.

3. Select the alphabet stamps you need

depending on your initials. I used TJP to represent my first, middle, and last name. As shown in Figure 7.59, stamp in the middle initial in the middle of the metal clay piece first. This will help make sure you have room for the other two. Then stamp the first initial right before and a little higher up than the middle initial, and do the same with the last initial, only position a little further down. Set it aside to dry.

Figure 7.60 Silver Black helps bring out the lettering. 173

6. At this point, you are ready to start assem-

bling the bracelet. You will need some sterling chain. The chain pictured in Figure 7.61 is “long and short” because it has oval links connected by three small round links in between them, but you can really use any kind of link-style chain for this.

8. Open one of the jump rings, slip on one

end of the chain, the teardrop dangle, and connect it to one of the holes in the metal clay piece as shown in Figure 7.63. Using a pair of chain-nosed pliers in each hand, close the jump ring.

Figure 7.61 Link-style chain comes in many different varieties.

7. You also need to get your teardrop dangle

bead ready. Using 22-gauge wire, make a curl head pin as pictured in Figure 7.62 (remember this is from Chapter 6), add the teardrop bead to the head pin, and make a wrapped loop at the top.

Figure 7.63 Jump rings are used to help connect the bracelet pieces.

9. Just as in step 8, use a jump ring to con-

nect the other chain section to the other side of the metal clay piece. 10. For the clasp, attach a jump ring to one

chain section, and using 21-gauge wire, make a small wrapped hook clasp making sure to attach it to the chain before wrapping it closed as shown in Figure 7.64.

Figure 7.62 A simple crystal teardrop adds a dash of color. 174

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Ribbon Beads

Figure 7.64 Remember the wrapped hook clasp directions are available in Chapter 6.

If you’d like an ID bracelet that is a little more colorful, consider adding some bright lampwork beads to hemp or waxed linen cord as pictured in the variation project in Figure 7.65. Waxed linen cord is very easy to work with and very inexpensive. It is a favorite of those who enjoy making macramé jewelry because it holds knots really well. To appeal more to the guys out here, you could vary this same bracelet design but use earth-tone beads instead. A simple mounting knot is used to secure the waxed linen, and overhand knots keep the beads in place. Then you just tie the ends together to secure it to your wrist.

If you are a bead lover, then you will love the fact that you can use metal clay to make your own fine silver beads. These ribbon beads, pictured in the finished necklace in Figure 7.66, are a good place to start if you’d like to make some of your first beads, though of course, there is an infinite number of techniques to make metal clay beads. You will use the metal clay techniques of cutting with a craft knife and wrapping around a straw. While you can fire these with either a torch or hot-pot, I prefer to use a hot-pot for this project because I can fire more than one bead at a time. These beads remind me of ribbon, so I decided to string them up on some beautiful organza ribbon. But, you could combine these with any other beads of your choice as well as use other stringing media such as beading wire.

Figure 7.66 Ribbon beads are strung on organza ribbon for this easy to make feminine necklace.

Figure 7.65 These fun lampwork beads were made by glass artist D.D. Hess. 175

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Straw 씰 Craft knife 씰 Jeweler’s file 씰 Graph paper 씰 Ruler 씰 Small paintbrush 씰 Paste (aka slip) 씰 2 1⁄2 feet green organza ribbon trimmed with gold 1 1⁄2 inch wide 씰 Book of matches 씰 Scissors

Figure 7.67 Use the lines on the graph paper to help you cut straight lines in the clay.

1. First, you’ll need to make five ribbon

beads. Start by rolling out the clay three cards thick onto a plastic paper protector with graph paper inside. 2. With a craft knife and using the lines on

the graph paper as a guide, cut out a rectangle of clay that is about 2 1⁄2 inches long, as shown in Figure 7.67. 3. My graph paper has squares that are 1⁄4 inch

wide. Either using your graph paper or a ruler as a guide, cut out 1⁄4 strips of clay, and then cut the ends diagonally as shown in Figure 7.68.

Figure 7.68 Cut out strips of metal clay.

176

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 4. Lightly coat a drinking straw with olive oil,

and begin to wrap one end of the clay strip onto the straw, as shown in Figure 7.69.

Chapter 7

6. Continue to roll the clay around the straw,

and then dab some more paste on the other end of the strip and close it up, as illustrated in Figure 7.71.

Figure 7.71 Figure 7.69 If the straw is too long to work with comfortably, cut it in half.

5. With a paintbrush, dab a little paste onto

the end of the clay strip as shown in Figure 7.70.

Form the clay strip around the drinking straw.

7. Make five more beads, and allow the beads

to dry before continuing (see Figure 7.72). Once they are dry, carefully slide them off the straws and fire them.

Figure 7.72 This is another time it is helpful to fire them in a hotpot since you can fire more than one bead at a time.

Figure 7.70 The paste helps glue the clay together.

177

8. After they are fired, use a jeweler’s file to

file any rough areas on the ends of the beads and burnish them. This is the one time that I suggest waiting to file until after they are fired because you don’t want to handle them too much before firing or you could damage them.

Figure 7.74 Make sure the ends of your ribbon do not fray.

11. Insert one end of the ribbon through a

Figure 7.73 Make sure the ends are not rough to the touch.

bead, and pull until the bead is positioned in the middle of the ribbon, as shown in Figure 7.75.

9. It is now time to put your necklace together.

With sharp scissors, cut the ends of the ribbon at a diagonal. 10. Then, to ensure the ribbon does not fray

on the ends, light a match and quickly run the edges through the flame. Do this for both ends of the ribbon. There are also commercial products that will keep ribbon from fraying, but I find the match technique —if done quickly—works well for creating a seal of sorts on the ends of the ribbon. See Figure 7.74 for an example of how the ends should look.

Figure 7.75 Start adding the beads to the ribbon. 178

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 12. Once the bead is in the center, as illustrated

in Figure 7.76, tie an overhand knot on either side of the bead.

Chapter 7

While this variation on the ribbon beads does not include beads per se, the technique of forming strips of metal clay and wrapping them around something is the same. This time, instead of a straw, you wrap the clay around the ends of these fine silver “V”-style ear wires. Just as in the bead project described earlier, use paste from your slip jar to make the clay stick together. It is also a good idea to coat the ends of the wire with some slip as well to create a little extra stickiness. Because the wires are made from fine silver, they are okay to fire with the clay. Once dried and fired, just clean them up with a burnish brush. For a higher sheen, toss them into a polisher.

Figure 7.76 Secure the bead in place with knots on either side.

13. Continue to add beads and secure with

knots along the ribbon until you have used all six ribbon beads. 14. No clasp is needed. Just put the ribbon

around your neck and tie a square knot to secure it.

Figure 7.77 Ribbons of metal clay are wrapped around these fine silver jewelry findings.

179

You will need the following supplies and materials:

Go Groovy Making rings from metal clay tends to be one of the trickier techniques due to the fact that the clay shrinks during the firing process. So, yes, you can make a ring, but then what size will it be when you are done? There are tools and calculations available to the metal clay artist to figure this out, so if you calculate it correctly, you have a much better chance of ending up with a ring that is the size you want it to be. However, if you aren’t into calculations (as in math, ick), there is another way around this dilemma and that is to start off with a fine silver band and add your metal clay to the band. Yes, it does sound a little like cheating, but it is difficult to pass on this very simple ring project that assures you the ring will be the perfect size after firing. You can add all kinds of different designs, but for this project, I took inspiration from the 1960s and cut out little circles to paste to the band for a groovy effect (see Figure 7.78). Metal techniques used including cutting and pasting.

씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Small paintbrush 씰 Paste (aka slip) 씰 Fine silver ring band or ring liner* (in your preferred size and width available at www.metalclayfindings.com) 씰 7mm circle cutter 씰 Jeweler’s file *A ring liner is the same as a ring band, but it has a textured pattern all around it instead of being smooth. Either will work for this project; however, if you plan to add clay or paste all around the ring, you will want to use the liner since the texturing will help secure the clay/paste to the band. 1. Roll out the clay three cards thick, and use

the circle cutter to cut out three circles as shown in Figure 7.79.

Figure 7.78 Get groovy by making your own geometric design rings.

Figure 7.79 Cut out tiny biscuit-shaped circles from the clay.

180

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

2. Now add a little paste to the band as illus-

trated in Figure 7.80.

Figure 7.82 Add as many circles or more paste at this point if you want.

Figure 7.80 Use paste on the band as a type of glue for the clay.

3. Place one circle in the center of the pasted

area, and add another circle on each side, as shown in Figures 7.81 and 7.82, so that the circles on either side of the center one overlap it just a little. Obviously, you can add more circles if you want or you can also cover the rest of the ring band with paste if you want to add more clay to your ring. It is your choice.

4. Allow the clay to dry, and I recommend not

filing until after it has been fired or you may accidentally pry the clay off the band if you are not very careful. 5. Finish the ring by firing it, burnishing it,

and using a jeweler’s file to clean up any rough areas around the circles. Robin W. Bonnell did not use a ring liner or ring band for the ring pictured in Figure 7.83, but she still came up with stunning results. The ring is made with Art Clay Slow Dry 650, which she fired using a torch. She included lots of simulated as well as natural stones including amethyst and sapphires, but in this shot you can see the sculptural details she added to the band along with one of the sapphires she included.

Figure 7.81 Layer the circles as you add them to the band. 181

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Plastic knife with perforated edge 씰 15mm metal heart cutter 씰 2 8mm Swarovski rondelle rose water opal beads 씰 2 pieces of 1-inch, 22-gauge, dead-soft sterling wire 씰 2 pieces of 1 3⁄4 inch, 21-gauge, half-hard sterling wire

Figure 7.83 Robin W. Bonnell calls this ring Iris.

씰 2 fine silver embedded jump rings (available from www.metalclayfindings.com) 씰 Round-nosed pliers

Quilted Heart Earrings

씰 Chain-nosed pliers

Texturing really seems to be a favorite technique of many metal clay artists. And it’s no wonder since metal clay is so easy to add texture to. Granted, there are tools specifically designed for texturing metal clay, but you can also find your own texturing tools just about anywhere, even a fast food restaurant, which is where I found the plastic knife I used to add a grid of lines to make these Quilted Heart Earrings (pictured in Figure 7.84). Along with a texturing technique, another metal clay method you’ll use in this project is adding fine silver wire findings. You can make your own using the eye pin technique described in Chapter 6, or opt for prefabricated findings. As long as the metal is fine silver, it will easily fire and shine up just like the metal clay without any fire-scale to deal with.

씰 Wire cutters

182

Figure 7.84 A grid on the wet clay looks reminiscent of a quilt when fired for these romantic earrings.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 1. Roll out your clay eight cards thick, and

cut out two heart shapes with the metal cutter as shown in Figure 7.85.

Chapter 7

3. Dap a tiny amount of olive oil onto the

edge of the knife, and as demonstrated in Figure 7.87, make a grid of lines on the clay.

Figure 7.87 A perforated knife is a handy texturing tool.

4. Repeat the steps to make another heart

Figure 7.85 Because of the wire finding embedded in the clay, you need to start with a fairly thick piece.

(see Figure 7.88), and allow them to dry. After they are dry, you can do some clean up around the edges with an emery board if necessary.

2. Now you need to embed a jump ring into

the middle of the heart up at the top (see Figure 7.86). I used prefabricated findings, but you can also use a little fine silver wire and make an eye pin, which is basically the same thing as an embedded jump ring finding.

Figure 7.88 Figure 7.86

You need two hearts so you can make two matching earrings.

Called an embedded jump ring, this is basically an eye pin also. 183

5. Fire and burnish the heart components

(see Figure 7.89). If you want a higher shine, you can tumble them in a polisher, but I liked how they had more of a matte finish after burnishing, so that’s how I left mine. Obviously, liver of sulfur is also an option if you want to create an antiqued finish.

7. Connect the eye loop to the heart charm,

add the bead to the wire, and make another unwrapped loop at the top of the wire, as shown in Figure 7.91. Repeat this for the other heart charm.

Figure 7.91 Eye loops on either side of the bead provide a way to connect all the jewelry components together.

Figure 7.89 This is a heart after it has been fired and burnished.

6. You are now ready to assemble the earrings.

Start by taking 22-gauge wire and making two eye loop findings (as described in Chapter 6). You will use this to connect the bead to the heart charm (see Figure 7.90).

Figure 7.90 Make eye loops for each earring. 184

8. Next, using 21-gauge sterling wire, make

an ear hook for each earring as shown in Figure 7.92. (Obviously, you could also use prefabricated ear hooks if you prefer.) 9. Finally, connect the ear hooks to the previ-

ously assembled bead and charm section.

Figure 7.92 Add an extra touch by making your own ear hooks from wire.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects For this variation pendant, I used the same method to make another quilted heart charm. Then I made a ring out of metal clay by simply cutting out a large circle of clay and cutting out a smaller circle inside this circle. Jump rings join the large flattened ring to the heart charm, and after connecting the components, I antiqued them with some liver of sulfur before attaching the pendant to a gun metal chain.

Chapter 7

Tone on Tone Mixing colors of metals continues to be a popular trend in jewelry designing. There is no longer a rule that requires jewelry pieces to be made all of the same type of metal, and the two-tone look is a great way to mix and match your favorite jewelry pieces. While gold metal clay can be pretty pricey, especially for the beginner, there are other ways to get a two-tone effect. In this Tone on Tone earring project (see Figure 7.94), I mix metal clay silver components with golffilled beads, wire, and findings to create a long, dramatic pair of two-tone earrings. This way, you get some of that look of gold without the price.

Figure 7.94 Figure 7.93

Gold-filled jewelry components offer an economical way to mix up your metals.

The heart shape lends itself to all kinds of romantic jewelry designs.

185

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 15mm metal diamond-shaped cutter 씰 15mm metal teardrop-shaped cutter

3. Next, as demonstrated in Figures 7.96 and

7.97, insert an embedded jump ring into the top of the teardrop pieces and also in the top and bottom of the fine silver pieces.

