Step by Step Jewelry~Polymer, Ceramic, And Metal Clays - Winter 2006

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Enrich Silver Clay with Texture Winter 2006

W Bo eb n Gu Res us! id ou es rc e

polymer, ceramic & metal clays

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favorite projects

make an

impression

with classic shapes

metal clay

ring designs with shine rock & roll!

faux stone polymer beads make your own clasps! clasps!

BLACK

YELLOW

MAGENTA

CYAN

create a silver lentil bead you’ll

treasure

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BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

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EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Leslie Rogalski Art Director Kevin Myers Projects Editor Denise Peck Associate Editors Jane W. Dickerson Contributing Editors Hazel L. Wheaton Assistant Editor Sara E. Graham Kristen Gibson Assistant Art Directors Karen Dougherty Cheryl L. Long Editorial Director Merle White BUSINESS Publisher Joseph Breck Business & Operations Manager Donna L. Kraidman Marketing Director David Weiman Sundry Sales Manager/ Office Manager Michele P. Erazo (610) 232-5710

Promotions Designer Web Site Editor/Developer Office Coordinator Events Manager

Karen A. Dougherty Tricia Gdowik Kathleen A. McIntyre Karen Keegan

ADVERTISING Sales Director Karen H. Nuckols (610) 232-5724; Fax (610) 232-5750 E-mail: [email protected]

National Sales Manager Art Dulac (619) 668-0136; Fax (619) 668-1034

Advertising Representatives John Iannucci Evelyn McIntyre Beth VanOstenbridge Katherine Wiggins Classified Advertising Representative Scott Stepanski Production Manager Scott Tobin Advertising Designer Daniela Glomb Advertising Coordinator Jay Bonfadini Sales Intern John DeBruicker

President Scott Wagner VP & Group CFO Henry Donohue PRIMEDIA Inc. Chairman Dean Nelson President & CEO Kelly Conlin Vice Chairman Beverly C. Chell PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media Chief Creative Officer Craig Reiss President, Consumer Marketing Steve Aster SVP/ CFO Kevin Neary SVP, Mfg., Prod., & Dist. Kevin Mullan SVP/CIO Debra C. Robinson CONSUMER MARKETING PRIMEDIA ENTHUSIAST MEDIA VP, Single Copy Marketing Rich Baron VP and CFO Consumer Marketing Jennifer Prather VP, Retail Analysis and Development Doug Jessen VP, Wholesale/Retail Stefan Kaiser VP, Consumer Marketing Operations Elizabeth Moss

Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays is published by PRIMEDIA, Inc., 200 Madison Ave., 8th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Copyright © 2005 PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Group, a PRIMEDIA Company, All rights reserved. Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays is published at 300 Chesterfield Parkway, Suite 100, Malvern, PA 19355. Reproduction of this copyrighted material in any manner without the express written permission of Publisher is strictly forbidden. Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays is not responsible for manuscripts, photographs or other material, whether solicited or not, unless a signed, prior written agreement is executed. All manuscripts, photographs or other material submitted will be conclusively presumed to be for publication unless accompanied by a written explanation otherwise. Once accepted by Publisher, materials become the sole property of Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays, who has the unconditional right to edit or change material. All manuscripts, photographs or other material accepted by Publisher will be paid for at a rate solely determined by Publisher unless a signed, prior written agreement is obtained. No payment is owed until and unless work is published. Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays is not responsible for any liability arising from any errors, omissions or mistakes contained in the magazine and readers should proceed cautiously, especially with respect to any technical information, for which Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays does not warrant the accuracy and further disclaims liability therefrom.

Printed in USA

More Projects @ StepbyStepJewelry.com


Seeing Things Differently Remember those kids’ puzzles where you have to find what’s “wrong” in a picture? They had something out of place, hidden or camouflaged. Sometimes what’s “wrong” with a picture is the best thing about it. Solving these puzzles makes us see things in different ways. As we look at an elegant line drawing of a magnificent castle, for instance, we suddenly “see” the peacock hidden among the stones and turrets, its swirling tail feathers integral to the illustration. The artist used the lines and textures of the bird to complement the detail of the castle. That is the challenge and the reward of those kids’ puzzles — to discover the secret by looking at things in different ways. So what’s “out of place” in this collection of jewelry-making projects? Compare the silver pendant on our cover to the same pendant on page 22; the image is reversed. The characters look Chinese, so one version may seem backwards — but only if you try to read the writing. If you see the writing as line and texture, then it doesn’t need to make sense, it simply looks good. The picture makes artistic sense either way. The exotic letters communicate a great deal, whether you can read them or not. Their Asian influence complements the subdued elegance of the bead’s shape, color, and finish. They also suggest a secret, a hidden message we see but aren’t meant to know. The characters disappear off the bead’s edge, giving us only a glimpse of the whole story, adding not only depth and texture but a sense of mystery to the necklace. So which picture is actually “right?” The original text is from an ancient history of Japan written about 712 A.D., using primarily Chinese characters with Japanese symbols to indicate pronunciation. In the artist’s original design, the characters are backwards; the image on our cover reads correctly. In creating the design, the artist looked not only to long ago and far away but to her own childhood, in which her father earned his living drawing word-finds and picture puzzles for kids’ books. When you make this lovely lentil-shaped bead, or any of the other projects here, look around you for interesting forms and colors, play with sizes, and let things inspire you for their sheer visual interest. Never mind what something was intended for: see the everyday objects around you with the fresh eye and creative spark that lives in your own sense of design. It’s true that nothing is new, and yet the possibilities are always endless.

Merle White

Leslie Rogalski 3

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PROJECT SKILL LEVELS Beginner: Someone just starting out can complete this project and be happy with the results.

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By Merle White, Editorial Director

Metal Clay Appliqué Ring Create a fine silver ring from metal clay. By Celie Fago

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Watch This!

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Silver Lentil Bead

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Silvered Beads

Intermediate: A comfortable project for someone who has a good working knowledge of the material.

Advanced: A good project for someone who is confident with the material and has had a lot of experience with the techniques.

Seeing Things Differently

Polymer Clay Pillows

Beginner/Intermediate: Someone who has had experience with the material can happily complete this project, but will also learn something new by doing it.

Intermediate/Advanced: A project for someone who is ready for a more challenging approach to a material they have worked with repeatedly.

contents

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Winter 2006

3-D polymer designs. By Ulrike Schäfer

Create a metal clay bracelet watch. By Arlene Hildebrand

Lentil-shaped bead made with metal clay. By Celie Fago

Metal and ceramic clays make a dynamic duo. By Tonya Davidson

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Silver Braided Ring

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Bead Caps

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Petroglyph Pins

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Silver Clasps

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Pink Granite Beads

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Classic Black and White

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Reversible Bracelet

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The Complete Guide to Metal Clays

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Polymer Clay Hints

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Clay Web Resources

Setting a stone in a metal clay ring. By Patricia Walton

Make your own metal clay findings. By Ginger Seiple

Polymer clay pictures from the past. By Gwen Gibson

Metal clay toggle and button clasps. By Kate McKinnon

A faux stone polymer technique. By Patricia Kimle

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One polymer cane with many looks. By Kathy Weaver

Hollow metal clay beads. By Hattie Sanderson

By Suzanne Wade

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By Kathy Weaver

ADVERTISER’S SECTION

63 64

Advertisers’ Index The Next Step: Classes Near You

CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB:

www.stepbystepjewelry.com ON THE COVER

Metal clay Silver Lentil Bead by Celie Fago, page 22.

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Skill level

What you need • • • • •

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Photo of finished piece courtesy of Rockport Publishers; illustrations by Lorraine Dey

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1 package PMC+® 1 or more pieces of PMC® Sheet PMC+® Slip or Paste Olive oil Original Saran Wrap® (I recommend using this brand because it doesn’t cling or stretch) Tissue blade Ripple blade (like a tissue blade but with ripples to create wavy lines) Protected tissue blade (glue two popsicle sticks to the non-cutting edge of the blade) Copy paper Clear tape Scissors used for paper Playing cards (to help keep the height of the clay consistent during rolling) Tweezers Paper punches in assorted shapes, such as a star, moon, heart, or spiral Rolling tool Small pointed watercolor brush Teflon® paper (available from most cooking stores) Sandpaper (320-, 400-, and 600-grit) Alumina hydrate (available from Rio Grande® and ceramic supply companies) Dust mask Ring mandrel (optional) Rawhide or plastic mallet 1200-grit micron-graded polishing paper Brass brush (3" x 3⁄4" x 3⁄4", available from jewelry supply stores) Liver-of-sulfur (or alternative antiquing agent) Kiln that will reliably hold 1650°F for 10 minutes

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Metal Clay Appliqué Ring Create a fine silver ring from metal clay. BY CELIE FAGO

For this project I used PMC® Sheet. It comes in individually wrapped sheets and has had its moisture content stabilized so it does not dry out like like lump PMC®. It is made to be used with PMC+® and it opens up a whole new realm of design possibilities. Paper-cutting tools, such as punches and edgers, create stylish designs simply and easily and they come in a vast array of patterns and motifs. You can also make your design unique by cutting freehand details such as triangles or arrows or other designs using a craft knife, a protected tissue blade, or a wavy blade. Try out a design by cutting shapes from copy paper first. When you’re satisfied, proceed to the PMC® Sheet. Note: If you have trouble with the PMC® sticking to your work surface, try rolling it out directly onto a piece of Teflon® paper taped to your work surface. Remember to flip the clay over every three or four rolls to help minimize sticking. Making the ring form. Cut a piece of copy paper into a rectangle about 31⁄2" x 13⁄4". Wrap the paper around the middle knuckle of the finger for which you want to make a ring, then use clear tape to close it. This is the size you want your ring to be after firing. Since PMC+® shrinks 12% during firing, it’s necessary to add a millimeter of thickness to the ring form. To do this, cut two or three strips of paper and

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Step by Step Jewelry: Clays — Winter 2006


wrap them snugly around the ring form and tape them closed. It will take seven revolutions of copy paper to add the needed thickness. Next, wrap the whole thing with a piece of Teflon® paper, then use clear tape to close it. If you have trouble getting the paper strips tight, try wrapping the paper form with masking tape (to a thickness of 1mm) instead of paper. An alternative method for sizing rings made with PMC® and PMC+® is featured in Tim McCreight’s book, Working with PMC ®. RING SIZING CHART Ring Size 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13

Metal 44.6 mm 45.8 47.1 48.4 49.6 50.9 52.1 53.4 54.6 55.9 57.1 58.4 59.7 60.9 62.2 63.4 64.7 65.9 67.2 68.5 69.7 71.0 72.2



PMC+ 50.7 mm 52.0 53.5 55.0 56.4 57.8 59.2 60.7 62.0 63.5 64.8 66.4 67.8 69.2 70.7 72.0 73.5 74.8 76.4 77.8 79.2 80.7 82.0

PMC 61.9 mm 63.6 65.4 67.2 68.8 70.7 72.4 74.2 75.8 77.6 79.3 81.1 82.9 84.6 86.4 88.0 89.9 91.5 93.3 95.1 96.8 98.6 100.3

Forming the ring. 2 Wrap a small scrap of paper around your ring form to measure the circumference then lay the paper flat on your work surface to use as a length guide. Lightly oil the work surface, place 1⁄2 of the package of PMC+® under the plastic wrap and place one stack of playing cards, 3 cards high, on either side of the clay. Using the rolling tool, roll out the clay. Using a well-oiled tissue blade, cut the PMC+® into a strip slightly wider than you want your finished ring to be and approximately 1⁄4" (6mm) longer than the paper guide. (The featured ring was rolled out to the height of 3 cards and cut to a width of 5⁄8" [16mm]). Using the tissue blade, cut one end of the PMC® strip at a blunt right angle. Wrap the PMC® strip around the Teflon®-covered paper form and overlap the ends; try not to stretch the clay. Using an oiled tissue blade, cut through the two layers of PMC® at an angle in one smooth motion so that both ends are beveled. Gently lift the top layer of PMC®, and remove the excess clay from the bottom layer. Abut the two beveled ends, and seal the joint with a few drops of water. Smooth the joint to seal it well using an oiled finger, a brush, or similar tool.

Drying the ring. 3 The clay needs to dry to a leather-hard state before it can be fired. As the clay dries, it will lose moisture and shrink slightly. Sometimes this is just enough shrinkage to force open a weak joint. Monitor the drying, and after 15 minutes or so, carefully slide the ring off the form. The easiest way to do this is to slide the Teflon® off with the ring in place. Now, use tweezers to grasp the Teflon® strip inside the ring and with a half turn inward, pull the Teflon® out. Place the ring upright in a safe place to dry. If the joint opens or your ring develops other

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TeP by TeP cracks, fill them with thick slip. Make sure all parts of the ring are completely dry before repairing anything.

Perfecting the ring. When the ring has dried, you may refine the shape and smooth the surface inside and out. PMC+® is fragile when leather-hard, so handle the ring carefully. To true up your ring, slide it off the paper form, remove two layers of the paper and then slide the ring back onto the form — there should still be a snug fit. Position the ring so that it is protruding slightly off the end of the paper form. Sand it on a piece of medium-fine sandpaper (400- or 320-grit) laid on a piece of glass or other flat surface. Sand both edges in this way, then smooth any flaws in the rest of the ring. Smooth the inside by rolling up a piece of 400-grit sandpaper to a size that moves freely inside the ring. Proceed to 600-grit, and then to 1000-grit if desired.

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Tip: After leveling and sanding, beveling the inside edges of the ring will allow it to slide smoothly on and off your finger and will make it look more finished and more professional. To do this, roll up a piece of 400-grit sandpaper so it can move freely in and out of the inside of the ring at an acute angle then sand using a gentle back and forth motion while turning the ring. Be sure to bevel both ends of the ring.

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Decorating the ring. To decorate rings, I use cutouts from the PMC® Sheet. You can do this in many different ways. You can use paper punches in the shape of spirals, hearts, or any of the other shapes available. You can cut shapes from the sheet freehand with a craft knife, or protected tissue blade, to make your design unique, or cut wavy strips with the ripple blade to complement your design. To attach the cut pieces to the ring, lay the shape in the desired place, then run a bead of water around it using your pointed brush. Press gently to attach. Another way to attach the cut pieces is to dampen a spot on the ring and press the piece onto the wet area. If the PMC® Sheet piece becomes too moist, or if you try to move it once it has been attached with water, it will tear.