씰 2 pieces of 3-inch, 22-gauge, dead-soft, gold-filled wire 씰 6 fine silver embedded jump rings (available from www.metalclayfindings.com) 씰 4 4mm Swarovski clear aurora borealis crystal beads 씰 2 8mm gold-filled corrugated swirl beads 씰 2 gold-filled lever back ear hooks 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 Chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters

Figure 7.96 1. Begin by rolling out your clay eight cards

thick. Because you are embedding the jump rings into the clay, you will need some extra thick clay for these components.

Add embedded jump rings into the teardrop-shaped metal clay pieces.

2. Next, use the metal cutters to cut out two

diamond shapes and two teardrop shapes, as illustrated in Figure 7.95.

Figure 7.97 Figure 7.95 Extra thick clay is necessary for these silver components. 186

Also embed the jump rings on both sides of the diamond-shaped pieces.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 4. Allow the clay to dry, then file and fire as

necessary before continuing. 5. At this point, you should have a total of

four metal clay pieces ready for assembly: the diamond-shaped pieces (see Figure 7.98) and the teardrop-shaped pieces (see Figure 7.99).

Chapter 7

6. At this stage in the process, you can either

choose to leave the clay pieces as is with a matte finish or you can polish them for a higher shine. I polished the ones for the earrings pictured. 7. Now it is time to start connecting all the

pieces of your earrings. Start by using some wire to make a wrapped loop (see Figure 7.100), and attach one of the teardrop components to it before wrapping the loop closed. Start adding your beads: one crystal, one gold-filled bead, and another crystal.

Figure 7.98 The diamond-shaped pieces have jump rings connected to two sides.

Figure 7.99 The teardrop-shaped pieces each have one jump ring connected at the top.

Figure 7.100 Attach the teardrop and add your beads.

187

8. Start a second wrapped loop at the top of

the wire, and before wrapping it closed add one of the diamond components (see Figure 7.101).

There are a number of different ways you can create a two-tone metal effect in your jewelry designs, and remember that there are other yellow metals out there for you to choose from such as brass and copper. In the piece pictured in Figure 7.102, created by Alice Alper-Rein, entitled Pendant Books with Face, she mixed both colors of metals as well as added other colorful elements to the pendant. The fine silver metal clay pendant is accented at the top with coils of brass wire, which functions as a bail for the sterling chain to attach to. Also included in the mix are turquoise beads, handmade paper, and suede.

Figure 7.101 Connect a diamond component to the top of the earring.

9. Finally, you are ready to add your ear hook.

The ear hooks I used have an unsoldered loop on the ends, so I used a pair of pliers to open the loop and attach my earring. However, check your ear hooks. If their loops are soldered closed, you’ll need to connect it to the unwrapped loop you made in the previous step before wrapping the wire closed. 10. Repeat steps 7–9 to complete the second

earring.

188

Figure 7.102 This colorful pendant was crafted by Alice Alper-Rein.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Guest Artists’ Projects

T

he previous ten projects in this

chapter have given you a foundation in the basics and the additional ten variation jewelry pieces have expanded on those ideas. They have provided a place where anyone new to metal clay, or jewelry making for that matter, can start and with relatively little previous knowledge successfully make a number of metal clay jewelry designs. Though this book’s primary focus is for those individuals who are trying this for the first time, I wanted to also provide a little something extra for those who are ready to move on to more intermediate metal clay techniques. So, I invited some of my metal clay friends to participate as guest artists for this projects chapter. I hope you enjoy these four bonus projects, each designed by a different metal clay artist, as you expand your metal clay skills.

For her Maple Leaf Necklace shown in Figure 7.103, she incorporated materials from her own backyard, literally, as she used the paste and organic materials method to make the metal clay leaf on this jewelry piece.

Maple Leaf Necklace by Cyndi Lavin Cyndi Lavin is busy living a mixed media life in central Massachusetts. Along with metal clay, she works with a large variety of other media and techniques. Cyndi strongly believes that life and art are intertwined, that we are all works of art, designed to be creative beings, and that life consists of discovering the things that we meant to create. She enjoys sharing her art adventures through her websites and weblogs (www.mazeltovjewelry.com, www.wildestdreamsdesigns.com, and www.jewelryandbeading.com).

Figure 7.103 Cyndi Lavin mixed it up with metal clay and other media for this Maple Leaf Necklace design.

189

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay paste 씰 Small leaves

1. Start by using metal clay paste to paint

the first three coats on the backs of small leaves as shown in Figure 7.104.

씰 Pendant blank 씰 Large colorful leaf or printout 씰 Two-part resin 씰 2-3 flat-backed rhinestones 씰 26 inches of .019 diameter beading wire, red coated 씰 12 inches of sponge coral nuggets 씰 10 grams of size 8 seed beads, brick red 씰 2 silver crimp beads 씰 Silver “S” hook 씰 Black Nymo thread, size 0 씰 10 4mm glass beads, red 씰 14 4mm carnelian rondelles 씰 2 inches of small peridot nuggets 씰 3 grams of size 11 seed beads in light green, red, and orange 씰 Hypo cement 씰 Waxed paper 씰 Paintbrush 씰 Heat gun (optional) 씰 Pencil 씰 Scissors 씰 Wire cutters 씰 Flat-nose pliers 씰 Beading needle

190

Figure 7.104 Paste or slip is perfect for using with organic materials.

2. Paint on 10 coats total, letting the leaves

dry between each coat. Use a heat gun if desired to help quicken the drying process. Then, let the leaves dry overnight when finished. 3. Once the leaves are dry, fire them (the

leaves will burn off), and burnish them with a burnishing brush. 4. Oxidize in solution of liver of sulfur, and

burnish them again. (See Figure 7.105.) 5. Print out a brightly colored maple leaf

and cut it to the same size as the pendant blank, as shown in Figure 7.106, or you can also use a real leaf if you prefer. 6. Now it is time to mix resin and pour it

onto the pendant blank over the top of the leaf background. Add one or more silver leaves (Cyndi added one of the larger leaves) and let the leaves or leaf sink into the resin slightly.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

10. Add a crimp to each end and create a loop

with the seed beads as shown in Figure 7.107.

Figure 7.105 Add a patina to all of the leaves to help bring out their details.

Figure 7.107 Finish off the beaded loops with crimp beads.

11. Next it is time to add beads to the necklace

strap pictured in Figure 7.108. Using a needle threaded with Nymo, attach a piece of Nymo thread to one side of the central pendant. 12. Bring the needle up between each pair

Figure 7.106 Decorate the pendant blank with paper or a real leaf.

7. Before the resin dries, add rhinestones to

the top of the leaf with a drop of resin. 8. Allow the pendant to dry and cure thor-

oughly according to product directions before continuing. 9. Next you are ready to assemble the necklace.

String the main strand of your necklace, alternating the sponge coral nuggets with two size 8 seed beads.

of size 8 seed beads (previously added in step 9), string on two size 8 seed beads, 1 carnelian bead, and one size 11 seed bead (which is called your “stop bead”). 13. Skipping the size 11 seed bead, insert the

needle back up through the carnelian and the size 8 seed beads in order to form a piece of fringe. Repeat this process of adding fringe and alternating the carnelian bead with one of the 10mm red glass beads randomly, as you move all the way down the necklace strap. 14. Then turn and work back down towards

the pendant. Continue to add more fringe pieces, but this time replace the 10mm red glass and carnelian beads with a peridot chip bead except for the two furthest from the pendant. 191

15. For the third and final pass down the neck-

lace strap, again create fringe, but this time replace the peridot bead with a sponge coral nugget to each station except for the two furthest from the pendant.

Each fringe will consist of two size 8 seed beads, one larger bead, and one size 11 seed bead (the 11 works as a stop bead). For the first pass, each of those fringes will have either a red round bead or a carnelian rondelle as the larger bead. For the second pass, the larger bead will be a peridot. For the third pass, the larger bead will be a coral nugget.

Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant by Amanda Amanda, from Pomo Mama Design, also provided some pieces for the gallery section of this book (see Chapter 8), and her project uses similar techniques to Cyndi Lavin’s Maple Leaf Necklace described previously. However, you’ll see how she has a different take on the technique of using metal clay paste on organic materials in her project entitled Sycamore Keys Cluster Pendant (see Figure 7.109). Amanda enjoys designing affordable jewelry accessories, which she sells on her website at www.pomomamadesign.com. Like most women these days, Amanda has a lot on her plate, but she somehow manages to keep jewelry and metal clay on it just the same.

Figure 7.108 Add lots of fringe onto the beaded necklace straps.

16. Tie off the thread, glue all knots, weave the

working threads back into the beadwork as much as possible, and clip off any tiny threads. 17. Repeat steps 11 through 16 for the second

beaded strap. 192

Figure 7.109 Here is another way to use organic materials with your metal clay.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects You will need the following supplies and materials (see Figure 7.110): 씰 Low-fire metal clay paste 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Sycamore tree keys (also known as seed pods)

Chapter 7

1. With some fairly thin paste (thin out with

distilled water if necessary; see Figure 7.111), coat the key four times, allowing it to dry thoroughly between each coat (see Figure 7.112). It is recommended that you do not try to use a heat gun to dry these as it can cause them to shrivel.

씰 Paintbrush 씰 Assortment of silver jump rings and balled head pins 씰 10mm fine silver “O” part of toggle clasp 씰 Short piece of silver chain 씰 Assortment of citrine and amber chip beads and pearls 씰 Round-nosed pliers 씰 Chain-nosed pliers 씰 Wire cutters

Figure 7.111 You may want to coat a few keys at a time and have more than one ready for your jewelry needs later.

Figure 7.110 Amanda used an assortment of fall colored beads to make this cluster pendant.

Figure 7.112 Amanda uses an old margarine lid to dry her pasted keys on so they don’t stick. 193

2. Now, with thicker paste, add 10 more

coats, again allowing it to dry naturally between each coat. 3. Make a small metal clay snake, form in the

shape of a “C,” and use paste to attach it to the top of the key as shown in Figure 7.113.

Figure 7.114 Make sure your metal clay items are totally dry before you fire them with a butane torch.

Figure 7.113 Use metal clay to make your bails for your key.

4. When your key with the attached bail is

thoroughly dried (see Figure 7.114), fire it with a torch for about two minutes. Because of the organic material, expect to see a lot of burn off, but pay attention so that you don’t overheat your remaining metal material.

Figure 7.115 5. Use a burnishing brush to clean up the

fired key being careful since the fired piece will be a little on the thin side (see Figures 7.115 and 7.116). 194

Treat your fired key gently because it is on the thin side.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Figure 7.116 Your key will be bright and show lots of detail after burnishing.

Figure 7.118 6. Now you are ready to assemble your clus-

ter pendant. Start by using a jump ring to attach the “O” side of a toggle clasp to the bail on the key as shown in Figure 7.117.

Start building your cluster with some chain and beads at the top.

8. To create the rest of the cluster area, start

adding more beads to the chain using jump rings, head pins, or ball pins (head pins with a ball on the end versus a flat piece of metal). See Figure 7.119 for an example, but there is no set pattern for how your beads must be attached. Feel free to make it look however you’d like.

Figure 7.117 Jump rings are useful for connecting lots of jewelry components together.

7. Now also add a small piece of chain to the

jump ring as well as any other beads connected to jump rings or head pins if you want to add a few up at the top of the pendant as illustrated in Figure 7.118.

Figure 7.119 Add lots of beads all over the place to create a cluster effect. 195

9. Once you like how your beads look, finish

off any loops at the top of the head pins, close up the jump rings (see Figure 7.120), and attach your pendant using the “O” loop at the top to a chain, piece of leather, ribbon, or suede.

You can see more of her work in the gallery chapter of this book (Chapter 8). To make her pendants, she uses a mold-making technique where she presses the metal clay into her own hand-crafted polymer clay molds (you can get similar results with wax molds though the process will vary a little from what is described here). This project is really more of a guideline for you to use as the same steps will work for a number of different stained-glass type pendants. Remember, too, that if you plan to fire your finished pedant with a torch or hot-pot, that it should not be larger than an old silver dollar coin.

Figure 7.120 Your cluster will accent your pretty metal clay key charm.

Stained Glass Window Pendants by Shahasp Valentine Shahasp Valentine has generously provided stepby-step instructions for a technique she uses to make her signature pendants (see Figure 7.121) which are reminiscent of stained glass. She has been working with metal clay since 1998, and sells her metal clay line, Precieux Metal Clay Jewelry, at her website www.precieux.com.

Figure 7.121 Shahasp included garnets, diamonds, and pearls on the pendant.

196

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Paper and pencil 씰 Computer scanner and printer 씰 Adobe Illustrator or similar software 씰 Scissors 씰 Polymer clay 씰 Belecold 2-part silicone mold compound 씰 Craft knife 씰 Oven 1. With a pencil and paper, draw an “X” in

the center of the paper. This is called a registration mark and is the starting point for your stained glass image. Sketch a symmetrical design in between one area of your “X” as illustrated in the drawing in Figure 7.122.

Chapter 7

2. Using a scanner, scan in your design, save

it, and then open it up in an illustration program such as Adobe Illustrator. 3. Refine and perfect the design you sketched

out using the software’s pen tool to outline the drawing. 4. Still using the illustration software, mirror

or copy the drawing and rotate it 90 degrees. Repeat this two more times until you have created a full design out of the four sections divided by the registration mark you originally made in step 1. 5. Copy and scale the size on the computer

until you have the approximate size you want to use for the pendant, keeping in mind that you are limited if you use lowfire clay and that all metal clays will shrink around 10 percent when fired. 6. Print out the pattern you have decided to

use, and cut around it leaving some room around the ends. 7. Now it is time to apply the paper pattern

to the polymer clay (see Figure 7.123). After conditioning a lump of polymer clay that will accommodate the size of your design with room around the edges and about 1⁄4 inch thick (conditioning requires rolling it out and generally working with it like it is dough to help soften the clay and get air bubbles out of it), roll or press the polymer clay flat. Apply the printed pattern face down on the polymer clay, and smooth it onto the surface until it sticks to it.

Figure 7.122 Start drawing your stained glass design on paper.

197

10. Using a craft knife, carve down the traced

lines. This will leave the surfaces between the now concave lines raised. Shape these raised areas in order to create a domed effect and thus result in a 3D pattern on the polymer clay (see Figure 7.125).

Figure 7.123 Adhere the paper pattern to a lump of polymer clay.

8. To transfer the pattern onto the polymer

clay, dab a little water onto the paper pattern until it becomes slightly translucent, and then trace the design through the paper onto the polymer clay with a sharp pencil. (You can also use a pen or a needle for this.)

Figure 7.125 Carve a 3D pattern into your lump of polymer clay.

9. When all the lines have been traced and

are depressed into the polymer clay, peel off as much of the paper as possible without damaging the soft polymer clay (see Figure 7.124). Any remaining paper can be removed after backing the polymer clay.

Figure 7.124 Transfer the stained glass pattern into a lump of polymer clay. 198

11. At this point, you are ready to make the

mold for your pendant. Using Belecold 2-part silicone mold compound, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, lay the polymer clay carving you just made face up, and press the mold material onto it. This will prevent you from damaging the carving. Completely cover the carving, making sure to leave a little extra around the edges. Allow it to set before removing the carving from the mold. See Figure 7.126 for an example of molds made using this process.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

Textured End Caps by Carol A. Babineau

Figure 7.126 There is now a negative impression in the molds.

Carol A. Babineau, the award-winning author of Metal Clay Beyond the Basics, is a talented Art Clay Senior Instructor and member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of metal clay techniques through demonstrations and classes presented from her Nashua, New Hampshire studio, and I’m very grateful that she agreed to share one of her projects with us in this book. These Textured End Caps (Figure 7.127) are unique findings that you can make from metal clay and include in your own jewelry designs. You can find out about the classes Carol offers at www.artclaystudio.com.

12. To use the mold for your metal clay pen-

dant, press the metal clay into the mold, and make sure to press enough metal clay into it so that it covers the entire pattern. 13. Remove the metal clay from the mold, and

add any findings (such as embedded jump rings or bails) or stones (which can be fired) into the clay before continuing. 14. Allow the clay to dry, file, and fire your

pendant.

Figure 7.127 These ends caps are a unique finding you can create with metal clay.

To turn the pendant into a finished piece of jewelry, simply attach a necklace strap. Shahasp prefers using chain attached to jump rings, which she adds before the piece dries. Another nice look might be to add a bail before firing, and then slipping it through a thick piece of velvet ribbon.

199

You will need the following supplies and materials: 씰 Low-fire metal clay 씰 Low-fire metal clay paste from a syringe 씰 2 1⁄4 inch wood dowel sections, each approximately 6 inches long 씰 Teflon/teflex sheet 씰 Brass cutter or large straw 씰 Texture plate 씰 Coil/snake roller 씰 Craft knife or cutter 씰 Brush

Figure 7.128 Wrap the ends of the wooden dowels with Teflon in order to make them non-stick.

씰 Cup with water 씰 Sanding foam pads—three grits: medium, fine, superfine 씰 Tape 씰 Scissors 씰 Bead reamer 1. Start by cutting two strips of Teflon from

the sheet about one inch wide each, wrap them around the dowels, and secure each with tape (see Figure 7.128). Set these aside. 2. Next, roll out your clay eight cards thick

and try to get the piece about 1⁄2 inch long. 3. As illustrated in Figure 7.129, dab a little

olive oil on the textured plate, place the clay on top of it, and roll it out again. 4. Using a craft knife or cutter (as shown in

Figure 7.130), trim the long sides of the strip straight and cut one end straight.

200

Figure 7.129 Use any kind of texturing on your metal clay.

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

Chapter 7

6. With a syringe filled with paste, squirt a

line down each join of each roll that you just made (see Figure 7.132), join the two ends together securely, and smooth this area with a paintbrush.

Figure 7.130 A long cutting instrument works just as well as a craft knife when cutting your clay.

5. Locate the dowels from step 1, and as

shown in Figure 7.131, form the clay around one dowel, meeting the ends and trimming as necessary to match the cut edges up against each other.

Figure 7.132 Use paste administered from a syringe (available from metal clay vendors) to seal up the clay.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other wooden

dowel and clay. 8. Once the clay is almost dry, remove both

rolls of clay from the dowels and allow them to dry. If necessary, use tweezers to help carefully pull the clay off. You want to be sure not to distort the clay. 9. With the syringe again, add more clay paste

to the inside seams (see Figure 7.133), again smooth with a brush, and allow them to dry.

Figure 7.131 Wrap the textured clay around the wood dowels.

201

Figure 7.133 Remember to also secure the inside of the seams with more paste.

Figure 7.134 Attach clay circles to the end of the tubes.

10. Once these are fully dry, sand with progres-

sively fine sanding foam pads to get a nice finish on them.

13. Next, add holes in the center of each circle

using a bead reamer, as shown in Figure 7.135.

11. Roll more clay out four cards thick, and

using a straw or brass cutter that fits the end of the clay tubes, punch out two circles. 12. As demonstrated in Figure 7.134, add paste

to the opposite end of the tubes and place one cut circle on each tube, smoothing any excess. Use some paste from the syringe to reinforce the inside top seams. Brush into seams and set aside to dry.

Figure 7.135 Drill holes after the clay has dried. 202

Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 14. Sand the edges of the tube caps smooth

and check all the inside seams to be sure they are secure. 15. Place both caps on a fire-proof surface.

Light your torch and in a continuous circular motion fire one end cap at a time to a pink or peach glow and keep that color for 1 1⁄2–2 minutes and allow to cool naturally. Burnish with a little soap and water when finished.

Chapter 7

In the dramatic necklace pictured in Figure 7.136, Carol shows one possible design idea for incorporating the completed end caps into a finished piece of jewelry. She made the strap using a bead crochet method. Then she shaped wire with an eye loop at one end and sewed the trailing threads of the strap through the eye. Next, she fed the straight end of the wire through the end cap. Before using jump rings to attach the strap to the Labradorite cabochon pendant, she added a matching stone bead on the other side of each end cap.

Figure 7.136 This dramatic necklace illustrates one of many jewelry design possibilities for these end caps.

203

Pictured is a bracelet entitled “Imagine” crafted by Robin Walter-Bonnell.

8 Metal Clay

Gallery ow it is time to just sit back, relax, and drool. In fact,

N

you better have a towel nearby to help soak it up because you are in for some awesome jewelry, compliments of the wonderful and sharing artists who I can’t thank profusely enough for all their help with this book. You have already seen some of their work scattered here and there throughout the previous chapters, but now you get even more—a concentrated dose—as well as a chance to learn a little something about each metal clay artist. The jewelry making community in general is a very giving and friendly group, but I have to say I find this even more so with those who have mastered metal clay. There is no such thing as proprietary techniques or secret methods that can’t be shared. In fact, it is totally the opposite. Education is the foundation of the metal clay community’s philosophy. I can’t guarantee that you will become as talented as these artists by just making the projects in this book, but I can say that everyone has to start some place. That “some place,” of course, is at the beginning, so believe it or not, that’s where these talented folks began at one point in time, and now look at them. With lots of practice, experimentation, education, and yes, a little talent thrown into the mix, they show the possibilities that await you!

Robin Walter-Bonnell obin Walter-Bonnell, a self-taught artist residing in both Scottsdale, Arizona and Durango, Colorado, specializes in designing custom pieces for people who want unique accessories with which to express their individuality. After spending 20 years in corporate America, Robin took some personal time and began exploring the creative side of her that had been dormant for those 20 years. Designing inspirational metal clay jewelry is now her full-time profession. She sells her artwork at www.becomeinspired.etsy.com and has a portfolio at picasaweb.google.com/inspiredgemcreations.

R

Branch of the Family Tree The hand-sculpted pendant shown in Figure 8.1 is what Robin refers to as the male version of a mother’s ring or necklace. The pendant hangs from a leather cord. To construct this piece, she first imprints a small tree limb into the clay and then sets gemstones, which correspond to the children’s birthdays. This pendant includes alexandrite, sapphire, and topaz. It was made using Art Clay 650 and fired with a butane torch.

Figure 8.1 This pendant is part of Robin Walter-Bonnell’s Men’s Big Trucks Collection.

Fresh Blue round sapphires frame the inscription, “Sassy,” in the bracelet shown in Figure 8.2. It also includes three beautiful briolettes dangles, one each of cobalt blue sapphire, whiskey quartz, and peridot, which hang on a thick double-link sterling silver chain.

206

Figure 8.2 The sassy bracelet, called “Fresh,” is from her Wink Wink Collection.

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Heart and Soul These two hand-sculpted pure silver oxidized heart charms (shown in Figure 8.3) are accented with faceted garnets briolettes, spheres, and roundels. One heart is patterned and the other is engraved with “soul”. The heart charms were made with Art Clay 650 Slow Dry and fired with butane. Then she treated them with liver of sulfur.

Figure 8.4 Her Royalty ring is from the Ring-a-Bling Collection.

What Is Normal?

Figure 8.3 These earrings are from her Gypsy Heart Collection.

The super-fun keychain/fob shown in Figure 8.5 can hang anywhere like off your keys or dangling from your purse strap. The dog tag is inscribed with “NORMAL IS JUST A SETTING ON THE WASHING MACHINE.” Have a little chuckle every time you take it out. The tag is oxidized to bring out detail and then polished to a high shine. Attached to it is a large faceted olive roundel and simple sterling plated toggle clip.

Royalty This ring shown in Figure 8.4, aptly named “Royalty,” is full of natural gemstones: peridot, purple sapphires, and golden yellow sapphires, for a total of seven carats. The purple and golden oval sapphires are “loosely stacked” against the peridot, and two round golden sapphires are floating on the other side of the peridot.

Figure 8.5 This key fob is part of her Wink Wink Collection.

207

Alice Alper-Rein lice Alper-Rein is an award-winning metalsmith and jewelry designer from New Jersey. Some of Alice’s work is featured in Figures 8.6 to 8.10. She is one of just 20 PMC Connection Senior Instructors currently teaching in the U.S. In addition to creating wearable art, Alice enjoys the challenge of “thinking outside the jewelry box” when creating larger, kinetic structures. Some of the more unique structures include kaleidoscopes and music boxes created using metal clay. Her art jewelry and kinetic structures can be found in galleries, fine art shows, and on her website, www.jewelrybyy2a.com.

A

Sea Charmbangle This bangle bracelet shown in Figure 8.6 (photo credit Ken Devos) has three nautical charms dangling from beads along with a shell ornament on the opposite side of the bracelet. Alice used sterling silver, PMC3, and cubic zirconia stones.

Figure 8.6 Nautical ornaments enhance a sterling bangle bracelet.

When I See One Bird I Think of You Shown in Figure 8.7 is both a pendant and a brooch Alice made in memory of her father. On the day of his death, a large bird hovered over her car for the entire two mile trip to her mother’s house. When she arrived, the bird flew over the house, looked back, and took off! Materials used are PMC3, 24k gold, sterling silver, and an imperial sapphire.

Figure 8.7 A bird was the inspiration for this piece that holds a special memory for the artist.

208

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Spinning Bead Kaleidoscope Many metal clay artists also like to create sculptural pieces that aren’t necessarily designed as jewelry pieces, such as the miniature kaleidoscope shown in Figure 8.8. Alice used PMC3, brass, glass, a front surface mirror, optical lens, Dichroic glass, and glass beads. The kaleidoscope is 2 1⁄2 inches long and 1 inch wide. The beads are approximately 3⁄8 inches deep and 1 inch long.

Figure 8.9 Alice mixes up metal clay components with lots of wonderful beads.

Color Your World

Figure 8.8 This sculptural piece is actually a working kaleidoscope.

Figure 8.10 is another sculptural piece and includes a kaleidoscope as well as a stand for it. The stand is 2 3⁄4 inches long by 1 inch wide, and the kaleidoscope is 3 1⁄2 inches long by 1 1⁄4 inches wide. However, you can also wear it as a necklace. She included PMC3, brass, sterling silver chain, optical lens, front surface mirrors, and Dichroic glass.

Pendant Clasp with Dangle Alice Alper-Rein kiln fired the metal clay components that make up the pendant clasp and dangle piece shown in Figure 8.9. She used PMC3, fine silver, cubic zirconia, sterling silver beads, and Swarovski crystal beads. The pendant is 1 1⁄4 inches by 1 1⁄2 inches.

Figure 8.10 Another kaleidoscope from Alice Alper-Rein, this piece can also be worn as a piece of jewelry.

209

Judy Kogut udy Kogut lives in South Florida and has been making and selling jewelry for about three years. Her love of silver jewelry since childhood and a desire for new ways of expression compelled her to give PMC a try. Now she focuses on incorporating metal clay in with her beaded jewelry designs (see Figures 8.11 and 8.12). Though relatively new to metal clay, Judy has jumped in with both feet, experimenting on her own as well as taking metal clay classes at her local rock and gem club.

J

So Purple For this necklace, Judy used deep dark amethyst gemstone beads accented with crystals and created a metal clay pendant using PMC3. She used a rubber stamp to imprint a leaf impression onto the clay and then fired with a torch. The clasp is also silver.

Figure 8.11 Judy enjoys making pendants and combining them with gemstone beads.

Star of the Show Judy used the rubber stamping technique again in this starfish pendant. In keeping with her nautical theme, she strung pearls and used the pendant as the focal point for this necklace. The pearls are flat-shaped and side-drilled, so they create a kind of lacy affect when strung together. The pendant is also made from PMC3 and was torch fired.