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Firing the ring. 6 Fire the ring upright on a kiln shelf that has been sprinkled with alumina hydrate. The alumina will reduce friction as the ring shrinks and ensure that it doesn’t end up bigger on the bottom than the top. If it does become misshapen in the kiln, you can tap it back into shape by slipping it onto a ring mandrel and tapping it with a rawhide or plastic mallet. Fire it for 10 minutes at 1650°F. Finishing the ring. 7 Using the brass brush and a few drops of dish detergent, scrub your ring under running water until it is gleaming silver. If you want to patina your ring, dissolve a small piece of liver-of-sulfur gravel in hot water to get a lemon-colored solution. Dip your ring, then rinse; repeat until you’ve reached the desired color. Wash with soap and water. Wrap a piece of 1200-grit, micron-graded polishing paper (or alternative polishing cloth) around a scrap of wood, a tongue depressor, or a nailboard, and buff your ring until it shines. Use rolledup 1000-grit sandpaper to clean the inside of your ring, then polish with 1200-micron graded paper. Optional: Freehand designs and texturing. Cut a strip of PMC® Sheet long enough to encircle your leather-hard ring. Using a craft knife with a new blade, cut out a pattern of interior shapes. The featured ring on the top (photo on page 9) shows a pattern of leaf shapes that were cut using this method. You can practice your design on a sheet of paper. If your ring’s circumference is greater than the length of the PMC® Sheet, use two or more sections to encircle the ring, making the seams part of the design. Or, abut the ends of the sheet on the leather-hard ring, letting it dry and carefully fill in the seams with slip until they are invisible. Follow the directions for making the ring described in the main project. Then, to adhere the strip to the leather-hard ring, first quickly paint the ring with thin, lump-free slip. Let


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dry and reinforce any gaps as necessary with thick slip. Fire and finish as described in Step 7. The cut-out shapes on the bottom ring in the photo above were placed over a leather-hard textured ring. Once fired, the cutouts fused to and took on the shape of the ring’s surface, adding an additional element of texture and dimension. Tip: By laminating sheets of PMC® Sheet together, you can make thicker sheet to help create a more dramatic relief in your designs. To make thicker sheet, unwrap 2 sheets and place them on a piece of copy paper. Spray one sheet with a fine mist of water then gently and quickly smooth across the surface with your finger so that the sheet is uniformly wet. Carefully place the second sheet on top and immediately fold the copy paper over it. Roll across the paper with your roller to push out any air bubbles (you can also use a pasta machine at this point). Place a



weight (like a dictionary) on top for 10 to 20 minutes. To make a 4-sheet laminate, make 2 sets of 2 sheets laminated together. Let them dry for 10 to 20 minutes, then laminate the two sets together using the above method. To make a 3-sheet laminate, join a set of two sheets to a third sheet using the method above. Store these in a plastic bag and use as you would any PMC® Sheet. Up to, and including, 4 sheets laminated together will fit in conventional paper punches. ◆ This project has been adapted from Polymer Clay Explorations, by Georgia Sargeant and Celie Fago with Livia McRee, published by Rockport Publishers, 2002; reprinted with permission from Rockport Publishers, Inc.

Celie Fago is a Vermont-based jewelry artist who works in metal clay, metal, and polymer clay. She is one of eight Senior Instructors with the Rio Rewards Certification Program. In addition to her numerous articles published on PMC® and polymer, she also worked with Tim McCreight on the video Push Play for PMC®: Intermediate Techniques. Celie’s latest book is Keum-Boo on Silver. For more on Celie and her work, visit her Web site, www.celiefago.com.

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polymer clay

pillows 3-D polymer designs. BY ULRIKE SCHÄFER

For me, the true joy, the true challenge of working with polymer clay is to create very fine and intricate designs using the millefiori technique. When I took my first class at the Princeton YWCA with Liz Mitchell in 1994, I originally set out to create only non-jewelry items, such as picture frames and eggs. My complex millefiori pattern worked well for these projects. But how can you work with polymer clay without creating jewelry? I was looking for something that would show my intricate designs better than beads, yet still have a soft, three-dimensional look — unlike plain flat slices. So I decided to make what I call “pillows.”

Skill level

Photo of finished pieces by Frank DeSantis.

What you need • 4 blocks of polymer clay, 2 oz. each, your choice of colors. I recommend using FIMO® for this project because it retains crisp lines when creating canes. When selecting your colors, make sure they are high in contrast. The canes will be reduced to a very small dimension; you want to make sure the patterns are still clearly visible when reduced. • Tissue blade • Brayer/roller • Latex gloves • Pasta machine (optional)



Conditioning the clay. Before you begin making the canes, you need to condition your clay. All polymer clays require conditioning, even if your clay comes soft from the package. Conditioning distributes the polymer particles and strengthens the clay. To condition by hand, knead the clay until it’s soft and pliable. Roll the clay into a log about 12" long. Fold it back up into a ball and roll it out again. Repeat this process about 15 times. To condition your clay using a pasta machine, work with 1–2 ounces of clay at a time. Soften the clay in your hands, then place it on your work surface and flatten using a brayer or other rolling tool. Set the pasta machine on the widest setting. Feed the flattened clay through the rollers of your pasta machine while turning the handle. Never force a sheet of clay that is thicker than the roller openings as this could damage the pasta machine. Fold the clay sheet in half and feed it through the opening, folded side first, again. Repeat 15–20 times. After conditioning your clay, roll it out evenly into flat sheets to the thickest setting on your pasta machine or 3mm.

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STeP bySTeP The pattern for my pillows consists of 4 individual canes, approximately 5cm long x 2.5cm in diameter. Jellyroll. 2 The first pattern (Cane #1) is a simple jellyroll pattern and a nice warm-up to familiarize your hands with the clay. Cut out 1 sheet of a light color and 1 sheet of a darker color, measuring approx. 2.5cm x 10cm each. Stack both sheets together, bevel-cut on one of the short sides, and then flatten this slightly with a brayer. Start rolling the 2 sheets up firmly, beginning with the slanted, flattened side.

on this diagonal, and reassemble back into a square. Repeat this process for the other diagonal.

Checkerboard. Cane #4 is a standard checkerboard pattern. Roll out 2 sheets in contrasting colors and stack them up. Tip the stack so the stripes are facing you. Now cut in 4 even lengths, flip alternating lengths, and reassemble. Cut again into slices that are as thick as the stripes themselves. Reassemble the slices, alternating the colors forming the checkerboard pattern.

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Bull’s-eye. 3 Cane #2 is a simple bull’s-eye cane. Roll the clay out into a “snake” about 5cm long. Wrap with 1 or 2 layers of another color. The diameter of this cane should be the same as the jellyroll.

FLIP

Diagonal cross. 4 Cane #3 has no name, so let’s call it a diagonal cross. Shape some clay into a square piece 5cm long. Make sure the corners are clearly pronounced. Slice the square diagonally. Put 1 flat sheet of clay

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Once you have your 4 individual patterned canes, it’s time to start reducing. Apply gentle and even pressure on the canes (and square out the two round patterns — jellyroll and bull’s-eye — with the brayer/roller) and reduce them gently but firmly until they are about 20cm long. Cut them into even 5cm lengths. All 16 pieces should be about the same size.

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Assemble the 16 pieces into 4 rows with one pattern in each row — but a different sequence of pattern in every row. It might be helpful to make a quick sketch first.

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You’re ready to cut a slice, bake it, and glue a pin back to it. Or, you can make a pillow!

Making a pillow. 10 From scrap clay, roll out a flat sheet of clay and cut slightly smaller than the cane, approximately 1.9cm x 1.9cm. Bevel cut on all sides towards the center of the scrap piece. You will be able to remove a small triangle of clay on each side.

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You now have a big square cane, which is ready for another reduction. Again, using a roller and pulling, apply pressure until the cane is about 20cm long, then divide in four 5cm lengths. Reassemble these 4 canes, and reduce one more time until the face of the cane is about 2cm x 2cm.

Cut 2 thin pieces from your pattern and lay them over both sides of the scrap piece, covering it fully.

Put on latex gloves and press the 4 sides together, making sure there is no lip. The seams should be smooth and, ideally, the pattern should match, too.



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Shape the pillow according to your preference and pierce it according to its future use.

I use my pillows as individual pendants, or in combination with twists and precious metal beads for a full necklace.

I hope you will enjoy these designs as much as I do! ◆

Ulrike Schäfer, a native of Germany, was first introduced to polymer clay in 1993. A year later, she began working with clay on a regular basis, employing and finetuning her complex cane and mosaic techniques. Ulrike works in her studio near Princeton, NJ, where she lives with her husband and daughter. Ulrike can be contacted via her Web site, www.finepolymerclaydesigns.com.

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Watch This!

Create a metal clay bracelet watch. BY ARLENE HILDEBRAND I admit it! I love watches! Maybe it has to do with not having enough hours in a day. I always want to know how time is flying by. Or maybe it has to do with the beautiful jewelry that is created to go with a timepiece. Whatever it is, I have always collected watches. Now at least half of my collection includes watches that I have made. This project has multiple steps, but is not difficult. If this is your first try, you might want to keep the project simple and leave out the faceted stones. The instructions create a watch bracelet 71⁄2" long. The size can be adjusted in one of two ways. The simplest method is to use more or fewer jump rings or chain to connect the bar of the clasp. The other way is to adjust the dimension of the templates used to create the watchbands. For a curved surface, instead of a bracelet mandrel, I use a half round plastic shape originally made to use in cake decorating. The ones I have found are called Flower Former Set and they are made by Wilton Industries. You can find them in any well-stocked craft store.

Skill level

Photo of finished piece courtesy of Frank DeSantis; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need

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• Watch face with center hole for stringing, 11⁄4" long • 40g Art Clay® • 3–4g Art Clay ® syringe type • 3–4g Art Clay ® paste type • 2–4 faceted stones (3mm) • 5–7 jump rings (3.5mm) or 1–2" of chain • 5" 21-gauge sterling silver wire • 4–8 seed beads • Acrylic or glass work surface • Teflon® sheets (approx. 4x5") • Acrylic roller • Snake rolling tool • Thickness guides (1mm) • Toothpicks • Paintbrush • Index cards • Spatula tool • X-Acto® blade or tissue blade for cutting straight lines in the clay

• Texture plates • Circle template (3⁄8" diameter) • Stepped metal bracelet mandrel or other curved surface • Small needle files, sandpaper (600 grit), other sanding surfaces • Steel bristle brush • Silver polish • Needle nose pliers • Angel hair pasta (very thin spaghetti) • Olive oil or Badger Balm® • Hot plate, food dehydrator, or hair dryer • 1" thick fiber blanket • Burnisher • Kiln


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Find a watch face made for beaders with a center vertical hole at either end of the face. There are so many beautiful watches on the market, in craft catalogs, or at your favorite bead store, so have fun finding one that really jazzes up the beautiful bands you will create. Templates. Create templates for this watchband project using index cards. For a 71⁄2" bracelet, you will need one template that measures 21⁄4" by 7⁄8". This template will be used to make both halves of the bracelet. You will need two templates for the clasp. The first is 1" x 7⁄8", this is the ring side of the toggle clasp. I've chosen to curve the end for design and comfort reasons. The second template is a spacer for the bar side of the clasp and should be cut to 1⁄2" x 7⁄8".

the watchband. If you prefer, rubber stamps, buttons, or other items may be used to create the desired texture in the clay.

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Using the blunt end of a paintbrush treated with a small dab of olive oil, gently push in on the long sides of the watchband to create a ruffled and curved look.

To create a 7" bracelet, decrease the watchband template by 1⁄8" on each side. Also reduce the ring side of the clasp template by 1⁄8". To create an 8" bracelet, increase the watchband template by 1⁄8" on each side. Also increase the ring side of the clasp template by 1⁄8". Remember you can still adjust the bracelet size when you complete the project simply by adjusting the number of jump rings used to attach the bar of the clasp. Bracelet halves. My work surface consists of an acrylic underlay for firmness and a piece of Teflon® on top of the acrylic to prevent the clay from sticking. This surface works well; the acrylic provides the firmness needed for rolling out the clay and the Teflon® allows for easy transport to the drying area. Cover the curved surface used to shape the watchbands with a Teflon® sheet also.

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Knead 15 grams of Art Clay ® Silver to soften it. Using the acrylic roller and 1mm thickness guides, roll it into a rectangle shape a little larger than the template for the watchbands. Lay the template over the piece of clay and trim it to the size of the watchband template using an X-Acto® knife or tissue blade.

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Place a texture plate on top of the clay. Leaving the thickness guides in place, roll over the plate creating texture on



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On one end of the watchband, use a toothpick to create two small holes in the clay for jump rings that will connect the band to the clasp. To do this, gently push the toothpick into the clay and twist until you can feel the toothpick touching the work surface. Continue gently twisting the toothpick until the hole is nice and round. Don’t overdo the holes at this point. They can be smoothed and enlarged later with a small file if needed. The holes should be placed 1⁄4" from the long side of the band and 1⁄8" from the short side of the band.

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If you want to put gemstones in the bands of the watch, use the method above to create small holes in the clay where you want the stones. The stones will be set in the clay after the bands are dry and in the leatherhard state. 17

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Remove the band from the Teflon®. The wet clay may lift off easily or you may have to pick up the Teflon® with the clay on it and gently pull the sheet from the wet clay band. Center the watchband on the curved side of the bracelet mandrel or other curved surface and set aside.

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With tweezers, pick up each stone and place the pointed facet into the center of each bezel. Using a toothpick, gently guide the stones into the bezels. Sand and smooth the bezels. Make sure the bottom facet is sitting nicely in the hole, and set aside to dry.

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Watchband tabs. Knead 2 grams of clay and using 1mm thickness guides roll out a strip that is 1⁄8" wide and about 1" long.

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Repeat Steps 1– 8 to make the other half of the bracelet. When both bands are on the mandrel, place them on whatever drying surface you are using. You can use a food dehydrator, a hot plate, or a hair dryer. Alternatively, you can allow them to air dry for at least 24 hours.

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Once they’re dry and leather-hard, sand the watchbands and clean up any rough surfaces. Use a round needle file to clean and further ream holes made for jump rings and stones.

Take a small piece of angel hair pasta, wet it, and lay it down at one end of the strip of clay. Using the spatula tool, lift up on the end of the clay and guide the clay up and around the pasta one full rotation. There will be two thicknesses of clay under the pasta. Secure the clay rolled over the pasta to the rest of the strip with some Art Clay ® paste. Trim the strip of clay leaving a 1⁄4" tail from the bottom of the pasta roll and repeat the process to make all four. Place tabs on the drying surface and when they’re leather-hard, sand and smooth as needed.

Setting the stones. With a round needle file, make sure the holes created for the stones are large enough that the bottom facet fits in the hole.

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Use the Art Clay ® syringe to create a bezel by putting three layers around the outside of the top of the hole created for the stone.

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Using a small paintbrush, take a generous amount of paste and apply to the tail of the tab. Attach the tab to the end of the watchband that does not have connector holes. Tabs should be placed on the back of the watchband as close to each corner as possible. The rolled part of the tab should be touching or resting on the end of the band. Allow them to dry.