Figure 8.12 Pearls are accented with a silver starfish pendant. 210

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Elaine Luther laine Luther is a jeweler, writer, blogger, and e-retailer (see Figures 8.13 to 8.17). Elaine has been metalsmithing since 1990 and teaching since 1992. She started with PMC in 1996 and became certified by the PMC Guild in 1999. She has worked in the crafts world and on Jeweler’s Row in Chicago, both as an appraiser and a jeweler’s apprentice. You can find her online at www.CreativeTextureTools.com/news.

E

Hershey Ring Inspired by what else but chocolate, Elaine made this ring using PMC+ and stamping techniques. It was kiln fired.

El Dia de los Muertos Elaine does not use metal clay just for jewelry pieces. The piece shown in Figure 8.13 is a shrine she made for her daughter. It is all made of metal clay (PMC+) except the bird, which is a cast sterling silver piece. This shrine was in the 2007 Indianapolis Art Center Show.

Figure 8.14 Chocolate lovers can appreciate this yummy ring.

Figure 8.13 Metal clay can be used for creating home accessories as well. 211

Anti-War Medal Her Anti-War Medal (shown in Figure 8.15) was exhibited at the Thomas Mann Gallery located in New Orleans. It was part of “The Anti-War Medals Show: 140 International Artists Respond to War.”

Figure 8.16 This pendant does double duty as a sculpture and a piece of jewelry.

Spoon This fine silver spoon shown in Figure 8.17 has a unique texturing all over it and is another example of how metal clay is not just for making jewelry.

Figure 8.15 Make metal clay, not war!

Pokey Pendant The pendant shown in Figure 8.16 is one of the artist’s many sculptural pieces that can also be worn as jewelry. It has a tube-shaped bale formed at the top and was made using PMC+ and fired in a kiln.

212

Figure 8.17 Elaine textured this metal clay spoon.

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Lora Hart ora Hart (whose work is featured in

L

Figures 8.18 to 8.20 and was photographed by Marsha Thomas) began working with metal clay at the turn of the new millennium when, after nearly 20 years as a busy make-up artist in the entertainment industry, an actor’s strike put her career on hold. At first a self-taught artisan, Lora began taking formal training in traditional jewelry making at various schools in Los Angeles, went on to complete four metal clay certification programs, and has been committed to furthering her knowledge and skill with this alchemous art form ever since. Lora offers classes and workshops throughout Los Angeles (find out more at her website www.LoraHart.com) and is also a contributing writer to Step By Step Beads, Metal Clay Connections, and Studio PMC.

Split Lentil #1 Lora entitled the sculptural necklace shown in Figure 8.18 “Split Lentil #1.” She used PMC3 and fired the pendant in a kiln. The gemstones she included in the final assembly of the necklace include aquamarine and a black cultured pearl. The pendant was hand-formed by Lora and then attached to links and chain.

Figure 8.18 Lora’s lentil piece is attached to a chain so this is both a wearable and sculptural piece.

213

Jean’s Bead

Shield Earrings

This extra large bead (which is approximately 1.75 inches long) is strung on a single strand of silver chain. Lori constructed it in PMC3 using a technique called Keum Boo, a method developed in Korea for applying 24k gold onto silver (see Figure 8.19).

The earrings shown in Figure 8.20 were kiln fired and made using PMC+. The earrings also include natural garnet and a cultured pearl. The finished length for each earring is two inches.

Figure 8.20 These large Shield Earrings are dramatic.

Figure 8.19 This bead is made from both silver and gold.

214

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Holly Gage olly Gage, of Gage Designs, makes

H

limited-edition art jewelry celebrating the beauty of life and nature with a gentle blend of art and soul. See her work displayed in Figures 8.21 through 8.23. She often speaks publicly, writes, and teaches about new techniques in metal clay, and she is anxious to share these innovations with others. Her sculptural jewelry can be seen in national jewelry books and publications. To view more of her work, metal clay tutorials, and related tips, visit her website at www.HollyGage.com.

Secret Places Though you could use any of the various types of metal clay, Holly used PMC+ to hand-carve this piece she calls “Secret Places,” shown in Figure 8.21. The scene on the pendant is a cottage with foliage around it. She included a bail at the top of it, which hangs from multiple strands of thin leather cording ornamented with gemstone and pearl beads.

Figure 8.21 The pendant looks like a miniature painting.

215

Fallen Pods

Life’s Renewal

Following a similar nature theme, the sculptural piece shown in Figure 8.22 is made of PMC+ and was kiln fired. She formed the leaf out of lump clay over a Hosta leaf and hand-built the pods.

Shown in Figure 8.23 is another piece made with PMC+ and kiln fired by the artist. Each flower petal is handmade separately. Then a tube of clay is created, and each petal is assembled around it, completely covering the tube.

Figure 8.22 Nature is a perfect mix with metal clay.

Figure 8.23 Holly assembled multiple leaves and other pieces to create this unique necklace.

216

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Heather Gill eather Gill (whose work is exhibited in Figures 8.24 to 8.28) started working with metal clay three years ago. In October of 2007, she was certified by the PMC Guild in metal clay. Heather enjoys the possibilities of metal clay and continues to work towards learning all she can about it. She started to sell her work online at www.Etsy.com, and you can find her work exhibited and available for sale through her Etsy store, www.cherrycreek.etsy.com.

H

Ring Earrings The large oval rings in the earrings shown in Figure 8.25 are made from metal clay. Then the artists dangled wire wrapped briolette blue beads from each and added ear hooks. It is a simple and modern design.

Flirty Flower Earrings A large and then a small flower-shaped cutter were used to make the flower components on the earrings shown in Figure 8.24. Then Heather dangled glass beads from two holes at the bottom of each flower.

Figure 8.25 Simple rings add a lot to a jewelry piece.

Figure 8.24 A simple cookie-cutter technique helps create some fun flower earrings. 217

Hang Ten The little pendant shown in Figure 8.26 is perfect for the surfer dude in your life. Bare feet imprints were stamped into the clay before drying and firing. A jump ring at the top allows the pendant to be hung from a chain or leather or hemp cord.

Figure 8.27 Texture provides a way to add a lot of detail to metal clay.

Tag It!

Figure 8.26 Hang on to your hang ten pendant.

A spherical pendant shown in Figure 8.28 is stamped with an initial. Then with the help of a jump ring, the pendant is added to a sterling chain. A purple pearl dangles from the bottom.

Ornamental The metal clay dangles from the earrings shown in Figure 8.27 are heavily ornamented with ornate textures and then connected to earthtone beads. Wire is used to connect all the components together.

Figure 8.28 Wire wrapping methods help to connect dangles to metal clay components. 218

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Michela Verani ichela Verani, whose work is exhibited in Figures 8.29 and 8.30, is an Art Clay Senior Instructor. She has won numerous awards for her innovative mixed media work, which includes fibers, beads, wire, and glass as well as metal clay. A published author, Michela’s fresh and innovative presentation of instruction in metal clay techniques is offered through local bead shops and programs, as well as at her studio in Londonderry, NH. You can find information about her classes at www.everlastingtreasures.org.

M

Beautiful Button Earrings These three button post earrings shown in Figure 8.30 were all made from Art Clay 650, Slow Dry, and torch fired. The button areas were formed over a ball and include sterling wire inserted for the posts: (top) LOS’d with pearl dangles; (left) Dzi bead/sterling dangles; (right) moonstone and Tanzanite dangles.

Snakeskin Lentils The necklace shown in Figure 8.29 is snakeskin jasper, metal clay lentil beads, and a metal clay button clasp. There is Vitrea glass paint embellishment on the lentil beads and clasp. She used Art Clay 650, Slow Dry, and fired the pieces with a torch. The Vitrea was painted on and then baked in a regular oven.

Figure 8.30 The techniques used for these earrings were similar, yet the results are very different for each pair.

Figure 8.29 Jasper, metal, and glass are combined in this necklace design. 219

Donna Barao

A

s a child, Donna Barao was very

involved in crafting, which included lessons from her mother who taught her hand and machine sewing. In her teens, she took up tie-dyeing and then embraced the macramé craze of the 1970s. Since then, Donna’s artistic interests have evolved to include metalwork, beading, polymer clay, wirework, and metal clay. She designs and creates jewelry in her home workshop in Seekonk, Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband and their tuxedo cat.

Spiral Surprise The earrings and pendant shown in Figure 8.31 are made of PMC3. She cut out squares with a cutter and used a texture plate to add the background spirals to all pieces. Then she used metal clay paste to attach the raised square (turned on the diagonal) to the pendant. The spiral overlay on the raised part of the pendant and on the earrings were punched out from PMC paper and attached with water.

Figure 8.31 This set is some of Donna’s first metal clay pieces. 220

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Dori Daus ori Daus has been working in

D

metal clay since 2007. You can see some of her work displayed in Figure 8.32. After taking an introductory course with Terry Kovalchik, she decided that this was definitely the magical medium for which she had been searching. She completed a number of certification classes in both PMC and Art Clay, including PMC Connection Level I with Vera Lightstone and Art Clay Level I and Art Clay Level II with Tamara Farion. Her future plans include teaching classes and selling pieces to support her metal clay addiction. She sells her finished jewelry through her website at www.faceofcontentment. tripod.com.

Face of Contentment To create the pattern in the earrings shown in Figure 8.32, Dori used one of the simplest tools in the world—a toothpick! She also used the toothpick to make the holes on either side of the square, which are made from Art Clay 650. She used colored wire to attach sodalite gemstone chip beads to the metal charms and then attached lever back ear wires to the top of each.

Figure 8.32 Add color to your metal clay designs with beads and wire.

221

Christine Street

C

hocolate and Steel is the name

of Christine Street’s design business (www.ChocolateAndSteel.com). She makes jewelry for the pure enjoyment she gets from making it and wearing it. Prior to discovering metal clay, Christine was a completely self-taught artist. Then she enrolled in an Introduction to Metal Clay class at her local design school and has been hooked ever since. With metal clay, she feels she is able to translate her organic inspirations onto an industrial material. Now, an independent designer living in Los Angeles, she wakes to discover new inspirations everyday. You can see how her inspiration materialized in Figures 8.33 to 8.35.

A Whole Lotta Luck Though the ring shown in Figure 8.33 is made from PMC3, due to its size, it was fired in a kiln. The top of the ring, which has a peach moonstone cabochon set in the bezel, comes off to reveal a secret hiding spot.

Figure 8.33 This ring has a cool compartment in it.

222

Metal Clay Gallery

Where Are You Going Little Lady? To add some color to the pendant shown in Figure 8.34, the artist included resin in the metal clay, which is PMC+. She also used paper clay as well in this pendant design. She added a hole at the top and jump rings to work as a simple bale for this piece.

Figure 8.34

Chapter 8

Dear Rose A rose impression makes up the feminine pendant shown in Figure 8.35. Christine added a metal clay bale at the top as well so you can wear it on a silver chain. This piece was made from PMC+.

Figure 8.35 Flowers seem to be a metal clay favorite.

When in doubt, a jump ring is the way to go to add just about any sort of chain to a pendant.

223

Donna Lewis

D

onna Lewis has a Bachelor of Arts

in Telecommunications and Art from Mount Mary College, so her draw towards metal clay was a natural fit for her. A 2007 and 2008 Saul Bell Design Award Competition finalist, she is both Rio PMC and Art Clay Level I certified. Donna teaches classes at Metals Edge Studio in Scottsdale, Arizona where she makes her home. She is a member and ambassador of the PMC Guild and a member of the Art Clay Society, American Craft Guild, and Society of North American Goldsmiths. See Figures 8.36 and 8.37 for examples of her metal clay work.

cubic zirconia: two 5mm topaz trillions, four 3mm garnet princess, six 2mm white princess, five 1mm topaz round, and two 1.25 white round.

Queen’s Ransom The piece shown in Figure 8.36 is approximately 20 inches long and is made with 200-plus grams of PMC+, metal clay paste, 24k gold as Keum Boo, four 3mm round white cubic zirconia, two 2mm round white cubic zirconia, one 13mmx18mm peridot pear cubic zirconia, and fresh water pearls. It took about two hours at 1650 degrees F to kiln fire.

Figure 8.36 This is one of the pieces that Donna Lewis is best known for creating.

Wristlinks Shown in Figure 8.37 is another piece from the artist that is packed full of metal clay: 200-plus grams of PMC3 and three syringes of PMC3. The large and center links are all hollow. They and the bar pin were the initial firing with stones in place. Each smaller side link is solid, formed between two links, and fired one by one as each one dried. All in all, there were five firings and two more due to changes. The stones are all 224

Figure 8.37 Multiple firings were needed to make just one finished piece of jewelry.

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Amanda manda, from Pomo Mama Design, is a self-taught jewelry designer who (in an effort to stay sane) crafts in, around, and in spite of her family. Her work is shown in Figures 8.38 to 8.40. In order to fit in with family living, the techniques she uses are mainly simple in terms of equipment and procedures. Amanda is a self-confessed glass addict but also enjoys working with gemstones, sea glass, and re-purposed/found items, combining them with other media such as fiber, felting, crochet, and wire work. Her main aim is to make affordable accessories that fit in with the life of a modern day mama. You can view her art work at www.pomomamadesign.com.

A

Circles The Circles pendant shown in Figure 8.38 includes a small Dichroic glass cab which was set in and fired with the piece. She used Art Clay 650, Slow Dry, and then fired it with a torch. To polish the pendant, she hand-buffed it and then tossed it into a rotary tumbler to give it a higher shine.

Figure 8.38 Dichroic glass is a good addition to metal clay jewelry pieces.

225

Fall Cluster

Submersion

For this second pendant shown in Figure 8.39, the author based her design around a silver leaf, which she made by covering a maple leaf with metal clay paste and firing it after it dried. Then she added amber, citrine, glass, and freshwater pearls on a sterling silver hoop and chain.

Figure 8.40 was a more challenging piece for this artist who normally likes to keep things simple. Her Submersion includes a fused glass cabochon bezel set after firing in fine silver bezel wire.

Figure 8.40 Bezel wire surrounds this fused glass cabochon.

Figure 8.39 Paste was used over a leaf and then fired to create the silver leaf on this pendant.

226

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Louise Little n 1997, Louise Little bought a lampwork bead from a glass artist and found a medium that allowed her to bring the southwestern deserts, which she finds so inspirational, to life in the form of art beads and, ultimately, jewelry. In 2004, Louise wanted to add metal to her lampworked jewelry and discovered metal clay. She was the 2007 grand prize winner of the “Rings and Things Your Designs Rock” contest for her metal clay bracelet entitled “Southwestern Petroglyphs.” Louise likes to put elements together in a piece of jewelry that is somewhat abstract yet wearable. Her jewelry is available at select galleries and through her website: www.desertbloomdesigns.com. One of her petroglyphs is pictured in Figure 8.41.

I

Southwest Petroglyph The pendant shown in Figure 8.41 is 2.4 x 5.5 cm and was constructed using Art Clay 650. Louise textured it with hand drawn art using a technique called tear away, which involves making a lowrelief texture plate using polymer clay and a photocopied image. Due to the size, she kiln fired it. She added seed beads to the bottom of the pendant and created a patina with liver of sulfur.

Figure 8.41 The patina gives this pendant an ancient effect. 227

Shahasp Valentine hahasp Valentine was creating jewelry well before taking her first formal jewelry class at the age of 13. She continued to make jewelry as a hobby for many years, culminating in her first jewelry line in the early 1990s. Precious Metal Clay became her focus in 1998. Metal clay took her in a new creative direction, which you can see examples of in Figures 8.42 and 8.43. Her all-metal clay line, Precieux Metal Clay Jewelry, was launched in the fall of 1999. Since then, Shahasp Valentine’s work with PMC has been recognized in books, magazines, and television, and has been featured in gallery shows. You can view more of her designs at www.precieux.com.

S

Figure 8.42

Rococo

Pearls make a perfect accent to this ornate pendant.

Part of her Precieux series, the pendant shown in Figure 8.42 has the following gemstones set into the ornate design: pink sapphire, tanzanite, and white sapphire. Then the necklace strap is made using gray baroque cultured pearls. The width of the pendant is 2 1⁄8 inches.

Celechee Another very ornate piece from the artist, the pendant shown in Figure 8.43 includes both 24k gold and fine silver. It is strung on a gold chain and has a lavender sapphire in 24k gold setting in the center of the pendant. It measures 1 1⁄4 inches in width.

Figure 8.43 Gold and silver work together in this beautiful pendant. 228

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Melissa J. Lee elissa J. Lee has a background in intellectual property law and English Renaissance literature. She first discovered metal clay while staying at home with her young son. Today, working with metal clay provides her an essential way to express her quirky outlook on life. You can see her work in Figures 8.44 and 8.45, as well as online at her blog www.strandsofbeads.blogspot.com and her webshop at www.melissajlee.etsy.com.

M

Charmed Kiss Melissa used PMC3 to create the “Smooch” focal, “Kiss Me” charms, and heart and arrow clasp used for the necklace shown in Figure 8.44. Since she had multiple pieces, she kiln fired them together. The lampworked focal button was made by Sarah Moran. Melissa also added turquoise, freshwater pearls, rose quartz, a banana glass bead, blue chalcedony, and Czech and quartz glass to the finished necklace.

Figure 8.44 Melissa combined a number of metal clay components with loads of beads.

Cherry Blossom The center pendant and clasp were made from PMC3. She cut the pendant from a 1.25-inch circle template and made the Koi fish out of polymer clay. Then she placed it in the PMC bezel cup and filled it with hand-tinted UV resin. She finished the piece shown in Figure 8.45 with rose quartz, freshwater pearls, pressed Czech glass leaves, and frosted white and dark violet seed beads.

Figure 8.45 Resin and polymer clay provide a way to add color to metal clay components. 229

Sarah Peacock arah has been creating jewelry for nearly a decade. You can see some of her work pictured in Figures 8.46 to 8.50. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in design. A self-taught jewelry designer, she draws on nature and organic textures in her designs. Sarah creates her designs with a combination of fine silver and precious and semi-precious stones. You can see more of her jewelry at her website: www.sarahpeacock.com.

S

Anna Necklace The two-tone metal necklace shown in Figure 8.47 was a special order piece that the artist designed especially for her customer. Thus the name has significant meaning to the wearer.

The Tribeca Ring The ring shown in Figure 8.46 was named after the trendy and posh New York neighborhood because it exudes confidence and style. The inlaid gemstones are lab-grown peridot (green), and the band is textured in the background and has a patina finish.

Figure 8.47 Naming a jewelry piece after someone special is a nice way to connect to your memories.

Figure 8.46 Lab-grown gemstones are set in the band of this ring.

230

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Hip to Be Square Ring

Protector

The gemstone in the ring shown in Figure 8.48 is a blue square lab-grown topaz spinel. The band of the ring is lightly textured and then the artist added a patina to the ring to help show the details of the background on the band.

Sarah enjoys combining stones with many of her pendant designs such as this piece called “Protector,” shown in Figure 8.50. The gemstone is amethyst, and the metal clay frame is textured and has a patina finish.

Figure 8.48 Geometric shapes add interesting design elements to this band ring.

Personalized Ribbon Necklace with Pearl The ribbon pendant shown in Figure 8.49 can also be worn on a ribbon as well. Sarah monograms each with the initial of a loved one. It is accented by a pink teardrop freshwater pearl and has a brushed matte finish. This is one of her many pieces from which she donates part of the proceeds to charity.

Figure 8.50 Lettering on the clay provides a way to send messages through your jewelry designs.

Figure 8.49 The ribbon design of this pendant copies the ribbons worn to remember our loved ones. 231

Robin Faulkner hough Robin Faulkner has a degree in mechanical engineering, she has been working in one art form or another since before she could walk, from sketching and painting to clay and pottery. In the early ‘80s, Robin started creating wire wrapped jewelry because she wanted some unique jewelry that she wouldn’t see everyone else wearing. Soon, her co-workers started asking her to make jewelry for them. Then in 1995, she read an article about this amazing new material called PMC and has concentrated on mastering it ever since. Two of her pieces are featured in Figures 8.51 and 8.52.

T

Butterflies Enamel makes it possible to color the wings on the butterfly charm shown in Figure 8.52. A bail is attached to the back of the charm so it can be worn on a silver chain.

The Jar Robin constructed a triangular bezel using PMC3 for this Dicrohic cabochon shown in Figure 8.51. It is accented with a cubic zirconia and includes a bail at the top as well.

Figure 8.52 Add color to your metal clay pieces with enamel.

Figure 8.51 Use metal clay to showcase your favorite cabochons.

232

Metal Clay Gallery

Chapter 8

Hollie J. Mion ollie J. Mion is a resident of the Columbus, Ohio area and began making jewelry in a variety of media in 1991. After being introduced to PMC by Celie Fago in 2003, she became hooked immediately. Hollie is a certified PMC instructor, a metalsmith, and an enamellist. She is a board member of the Columbus PMC Guild, a member of the national PMC Guild, a member of the Columbus, National, Pittsburgh, and Detroit Polymer Clay Guilds, and a past board member of the National Polymer Clay Guild. She was also a seven-year member of the well-known artists’ co-op “Studios on High” in Columbus, Ohio’s Short North area. See some of her unique designs in Figures 8.53 to 8.55.

H

Caribbean Memories The piece shown in Figure 8.53 (photo by Karen Carter) was made using a traditional fine silver bezel fired into PMC3. Then a Primavera Stone (Mexico) was set in the bezel cup after firing to finish the pendant. The artist added it to an Omega-style silver chain.

Figure 8.53 Feel free to add your own chain or other necklace to your metal clay pendants.

Pyramid Power Made with PMC+ (photo by Karen Carter) this box pendant’s lid and box (shown in Figure 8.54) are attached to a sterling silver bail by the use of a balled wire rivet. The patina allows the details to show up better against the darkened background of the metal.

Figure 8.54 Adding a patina to metal clay makes details stand out.

Star Fish The box pendant shown in Figure 8.55 (photo by Karen Carter) was made with PMC+. Then Hollie created a patina effect using liver of sulfur. The lid was attached with a sterling silver rivet, allowing the lid to swing open.

Figure 8.55 Hollie enjoys layering metal clay pieces and creating boxes that work also as pendants. 233

Sarah Peacock thinks about both the jewelry and packaging. Pictured is her “Aspen Leaf” necklace.

A Metal Clay

Resources ow that you are all fired up and ready to make some

N

metal clay jewelry, you need to find out where to purchase metal clay along with other jewelry making supplies that you may need. Unlike many of the supplies you use for making jewelry, you cannot find metal clay at your local craft store. While craft stores are coming a long way when it comes to realizing how popular jewelry making is these days, the only place you can purchase metal clay is through authorized dealers or certified instructors, and that is where the Internet comes in. If you are not a computer person, don’t worry though. Many of the vendors listed in this section have 800 numbers as well as hard copy catalogs available.

Sources for Metal Clay

T

his section lists vendors who sell

metal clay (PMC and Art Clay) as well as other related supplies that you may need such as hot-pots, torches, and well, just about everything I covered in Chapter 2, “Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay”. This list is not necessarily complete, but it has some of the larger vendors who sell the supplies you will need to get started. One word of caution, though, when you are ready to purchase metal clay for the first time, consider getting smaller packages rather than really large ones (even though you may get a little bit of a price break), because once you open the package your metal clay will start to dry out. So, it is better to get a few smaller packages and keep some sealed as you work with one open package than it is to get big packages and have to worry about your clay drying out.

The price of metal clay (shown in Figures A.1 and A.2) can vary a little from vendor to vendor, though I have not found substantial differences between them, so along with price consider other variables such as customer service and if they have other supplies you may need. That way, at least, you may be able to save on the cost of shipping. And, who doesn’t appreciate good customer service? Metal clay prices are also affected by the price of the metal, and so as silver (or gold ) prices go up or down, you can sometimes see the price of metal clay go up or down as well. Enjoy your shopping!

Figure A.2 Art Clay’s low-fire clay is called Art Clay 650.

Figure A.1 PMC3 is used for those who want low-fire options.

236

Metal Clay Resources

Appendix A

Cool Tools

PMC Supply

Phone: (888) 478-5060

Phone: (800) 388-2001

Website: www.cooltools.us

Website: www.pmcsupply.com

Metal clay, tools, and related supplies

Sells PMC and Art Clay along with kilns, hotpots, torches, and a large assortment of related supplies

Dick Blick Art Supplies Phone: (800) 828-4548

(These are the same folks who provided pictures for Chapter 2.)

Website: www.dickblick.com General crafts supplies

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Phone: (800) 423-2319 Website: www.firemountaingems.com Art clay, general jewelry making supplies, books, and displays

Metal Clay Findings Phone: (888) 999-6406 Website: www.metalclayfindings.com Findings made in fine silver designed for metal clay use

Rings and Things Phone: (800) 366-2156 Website: www.rings-things.com Art Clay, related supplies, and general jewelry making supplies

Rio Grande Phone: (800) 545-7566 Website: www.riogrande.com PMC and other related jewelry supplies and equipment

Santa Fe Jewelers Supply Phone: (800) 659-3835 Website: www.sfjssantafe.com PMC and other related jewelry supplies

237

U.S. Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies hough you may need to go to a few specialized vendors to get your clay, you can find jewelry making supplies all over the place these days. Here is a long list of jewelry making suppliers from the U.S., though many of them will ship internationally as well. When you want to turn your metal clay components into finished jewelry pieces, this means lots of extra supplies such as wire, beads, stringing material, findings, hand-tools, and other items used to assemble your finished jewelry. This list includes vendor websites as well as phone numbers when available. For those who aren’t into web shopping, many of these suppliers have catalogs available, so it is worth making a phone call or two (especially if they have toll free numbers) to check into this.

T

Addicted to Rubber Stamps Phone: (800) 913-2877 Website: www.addictedtorubberstamps.com

Artgems Inc.com Phone: (480) 545-6009 Website: www.artgemsinc.com Bead, findings, and related jewelry supplies

Auntie’s Beads Phone: (888) 844-7657 Website: www.auntiesbeads.com Beads and general jewelry making supplies

Beadshop.com Phone: (650) 328-7925 Website: www.beadshop.com Beads, jewelry making supplies, kits, DVDs, and CDs

The Bead Warehouse Phone: (301) 565-0487

Figure A.3 Hand-tools are necessary for assembling all your jewelry parts and pieces. ©Speedy Peacock Photograph

238

Website: www.thebeadwarehouse.com Stone beads and general jewelry making supplies

Metal Clay Resources

B’Sue Boutique

Jan’s Jewels

Website: www.bsueboutiques.com

Phone: (405) 840-2341

General beading supplies and metal stampings

Website: www.jansjewels.com

Appendix A

General jewelry making supplies

CGM Phone: (800) 426-5246

JSBeads.com

Website: www.cgmfindings.com

Phone: (407) 327-4363

Wholesale wire, metal beads, findings

Website: www.jsbeads.com

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Phone: (800) 423-2319 Website: www.firemountaingems.com General jewelry making supplies, books, and displays

General jewelry making supplies and Swarovski crystals

Land of Odds Phone: (615) 292-0610 Website: www.landofodds.com General jewelry making supplies and seed beads

Gemshow Online Jewelry Supply

Monsterslayer

Phone: (877) 805-7440

Phone: (505) 598-5322

Website: www.gemshow-online.com

Website: www.monsterslayer.com

Crystals, metal beads, and findings

Metal findings, wire, and beads

HHH Enterprises

Ornamentea

Phone: (800) 777-0218

Phone: (919) 834-6220

Website: www.hhhenterprises.com

Website: www.ornamentea.com

General jewelry making supplies

Unusual findings, beads, fibers, and mixed media supplies

Jade Kraft Phone: (801) 733-4716

Out on a Whim

Website: www.jadekraft.com

Phone: (800) 232-3111

Supplies for mixed media artwork

Website: www.whimbeads.com Specializing in seed beads, crystals, and findings

239

Rings and Things

Soft Flex Company

Phone: (800) 366-2156

Phone: (707) 938-3539

Website: www.rings-things.com

Website: www.softflextm.com

Wholesale jewelry making supplies

Soft Flex beading wire and general jewelry making supplies

Rio Grande Phone: (800) 545-7566

South Pacific Wholesale Co.