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With the syringe, go around the outside of the tabs. Use a paintbrush to help push the syringed clay around the outside of the tab. This will help secure the tab to the band and eliminate any air pockets that may have formed.

Toggle clasp. 16 You will be making the ring side of the toggle clasp first with the 1" by 7⁄8" template. Using the acrylic roller and 1mm thickness guides, roll out 10 grams of clay into a rectangle shape a little larger than the template for the clasp. Lay the template over clay and trim to the size of the clasp template using an X-Acto® knife or tissue blade. As I mentioned, I rounded one end of this piece.

piece of clay and trim to the size of the clasp template using an X-Acto® knife or tissue blade.

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Create the same texture on the connector as in Step 2 on the watchbands.

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Create holes on the connector piece using the same method used on the watchbands in Step 4. The holes will be made on the 7⁄8" side. Create two holes on one end matching the placement of those on the watchbands. Create one hole on the other 7⁄8" side. This hole should be centered between the 1" sides and 1⁄8" from the end of the 7⁄8" side. Set aside on your drying surface.

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Create the same texture on the clasp as in step 2 on the watchbands.

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Using your 3⁄8" diameter circle template, cut a hole in the clasp to create the ring. Place the hole at the rounded end of the clasp, centered on the curve with the closest end of the hole about 1⁄4" from the edge.

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When the piece is dry and leather-hard, sand and smooth as needed. Clean out holes with a round needle file if necessary. To make the bar, I use my snake rolling tool although you can use your hands. This is a tool that I made myself. I use a 3" x 4" x 1⁄8" piece of acrylic.

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Create two small holes on the other end as you did in step 4 of the watchband. These holes are for jump rings that will connect the band to the clasp. Set aside on your drying surface.

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When the piece is dry and leather-hard, sand and smooth as needed. Clean out both the large and small holes with a round needle file if necessary. The bar. There are two sections to the bar side of the clasp. The connector that will attach to the watchband, and the bar that will be attached to the connector with the needed length of jump rings or chain. You will make the connector first and use the 1 ⁄2" by 7⁄8" template.

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Using the acrylic roller and 1mm thickness guides, roll out 5 grams of kneaded clay into a rectangle shape a little larger than the template for the clasp. Lay the template over the



On one side of the acrylic I attach an acrylic knob or drawer pull with E6000 adhesive. The knob becomes the handle for the tool. To use the tool, I take the needed amount of clay, knead it and shape it into a hot dog. I lay the hot dog on my Teflon® sheet and then with my snake rolling tool, I use a quick back and forth motion to roll the clay into a long snake. The final thickness of the snake should not be thinner than 1mm. 19

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Use 1⁄4 gram of clay and make a ball. Lay the ball on your work surface and flatten slightly. Using a toothpick, create a hole in the center of the ball to make a ring. Use a straight edge tool to cut off the curve at one point of the ring, creating a flat surface. Set aside on the drying surface.

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Clean off the white residue with a steel brush, exposing the silver finish.

Tumble the pieces in a magnetic or vibrating tumbler to create a beautiful shine on the silver. Another way to create the shine is to highlight the raised portions of the textured design by using a burnisher.

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Polish the pieces with a silver polish. I use Wenol® for the shine and protection it provides to the silver.

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When both the bar and the flattened ring are dry, sand and smooth as needed. Clean out the hole with a round needle file if necessary.

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Using a small paintbrush, take a generous amount of paste and apply to the flat end of the ring. Attach the wet part of the ring to the center of the leather-hard snake. Allow the bar to dry.

Putting it all together. Start with the right side of one of the watchbands facing you. Using 21⁄2" of sterling silver wire, insert the wire through one of the tab holes on the watchband.

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Fire and polish the watchband. Use the fiber blanket to create a curved support for each watchband. The curve of the watchband should be completely supported by the fiber blanket. Place all pieces in the kiln and ramp it to 1600° as

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fast as it will go, hold for 10 minutes and turn off the kiln.

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Take the pieces out of the kiln and allow them to cool.

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Add one or two seed beads as needed and then thread the wire through the hole at the top of the watch face. Add one or two more seed beads as needed. Take the wire through the hole in the second tab on this watchband and bend the wire around to the back of the tab and up through the space between the watchband and the watch face. Trim the wire closely Step by Step Jewelry: Clays — Winter 2006

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so no raw end protrudes. Finish the opposite end in the same manner.

Repeat Steps 1–7 above to connect the other watchband to the other side of the watch face.

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Using 3.5mm jump rings, connect both sides of the clasp.

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Using a series of jump rings or length of chain, connect the bar to the watchband. This is where you can customize the size of the watch by adding more jump rings. ◆

Arlene Hildebrand is a Master Instructor for Art Clay® World USA and a fused glass artist. She teaches throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Arlene can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected].



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Lentil-shaped beads made with metal clay. BY CELIE FAGO

Skill level

Precious Metal Clay Plus (PMC+®) enables you to make large, lightweight hollow forms that don’t require interior support during firing; just some creative planning in the fresh clay stage. The lentil beads pictured were made by cutting two circles of textured PMC® and drying them on light bulbs. Once dried, the two halves were lightly sanded and then attached with slip. I’ve successfully made lentil beads, without firing cores, with circles ranging in size from 1" to 23⁄8". Light bulbs come in many shapes and sizes and are ideal for drying symmetrical curves. If you are making several small lentils you can cluster several on one light bulb. Using the same principle, you can make your own custom forms from polymer clay or mold materials such as Protoplast. Other interesting forms (door knobs, flower vases, marbles) can be found around your home. Make sure the form you are using can be oiled before you put PMC® on it. Office supply stores carry plastic templates in a variety of shapes and sizes. This project uses two 2" circles, dried to leather hard on “globe” light bulbs, and yields a 15⁄8" diameter lentil bead after firing. During firing, the water evaporates, the binder burns up, and the silver particles fuse into a pure silver object that has shrunk by 12%. The project bead has a hole toward the top edge that a jump ring can pass through when it’s finished. Some alternative hole placements are described at the end of the article. Most supplies can be found in art, jewelry, and fabric supply stores, and around the house.

Photo of finished pieces by Robert Diamante; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • 1 28-gram package of PMC+® • Slip; home made (PMC+® and water) or prepackaged PMC® Paste • Plastic circle template (up to 2") • Texturing material, your choice • 2 light bulbs (to use as forms for drying the bead halves) • A cup or bowl with foam rubber, bubble wrap, or paper towel accordianfolded in it to hold the light bulbs upright while the clay dries • A piece of Teflon® paper, available from cooking stores — a similar product, known as Non-Stick Teflon® Pressing Sheets, are available from fabric stores. If you can’t find either, oil a piece of heavy plastic (approx. 2"x3"), such as a sheet protector to



use as a portable palette. • Olive oil • Water • 2 watercolor brushes — I recommend a small pointed brush for applying water and slip, and a square tipped brush known as a “bright” for cleaning off excess slip • Playing cards • Pin tool • Optional: miniature circle cutters (available from polymer clay and craft suppliers) • Sandpaper; 320-, 400-, and 1000-grit • Round needle file • Brass brush and dish detergent or brass brush wheel on a polishing lathe, flex shaft, or Dremel®

• Kiln capable of holding 1650°F for 10 minutes • Kiln shelf • Unglazed terra cotta dish like those used under potted plants • Vermiculite or alumina hydrate • Dust mask • Optional: Liver-of-sulfur or other patinating solution • 1200-grit micron graded polishing paper, polishing cloth (rouge or Sunshine®), or steel wool • Flat stick or salon board, to wrap paper or cloth around • Baking soda • Pledge® spray, butcher’s wax, or clear spray fixative • Pacific cloth

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Texturing the clay. Have ready — oiled texture, oiled light bulbs, a coffee cup stuffed with paper towels or a folded piece of foam to hold the bulbs upright, and two stacks of 2 or 3 cards each (taping the stacks together keeps them from sliding around). If you’ve picked a low-relief texture for your beads, roll the clay out to a thickness of 2 cards. Texturing with a rubber stamp, or other deep relief, will require a clay thickness of 3 cards or more. Roll out 1⁄2 of a 28-gram package of PMC+® to a height of 2 cards (or more) on an oiled work surface (or on piece of Teflon® taped to your work surface). Rolling your clay under a plastic sheet protector or under a piece of plastic wrap will delay drying, and flipping the clay over every 2 or 3 rolls will prevent the clay from sticking to your work surface.

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If you’ve rolled the clay on your work surface, transfer it to a piece of Teflon® now. Be sure to keep the clay on the Teflon® until you transfer the circle to the light bulb in Step 5. The Teflon® will keep the clay from sticking to your work surface while you texture and cut the clay, keeping it portable. Roll the texture onto the clay. For flexible textures, like screen, roll the oiled texture onto the clay. For rigid textures, like a rubber stamp, it’s easier to roll the clay onto the texture. Remove the texturing material and place the lightly oiled circle template on top of the textured clay. Cutting out the circles. Hold the template firmly in place and, keeping your pin tool perpendicular to your work surface, cut around the circumference of the circle in one smooth motion.

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Use a straw or tube to make a 6mm hole, approximately 10mm from the top. If you don’t have either tool, make a small hole with your pin tool and enlarge it later with your needle file. See alternatives at the end of the project for other hole placements and alternative methods.

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Transfer the circle to the oiled light bulb, taking care not to stretch or distort the clay. The easiest way to accomplish this is to pick up the Teflon® and flip the clay, texture side down, onto your palm. Now gently peel the Teflon® away and position the circle on the oiled bulb. The only function of the oil on the bulb is to make initial positioning of the clay circle easier.

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Using your fingers and gentle pressure, so as not to distort the texture, smooth out the folds in the circle so the clay accommodates the curve of the bulb. Press any air bubbles outward to the edge of the circle. Once dry, the clay will detach easily from the glass.

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Repeat to make a 2nd textured circle, but without a hole, and dry it on the second bulb.

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Note: Although PMC+® is stronger than Standard PMC® after firing, while it’s leather hard it’s extremely fragile and must be handled very gently. Sand the edges of the circles by placing fine sand paper (320- or 400-grit) on a perfectly flat surface, such as glass. Sand very gently in a circular or back and forth motion until you have a clean, slightly mitered edge. Sand both of your circles until they fit nicely together. In addition to improving the fit, sanding the edges in this way broadens them, creating more surface area. This will make “gluing” the pieces together with slip that much easier.

Assembling the bead. You may want to add a couple of light pencil marks to show exactly how you want the 2 halves to go together because once you’ve “glued” them with slip, readjustment is difficult.

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Mix up thick, lumpless slip by adding small amounts of water to your clay and mixing until it’s the consistency of frosting, or use prepackaged PMC+® paste. If you’re using prepackaged slip, it’s helpful to thicken it up by leaving the lid off so some of its moisture can evaporate. Apply a line of slip continuously around the edge of one of the halves. Put the 2 halves together and press gently so they make good contact. Clean up any excess slip with your finger or a clean brush. I put the slip on with my small, pointed brush and clean off the excess slip with my square tipped brush.



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You can smooth the edge of the bead with 1000-grit sandpaper, once the bead is dry.

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Now it’s time to make the hole in the other half of the bead. Using a flex-shaft or a drill press, drill gently, going straight through the existing hole, making a new hole on the other side. If you don’t have a flex shaft, see “Alternatives” on page 27. To see if your bead will hang straight, put a pin tool through the holes and hold it out in front of you. Make adjustments with the needle file until it hangs straight.

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To make the donuts, the decorative rim I place around the holes, roll the remaining clay to a thickness of 2 cards. Cut out 2 circles. I used a 3⁄8" (approximately 10 mm) brass circle cutter, but you can also use your circle template. Cut a hole out of the circle using the straw or tube you used to cut the hole in the bead. Using your brush, dampen the immediate area around the hole, on one side of the bead. Place the donut so it rests around the hole and press gently into place. Wick a few drops of water from the end of your brush into the seam where the donut and the bead meet. Let that side of the bead dry, then repeat on the other side. Let the bead dry completely.

Firing. Nestle the bead into vermiculite (or alumina hydrate) up to the edge where the 2 sides unite. Fire for 10 minutes at 1650°F. After the cycle is finished, turn off the kiln and crack the door open. When the red glow has subsided (510 minutes), carefully remove the bead from the kiln with tongs, and air cool or quench in water.

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Finishing. Burnish the bead with a brass brush and soapy water. You can also use a brass-brush wheel on a polishing lathe. Continue brushing until you have a uniform luster on the silver and all appearance of white is gone.

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Patinate, if desired, by dipping the bead in a weak solution (cloudy, no discernable color to the water) of liver-of-sulfur. Use 1 or 2 crumbs of gravel (approximately 1x2mm crumb) to 1⁄2 –1 cup medium hot water. Dip briefly, then rinse in cold,

running water, repeating these steps until desired color is reached. Stop the chemical action by rinsing in cold water, then washing in soapy hot water and baking soda.

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Polish off high points in the design with 1200-grit polishing paper or a rouge cloth wrapped around something rigid, like a ruler, or piece of lath. You can also use steel wool. If you want to slow the natural aging of the patina, wax the bead with Pledge®, paste wax, or spray it with a clear fixative spray. Any of these coatings will dull the colors slightly, especially the blues, but by keeping air and moisture out, it will also minimize the natural dulling of the patina. Wrapping the finished piece in Pacific cloth (cloth treated to prevent tarnish) will slow the dulling of the patina.

ALTERNATIVES Putting a hole in the center of your bead. Before you move the template, use the quadrant guides to find and mark the center of the circle with your pin tool. When the circles are dry you can enlarge the holes with a needle file. Depending on how you intend to use the bead, you may want to put the holes on the edge of the circle, where the 2 halves join, so that the cord passes horizontally through the bead. To do this: after you cut the circles out, use the quadrant guides on the circle template to make 2 tiny marks, half-way around the bead at opposite points along the equator. To assemble the bead, follow Steps 10–11. Once you’ve put the 2 halves together, enlarge the holes with a needle file. To finish your bead follow Steps 14–17.