Website: www.riogrande.com

Phone: (800) 338-2162

Equipment, beads, metal, and other related jewelry supplies

Website: www.beading.com

Schmooze with Suze

Urban Maille Chainworks

Phone: (732) 493-1390

Phone: (303) 838-7432

Website: www.schmoozewithsuze.com

Website: www.urbanmaille.com

Rubber stamping supplies and resources

Precision-cut precious metal jump rings, kits, and tools

Shipwreck Beads

Stone beads and general jewelry making supplies

Phone: (360) 754-2323

Wire-Sculpture.com

Website: www.shipwreckbeads.com

Phone: (601) 636-0600

General jewelry making supplies

Website: www.wire-scultpure.com Wire, beads, and general jewelry supplies

240

Metal Clay Resources

Appendix A

International Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies f you don’t live in the United States, don’t worry. While many of the vendors listed previously will ship their products internationally, you may be surprised to find plenty of jewelry suppliers in your own backyard. Here is a list of suppliers that sell all kinds of craft and jewelry making supplies and you can find them spread out all over the world.

I

Beadgems Phone: 0121 778 6314 Website: www.beadgems.com UK supplier of beads and jewelry supplies

Beadworks Phone: (44) (0) 20 7240 0931

African Trade Beads Website: www.africantradebeads.com Czech, seed, and various imported beads

The Bead Company of Australia Phone: +61 2 9546 4544 ext. 25 Beads and general jewelry making supplies

The Bead Shop Phone: 0208 240 0931 Mail Order: 0208 553 3240 Website: www.beadsunlimited.co.uk UK supplier of beads and related supplies

Beadfx Phone: (877) 473-2323

Website: www.beadshop.co.uk UK supplier of general beading supplies

Canadian Beading Supply Phone: (613) 727-3886/(800) 291-6668 Website: www.canbead.com Wholesale and retail bead and jewelry supplier

Gem Craft Phone: 0161 477 0435 Website: www.gemcraft.co.uk Gem and mineral supplier

Gems2Behold Website: www.gems2behold.com Ships worldwide beading supplies of all types, specializing in Venetian glass beads

Website: www.beadfx.com Canadian supplier of glass, crystal, and seed beads

241

Hobbycraft Phone: +44 1202 596 100 Bead shop and jewelry-making supplies sold throughout UK

The House of Orange

Mee Ngai Wah in Sham Shui Po Phone: 86-20-81713226 Fax: 86-20-81713312 Wholesale and retail jewelry supplies from Hong Kong

Phone: (205) 544-0127 Website: www.houseoforange.biz

Space Trader

Canadian supplier of beads and related jewelry supplies

Phone: +03 9534 5012

Katie’s Treasures Phone: +61 2 4956 9495 Website: www.katiestreasures.com.au Australian supplier of beads and related jewelry supplies

Kernowcrafts Rocks and Gems Limited Phone: 01872 573 888 Website: www.kernowcraft.com

242

Website: www.spacetrader.com.au Australian supplier of beads and related jewelry supplies

Metal Clay Resources

Appendix A

Other Helpful Websites groups.yahoo.com/group/MetalClay/: This is a free group over at Yahoo.com that has an extremely large membership and it is also very active. Lurk or ask questions: either way you’ll learn a lot from the many talented artists who are members of this group.

pearlesq.blogspot.com: Robin Beam writes about jewelry and lots of other crafty goodies on her blog. candiecooper.typepad.com: Become a savvy crafter and jewelry maker while reading this blog written by Candie Cooper.

www.artjewelrymag.com: Art Jewelry magazine is a hard-copy periodical, but it also has a lot of information about metal clay and other types of jewelry making on its website.

katiehacker.blogspot.com: Well-known jewelry designer Katie Hacker provides how-to’s and just fun reading on her blog.

www.silversmithing.com: The Society of American Silversmiths focuses on all types of silver-related crafting, and that includes metal clay.

prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com: Jean Yates has lot of jewelry design ideas, beading, and chain maille information on her blog.

jewelrymaking.about.com: Learn about all kinds of jewelry making, including metal clay, on this site, which is part of the About.com network. There are free jewelry projects, techniques, and articles posted weekly as well as a free bi-weekly newsletter.

margotpotter.blogspot.com: Margot Potter, aka The Impatient Beader, is a hoot to read as well as a great person to learn jewelry making from.

www.creativetexturetools.com: Elaine Luther keeps you up to date on the latest news related to the world of metal clay.

naughtysecretaryclub.com: You may have seen Jennifer Perkins on television, so now you can also see her work online at her website where she talks about her crafting career and offers lots of great tips.

www.jewelryandbeading.com: This beading blog is full of news and jewelry ideas for the jewelry and bead lover.

www.tammypowley.com: You can find out what I’m up to over here at my website. I list and link to my latest jewelry making adventures.

artbeadscene.blogspot.com: Keep up to date with the art bead scene at this blog run by a group of bead lovers. 243

Index

A A Whole Lotta Luck ring, Christine Steel, 222 Adobe Illustrator, Stained Glass Window Pendants project, 196–199 Aida Chemical Industries, Art Clay, 1–4 Alper-Rein, Alice gallery collection, 208–209 Nature Book, 136 Pendant Books with Face, 188 alphabet metal stamps, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Amanda changing table as firing table, 60, 77–78 flower/pearl earrings, 166 gallery collection, 225–226 Pomo Mama Design, 192 silver leaf, 101 stamped charm, 82 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant, 192–196 amber chip beads, Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 angel stamps, image copyright issues, 28 animals, cross-contamination issues, 62, 67 Anna Necklace, Sarah Peacock, 230 anodized niobium findings, hypoallergenic ear hooks, 125 Anti-War Medal, Elaine Luther, 212 appliqués, metal clay layering, 96

Art Clay Aida Chemical Industries, 1–4 Art Clay Gold Paste, 4 Art Clay Silver, 2 Art Clay Silver 650, 3 Art Clay Silver 650 Paste, 4 Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry, 3 Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe, 3 Art Clay Silver Paper Type, 4 Art Clay Silver Slow Dry, 2 metal clay certification, 15 metal clay starter kit, 38–39 PMC3 Clay hot-pot kit, 49–53 Art Clay Gold Paste, firing properties/uses, 4 Art Clay Silver 650 Paste, properties/uses, 4 Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry, properties/uses, 3 Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe, properties/uses, 3 Art Clay Silver 650, properties/uses, 3 Art Clay Silver Paper Type, properties/uses, 4 Art Clay Silver Slow Dry, properties/uses, 2 Art Clay Silver, properties/uses, 2 Art Jewelry, metal clay resource, 13 asbestos-free soldering pads, firing equipment, 48 Aspen Leaf necklace, Sarah Peacock, 234 Aspen Leaf Pendant with Stone, Sarah Peacock, 90

245

B Babineau, Carol A. Metal Clay Beyond the Basics, 199 Textured End Caps, 199–203 work area examples, 74–76 Badger Balm, olive oil alternative, 84 bails, metal clay forming, 115–116 baking soda, burnishing metal clay, 105 balled head pins, Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 Barao, Donna, gallery collection, 220 bead stringing described, 126 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 bead tips bead stringing, 129 necklace/bracelet findings, 122 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 beading awl, bead tip attachment, 129 beading wire 21-gauge dead-soft, 126 bead tip findings, 122 crimp bead findings, 123, 127–128 beads blue crystal teardrop, 172–175 gold-filled, 185–188 Jean’s Bead, 214 lampwork, 175 Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Ribbon Beads project, 175–179 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 Beautiful Button Earrings, Michela Verani, 219 Black Max, patinas, 112 Black Nymo thread, Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192

246

blue crystal teardrop beads, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Bonnell, Robin W. Angel Wings jewelry piece, 162 Iris ring, 181–182 X-rated pendant, 155 bottles, spray, 33 bracelets findings, 122–123 Fresh, 206 ID Me, 172–175 Imagine, 204 Ruffles and Old Lace, 163–166 Sea Charmbangle, 208 Star Attraction, 156–158 Branch of the Family Tree pendant, Robin Walter-Bonnel, 206 brass burnishing brush, metal clay tool, 21 brass cutters, Textured End Caps project, 199–203 brass texture plates, 32, 91 brooches, When I See One Bird I Think of You, 208 brushes burnishing, 21, 105 metal clay, 21, 24 paintbrushes, 102 burnishing brush, 21, 105 butane torch firing safety tips, 42–43 low-fire metal clay, 45, 47–49, 68 Butterflies charm, Robin Faulkner, 232

C Caribbean Memories pendant, Hollie J. Mion, 233 carnelian rondelles, Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192 carts, tool/supply storage, 66

Index

Celechee pendant, Shahasp Valentine, 228 chain-nosed pliers bead tip attachment, 129 coil and hook clasps, 143 ear hook fabrication, 146 eye pin fabrication, 139–140 metal clay tools, 19–20 opening/closing jump rings, 135 unwrapped wire loops, 130–131 wrapped wire loops, 131–133 chains, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 changing table, used as firing table, 60, 77–78 Charmed Kiss necklace, Melissa Lee, 229 charms, Butterflies, 232 Cherry Blossom pendant, Melissa Lee, 229 children, cross-contamination issues, 62, 67 circle cutter, Go Groovy rings, 180–182 Circles pendant, Amanda, 225 citrine beads, Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 clam shells, necklace/bracelet findings, 122 clasps, jewelry fasteners, 125 Clay Safe, 87 Clay Vault, 34, 87 clean-up tool, metal clay, 29 clear plastic paper protectors, metal clay, 27 clothing, firing safety tips, 43 cloths lace/textured, 27 polishing, 22 coffee cup warmer, drying time speed up method, 65 coffee grinder, grinding dry clay, 95 coffee straws, hole making method, 113 coil and hook clasp, fabricating, 142–144 coil/snake roller, Textured End Caps project, 199–203 Color Your World kaleidoscope/stand sculpture, Alice Alper-Rein, 209

cone systems, metal clay firing, 53–55 contact information, suppliers, 235–243 Cooley, Jocelyn L., garage work area example, 79–81 copyrights, rubber stamp images, 28 corsage pin, bead tip attachment, 129 craft knife cutting method, 88 dry clay cutting, 95 metal clay forming, 19, 64 crimp beads bracelet/necklace findings, 123 size ranges, 123 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 crimping pliers, crimp bead/beading wire attachment, 127–128 curly head pins, fabricating, 140–141 cutter set, metal clay, 31 cutting mats, forming work surface, 63

D Daus, Dori, gallery collection, 221 dead-soft gold-filled wire, Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 dead-soft sterling wire ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171 Dear Rose pendant, Christine Steel, 223 dental tools, carving dry clay, 30, 89 diamond-shaped cutter ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 Dicrohic cabochon, The Jar, 232 digital pyrometers, kilns, 57 dishes, metal clay forming area, 64 distilled water, 93–94. See also water Dremel tool, polishing attachments, 34, 107 247

drinking straws, hole making method, 24, 113 drying area, work area setup, 65–66 dust, metal clay ingestion concerns, 67

E ear hooks fabricating, 144–146 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 styles, 121 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 wire gauge issues, 144 earrings Beautiful Button Earrings, 219 Face of Contentment, 221 findings, 122 Flirty Flower Earrings, 217 Heart and Soul, 207 Oh Angel, 118 Ornamental, 218 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Ring Earrings, 217 Shield Earrings, 214 Spiral Surprise, 220 Tone on Tone, 185–188 El Dia de los Muertos shrine, Elaine Luther, 211 emery boards, filing dry clay, 25, 103 end caps, Textured End Caps project, 199–203 Euro wires, earring findings, 125 eye pins earring findings, 122 fabricating, 139–140

F fabrics, metal clay texturing, 27, 90 Face of Contentment earrings, Dori Daus, 221 Fall Cluster pendant, Amanda, 226

248

Fallen Pods sculpture, Holly Gage, 216 Faulkner, Robin gallery collection, 232 swirl silver pendant, 98 fiber scraps, metal clay texturing, 90 files dust protection, 67 filing fired clay, 21–22, 104 findings anodized niobium, 125 bead tips, 122, 129 clasps, 125 coil-and-hook clasp, 142–144 crimp beads, 123, 127–128 curly head pins, 140–141 defined, 120 ear hooks, 121, 144–146 eye pins, 122, 139–140 gold-filled, 120 head pins, 122 hook-and-eye clasp, 137–138 hooks, 125 jump rings, 123–124, 135, 138–139 split rings, 123–124 Textured End Caps project, 199–203 unwrapped wire loops, 130–131 V-style ear wires, 179 wire curls, 134 wire loops, 130–133 wrapped hook clasp, 141–142 wrapped wire loops, 131–133 fine silver (99.9%) pure, metal clay, 1 fine silver oval piece, gold star appliqué, 171 fire bricks, firing equipment, 48 fire extinguisher, metal clay firing area, 70 firing equipment asbestos-free soldering pads, 48 butane torch, 47–49

Index

fire bricks, 48 gas stove, 45–46 kiln furniture, 56 kiln shelf, 48, 56 kilns, 55–59 PMC3 Clay hot-pot, 49–53 propane burners, 46 safety tips, 42–43 SpeedFire Cone System, 53–55 fish-hooks, earring findings, 125 flat-nosed pliers coil and hook clasps, 143 metal clay forming, 20 Flirty Flower Earrings, Heather Gill, 217 fob/keychain, What Is Normal?, 207 food dehydrator, drying time speed up method, 65 food preparation, metal clay ingestion concerns, 67 food processors, grinding dry clay, 95 forming tools/equipment, work area setup, 63–66 freezer paper, work area cover, 63 French hoops, earring findings, 125 Fresh bracelet, Robin Walter-Bonnel, 206 front-loading kilns, metal clay firing, 55–59 fused glass cabochon, Submersion, 226