What to do if you don’t have a flex-shaft or Dremel®. You can enlarge a starter hole, very gently, with a needle file. It helps to have made a tiny starter hole with your pin tool in the fresh clay after you cut out the circle. You can also make both holes in the clay while it’s fresh with a brass tube or straw, but it’s easier to make 2 holes that match perfectly by waiting and drilling them together. ◆

Celie Fago is a Vermont-based jewelry artist who works in metal clay, metal, and polymer clay. She is one of eight Senior Instructors with the Rio Rewards Certification Program. In addition to her numerous articles published on PMC® and polymer, she also worked with Tim McCreight on the video Push Play for PMC®: Intermediate Techniques. Celie’s latest book is Keum-Boo on Silver. For more on Celie and her work, visit her Web site, www.celiefago.com. 27

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Metal and ceramic clays make a dynamic duo. BY TONYA DAVIDSON Skill level

Photo of finished piece by Frank DeSantis; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • Ceramic beads (bisque or glazed) • PMC3® paste • PMC3® syringe • PMC® Sheet • Punches • Tweezers or chain nose pliers • Medium and detail brushes • Chenille pipe cleaners • Styrofoam® • 800–1000-grit sandpaper • Water • Kiln or torch • Stilts and nichrome wire for firing glazed beads

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PMC® is an incredible and revolutionary product. Unfortunately, a solid PMC® bead can be costly in materials and time, making it hard to sell or mark up for a decent profit margin. So, for a couple of years I searched for an armature that would allow me to make a custom silver bead that would have a good markup. It would need to be easy and fast, yet look great. After collaborating with a manufacturer, and testing lots of beads, we came up with a line of clay beads that are sturdy, consistent, inexpensive, and work well with PMC3® products. Working with these beads has saved me a lot of time and money. Whether you sell your work or just create for yourself, I’m sure you’ll enjoy making these beads.

Working on several beads at one time, assembly line style, is the most efficient way to make these silver beads. A Styrofoam® block with standing chenille pipe stems is a great tool to use while painting the beads with the PMC®. By the time you paint the last bead, the first bead is usually dry enough to coat again.

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Coat the end of a ceramic bead with PMC3® paste, going just inside the lip of the hole. Coating the end of the bead, down into the hole, will keep the silver from shrinking back, exposing the edge of the hole when the clay shrinks during firing. You don’t need to coat it all the way down into the hole, but I do. Repeat this process 5 times on each end of the bead.



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The silver around the hole should be dry before inserting the bead onto a chenille stem. Make sure to use a chenille stem, because they are soft. A regular pipe cleaner is rough and might remove what you applied to the hole in Step 1. Apply 5 coats to the entire bead, drying between each coat. If you’re making several beads at one time, which I recommend for efficiency, your beads will dry by the time you get back to the first bead. It’s good to paint the PMC3® in one direction on one coat, and then switch directions for the next coat; this assures full coverage and also covers brush strokes. Applying more coats will give you a smoother finish and pre-sanding the clay beads with an emery board will yield an even smoother finish.

TIPS FOR USING THE PMC® SHEET • Working with the sheet in a single layer works very well and yields a nice look but you can laminate multiple sheets together to get a more 3-D look from your punch outs. To laminate sheets, take a brush, slightly damp with water, and paint the surface of the sheet. Then take a second sheet and lay it on top of the first sheet. Repeat to make a laminate of 4 layers. Apply something heavy on top of these laminated sheets and wait about 10 minutes. • After I’ve cut out my shapes, I prefer to prefire them (see Step 5) before applying to the bead. This isn’t completely necessary; however, they’re easier to apply and retain a more pristine shape after tumbling. • To conserve the sheet, I find that working upside down with the punches helps me have less waste. I’m able to work very closely to the areas that are already cut out, keeping the shape I’m working on very close to the edge. If you work from the top of the punch, you really can’t see the sheet underneath very well.

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Sand the dried, paste-covered beads with 800–1000-grit sandpaper. Use care not to file more than 1 layer of PMC3® off. If you’re going to do heavy sanding, apply 6 coats of paste to your bead. If after firing, you notice that you have sanded off too much in any area, simply reapply the PMC3® and fire again.

• The waste you have from making cutouts in your sheet can also be used to help futher the conservation effort. The scraps can be added to your scrap jar to make paste; be fired and then used as collage pieces; or after firing, cut and applied to your pieces when the design requires this look. You can also use the sheet, after you’ve made as many cutouts from it as possible, by cutting it in a pleasing way and using the negative space as a design element.



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You can also decorate the beads using PMC® Sheet. I like to use paper punches in all different shapes. Choose the punch you want to use and punch out a shape from the PMC® Sheet.

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Prefire the cut-out shapes. To fire the punched-out sheet shapes, you have 2 choices. One is to fire them with the torch for about 30 seconds at the orange glow stage. Be careful not to get too close, as the sheets are so thin that they’ll melt down very easily. Or for efficiency, fire a whole load of them in the kiln. PMC® Sheet is fired at 1650°F for 10 minutes.

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If your design calls for other embellishments, you can apply stones and casting grains to the bead using the PMC3® syringe.

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To apply shapes, hold your shape with tweezers and use a small detail brush to paint a line of paste onto your shape. Apply the shape (paste side down) to your bead, applying pressure with your finger. This is a quick press and release movement. Excess paste will be extruded from underneath the shape, allowing the paste to act as glue. Remove the excess paste on the surface of your shape after it dries by carefully sanding those areas.

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Let the bead dry and then fire to 1650°F for 10 minutes. Allow the beads to cool down to 300°F and then crack the kiln an inch to cool more quickly to room temperature.

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Once the beads have cooled, they need to be finished. Insert the chenille stick back into your bead. Using chain nose pliers or tweezers, curl the ends of the pipe cleaner. This will prevent the shot from getting stuck inside your beads when they’re being tumbled. Add mixed stainless steel shot, burnishing compound, and the beads into the tumble. You can also finish these beads using a brass brush instead of tumbling. Tumble for an hour.

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If you want, you can patina or enamel the finished beads. You can also apply PMC3® to beads that have already been glazed and fired. Glazes are fired at 1823°F or cone 06, a higher temperature than PMC® can handle so be sure you add PMC® after the glazing is done. To embellish glazed beads with PMC3®, apply shapes, paste, or syringe as described earlier. But before firing

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them they need to be stilted, due to the glazing. Glaze is glass frit made for ceramic applications. When heated to 1650°F it becomes liquid and will stick to any surface it touches except nichrome wire. Stilting is the process of raising a glazed piece off any surface in the kiln by using a nichrome high-fire wire, which comes in different shapes. Most stilts have the nichrome wire sharpened to a point and fired directly in porcelain shapes. Fire the beads at 1650°F for 10 minutes. Allow the kiln and the beads to cool as in Step 8. When removing the beads from the wires, there will often be stilt marks left behind. Stilt marks are small deposits of glass which will need to be sanded down by hand using either a stilting stone, or a dremel with a grinding stone attached.

You can also torch fire these clay beads with PMC® applied either on the bare bisque or glazed bead. Just remember—torch firing is not as good as kiln firing. I recommend concentrating your torch fire on the bead for at least 5–10 minutes. You can also torch fire preglazed beads with PMC3® applications. The glaze doesn’t start to move at that temperature, and they don’t need to be stilted while torch firing.

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Your beads are now complete and ready to be incorporated into your next bead creation. ◆

Tonya Davidson is an international award-winning silver clay artist and a Senior Instructor for PMC Connection. She is also a bead artist, lampworker, and owns a paint-it-yourself pottery studio in Tucson, AZ. Tonya specializes is setting up and certifying shops and studios in PMC® across the US. See more of Tonya’s work, as well as other great PMC® tools, on her Web site at www.wholelottawhimsy.com. Tonya can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].



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Silver Braided Ring Setting a stone in a metal clay ring. BY PATRICIA WALTON

Skill level

Photo of finished ring by Donna Chiarelli; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • 10 grams Slow Dry Art Clay® Silver • Art Clay® Paste (small amount) • Fine silver, 5mm round four-prong setting • 5mm round faceted stone • Non-stick work surface • Empty syringe • Craft knife • Paper clip • Small round tip brush • Flat brush • Ring-sizer set or adjustable plastic strip sizer • Ring mandrel • Teflon® sheet, 1"x 3" • Small, hand-held butane torch • Butane fuel

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• • • • • • • • • •

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This project was created using Art Clay® Silver and fine silver findings. Art Clay® Silver is a relatively new material on the market. It is comprised of fine precious-metal particles, an organic binder, and water. When fired at a high temperature, the binder and the water burn away and the metal sinters to create fine silver (99.9%) or gold (22K). There are 2 brands currently on the market, PMC® and Art Clay®. The artist who created this project works in Art Clay® and recommends using it for this project due to its slow-drying nature. Art Clay® Slow Dry is a unique metal clay product which can be easily extruded through a syringe to create uniform ropes. These ropes are then quickly braided into this wonderful ring project. Art Clay® Paste, a thinner version of Art Clay®, is used to fill in any gaps or cracks. Using an Art Clay®, fine silver, Firing brick four-prong setting allows you to set a faceted stone in Small half round file minutes. And if you think you need a kiln to create Tweezers this ring, think again! A small, hand-held butane torch Stainless steel wire transforms the dry Art Clay® ring into 99.9% fine silver brush in minutes. The entire project, start to finish, can be Burnisher completed in 2 to 3 hours. Rubber block Rawhide mallet Makeup sponge Wet wipes Wet/dry sandpaper, 600-, 1200-, and 2000-grit Hair dryer or dehydrator Fine point, half round jewelry pliers (jewelry pliers don’t have teeth) Wenol® metal polish and soft polish cloth Small amount of olive oil for lubricant

Setting up. Determine your ring size by finding the ring sizer that fits the finger your ring will be worn on. Then, choose the ring sizer that is 11⁄2 sizes bigger. (For example, if your finger measures a size 6, make the ring a size 71⁄2.) The additional size will compensate for the approximate 10% shrinkage that occurs when the binder and water burn off. Roll up a Teflon® strip approximately 11⁄2" wide and tape it closed so it can slip inside the appropriate larger ring sizer. Next, slide the Teflon® strip onto the ring mandrel and tape it directly onto the mandrel. The appropriate-sized ring sizer is then slipped on over the Teflon® strip. With both the Teflon® strip and ring sizer in place on the mandrel, make a pencil mark all the way around the ring sizer along both edges onto the Teflon® strip.

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These marks will act as guides when making the ring. Now you can remove the ring sizer, leaving the correct ring size marking in pencil on the Teflon® strip.

trude 3 equal ropes, side by side, onto a non-stick work surface. 4" ropes will easily create a ring up to a size 6. For each additional half size, add 2mm to

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The opening at the end of the syringe should be about 2mm. If the syringe opening is too small, cut about 1mm off the end with a craft knife to create a larger opening. You are now ready to open the 10 grams of Art Clay® Slow Dry

the length of each rope. Return the syringe to the container of water.

5 Clay. Divide the clay in half and store one half in a small, airtight container for later use.

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Moisten the extruded ropes with a damp brush. Braid to the end, keeping the ropes damp as you go. Secure the ends by pressing with your finger or sculpting tool to flatten the last 1⁄8" of the braid. Add paste to keep the ends together if needed.

Slow Dry Clay needs to be kneaded with your fingers until soft and warm before you can use it. Knead the clay, then hand-form a rope that is small enough to fit easily into the empty syringe.

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Dampen the braid and transfer it to the ring mandrel, positioning it over the pencil marks on the Teflon® sheet. Let the ends overlap, and using a

Remove the syringe plunger. Place the straightened end of a paper clip into the tip of the syringe and add the rope of clay. Replace the plunger and slowly depress to compress the clay in the syringe. The presence of the paper clip will prevent any air pockets from forming. Remove the clip when the clay begins to extrude through the opening. Tip: Always keep the tip of the filled syringe in a container of water when not in use. This will prevent air from drying the clay while it is in the syringe. Once the project is complete, remove any leftover clay and clean the syringe.

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You will need 5 extruded ropes, 3 for braiding and 2 to attach to the edges of the ring. I advise extruding only the 3 for braiding at this point. Press the plunger slowly and ex-



craft knife, remove the excess. Line up the ends and join using the paste applied with a brush.

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Using tweezers, place the fine silver, 5mm setting over the joint area. The setting should be pressed

pletely before refining. Refine the ring by filing with small files or sanding using 600- and 1200-grit dry sandpaper. All seams and joints should be invisible. Save all the filings as they can be added to your paste jar. Any and all unfired Art Clay®, wet or dry, can be reconstituted and reused, so don’t dispose of any of it. You can further perfect your ring by smoothing with a wet wipe or a damp makeup sponge. Let dry again.

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into the wet clay up to the second “wire.” Add paste, if needed, to fill the area up to the second wire, securing the setting in place. Leaving the ring on the mandrel, dry it using a hair dryer or dehydrator for at least 15 minutes. The clay will turn a lighter gray when dry — Slow Dry takes five times longer to dry than regular Art Clay®.

Once you are pleased with your final clay shape, you are ready to fire your creation using a small hand-held butane torch. Since there are many torch brands available, be sure to read the instructions included with your torch on filling the torch with fuel, igniting it, and flame adjustment. Firing should be done in a well-ventilated area clear of any flammable materials. Place the ring on a firing block. Have a timer or a watch with a second hand available to time the sintering. Light the torch and direct the end of the flame about 1" from the ring. The flame should be directed at a 45° angle and kept moving in a circle around the ring. The ring will begin to smoke

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When dry, extrude 2 more ropes using the remaining Slow Dry in the syringe. Attach one rope to each side of the braid using paste applied with a small brush.

Cut the ends of the ropes at an angle and join each on the back of the ring, opposite the 5mm stone setting. Dry again until the added ropes are completely dry.

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Remove the Teflon® sheet and the ring from the mandrel. Carefully remove the Teflon® sheet from the inside of the ring. If it sticks, dry the ring off of the mandrel for a few more minutes. Once the Teflon® is removed from inside the ring, check all contact points on the inside and outside of the ring, adding paste to fill in any gaps or cracks. Dry com-

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and flame for a few seconds as the non-toxic binder burns away. The larger the piece, the more smoke and flames will occur. You can successfully fire clay creations that weigh less than 26 grams and have an area smaller than the size of a half dollar. Continue to circle the ring until it begins to glow orange — dimming or turning out the lights will make it easier to see the glow. The color you are watching for is the same one metalsmiths use for annealing metal. Adjust the distance and speed of circling to maintain that rosy/peach color for 2 minutes. Timing begins only after the orange glow is achieved. During the firing time, the micro particles of the clay sinter to create a solid ring. After 2 minutes, turn off the torch and allow the ring to cool. Using metal tweezers, you can place the ring on a metal surface to help draw off the heat, or use the cool setting on a hair dryer to help bring the temperature down.

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All fired fine silver clay will be white, whether kiln or torch fired. When heated to the proper temperature the clay goes through a process called sintering. The resulting topogStep by Step Jewelry: Clays — Winter 2006

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raphy of the surface is one in which the micro particles of silver are randomly positioned producing the white appearance. When finished via wire brushing, tumbling, burnishing, or polishing, the beauty of 99.9% pure silver is revealed. To finish the ring, support it on a rubber block and brush with a stainless steel fine-wire brush. The silver will become noticeable immediately and will have a satin finish. You can

onto the face of the stone. Work on opposite prongs until all four prongs are tightened. Check to make sure the stone will not move in the setting and that the stone is level. Place the ring onto the mandrel and carefully burnish the tips smooth. Your ring is now ready to show off, wear, and enjoy. ◆

Patricia Walton

Before creating jewelry with Art Clay® products six years ago, Patricia Walton spent the last three decades as a traditional metalsmith, jewelry artist, and instructor. She is an Art Clay® Master Instructor. Patricia calls Utah home but spends about two weeks each month traveling, demonstrating, and teaching as Western Education Director for Art Clay® World, USA. She can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected]. Check out the Art Clay® Web site at www.artclayworld.com for classes as well as product information.

stop at this point or you can continue by highlighting areas with a polished steel burnisher. If you filed, sanded, and smoothed your ring in the clay state, very little effort will be needed to finish the ring. If you want to take the finishing process further, you can: sand the ring using dampened wet/dry 600-, 1200-, and 2000-grit sandpaper to create a mirror finish; use a metal polish such as Wenol® on a soft cloth to achieve a high polish; or use any traditional metalsmithing finishing techniques including tumble finishing.

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If your ring is not round, place on a steel ring mandrel and tap lightly using a rawhide mallet, being careful to avoid the four-prong setting.

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The four-prong setting has a small notch near the top and on the inside of each prong as a seat for the girdle of the stone. Place the stone into the setting. Adjust the prongs using pliers or tweezers until the stone sits perfectly in the notches. Secure the stone by placing fine-point half round or flat nose pliers on opposing prongs. Slightly rock the pliers back and forth until the tips begin to lie over the girdle of the stone. Place one face of the pliers under the edge of the ring and the other face on the prong and gently press the prong

START WORKING ON THE PROJECTS YOU WANT TO MAKE!

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Bead Caps Make your own metal clay findings. BY GINGER SEIPLE

Skill level

Photo of finished jewelry by Donna Chiarelli, all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • 2 Styrofoam balls, 1" in diameter • White glue • 2 drinking straws plus 1 cocktail straw • Awl or tool with sharp point • PMC+® in both lump form and slip • Olive oil • Texturing tools and items with texture • Tissue blade or X-Acto® knife • Water • Paintbrush • Sponge • Dry sanding sponge • Color shaper (available at most art supply stores) • Playing cards • PVC rolling tool • Plastic wrap • Liver of Sulfur or silver blackening agent of your choice • Sagger box or red clay flowerpot saucers along with vermiculite for support during firing so shape is maintained • Kiln with good pyrometer • Brass wire brush

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When working with metal-based clay [the author used Precious Metal Clay (PMC®) for this project] you should make sure you have a good work surface. I use a PVC board with a piece of clear, flexible plastic over the board for easy removal of small components. The plastic sheets used for report covers work well. In this project, you will be using Styrofoam® as a base for your beads. It is important to have a well-ventilated space for firing; when the Styrofoam burns up, noxious, toxic fumes are released. It is very important that you not inhale these fumes. Before beginning, organize all of your equipment and workspace. Also plan your texturing design and gather all texturing tools/items.

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Prepare Styrofoam® balls for bead cap forms by first piercing them with the awl or sharp-pointed tool. Create a hole that is large enough to allow the large drinking straw through snugly. Place the Styrofoam balls onto the straw, leaving 1" of straw sticking out.


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Dip the straws in the large jar of glue until the entire ball is well-coated. (Most any glue would do; I use Sobo because the container has a wide mouth, allowing me to dip easily.) Allow excess glue to drip back into the jar; this not only decreases the mess but also prevents too much glue from pooling on the bottom of the form and distorting the shape. Put the forms aside to dry. Empty PMC® boxes work great for this. It is also a good idea to place the PMC® box on top of a disposable plastic lid while drying, in case glue drips from the straw.

Cut 3 – 4" off the long end of the straw, leaving enough to use as a handle when creating the bead cap. Lay the straw across the empty box, allowing the roundness to rest in the empty box cavity. This also allows any excess glue to drip into the box. Any distortion from pooled glue on the bottom of the form can be easily molded back into round with light pressure from your fingertips. You will need to allow 24 hours for drying time.

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One more thing can be done at this time. This project uses decorative “plugs” that are also created out of PMC+®. They need to be dry when used to embellish the bead caps. Because air-drying the clay is preferred over forced drying, which sometimes warps or curls the PMC®, it is a good idea to prepare them now. Oil your hands very lightly and roll out a small amount of PMC+® between 2 stacks of 7 playing cards. (PMC® dries out very quickly; it is important to rewrap the clay as soon as possible.) Using the large drinking straw, cut out 8 circles, blowing them gently out of the straw if need be. Try not to distort their shape. Set these aside on a piece of clear plastic wrap, then fold the plastic over on itself to keep the PMC® moist. Now use the small cocktail straw to cut another 8 circles. Because they are sometimes hard to blow out without mistakes, quickly reball them to a round shape. Rewrap any excess PMC®.



Gently make a dimple into each of the small circles with a ball-ended clay tool or design of your choice. You should not press so hard that the edges crack. Set these aside to dry. Now texture each of the larger circles the same way. Try not to distort the shape of the original circle. My design shows matching textures for symmetry, but a confetti or patchwork design would be just as attractive. Also, if you are a lampwork artist, you can duplicate or complement the design of your focal bead. (I originally developed this project for a PMC® class I taught to lampwork artists and the levels they took it to were breathtaking.) Set these aside to dry as well. Note: These plugs will be thicker than the wall of the bead cap, but don’t worry. Your finished bead cap will have more dimension because of the plugs’ thickness. When both the Styrofoam® balls and the embellishment plugs are dry, you are ready to create your bead cap.

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Lightly oil hands. Roll out a 5-card thickness of PMC+®. Should you desire a thicker base for dry carving, use a 6- or 7card thickness. Cut out a 13⁄8" circle. Use a compass for accuracy. Cut out the center of the circle with the cut-off end of the large drinking straw (6mm hole). Then slice through the clay from inner circle to outer edge. Wrap the clay loosely around the prepared Styrofoam form, like a cape, evenly overlapping the excess. Cut off the excess. Important: Cut straight down, as from north to south. You will be cutting some excess off of both edges of the cut circle. By cutting the excess this way, the circle shape will be maintained and your bead cap will be uniform. Now rewrap clay around the form, not loosely this time, and cut off any excess over 2–3mm. Repackage any excess clay. Use your rubber-tipped color shaper to smooth the overlap until the seam is invisible. If the clay is not fresh, you may need to slightly moisten the rubber tip of the shaping tool. 37

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Mark 4 symmetrical areas on the PMC®-covered bead cap. Wet each area well with your paintbrush, then press the larger dried plugs into the wet clay. Push well into the clay to ensure a good moisture bond. Add a drop of water to the edge of the plug to help suck them together. The water should not run all over the piece — dab up any excess with your sponge. Repeat the process with the smaller plugs, evenly spacing them between the larger ones. You will notice they extend a little out of the wet PMC®, which will give your piece dimension. If you have properly moistened the area and pushed it in well, they will fuse without any problems. Texture all surfaces around the plugs. Texture while wet or let dry and carve.

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Once you are satisfied with your texturing, you must prop your bead cap sculpture to allow complete drying. I prefer air-drying to decrease the chance of splits and cracks in rounded forms. Periodically check for cracks. Use slip to fill minor cracks or separation. Homemade slip works, but if it is a fair-sized crack, it may take several applications. If a crack is significant, it’s better to fill in with lump PMC+® or syringe PMC+® rather than slip. Use a damp sponge or a sanding sponge to smooth all of the edges. Retexture if need be. To allow even drying, you can use the same method to dry as you did with the glue: lay the straw across an empty plastic PMC® box, cradling the bead cap in the empty well of the box. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for a matching bead cap.

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When the bead caps are thoroughly dried and crack-free and you are satisfied with your textured effect and finishing, cut off the excess straw. Sand the inner diameter of the bead cap collar until it is smooth. If any piece of the straw is left, it will be burned out during firing.

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Prop the bead caps on a bed of vermiculite, in a clay saucer or a sagger box. Add vermiculite around bead caps for support. Place in a kiln and fire at 1650°F for 10 minutes. Actively ventilate (remember those Styrofoam fumes). Allow the kiln to cool to 400°F before opening.

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Roll out a 3-card thickness of PMC+® and cut out a 5⁄8" circle. Cut the center out of the circle with a drinking straw. Wet the bead cap around the straw area, also wet the inner circle of the 5⁄8" circle, then slide the donutshaped piece over the straw and press to seal it to the bead cap. If needed, use a paintbrush with a little water or slip on it to help seal the collar to the bead cap body. Make sure your seal is complete all around. Texture collar if desired.

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Use the brass brush and detergent, under water, to clean off binder residue, or tumble-polish to remove the residue and to burnish. Use Liver of Sulfur or a patinating agent of your choice to show off your texturing. Make sure that Liver of Sulfur is prepared with gloves and used with good ventilation. Burnish to give shine and contrast, or brush for matte effect. String it on either side of your favorite PMC®, glass, or stone bead and wear it with pride. Suggestion: try scalloping or undulating the edges for variation or a unique look. ◆

Ginger Seiple is a metalsmith who is passionate about Precious Metal Clay. She is guild-certified and teaches PMC® classes in Ohio. She is President of the Ohio Chapter of the PMC® Guild, the largest and most active state chapter in the nation. Her work can be found in galleries, museums, juried art venues, or on her Web site at www.wildindigo.net. Ginger can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected].

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LJMS-050058-PETRO 10/5/05 1:31 PM Page 39

STeP bySTeP Petrograph Pins Polymer clay pictures from the past. BY GWEN GIBSON

Skill level

What you need • 2 oz. white clay • 4 oz. black clay • 2 oz. turquoise clay (or 1 oz. bright, multicolored scrap clay in lieu of gold, blue, and turquoise) • 2 oz. each metallic

Photos courtesy Gwen Gibson

gold and blue clay • Red ochre, turquoise, and/or yellow ochre acrylic paint • Work surface • Tissue blade • Bone folder (a tapered bone used in bookmaking) • Large wedge-shaped color shaper (a neoprenetipped tool used to blend color)



• • • • • • • • •

Cyanoacrylate glue gel Sobo glue Sharp scissors Plexiglas roller or pasta machine Waxed paper Paper towels Water jar Hair dryer Photocopies of white images on a black background; gray tones don’t work (a positive blackon-white image can be reversed to white on black on a color photocopier and then photocopied on a copier that uses standard toner)

Clay paper collage is stylistically and technically unique. This painterly technique is capable of creating rich colors and spatial illusion. Multicolored clay adheres to the black background of photocopies that become “clay papers.” Once baked, the clay papers are torn and glued onto baked clay to make a collage. Here we will borrow images from ancient aboriginal rock art.

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Condition the clay, starting with a wad about the size of 2 walnuts (1 oz. or so), by rolling it into a snake between the palms of your hands, then doubling it. You can also condition clay by rolling it through a pasta machine until pliable. Twist the doubled snake. Repeat the process of rolling the twisted piece into a snake, then doubling and twisting at least 10 times or until the clay is soft and pliable. Although some brands of clay are already soft when they come out of the package, they still need conditioning for strength.

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Create a 3" x 3" multicolored pad of clay by marbling together turquoise, metallic gold, and blue, or flatten a colorful wad of clay scrap into a pad. Your pad needs to be a little larger than your photocopied image.

to suit your design. A sharp pair of scissors should cut through the paper and the clay.

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Cut out your photocopied image, leaving a small section for a pull-tab. Fold up the pull-tab and place the photocopy face-down on the clay. Firmly stroke the paper with the bone folder to ensure good contact with the clay. Blow with the hairdryer (set on warm) for about 30 seconds. Allow the clay to stand with the photocopy attached for about 15 to 30 minutes (you’ll have to experiment with the timing). Again, blow with the hairdryer for about 30 seconds.

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To begin the black-and-white striped border, roll out a thin layer of black clay (#5 on most pasta machines) a bit larger than the collage piece and place it on a piece of waxed paper. (It’s easier to remove waxed paper from clay than it is to lift the clay from the table.) Apply glue around the edges and the back of the baked collage pin. When the glue is dry, place the collage on the thin layer of unbaked clay, leaving a 1⁄ 4" border. This forms a base for the striped border.

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Grasp the tab and pull the paper from the clay in one smooth, firm motion. It takes a little experience to know just how fast — too slow and the ink remains on the clay, too fast and the clay tears off in chunks. The clay should adhere in a thick layer to the black areas of the paper, leaving a white image. If the prepared clay pad is free of ink, it can be used again, the previous image showing faintly as a ghost image. Older photocopiers work the best, and some clays work more easily than others. It might take a few tries before you find the perfect clay and toner. Make several clay papers.

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Make a 2" x 2" layered block of black and white clay, rolled so the stripes are approx. 1⁄16" wide. Cut the block into vertical slices approx. 1⁄8" thick, then cut the slices into strips approx. 1⁄4" wide, perpendicular to the stripes. Lay the strips on the thin border, pressing them firmly against the sides of the collage piece.

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Prepare a 2" x 2" base for the collage by rolling black clay on the thickest setting of the pasta machine, or use the roller to flatten it to 1⁄8" thick. Bake along with the clay papers according to the clay manufacturer’s directions. Once the paper is baked, color the white image by applying a thick layer of acrylic paint to the back of the clay paper. Soak the paper in water for a minute, then blot. With a color shaper, push the paint into the paper behind the white areas. By working from the back, the paint won’t get on the clay, but the white areas will absorb just enough color to be tinted.

Use a tissue blade to trim the top edge of the border so that it’s flush with the collage; the blade should be angled slightly to prevent it from slicing into the collage. Trim the border to a desired thickness with straight downward cuts of the blade.

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When the clay papers are dry, tear them into random shapes. Affix them to the clay base with Sobo glue to create an interesting juxtaposition of shapes and images. Being careful to avoid air pockets, press the paper down into the damp glue with your thumbs, working from the center to the edges. Once the glue is dry, trim the collage

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Peel the waxed paper off the back and bake the clay according to manufacturer’s directions. Place under a telephone book to cool. If the clay papers have come unglued during the baking, apply tiny dabs of glue with a toothpick and press down carefully to avoid smearing glue on the top or “clayed” side of the paper. Sand the area where the pin-back will be attached, then glue the pin-back with cyanoacrylate glue gel. ◆




Gwen Gibson has been working with polymer clay for more than 16 years and has taught and exhibited the medium for 14 years. She also studied painting at the University of Michigan and the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her interest in recreating artifacts in polymer clay is explored in the video Ancient Images. She can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] or on the Web at www.gwengibson.com.

Carving Alabaster






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Application online September 2005! Deadline: March 1, 2006 Marie Scarpa, 2005 Jewelry Arts Awards winner, “Best of competition” 18K yellow gold and platinum, blue-green tourmaline, 3-4mm ruby, lavender, yellow, and blue sapphire, amethyst, aquamarine, blue-green tourmaline, and spessartite garnet.