G Gage, Holly, gallery collection, 215–216 gallery Alice Alper-Rein, 208–209 Amanda, 225–226 Christine Street, 222–223 Donna Barao, 220 Donna Lewis, 224 Dori Daus, 221 Elaine Luther, 211–212

Heather Gill, 217–218 Hollie J. Mion, 233 Holly Gage, 215–216 Judy Kogut, 210 Lora Hart, 213–214 Louise Little, 227 Melissa Lee, 229 Michela Verani, 219 Robin Faulkner, 232 Robin Walter-Bonnell, 206–207 Sarah Peacock, 230–231 Shahasp Valentine, 228 garages, metal clay work area example, 79–81 gas stove, metal clay firing, 45–46 gem/rock clubs, jewelry making classes, 13 gemstones, metal clay enhancement, 98–99 Gill, Heather gallery collection, 217–218 metal clay fan charms, 120 office work area example, 73 glass cabochon, Submersion, 226 glass, forming work surface, 63 gloves, hot metal handling, 43, 70 Go Groovy rings, super easy project, 180–182 goggles, metal clay dust protection, 67 gold metal clay, gold and silver star pendant, 171 gold-filled beads, Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 gold-filled findings, 14kt gold alternative, 120 graph paper, forming work surface, 27, 63 grids, Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 guest artists’ projects Maple Leaf Necklace (Cyndi Lavin), 189–192 Stained Glass Window Pendants (Shahasp Valentine), 196–199 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant (Amanda), 192–196 Textured End Caps (Carol A. Babineau), 199–203 249

H hair dryer, drying time speed up method, 65 half hard sterling wire ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171 hammers, metal clay, 35 Hang Ten pendant, Heather Gill, 218 Happiness Chinese symbol rubbepiness pendant, 151–155 Happiness pendant, super easy project, 148, 151–155 Hart, Lora Dante’s Beloved pendant, 124 gallery collection, 213–214 Metal Clay Connections, 213 Step By Step Beads, 213 Studio PMC, 213 head pins earring findings, 122 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 Heart and Soul earrings, Robin Walter-Bonnel, 207 heat-resistant gloves, hot metal handling, 43, 70 heat-resistant surface, metal clay firing area, 68 hematite star beads, Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171 hemp cord, lampwork beaded ID bracelet, 175 Hershey Ring, Elaine Luther, 211 Hess, D.D., lampwork beaded ID bracelet, 175 Hip to Be Square ring, Sarah Peacock, 231 hobbyists firing safety tips, 42–43 metal clay advantages, 12–13 hole punch hole making method, 113 metal clay tool, 37 250

home accessories, El Dia de los Muertos, 211 home studio, metal clay work area example, 75–78 hook and eye clasp, fabricating, 137–138 hooks, jewelry fasteners, 125 hot-pots firing safety tips, 42–43 metal clay firing area setup, 69 PMC3 Clay firing, 40, 49–53 Huckins, Leikyn, glass/metal clay work area example, 76

I ID Me bracelet, super easy project, 172–175 ingestion, metal clay concerns, 67 investment casting, metal clay design, 10–11

J Jar, The, Dicrohic cabochon, Robin Faulkner, 232 jars metal clay firing area, 68 metal clay forming area, 64 slip mixing/storing, 25, 93–94 Jean’s Bead necklace, Lora Hart, 214 jeweler’s bench, metal clay work area example, 74 jeweler’s files, filing fired clay, 104 jeweler’s saw, metal clay tool, 20 jewelry clasp/hook fasteners, 125 connector findings, 123–124 Jewelry Artist, metal clay resource, 13 Jewelry Crafts, metal clay resource, 13 jewelry magazines, metal clay resource, 13 jewelry making classes, metal clay resource, 13 jewelry projects Go Groovy rings, 180–182 Happiness pendant, 151–155

Index

ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Ribbon Beads necklace, 175–179 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 Star Attraction bracelet, 156–158 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 Tone on Tone, 185–188 Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171 jump rings component connector, 123–124 fabricating, 138–139 ID Me bracelet, 172–175 opening/closing, 135 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Star Attraction bracelet, 156–158 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171

K Keum Boo, 24k gold/silver application technique, 214 keychain/fob, What Is Normal?, 207 kiln shelf, firing equipment, 48 kilns cost considerations, 45 firing safety tips, 42–43, 69–70 front-loading, 56 kiln furniture, 56 kiln shelf, 48 Lily, 56 low-fire metal clay, 45 metal clay firing, 58–59 purchasing suggestions, 56 pyrometers, 57 space requirements, 45, 58 top-loading, 57 kitchens, metal clay work area example, 71

kits hot-pot, 49–53 metal clay tools/supplies, 38–39 knitting needles, burnishing metal clay, 105 knives, metal clay tools, 19 Kogut, Judy bead earrings, 14 gallery collection, 210 metal clay fan pendant, 12

L lace fabric metal clay texturing, 27, 90 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 lampwork beads, ID bracelet, 175 Lavin, Cyndi Maple Leaf Necklace, 189–192 organic elements, 100–101 leather cording coil and hook clasps, 142–144 unisex appeal, 151 leatherhard clay, carving, 89 Lee, Melissa J. gallery collection, 229 portable metal clay studio example, 72 lever-backs, earring findings, 125 Lewis, Donna gallery collection, 224 kitchen work area example, 71 lids, metal clay, 24 Life’s Renewal necklace, Holly Gage, 216 lighting, metal clay firing area, 69 Lily kiln, front-loading kiln, 56 linen cord, lampwork beaded ID bracelet, 175 link chain, Star Attraction bracelet, 156–158 link-style chains, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Little, Louise, gallery collection, 227

251

liver of sulfur Happiness pendant, 151–155 metal clay supply, 37 patinas, 111 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 lost wax castings, metal clay design advantages, 10–11 low-fire metal clay. See also metal clay butane torch, 45, 47–49 firing temperatures, 45 gas stove firing, 45–46 kiln firing, 45 PMC3 hot-pot kit, 49–53 size limitations, 8 Luther, Elaine D. gallery collection, 211–212 jeweler’s bench work area example, 74

M magnetic polishers, polishing metal clay, 36, 108–109 masking tape, pliers cover uses, 134 masks, metal clay dust protection, 67 medals Anti-War Medal, 212 patina effect, 37 metal castings, metal clay design, 10–11 metal clay. See also low-fire metal clay 22kt gold, 1 advanced tools/supplies, 29–37 appliqués, 96 Art Clay products, 2–4 bails, 115–116 burnishing, 105 carving, 89 cost factors, 9 cutting techniques, 88 described, 1 252

design advantages, 10–11 essential tools/supplies, 18–22 filing, 103–104 fine silver (99.9%) pure, 1 firing area setup, 68–70 firing considerations, 44–45 firing safety tips, 42–43 flattening warped pieces, 65 forming area setup, 63–66 gas stove firing, 45–46 gemstones, 98–99 hobbyist advantages, 12–13 hole making methods, 113 hydrating, 95 information resources, 13 ingestion concerns, 67 kiln firing, 58–59 low-fire size limitations, 8 manufacturers, 1 molds, 97 multi-purpose tools/supplies, 23–28 patinas, 110–112 polishing methods, 106–109 Precious Metal Clay (PMC) products, 5–7 professional certification, 14–15 recycling, 65 rolling techniques, 85 sanding, 103 shrinkage after firing, 1, 44–45 skin exposure issues, 66 slip, 93–94 smoothing techniques, 102 snake shapes, 114–116 SpeedFire Cone System firing, 53–55 starter kits, 38–39 storage guidelines, 86–87 texturing, 90–92 unused clay storage, 86–87 wire connectors, 117

Index

Metal Clay Beyond the Basics, Carol A. Babineau, 199 Metal Clay Connections, Lora Hart, 213 metal cutters clay forming method, 88 ID Me bracelet, 172–175 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 metal heart cutter, Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 metal hole puncher, metal clay, 37 metal screens, gas stove firing, 46 metal sculpting tools, metal clay, 30 metal stamps, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 mini butterfly cutter set, metal clay, 33 Mion, Hollie J., gallery collection, 233 Mitsubishi Materials, PMC (Precious Metal Clay), 1, 5–7 molds metal clay forming, 97 Stained Glass Window Pendants project, 196–199

N Namaste pendant, Sarah Peacock, 16 Nature Book, Alice Alper Rein, 136 necklaces Anna Necklace, 230 Aspen Leaf, 234 Charmed Kiss, 229 Color Your World, 209 findings, 122–123 Jean’s Bead, 214 Life’s Renewal, 216 Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192 Ribbon Beads, 175–179 Snakeskin Lentils, 219 So Purple, 210 Split Lentil #1, 213 Sunbeam, 159–162 Y-You Are a Star, 167–171

notepads, metal clay, 23 nutmeg grater, grinding dry clay, 95 nylon cord, bead tip attachment, 129 nylon-nosed pliers curly head pin fabrication, 140–141 wire curls, 134

O offices, metal clay work area, 73 Oh Angel earrings, Robin Walter-Bonnell, 118 olive oil application techniques, 84 metal clay supply, 28, 64 organic materials Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–102 metal clay casting, 100–101 organza ribbon, Ribbon Beads necklace, 175–179 Ornamental earrings, Heather Gill, 218 oxidation, product safety guidelines, 67

P paintbrushes metal clay tools, 24, 64 smoothing wet clay, 102 paper protector, forming work surface, 27, 63 Paragon FireFly kiln, top-loading kiln, 57 patinas Happiness pendant, 151–155 ID Me bracelet, 172–175 liver of sulfur, 37, 111 metal clay enhancements, 110–112 product safety guidelines, 67 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 Peacock, Sarah Aspen Leaf necklace, 234 Aspen Leaf Pendant with Stone, 90 253

Peacock, Sarah (continued) gallery collection, 230–231 Namaste pendant, 16 pendant, 110 pearls, Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 pencils, jump ring fabrication, 138–139 Pendant Clasp with Dangle pendant, Alice Alper-Rein, 209 pendants Branch of the Family Tree, 206 Caribbean Memories, 233 Celechee, 228 Cherry Blossom, 229 Circles, 225 Dear Rose, 223 Fall Cluster, 226 Hang Ten, 218 Happiness, 148, 151–155 Namaste, 16 Pendant Clasp with Dangle, 209 Personalized Ribbon Necklace with Pearl, 231 Pokey Pendant, 212 Protector, 231 Pyramid Power, 233 quilted heart charm, 185 Rococo, 228 Secret Places, 215 Southwest Petroglyph, 227 Spiral Surprise, 220 Stained Glass Window Pendants project, 196–199 Star Fish, 233 Star of the Show, 210 Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196 Tag It!, 218 When I See One Bird I Think of You, 208 Where Are You Going Little Lady?, 223 254

pens, jump ring fabrication, 138–139 peridot nuggets, Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192 Personalized Ribbon Necklace with Pearl pendant, Sarah Peacock, 231 plastic paper protector, forming work surface, 63 plastic wrap, work area cover, 26, 63 playing cards clay rolling thickness guide, 85 metal clay forming area, 23, 64 stencil uses, 89 Plexiglas, forming work surface, 63 pliers, metal clay tools, 19–20 PMC (Precious Metal Clay). See Precious Metal Clay (PMC) PMC Connection, metal clay certification, 14 PMC Gold Clay, properties/uses, 7 PMC Guild jewelry making class resource, 13 metal clay certification classes, 14 PMC Rewards, metal clay certification, 14 PMC Standard, properties/uses, 5 PMC starter kit, metal clay, 38–39 PMC Supply, Lily Kiln, 56 PMC+ Clay, properties/uses, 5 PMC+ Sheet, properties/uses, 6 PMC3 Clay hot-pot kit, 40, 49–53 properties/uses, 6 PMC3 Paste (Slip), properties/uses, 7 PMC3 Syringe, properties/uses, 7 Pokey Pendant sculpture, Elaine Luther, 212 polishers magnetic, 36 rock tumbler, 35 polishing attachments, metal clay, 34

Index

polishing cloth ID Me bracelet, 172–175 metal clay polishing, 22, 106 polymer clay molds, Stained Glass Window Pendants project, 196–199 polymer clay, metal clay molding, 97 potassium sulfides, liver of sulphur, 37 Precious Metal Clay (PMC) hot-pot kit, 40, 49–53 Mitsubishi Materials, 1, 5–7 PMC Gold Clay, 7 PMC Standard, 5 PMC+ Clay, 5 PMC+ Sheet, 6 PMC3 Clay, 6 PMC3 Paste (Slip), 7 PMC3 Syringe, 7 precious metals, metal clay types, 1 professionals firing safety tips, 42–43 metal clay certification classes, 14–15 propane burners, low-fire metal clay firing, 46 protective gear, metal clay firing area, 68, 70 Protector pendant, Sarah Peacock, 231 PVC pipe, metal clay, 18, 26 Pyramid Power pendant, Hollie J. Mion, 233 pyrometers, kilns, 57

Q Queen’s Ransom, Donna Lewis, 224 Quilted Heart Earrings, super easy project, 182–185

R rawhide hammer flattening warped pieces, 65 metal clay forming tool, 35

reconstituted green turquoise cylinder beads, Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 red Czech beads, Y-You Are a Star necklace, 167–171 resources, jewelry magazines, 13 rhinestones, Maple Leaf Necklace project, 189–192 Ribbon Beads necklace, super easy project, 175–179 ribbon fabric, Ribbon Beads necklace, 175–179 ring bands, Go Groovy rings, 180–182 Ring Earrings, Heather Gill, 217 ring liner, Go Groovy rings, 180–182 rings A Whole Lotta Luck, 222 Go Groovy, 180–182 Hershey Ring, 211 Hip to Be Square, 231 Royalty, 207 The Tribeca Ring, 230 Rio Grande, PMC Rewards certification, 14 rock tumblers, polishing metal clay, 35, 107–108 rock/gem clubs, jewelry making classes, 13 Rococo pendant, Shahasp Valentine, 228 roller, metal clay forming tool, 18, 64, 85 rotary tools, polishing method, 34, 107 round-nosed pliers coil and hook clasp fabrication, 144 curly head pin fabrication, 140–141 ear hook fabrication, 144–145 eye pin fabrication, 139–140 fabricating hook and eye clasp, 137–138 metal clay, 19–20 unwrapped wire loops, 130–131 wrapped hook clasp fabrication, 141–142 wrapped wire loops, 131–133 Royalty ring, Robin Walter-Bonnel, 207