Richard P. Homer, 2004 Gemmys winner, “Best of competition” “Nautilus cut” 31.37-ct. citrine. Photo: Robert Weldon.

Christine Marie Noguere, 2004 Bead Arts Awards winner, “Best of competition” Japanese cylinder beads, pearls, rubber rings, brass and ultrasuede. Photo: Phil Pope.

Current Winners Online Now! More Projects @ StepbyStepJewelry.com


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LJMS-050058-CLASPS 10/5/05 1:36 PM Page 42

Silver Clasps Metal clay toggle and button clasps. BY KATE McKINNON

Skill level

Photo of finished pieces by Donna Chiarelli; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • 1 oz. of PMC+®, or a comparable amount of your favorite formula • 2" of 18-gauge wire, or an 18-gauge head pin, to wire a bail on the button • 1⁄2" of 14-gauge fine silver wire to form a bail for the toggle bar (optional) • Olive oil (a few drops to lightly coat your hands, tools, and work surface) • Digitally controlled kiln, suitable for firing metal clay • Drinking straw or metal pick to make holes in the clay • Stamps or tools for texture (optional) • Roller, flat block or oiled rubber stamp to compress the clay into a sheet for the toggle ring • Round canape cutters or sharp craft knife to cut out toggle ring • Round nose pliers, to bend toggle bar bail (optional)

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The variety of metal clays now on the market allows one to instantly make almost anything in fine silver or gold. No molds, no casting, just form it with your fingers and a few simple tools or stamps, let it dry out, fire it, finish it, and it’s ready to use. This is an incredible boon for all jewelers, but especially those of us without casting studios. To make this clasp, you can use any flavor of metal clay that you like. I use PMC+® for several reasons — I like the texture (it reminds me of working with porcelain or terra cotta clay) and the 12% shrinkage factor is just right for me. Each brand and version of metal clay offers a different texture and has its own recommended firing schedule. The directions that follow are for 1 oz. of silver PMC+®. You will achieve best results with a proper work surface — Teflon® baking sheets are wonderful. I work on a plastic/resin table that I lightly coat with olive oil. I use a thin sheen of olive oil on my hands and on my rubber stamps as well, so the clay won’t stick.

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To make a large toggle bar, cut off 1⁄4 of your ounce of clay and compress it into an elongated shape.

Put the remaining 3⁄4 of the clay under a little plastic cup, or wrap it in plastic wrap right away so it doesn’t dry out. I can keep the clay fresh on a lightly oiled tabletop, under a plastic medicine cup, for a full day. It’s important to use compression to lengthen your bar, rather than pulling on it,



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because you want to minimize porosity and don’t want to trap any air bubbles inside. Remember: it’s going to shrink between 5–30%, depending on the clay you choose. When your bar is formed, texture it however you like. I love using rubber stamps for background texture.

shrink, too, so make it a little bigger than you need. Sometimes I fire my pieces with a little place holder of steel rod in the hole to control its diameter. Wooden toothpicks work too, but they burn up in the kiln. I like to minimize fumes and toxicity in the studio so I don’t use paper, clay, wood, styrofoam, or other burn-out materials. If I’m going to make a hollow form, I prefer to make halves, as Celie Fago teaches, and attach them with slip when they’re leather hard.

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When you’re satisfied with the shape and you’ve completed your surface decoration, either insert a bail or make a hole. I use 14-gauge fine silver wire to make my bails because it can be fired along with the clay. If you choose to use a different type of wire (sterling or copper), insert it into a hole after firing. Bend a little length of wire with your round nose pliers and then insert the wire gently into the finished toggle bar. When the clay fires, the shrinkage brings the clay tightly around the wire bail. Spreading the bottom of the bail a bit before inserting it into the clay helps trap the bail in the bar during firing.

A hole works just as well, if you don’t want the bail. When making holes in metal clay, you’ll get good results if you use a small drinking straw, or if you gently drill the hole by twirling a metal pick or an oiled toothpick. You don’t want to push through the clay because you might distort the shape and the texture that you’ve created. Remember that the hole will More Projects @ StepbyStepJewelry.com


To make the toggle ring and button, roll out or compress the remaining 3⁄4 of your ounce of clay. Try to keep it round to minimize waste. Most people prefer to roll the clay, using little stacks of cards or small flat bars on either side to keep the sheet of clay even. I just compress a round ball of clay with rubber stamps or flat pieces of wood and touch it up with an oiled roller. Whichever way you choose to flatten your clay, don’t make your sheet too thin. If you’re using cards, keep it at least four cards thick. To cut out my ring, I use a canape cutter. If you don’t have a suitable cutter, use a plastic circle template and a craft knife. First, cut out the outside diameter and smooth the edges with a moistened finger. Take the small amount of waste from the outside of the circle, roll it into a little ball, and set it aside under plastic or put it in your slip jar. Next, take a smaller circle cutter, or your craft knife, and cut out the middle. Smooth all of the cut edges and set the inner disc aside under plastic. It will become the button for our second clasp.

With metal clay, the biggest difficulty that you’ll probably have is the speed with which the clay dries — as soon as you remove it from the package, it begins to dry. Some people work with their clay under plastic wrap, others mist it lightly with water. I choose to work quickly on the shape and finish the edges the second I 43


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Detail and texture your ring, make a hole in it, and set it aside with the toggle bar to air-dry. If you want to shape your ring into an oval, just gently distort it into that shape with your fingers as it lies flat on the table, then let it dry that way.

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Take the disc of clay that you’ve set aside and make sure the edges are smooth. Next, texture it as desired, and make 2 holes in it — one in the middle and another near the edge. This will allow for a

center loop to attach to your piece and another one to attach a clasp weight. For a regular button, just make 1 or 2 holes in the center of the disc. Air-dry. Before firing, inspect your air-dried pieces. Be careful

with them, as the unfired clay is fragile. You have several opportunities to finish and carve your metal clay pieces. There are many stages in between fresh, wet clay and completely bone-dry clay. Some people choose to detail their pieces after they’ve dried to a state referred to as “leather-hard.” This is the point when there is still some moisture in the clay, but the surface is dry and the clay feels cool and smooth. This is a nice stage to do carving, but some people also choose to inscribe or file the clay when it’s bone-dry. I don’t like to file the clay after it begins to dry because I don’t want to breathe fine particles of metal dust. If you’re going to carve or file bone-dry metal clay, I advise that you use proper ventilation and a fine particle respirator meant for metalwork. To avoid the dust issue completely, I choose to finish all of my metal clay pieces while the clay is fresh and wet. This is why I pay close attention to smoothing my edges immediately, so that I won’t have to go back and file them later.

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When your pieces are completely dry, place them in the kiln and fire them. Although many of the newer metal clays can be fired for very short amounts of time, I recommend firing at the full temperature and for the full time because short firings at lower temperatures result in more porous pieces. When you fire the metal clay, you’re burning out the organic binders, and allowing the particles of metal to fuse together. Firing PMC+® for 10 minutes will definitely burn out the binder and fuse the metal into the form that you modeled, but it will not result in the strongest molecular bond. Firing at full time/full temperature is the best way to ensure the strongest possible result — and when making clasps, you need all of the strength that solid metal offers. I fire my PMC+® for 2 hours at 1650°F, then metalwork and tumble the pieces, ending up with essentially solid, hard, fine silver. You can break a poorly fired, porous, metal clay piece with your hands — a properly fired, hammered piece is extremely strong and durable.

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When the silver comes out of the kiln, your pieces will appear white on the surface. Place the pieces on a flat surface (an anvil is ideal, but a concrete floor or metal tabletop works too) and tap them with a hammer. Rotate the pieces so you’re sure to lightly hammer all sides. Feel free to hammer strongly enough to add extra texture, if their shape can take it. Next, brush them with a wire brush or pop them in a tumbler until they have the finish you like best. You can achieve a mirror finish by tumbling for an hour or more with mixed stainless steel shot. Or, to get a nice matte brushed finish, just brush the surface with your wire brush.

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Patina the pieces, if you like, with liver-of-sulfur, Black Max, or your favorite dip. Step by Step Jewelry: Clays — Winter 2006

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Your toggles and clasps are now ready to add into your stringing project. String the “Lotus Pod” beads with your choice of any mix of beads.

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To use the toggle and bar, attach your beaded strands to a wrapped wire loop and then wrap a loop onto the toggle.

The possibilities for using these components are endless. We hope these techniques add to your beading repertoire and that you find lots of alternative uses for them to suit your needs. ◆

Kate McKinnon To use the button as a clasp, I suggest wiring a bail onto it.

teaches and exhibits internationally, and is a frequent contributor to Lapidary Journal and Step by Step Beads. Her classes focus on design, construction, and clever solutions to typical jewelry design problems. She has authored two books on jewelry design, and lives and works in Pacific Grove, California.





Carving Alabaster




You can use beading wire, waxed linen, silk, or whatever you like to dangle the weight off of the button. I made mine with size .019 Soft Flex® wire and glass beads. It’s a classic look that’s beautiful on a bare back.





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A faux stone polymer technique. BY PATRICIA KIMLE

Photo of finished necklaces by Frank DeSantis; all other photos courtesy of the author.

Skill level

What you need • 1 oz. pearl, 1 oz. translucent, and small amount of silver polymer clay (I like Premo!® because of its color and durability) • Metallic bronze paint (I use Lumiere® by Jacquard because it’s nice and thick, resulting in good coverage) • Liquid Sculpey® (I prefer this brand because of its translucent quality) • Accent beads (I used antique gold patterned beads and 4mm hematite beads)

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• • • • • • • • • • • •

Bead end caps Clasp Bead thread 4" of 20-gauge gold wire 2 French wire earrings Cheese grater devoted to polymer clay use only Slicing blade Roller or brayer Needle tool Beading needle Round nose pliers E6000® Glue or Crazy Glue

My 6- and 9-year-old sons are budding rockhounds. Doing laundry was getting very noisy as they kept bringing home treasures in their jean pockets and forgetting them until I’d hand them back, clean and rescued from the bottom of the dryer. Instead of fighting them over this situation, I decided to engage their interest. We started looking over their treasures and trying to identify them. I’d explain the types of rock, how they’re formed, and we often pored over the various stone cabochons and bead strands in my supply catalogs. This Christmas, they’re probably going to get a rock tumbler. As a polymer clay artist, I’ve often done imitative techniques like faux ivory or faux jade. So, I decided to see if I could come up with recipes and techniques for other stones, including granite. My oldest son recently picked up a faux “granite” piece and said, “Wow! Where’d you get this cool rock?” I figured I was successful.


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Making the beads. 1 Using a hand-held cheese grater, shred the polymer clay into a pile on a small tray or piece of aluminum foil. Toss the bits to mix up the colors.

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Slice the block lengthwise into 4 quarters. Slice each quarter in half. This should yield 8 pieces 1⁄2" x 1⁄2" x 1" long.

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Add about 1⁄ 2 teaspoon of acrylic paint to the pile of clay and thoroughly mix with your fingers or a palette knife. Let the pile stand for a few minutes until the paint is mostly dry or just slightly tacky.

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Pinch the ends of each piece into a football shape, but try to maintain the squared corners. If there are any deep fissures between the clay bits, spread a bit of Liquid Sculpey® into the crevices. Pierce the bead end to end.

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Gather the bits of clay back together and compress into a loaf without folding or twisting. Do not marble or blend the color. Form a loaf approximately 1" W x 1" H x 2" L. Pack the loaf tightly to eliminate as many air pockets and gaps as possible by alternately pressing with your hands and rolling with the brayer, or roller, to maintain the shape.

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Bake according to the manufacturer’s directions on the package.

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Sand with wet/dry sandpaper beginning with 320grit and progressing through 400- and 600-grit. Finish with 2 or 3 coats of a water-based varnish.



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STeP bySTeP Finishing. Measure the beads, or arrange on a beading tray, to determine the length. The number of accent beads at the back can be varied for a longer or shorter necklace. Add 6" to the desired measurement and double the total for the bead thread length needed.

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Thread the needle and double the thread. Tie a knot and add the bead end cap. String the beads as arranged. Add the second bead cap and tie a knot. Add a drop of E6000® or Crazy Glue to the knots and trim the thread ends.

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Making earrings. Cut 2" of 20-gauge gold wire. Form a tiny loop at one end, string 1 hematite bead, 1 faux granite bead, and 1

hematite bead. Add a second loop. Open the top loop and attach French wire. Close the loop.

Blue granite necklace. The only change required to make the “blue granite” bead is in the paint. Instead of metallic bronze, use metallic olive green and pearl blue. That’s it! ◆

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Using round nose pliers, close the loop on the bead end caps. Attach clasp findings with jump rings.

Patricia Kimle has been creating jewelry and fine craft items with polymer clay for 15 years. She is the author of Polymer Clay Inspirations, new from North Light Books. She exhibits her work and teaches polymer techniques around the country. More examples of Patti’s work can be found at www.kimle designs.com.

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AN EXCITING MAGAZINE LOADED WITH PROJECTS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE WIRE AND WIRE JEWELRY. Step by Step Wire Jewelry is published four times a year. For subscription information, go to www.stepbystepwirejewelry.com and click on subscribe today, or call 1-866-836-7865. For advertising information, call Karen Nuckols, Ad Director at 610-232-5724 or e-mail, [email protected]


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Skill level

What you need To create the focal bead: • Black polymer clay • White polymer clay • Clay slicing blade • Pasta machine • Brayer, or smooth rolling tool • Heavy duty magnet or wooden block • Needle tool or rotary tool for drilling

Classic Black and White One polymer cane with many looks. BY KATHY WEAVER

Photos by Donna Chiarelli.

The long necklace shown at bottom right is a combination of techniques learned from many artists. The necklace above right combines caned clay beads with Bali silver and hematite cubes. The shorter necklace, shown far right, is 17" and uses a larger focal bead embellished with platinum-colored leaves, chunky hematite beads, and Bali silver. The Memory Wire necklace, shown left, utilizes a flower cane, two leaf canes, Bali silver, hematite, and liquid silver.

Optional embellishments for your beads: • Pearl polymer clay • Silver polymer clay • Darlin’ Designer Disks® (Large Leaves) • Clay gun or Sugar Craft Gun® • Your premade canes reduced very small for embellishing

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Since the day I began working in polymer clay, black and white canes and necklaces have been a signature of my work. I still love the look of always-elegant black and white, and I love to work on updating the look of black and white in the canes that I make. There are a couple of people that have influenced me and the direction I’ve taken in my art. One of those people is Marie Segal, a pioneer in the art of polymer clay. Marie is a very giving and sharing artist, who showed me a variation of this cane about seven years ago. I have since changed it and taken it in a direction that creates many different focal beads with just one technique. Most of the beads shown in these necklaces all started with this one technique, a simple stacked cane that grades from black to white, and were created by altering this simple stacked cane. A basic knowledge of polymer clay, Skinner blends, and reducing canes is required to begin this project. I have found that working with Premo!® polymer clay works for the canes that I make. There are a lot of other brands of clay out there; you might want to try and see which one works best for you.


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Creating a “narrow” Skinner blend. Condition your black and white clay. Roll out the clay into sheets on the number 1 (or thickest) setting on the pasta machine. Cut rectangles out of each color, approximately 2 1⁄ 2" x 5 1⁄ 2". Cut right-angle triangles out of these rectangles and separate them. To start the Skinner blend, take 1 triangle from each rectangle and press them next to each other to form a 2-color rectangle. Press them together at the seam so they stay together.

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It is useful to have a heavy-duty magnet or block of wood to set on one side of your pasta machine while rolling the clay through. It will help control your blend by keeping it in the original narrow state (21⁄ 2" x 51⁄ 2"). Run your black and white rectangle through the pasta machine, placing the 21⁄ 2" side through first.



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TeP by TeP Fold the sheet in half and pass it through the machine again on #1. Continue folding and rolling the clay, being sure to do it in the same direction each time, until you have a blend you are happy with. Reducing the cane. Reducing a cane can be tricky, and everyone has a way that works best for them. This is what I recommend for reducing this cane. Press your fingers into the sides of the

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The simple cane. 2 Once the narrow blend is complete, set your pasta machine on #4 or the middle setting on the dial and run the blend through, 2 1⁄ 2" side first. You should then have a longer, thinner, narrow blend of color.

Using your clay blade, cut off one end of the strip to square up the edge. Measure up the blend and cut off a 2" piece. Flip the cut piece over and lay it directly on top of the end you just cut from. You will be laying the white edge on top of the black edge. Continue cutting and flipping until you get to the end of your blend. You now have a cane that you can use to create different focal beads.

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block, then pull and stretch the clay, using both hands. You may want to use your brayer or rolling tool to smooth out your rectangular cane as you continue to press and pull the cane. Continue to reduce until your cane measures about 1" by 2⁄ 3". It is at this point that we will cut the cane and rearrange it to create different canes and focal beads.

Basic focal bead. To start the basic focal bead, take a piece of scrap clay and roll it into a log. The diameter of your log will determine the size of your focal bead.

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Cut 2–4 very thin slices off your rectangular cane and layer them around the log, matching the seams. Make sure that you have completely covered your scrap clay. Gently roll the covered log on your work surface to smooth the seams. With your clay blade, cut the logs flush at the edges of your cane.

With your thumb and fingers, gently squeeze and smooth the edges of the log to bring in the edges of your cane around the exposed ends of the scrap cane log. When you have finished you should only see your cane work, not any of the scrap log.

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There are many different shapes that you can create by playing with your covered log. I will often roll the bead out longer, then flatten it with the lower portion of your hand, creating a paddle type bead. Other options include rolling the bead thinner and longer or twisting it to create a very different bead altogether. These are only a few options; the possiblities are endless. Have fun experimenting!

Taking the basic cane a step farther. 6 You can take this basic stacked blend a step further to create different canes (and different focal beads!). One option is to reduce the cane and cut it into 4 even pieces. Put the 4 pieces together to create a basket-weave like cane.



Another option would be to reduce the cane and wrap it with a sheet of black clay, rolled through the pasta machine on the #4 or middle setting. Reduce the cane further and cut it into 6 pieces. Put them together, surrounding a thin black log to create a flower bead. A third option would be to shape your stacked blend into a round cane, then cut it into 5 pieces. Form a black log and place each of the 5 cut pieces around it, forming a different type of flower bead. They all work! Reduce one of these flower canes further to use as an embellishment. If you plan on doing this, you have to be patient and let the cane rest before slicing. Embellishing the focal bead. 7 You can use your focal bead as it is or embellish it with cane slices or clay extrusions. To create the platinum-colored leaves, mix 1 part silver with 1 part pearl, a blend I learned from Mike Buessler. Place it into the clay gun and extrude the clay using a Darlin’ Designer Disk® leaf shape. Cut off thin slices from the extruded leaf log. Then apply the uncured slices to the uncured focal bead. You can also embellish the focal beads using small slices of your reduced canes. To apply the slices, be sure to apply uncured to uncured as you did with the leaves. At this time, you can put holes in your beads with a needle tool or wait until after they are baked and drill them. Once you are happy with your beads, place them in a preheated toaster or convection oven and bake according to the clay manufacturer’s recommendations. Once the beads have cured and cooled, they are ready for stringing. You can string them with as many different types of accent beads as you like. I’ve always liked sterling silver and hematite with black-and-white caned beads, but of course the choice is yours. ◆

Kathy Weaver is a jewelry designer whose main focus is in beading and polymer clay. She is a founding member of the Ohio Lakeshore Polymer Clay Guild, a demonstration artist for Polyform® Products, and teaches polymer clay techniques and beading nationally. You can contact her at [email protected].

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Reversible Bracelet Hollow metal clay beads. BY HATTIE SANDERSON

Skill level

Photo of finished piece by Frank DeSantis; all other photos courtesy of the author.

What you need • 1–2 jars PMC+® paste • 1 pkg. cork clay • #3 round synthetic paint brush • Spray bottle or bowl filled with water • 3mm sterling spacer beads • Magnetic bracelet clasp (or clasp of your choice) • Size 11 blue seed beads • .024", 40-lb. beading wire • Crimp beads • Toothpicks • Dremel® tool • 3M™ radial bristle disk (400-grit) • Metal files • Graph paper • Kiln • Patina of your choice • Emery board • Styrofoam® scrap • 1 PMC+® syringe (optional) • 1 pkg. PMC+® clay (optional) • Fine silver shot (optional) • Crimping pliers or chain nose pliers • Wire cutters

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Use a cork clay armature to create hollow, fine silver beads that are light in weight yet substantial in size. Decorate the beads on both sides to create your own unique reversible bracelet.

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Using graph paper, draw your bracelet design, leaving room for the spacer beads and clasp of your choice. The bracelet length including the clasp should equal 7".

2

Make the bead armatures out of cork clay according to the size of your drawing. Push 2 toothpicks into each end of the cork clay armature to allow for the bead holes. Let dry overnight in a warm, dry area. The cork clay needs to be really dry or it will expand during firing and crack the PMC+®. PMC+® will shrink 10–12% during firing, but the several coats of PMC+® paste will increase the size of


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the bead armature by about 10%, so the fired bead will be approximately the same size of your cork clay armature.

of the beads as desired, allowing the first side to dry before moving on to the other side. On one side, I used the PMC+® syringe to make squiggly lines and small “flowers” with fine silver shot pressed into them. For the other side, I made donut shapes out of PMC+® clay and let them dry to leather hard. I then attached the donuts to the beads with a little paste. Let everything dry completely.

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For my bracelet I made 4 cork clay armatures 5⁄8"W x 1"L and a larger center bead 1"W x 13⁄4"L with a curved shape. 1 3 Open the jar of PMC+® paste. You’ll need to add ⁄2 teaspoon of water to a new container of paste and stir it well. Paint a layer of PMC+® over the entire surface of each piece. Stick the toothpick end of the armature into a scrap piece of Styrofoam® and allow to dry.

The drying process may be hastened with a hair dryer or by placing the work directly under a light bulb. When dry, apply another coat of paste and let dry. Repeat this process until you have built up 12 layers of PMC+® paste.

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While in the leather hard state, use an emery board to refine the beads as much as possible. Decorate both sides

Be sure your kiln is in a ventilated area. Lay all of the beads on a kiln shelf and fire at 1470°F for 30 minutes. The toothpicks and the cork clay will burn up in the kiln leaving beautiful, hollow, fine silver beads.

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File down any rough edges and refine the bead holes with metal files and an emery board. Paint your patina over the entire surface of the beads to blacken. Rinse beads well and pat dry. Use a Dremel® tool with a 3M™ radial bristle disc (400-grit) to remove excess patina and polish the beads to a beautiful sheen at the same time.

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Cut a piece of beading wire approximately 10" long. Add a crimp bead, spacer bead, and half of your clasp to each end. Loop the beading wire back through the spacer bead and crimp bead. Using the crimping or chain nose pliers, compress the crimp bead so it grips the beading wire. Trim the excess bead wire with wire cutters. I used a magnetic clasp in this bracelet. ◆

Hattie Sanderson is a PMC® Senior Instructor and awardwinning metalsmith from Clare, Illinois. She holds classes regularly at The Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Illinois, and Womanspace Center in Rockford, Illinois, as well as private studio classes and guild workshops.



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the complete guide to

metal clays

E V E RY T H I N G Y O U N E E D T O G E T S TA RT E D W I T H T H E S E R E V O L U T I O N A RY NEW PRODUCTS.

BY SUZANNE WADE

ORIGINAL PMC®

m

etal clay is a great introduction to incorporating precious metal into your jewelry work. Unlike traditional silver- and goldsmithing, metal clay requires a minimum amount of tools and equipment to get started, and the final product is pure precious metal. Artists working with ceramics or polymer clay are often attracted to the medium because of its familiar properties, while jewelers find that metal clay allows them to work in metal in a totally new and exciting way. Metal clay isn't a "true" clay: it's a man-made substance that the manufacturers called "clay" for its working properties, not its relationship to pottery. As Tim McCreight, author of The Complete Metalsmith and a consultant for Mitsubishi, notes a more accurate name might be, “Precious Metal Pliable Moldable Substance,” but that's a mouthful! Metal clay consists of extremely fine, precious metal powder, suspended in an organic binder. When heated to a high temperature, the binder burns off and the metal powder sinters together, leaving behind a solid piece of pure silver or gold. There are two brands of metal clay currently available in the United States: Precious Metal Clay (PMC®) produced by Mitsubishi Materials Corp., and Art Clay®, sold by Aida Chemical Industries, both headquartered in Japan. Both brands work in basically the same way, although small differences in the binder formulas produce slightly different working characteristics. These differences lead some artists to prefer one brand or another, but which brand you choose is largely a matter of personal preference. The first metal clay marketed in the United States was Mitsubishi's original Precious Metal Clay, followed shortly afterward by Art Clay®. Both companies have since introduced several versions of their product to meet different needs. Below is a quick primer on the different clays available, and when you might choose one over another.

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This is the original metal clay formulation. Soft and pliable, it's easy to work and has the most claylike feel of the Mitsubishi products. Although it can shrink up to 30% during firing, many artists find this can be an advantage, since fine details can be created at a larger, easier-to-work size. Original PMC® is fired by holding it at 1650°F for two hours. Because of original PMC®'s relatively lengthy firing time, and low tolerance to variations in temperature, a digitally controlled electric kiln is typically recommended for firing.

PMC+® Developed by Mitsubishi after the introduction of Art Clay®, PMC+® is designed to offer lower shrinkage, a faster, lower-temperature firing sequence, and a denser final product. PMC+® can be fired at 1650°F with a hold time of 10 minutes; 1560°F for 20 minutes; or 1470°F for 30 minutes. The existence of several firing options means PMC+® can be fired either in an electric kiln or with a jeweler's torch. It is worth noting, though, that PMC+® has a little less water incorporated into the raw clay, and dries out a bit faster than original PMC®.

PMC3® PMC3® offers the lowest shrinkage and fastest firing times of the PMC® family. PMC3® can be fired at 1110°F for 30 minutes; 1200°F for 20 minutes; or 1290°F for 10 minutes. This fast, low-temperature firing makes PMC3® the best choice for torch firing, and it can even be fired in small, inexpensive gel-fueled mini kilns. The lower firing temperature also makes PMC3® a good choice for firing with stones and glass in place, since the lower firing temperature increases the variety of stones that can survive the firing process. The greater density of the finished product also makes this version more suitable for high-wear applications, such as rings. Because it contains the smallest amount of binder and water of any PMC® product, PMC3® also dries out fastest, and some artists find it's less pliable and a little harder to work than original PMC®.



Beads by Georgia Ann Waller. Photo by Jim Work.

ART CLAY® SILVER The first metal clay product introduced by Aida Chemical Industries, the original formulation of Art Clay® offers 8-10% shrinkage and a firing temperature of 1472°F for 30 minutes or 1600°F for 10 minutes. Its low shrinkage rate makes it highly appealing to artists who find the relatively high shrinkage rates of PMC® and PMC+® frustrating. The lower firing temperature and times also means that all forms of Art Clay® (except overlay paste, due to the limitations of the materials it is fired with) can be fired with a simple butane torch, as well as with an electric kiln.

ART CLAY® SILVER 650/LOW FIRE Clay®

Art 650 shrinks the least of any of the metal clays currently on the market, at just 8-9%. It also boasts a range of firing temperatures and times, including a fast fire at 1435-1600°F with a hold time of just five minutes, down to a firing temperature of 1200°F with a hold time of 30 minutes. The manufacturer claims that this lower temperature permits firing on a gas cooking stove, as well as with a gas torch or an electric kiln. The low firing temperature and short firing times also make this an excellent choice for firing stones or findings in place.

ART CLAY® SILVER SLOW DRY Because water is a major component of all metal clays, the clay will dry out and become crumbly fairly quickly, limiting the working time. In response, Aida Industries introduced Art Clay® Silver Slow Dry. This moister formula is designed to give the artist five times as much working time in the clay's pliable state, permitting such time-consuming activities as braiding and weaving. Because the clay dries so slowly, however, the manufacturer recommends unfired clay pieces be no more than 3mm thick, or designed in layers, such as flower petals. Additional time should also be allowed for drying, prior to firing.

ART CLAY® SILVER OVERLAY PASTE Overlay paste is best used on the surface of ceramic, porcelain, and glass. The paste is usually thinned with water and then painted onto the surface, and the entire piece fired by slowing ramping up the temperature to 1200°F and above, and allowing the piece to cool slowly before opening the kiln. Because a steady rate of heating and cooling is necessary to prevent the porcelain or glass from breaking or cracking, an electric kiln must be used to fire overlay paste.

GOLD METAL CLAY Both PMC® and Art Clay® also offer a gold version, as well as the more familiar silver version. Gold PMC® is 24K gold after firing, while Art Clay® Gold is 22K gold (91.7% gold, 8.3% silver). Either metal clay can also be mixed with the manufacturer's silver clay to create other karats of gold, such as 18K green gold. Because gold metal clays are relatively expensive, a popular method of working with gold is to mix the clay with water to form a thin paste, often called "slip." Several coats of slip can be painted on unfired silver metal clay to form a surface layer of gold. This method is ideal for adding gold accents to silver metal clay pieces.

FORMS OF CLAY Most of these metal clay products are available in several forms. LUMP CLAY is the standard chunk of clay, which can be rolled, shaped, and even thrown on a potter's wheel.