255

rubber stamps Happiness Chinese symbol, 151–155 metal clay texturing, 28, 92 Sunbeam symbol, 159–162 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, super easy project, 163–166

S safety issues, work area, 62 safety tips metal clay firing, 42–43, 69–70 work area, 66–67 sanding dust, metal clay ingestion concerns, 67 sandpaper, sanding dry metal clay, 103 scanners, Stained Glass Window Pendants project, 196–199 sculpting tools, metal clay forming area, 64 sculptural pieces Color Your World, 209 Fallen Pods, 216 Pokey Pendant, 212 Spinning Bead Kaleidoscope, 209 Split Lentil #1, 213 Sea Charmbangle bracelet, Alice Alper-Rein, 208 Secret Places pendant, Holly Gage, 215 shapes bails, 115–116 snake/strand, 114–116 shepherd hooks, earring findings, 125 Shield Earrings, Lora Hart, 214 side-drilled pearl beads, Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 Sierra Thermal Industries, Inc., PMC3 Clay hotpot kit, 49–53 silicone molds, metal clay molding, 97 Silver Black Happiness pendant, 151–155 ID Me bracelet 172–175 256

patinas, 110, 112 Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 skin, metal clay exposure protection, 66 slip broken clay repair, 93 mixing/storing, 93–94 recycling metal clay, 65 storage jars, 25 slip jar, metal clay forming area, 64 snake shapes, metal clay forming, 114–116 Snakeskin Lentils necklace, Michela Verani, 219 So Purple necklace, Judy Kogut, 210 Southwest Petroglyph, Louise Little, 227 SpeedFire Cone System, metal clay firing, 53–55 Spinning Bead Kaleidoscope sculpture, Alice Alper-Rein, 209 Spiral Surprise earrings/pendant, Donna Barao, 220 Split Lentil #1 necklace, Lora Hart, 213 split rings, component connector, 123–124 Spoon, Elaine Luther, 212 spray bottle, hydrating dry clay, 33, 95 spring ring clasps, jewelry findings, 125 stainless steel shot, polishing metal clay, 36, 107–108 stamps 1 ⁄8 inch alphabet/number, 32 rubber, 28, 92 Star Attraction bracelet, super easy project, 156–158 Star Fish pendant, Hollie J. Mion, 233 Star of the Show pendant, Judy Kogut, 210 starter kits, metal clay, 38–39 steel shot, polishing metal clay, 36, 107–108 stencils, creating, 89 Step By Step Beads, Lora Hart, 213 sterling silver, 92.5% pure silver, 120 strands, metal clay forming, 114–116

Index

straws, hole making method, 24, 113 Street, Christine appliquéd pendant, 96 gallery collection, 222–223 metal clay heart charm, 158 peach moonstone cabochon, 99 pendant w/bail, 116 work area example, 77 Studio PMC, Lora Hart, 213 Submersion glass cab, Amanda, 226 Sunbeam necklace, super easy project, 159–162 Sunbeam rubber stamps, Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 Super Parchment. See Teflon craft sheets suppliers, contact information, 235–243 supplies. See tools/supplies Swarovski aurora borealis clear crystals beads Star Attraction bracelet, 156–158 Ruffles and Old Lace bracelet, 163–166 Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 Swarovski rondelle rose water opal beads, Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Swarovski Tanzanite-colored bicone crystals, Sunbeam necklace, 159–162 Sycamore tree keys, Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant project, 192–196

T Tag It! pendant, Heather Gill, 218 teachers, work area example, 74–75 teardrop beads, ID Me bracelet, 172–175 teardrop-shaped cutter, Tone on Tone earrings, 185–188 Teflon craft sheets forming work surface, 63 Textured End Caps project, 199–203 templates, metal clay forming, 26 textured cloth, metal clay forming, 27

textures brass texture plates, 32 metal clay forming, 90–92 Ornamental earrings, 218 Quilted Heart Earrings, 182–185 Spoon, 212 Textured End Caps project, 199–203 timers, metal clay firing area, 70 toggle clasps, jewelry findings, 125 Tone on Tone earrings, super easy project, 185–188 tongs, metal clay firing area, 68 toolbox, portable metal clay studio example, 72 tools/supplies 1 ⁄8 inch alphabet/number stamps, 32 baking soda, 105 beading awl, 129 Black Max, 112 brass texture plates, 32, 91 burnishing brush, 21, 105 chain-nosed pliers, 19–20, 129–133, 135, 139–143, 146 Clay Safe, 87 Clay Vault, 34 clean-up tool, 29 clear plastic paper protectors, 27 coffee grinder, 95 corsage pin, 129 craft knife, 19, 88 crimping pliers, 127–128 cutter set, 31 dental tools, 89 Dremel tools, 107 emery boards, 25, 103 fabrics, 90 files, 21–22, 104, 138–139 flat-nosed pliers, 20, 143 food processor, 95 gemstones, 98–99 257

tools/supplies (continued) graph paper, 27 heat-resistant gloves, 43 hole-puncher, 113 jars, 25 jeweler’s files, 104, 138–139 jeweler’s saw, 20 knitting needles, 105 lace fabric, 27, 90 lids, 24 liver of sulfur, 37, 111 magnetic polishers, 36, 108–109 masking tape, 134 metal clay forming area, 63–66 metal cutters, 88 metal hole puncher, 37 metal sculpting tools, 30 mini butterfly cutter set, 33 notepads, 23 nutmeg grinder, 95 nylon-nosed pliers, 134, 140–141 olive oil, 28, 84 organic materials, 100–101 paintbrushes, 24, 102 pencils, 138–139 pens, 138–139 plastic wrap, 26 playing cards, 23, 85, 89 polishing attachments, 34 polishing cloth, 22, 106 polymer clay, 97 PVC pipe, 18, 26 rawhide hammer, 35 rock tumblers, 35, 107–108 rollers, 18, 85 rotary tools, 107 round-nosed pliers, 19–20, 130–133, 137–145 rubber stamps, 28, 92 258

sandpaper, 103 silicone molds, 97 Silver Black, 110, 112 spray bottle, 33, 95 stainless steel shot, 36, 107–108 starter kits, 37–38 stencils, 89 straws, 24, 113 templates, 26 textured cloth, 27 tweezers, 30 wipe-out tool, 31, 102 wire cutters, 20, 138–139 wooden dowels, 138–139, 142–143 top-loading kilns, metal clay firing, 55–59 torches firing safety tips, 42–43 metal clay firing area setup, 68–69 toxic chemicals Black Max, 112 liver of sulphur, 37, 111 metal clay firing safety, 69 Silver Black, 112 Tribeca Ring, Sarah Peacock, 230 tweezers, hot metal handling, 30, 43 two-hole punch, metal clay tool, 37

U unwrapped wire loops, jewelry component connector, 130–131

V Valentine, Shahasp gallery collection, 228 silicone molds, 97 Stained Glass Window Pendants, 196–199 vaults, clay, 34

Index

vendors, metal clay resource, 13, 235–243 ventilation Black Max, 112 firing safety tips, 42 gas stove firing, 45–46 liver of sulfur, 37, 111 metal clay firing area setup, 68–69 Silver Black, 112 Verani, Michela, gallery collection, 219 V-style ear wires, forming, 179

W Walter-Bonnel, Robin gallery collection, 206–207 Imagine bracelet, 204 Namaste bracelet, 126 Oh Angel earrings, 118 water. See also distilled water burnishing metal clay, 105 hot metal handling, 43 hydrating dry clay, 95 slip mixing, 93–94 waxed linen cord, lampwork beaded ID bracelet, 175 weblogs Cyndi Lavin, 189 Melissa Lee, 229 websites Alice Alper-Rein, 208 Amanda (Pomo Mama Design), 192, 225 amstamps.com, 160 Art Clay World, 13 artclaystudio.com (Carol A. Babineau), 199 Carol A. Babineau, 75, 199 Christine Street (Chocolate and Steel), 222 Creative Texture Tools, 74 Cyndi Lavin, 189 Donna Lewis, 71

Dori Daus, 221 Elaine Luther, 211 Heather Gill, 73, 217 Holly Gage, 215 Lora Hart, 213 Louise Little, 227 Melissa Lee, 229 metalclayfindings.com, 180 Michela Verani, 219 PMC Guild, 13 Pomo Mama Design (Amanda), 192, 225 Precieux Metal Clay Jewelry (Shahasp Valentine), 196 Robin Walter-Bonnel, 206 Sarah Peacock, 230 Shahasp Valentine (Precieux Metal Clay Jewelry), 196, 228 What Is Normal? keychain/fob, Robin WalterBonnel, 207 When I See One Bird I Think of You pendant/brooch, Alice Alper-Rein, 208 Where Are You Going Little Lady? pendant, Christine Steel, 223 wipe-out tool, smoothing wet clay, 31, 102 wire connectors, metal clay incorporation, 117 wire curls, wire end finishing, 134 wire cutters jump ring fabrication, 138–139 metal clay tool, 20 wire loops unwrapped wire loops, 130–131 wrapped wire loops, 131–133 women, child-bearing age safety concerns, 67, 70 wooden dowels coil and hook clasps, 142–143 jump ring fabrication, 138–139 Textured End Caps project, 199–203

259

work areas changing table as firing table, 60, 77–78 cleanliness issues, 62–63 clear plastic paper protectors, 27 drying area, 65–66 forming tool/equipment setup, 63–66 glass/metal clay example, 75 home studio example, 75–78 jeweler’s bench example, 74 kiln space requirements, 58 kitchen example, 71 metal clay firing equipment setup, 68–70 office example, 73 plastic wrap cover, 26 safety issues, 62, 66–67 teaching studio example, 74–75 tool/supply storage cart, 66 toolbox example, 72 wrapped hook clasp, fabricating, 141–142 wrapped wire loops, jewelry component connector, 131–133 Wristlinks, Donna Lewis, 224

Y–Z Y-necklaces, Y-You Are a Star, 167–171 Ziploc plastic bag, metal clay storage, 34

260

What do you Learning?

Picture Yourself Felting Your Knitting

Picture Yourself Creating Digital Scrapbooks

Sarah E. White 1-59863-485-2 ■ U.S. $24.99

Lori J. Davis and Sally Beacham 1-59863-488-7 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Playing Violin Bridgette Seidel 1-59863-448-8 ■ U.S. $34.99

Picture Yourself as a Magician Wayne N. Kawamoto 1-59863-499-2 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Learning American Sign Language, Level 1 Janna M. Sweenie and David W. Boles 1-59863-516-6 ■ U.S. $34.99

Picture Yourself Planning Your Perfect Wedding

Picture Yourself Decorating Cakes

Sandy Doell 1-59863-439-9 ■ U.S. $19.99

Sandy Doell and Linda Shonk 1-59863-440-2 ■ U.S. $24.99

Also Available Picture Yourself Creating Metal Clay Jewelry 1-59863-506-9 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Creating with Photoshop® Elements 5.0 1-59863-350-3 ■ U.S. $34.99

Picture Yourself Directing a Movie 1-59863-489-5 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Drumming 1-59863-330-9 ■ U.S. $34.99

Picture Yourself Felting Your Knitting 1-59863-485-2 ■ U.S. $24.99

Picture Yourself Learning Corel Paint Shop Pro X2 1-59863-425-9 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Learning Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 1-59863-515-8 ■ U.S. $29.99

Picture Yourself Making Jewelry and Beading 1-59863-450-X ■ U.S. $19.99

Picture Yourself Dancing 1-59863-246-9 ■ U.S. $34.99

Visit us at www.courseptr.com To order: 1.800.354.9706

This page intentionally left blank

License Agreement/Notice of Limited Warranty By opening the sealed disc container in this book, you agree to the following terms and conditions. If, upon reading the following license agreement and notice of limited warranty, you cannot agree to the terms and conditions set forth, return the unused book with unopened disc to the place where you purchased it for a refund.

License: The enclosed software is copyrighted by the copyright holder(s) indicated on the software disc. You are licensed to copy the software onto a single computer for use by a single user and to a backup disc. You may not reproduce, make copies, or distribute copies or rent or lease the software in whole or in part, except with written permission of the copyright holder(s). You may transfer the enclosed disc only together with this license, and only if you destroy all other copies of the software and the transferee agrees to the terms of the license. You may not decompile, reverse assemble, or reverse engineer the software.

Notice of Limited Warranty: The enclosed disc is warranted by Course Technology to be free of physical defects in materials and workmanship for a period of sixty (60) days from end user’s purchase of the book/disc combination. During the sixty-day term of the limited warranty, Course Technology will provide a replacement disc upon the return of a defective disc.

Limited Liability: THE SOLE REMEDY FOR BREACH OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL CONSIST ENTIRELY OF REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE DISC. IN NO EVENT SHALL COURSE TECHNOLOGY OR THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA, CHANGES IN THE FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HARDWARE OR OPERATING SYSTEM, DELETERIOUS INTERACTION WITH OTHER SOFTWARE, OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY ARISE, EVEN IF COURSE TECHNOLOGY AND/OR THE AUTHOR HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES EXISTS.

Disclaimer of Warranties: COURSE TECHNOLOGY AND THE AUTHOR SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SUITABILITY TO A PARTICULAR TASK OR PURPOSE, OR FREEDOM FROM ERRORS. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW FOR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THESE LIMITATIONS MIGHT NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Other: This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Massachusetts without regard to choice of law principles. The United Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is specifically disclaimed. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and Course Technology regarding use of the software.