ART CLAY® SILVER OIL PASTE This silver paste is designed to join fired silver clay elements, to fix cracks, and act as a substitute for soldering. It fires at 1470°F for 30 minutes or 1560°F for 10 minutes. It works only on silver metal clay, however, not gold.



Photo by Robert Diamante. Courtesy of the PMC Guild.

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metal clays

SYRINGE CLAY is a more liquid formulation designed for use with a narrow tip: it's typically used for "drawing" designs on an unfired metal clay piece, like

decorating a cake. PASTE is thicker than syringe formulations, and can be used to fill cracks and joints, join parts, and "frost" the surfaces of organic models for a reproduc-

the kiln, leaving behind pure silver (or gold) reproductions.

Mitsubishi and Aida have also experimented with versions of metal clay in 18K white and red gold and platinum, but these are not commercially available in the United States. All require a kiln with an inert atmosphere for firing, limiting their potential market.

BASIC TOOLS Plastic tube to use as a roller, toothpicks, a paintbrush, straws (to shape beads around), a knife, and a ruler (with millimeter measurements).

tion of organic forms in silver. METAL CLAY PAPER is a thin sheet that can be folded like paper for origami, creating a draped look, or other folding techniques.

FOR FINISHING: Sandpaper, files, burnishers, and buffs can all be used to give the piece a mirror polish.

HOMEMADE SLIP, made by crumbling leftover dry metal clay into water, can be used like a glue, to join together pieces of unfired metal clay. It can also be used like paste, by painting several layers over delicate organic forms. The piece is allowed to dry, and the organic item burns out in

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“Grande Fleur de Lis” Necklace by Shahasp Valentine. Photo by Hap Sakwa.

KILN OR TORCH An electric kiln is essential for working in original PMC®, because it must be held at 1650°F for two full hours in order to completely fuse. A kiln is optional for most other versions of Art Clay® and PMC®, however, since either a jeweler's torch or a butane torch purchased in a hardware store will reach a high enough temperature to fire the later versions of metal clay. Digitally controlled programmable kilns are the ideal choice for firing metal clay, since they assure complete firing every time, and also help reduce thermal shock, which can break or crack glass, or stones incorporated into your work. Several companies, including Sierra and Paragon, make kilns designed specifically for use with metal clay. These kilns can also be used for working with enamels and dichroic glass. Ceramics kilns, although they reach high enough temperatures for firing, are normally unsuitable for firing metal clay because there can be variances of as much as 100ºF inside the chamber. These variances mean that even though the temperature controller might read 1650ºF within the kiln, there may be spots where the temperature is 1750ºF, a temperature hot enough to melt the silver. Other kiln options include casting burnout ovens, annealing kilns sold for glasswork, and inexpensive, unregulated kilns such as the Ultralite or Hot Pot. These latter two are suitable primarily for low-fire metal clays, since they do not attain a sufficiently high temperatures for firing original PMC®. In addition, torch firing is a viable option for most types of metal clay. Virtually any torch adequate for jewelry work will serve to fire metal clay, including a butane torch available at a hardware store. To torch fire, set the work on a soldering block, in a dimly lit space, and heat until it glows red. Hold at this temperature for the time recommended by the metal clay manufacturer.

a few drops of olive oil. Some artists find an olive oil-based hand lotion, such as Badger Balm®, equally effective and less messy.

THICKNESS MEASURING TOOL You will often find references from PMC® users to work that measures one card, two cards, or three cards thick. This measurement refers to the thickness of standard, plasticcoated playing cards. A piece of clay rolled to "three cards thick" is the thickness of three playing cards stacked together. Art Clay® also offers a plastic tool specifically for measuring thickness. Other artists have successfully used such items as photo matting to achieve uniform thicknesses.

TUMBLER Because fired metal clay is more porous than other forms of fine silver, many artists prefer to tumble their finished pieces with steel shot. Tumbling with steel shot burnishes the surface and leaves a high polish, as well as preparing the piece for additional work, such as soldering. Any type of tumbler capable of tumbling with steel shot can be used, including tumblers made for rock tumbling.

OLIVE OIL Unfired metal clay is slightly sticky. To prevent the clay from sticking to your hands or work surface, rub them with



TEXTURING AND SHAPING TOOLS One of the primary appeals of metal clay is its ability to take textures. Texturing metal clay before it is dried or fired is as simple as pressing an item with an interesting texture into the clay. RTV molding compounds such as Mega-Sil™

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metal clays Brooch by CeCe Wire. Photo courtesy of the artist.

or Belicold® can also be used either to create push-molds of a successful metal clay piece, or of an attractive texture that you might otherwise have difficulty bringing into the workshop, such as bark from a living tree or the floor pattern on a construction vehicle. Your imagination is the only limit for possible texturing tools.

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS • Remember to take out only a small amount of clay at a time, since most metal clays will dry out quickly and become difficult to work. One exception is metal

a chance to escape. You can use a hair dryer, hot plate, food dehydrator, toaster oven, or 300°F kiln to dry your pieces, or simply leave them in a dry spot overnight. • Dried but unfired pieces can be worked further, with chisels and other carving tools, and finished using sandpaper and files. The more work you do in this greenware (or leather hard) state, the less you'll have to do on the finished piece. • Weakness or brittleness in a finished piece is often a symptom of under firing. Be certain that your clay pieces are being held at the recommended temperature for the full hold time. • Just-fired pieces will be white and matte, due to the crystallization of the silver. A bright finish can be achieved through tumbling, burnishing, or other standard jewelry polishing methods.

clay paper, which contains little to no water, and will maintain its workability for long periods of time. • If your clay does dry out, it can usually be rehydrated by kneading water into the dry clay, and then setting the clay aside to allow the water to penetrate. However, it can be difficult to get dried clay back to its original condition. • Be sure to dry your piece completely before firing. Excess water can cause cracking, or other problems, if the temperature rises too quickly before the water has had

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• Fired metal clay can be soldered, but it's slightly more porous than other forms of fine silver. For best results, burnish the piece prior to soldering, and use slightly more solder than you normally would. See our Web Clay Resources on page 63.

Suzanne Wade is a freelance writer and editor who has been writing about gems and jewelry for more than a decade. She is currently the editor of Studio PMC®, the member magazine of the PMC® Guild.


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polymer clay hints

WORK SURFACE For your work surface, you can use a sheet of Plexiglas® cut to the size you require, a piece of marble, ceramic tile, or any smooth, solid surface that is handy.

CUTTING TOOLS BY KATHY WEAVER

p

olymer clay is a colorful, versatile, manufactured product suitable for making unique jewelry, wearable art, and decorative items by people of all ages and skill levels. There are many different brands of clay on the market, each offering different qualities. To find a brand of polymer clay that works best for you and the project you’re working on, it’s to your advantage to try them all. Experiment with small packages of clay to discover which is easiest to work with and gives you the results you’re looking for in color, durability, and surface finishes. You may find that you like different clays for different projects or techniques. All of the brands are excellent so the choice is yours. As you become more involved in this medium, you’ll see how everyday household items make useful polymer clay tools. However, once you’ve used something for clay, you can’t use it for food preparation again — but who uses kitchen tools for cooking these days?

For cutting, you can use craft knives or wallpaper scraper blades, but for best results, try the thin tissue blades that are made especially for use with polymer clay.

ROLLING TOOLS For rolling out the clay, you can use a rolling pin, a brayer made of Plexiglas®, an acrylic rod, a heavy drinking glass, vase, or jar. A pasta machine can also be used to roll out the clay. When I first started out I didn’t use a pasta machine, but now I couldn’t live without it. Using a pasta machine enables you to create sheets of clay in different thicknesses and it’s also a valuable tool for conditioning clay and mixing colors (more on conditioning in a minute).

Necklaces by Kathy Weaver. Photos of finished pieces by Donna Chiarelli.



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polymer clay

Another optional tool you might find sitting idle in your kitchen (or at a yard sale) is a food processor, which can be wonderful for rolling and conditioning.

OVENS To cure the clay, you’ll need an oven. You can use a special kiln or oven, but most people simply dedicate a regular toaster oven or a small convection oven to polymer clay. Although the directions that come with the clay may suggest using your home oven if you bake clay only occasionally, it’s best to have a special oven dedicated to polymer clay use, as is the case with the other tools. Be sure to have adequate ventilation for fumes. Preheat your oven and bake your piece(s) on card stock paper; I use old file folders.

THERMOMETERS Whatever oven you choose, be sure to check your oven with a thermometer. This is very important because oven temperature dials are often inaccurate. Most clay pieces bake at 265°F or 275°F for 20 to 25 minutes, but you should always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines listed on the packaging.

CONDITIONING All polymer clays require conditioning, even if your clay comes soft from the package. Conditioning distributes the polymer particles and strengthens the clay. To condition by hand, knead the clay until it’s soft and pliable. Roll the clay into a log about 12 " long. Fold it back up into a ball and roll it out again. Repeat this process about 15 times. To condition your clay using a pasta machine, work with 1–2 ounces of clay at a time. Soften the clay in your hands, then place it on your work surface and flatten using a brayer

or other rolling tool. Set the pasta machine on the widest setting. Feed the flattened clay through the rollers of your pasta machine while turning the handle. Note: Never force a sheet of clay that is thicker than the roller openings because this could damage the pasta machine. Fold the clay sheet in half and feed it through the opening, folded side first, again. Repeat 15–20 times.

REVIVING CLAY If you are using stiff or old clay, try chopping the clay into small pieces. Add a few drops of mineral oil or Sculpey® Clay Softener and place the clay in a plastic bag for several hours to soften. Once softened, proceed with conditioning. For another option, mix your stiff clay with soft, fresh clay. Or you can chop the clay into small pieces and place them into a food processor dedicated for polymer clay use only, add mineral oil or Sculpey® Clay Softener to the clay, and then process for a few minutes. The food processor not only chops the clay up more finely, the friction also heats the clay, which aids in the softening process. Once the clay is finely chopped, remove it from the food processor, place it on your work surface, flatten it with your rolling tool, and then proceed with conditioning as described above.

SAFETY Safety is always important no matter what material you are working with and polymer clay is no exception. Polymer clay is non-toxic, but the tools and equipment used with the clay must be dedicated to polymer clay use only. Be careful not to burn the clay during the curing process; fumes emitted from burnt clay are toxic. If you do burn your clay, air out the room, and leave immediately — until the fumes are gone. Never put polymer clay in a microwave. Remember to wash your hands after using polymer clay and do not eat while you’re working with the clay. As you advance and begin using other tools and equipment, other safety issues will arise. Be sure to follow all manufacturers’ guidelines. Always work smart. ◆ For more Polymer Clay Basics, I suggest the following reading: New Ways with Polymer Clay and The Next Generation of Projects and Techniques by Kris Richards.

Kathy Weaver is a jewelry designer whose main focus is in beading and polymer clay. She is a founding member of the Ohio Lakeshore Polymer Clay Guild, a demonstration artist for Polyform® Products, and teaches polymer clay techniques and beading nationally. You can contact her at [email protected]. 62



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web resources Polymer Clay Amaco®, www.amaco.com Blick Art Materials, www.dickblick.com Boston Clayworks, http://polymerclayprojects.com/ Brickyard Ceramics & Crafts, www.brickyardceramics.com Clay Art Web Guide, http://vickihardin.com Clay Factory Inc., www.clayfactoryinc.com Cool Tools, www.cooltools.us Creative-Wholesale, www.creative-wholesale.com Eberhard Faber, www.EberhardFaber.com Fimozone (aka Accent Import), www.fimozone.com Jacquard Products/Rupert Gibbon, www.jacquardproducts.com Kemper Tools, www.kempertools.com MisterArt.com, www.misterart.com Polymer Clay Central, www.polymerclaycentral.com Polymer Clay Express, www.polymerclayexpress.com Polymer Clay Your Way, www.polymerclayyourway.com Poly-Tools, Inc., www.poly-tools.com Prairie Craft Company, www.prairiecraft.com Puffinalia, www.puffinalia.com Sculpey®, www.sculpey.com Shades of Clay, www.shadesofclay.com The Clay Alley, www.clayalley.com The Clay Factory, www.clayfactoryinc.com The Clay Station, www.theclaystation.com The Clay Store, www.theclaystore.com The Polymer Clay Pit, www.polymerclaypit.co.uk The Polymer Clay Spot, www.jaedworks.com/clayspot Van Aken®, www.Katopolyclay.com

ADVERTISER’S INDEX A

Abba Dabba Productions LLC . 66 Art Clay World USA . . . . . . . . . 31 Artgems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 B

Bead Fest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 E

Enthusiast Media . . . . . . . . . . . 41 F

Fire Mountain Gems . . . . . . . . . 68 H

HGSJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 J

Jewelry Arts Expo. . . . . . . . . . . 66 L

Lapidary Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 P

Pinzart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 PMC Connection . . . . . . . . . . . 31 PMC Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Poly Tools, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 R

Rings & Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 S

Santa Fe Jewelers Supply . . . . 60 Step by Step Wire Jewelry . . . . 49

Metal Clay: Art Clay Nation, www.artclaynation.com Art Clay Silver, www.art-clay.com Art Clay Supplies.com, www.artclaysupplies.com Art Clay World, USA, www.artclayworld.com Bead Hub, www.beadhub.com/shopping.aspx BeadFX, www.beadfx.com/catalogue/artclaysilver.jsp Blick Art Materials, www.dickblick.com Clayzee, www.clayzee.com/index.html Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®, www.firemountaingems.com/artclay.asp JEC Products, Inc., www.jecproducts.com Kitiki, www.kitiki.co.uk MetalClay, www.metalclay.com Metalliferous Inc., www.metalliferous.com New Mexico Clay, www.nmclay.com Paragon Industries, www.paragonweb.com/index.cfm Pinzart, www.pinzart.com PMC Connection, www.pmcconnection.com PMC Guild, www.pmcguild.com Rio Grande®, www.riogrande.com Silver-Clay.com, www.silver-clay.com Sundance, www.artglass1.com/silver-art-clay.htm Whole Lotta Whimsy, www.wholelottawhimsy.com If you have any resources you’d like to recommend, please let us know! Send us an e-mail at [email protected]. Put “Clay Resource” in the subject line.



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The NexT STep: Jewelry and Lapidary Classes

elcome to The Next Step: Jewelry Classes, a source of information for advancing or honing your jewelry making skills. If you’re looking to try something new or to advance your talents, there are plenty of jewelry classes from which to choose. Take a look at what these exciting schools, shops and studios have to offer. Pick up the phone or log on and make contact for more information! To list your jewelry classes, please contact Scott Stepanski at (610) 232-5729 or email [email protected].

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CALIFORNIA Academy of Art University 79 New Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Ph: (800) 544-ARTS (2787) Email: [email protected] Website: www.academyart.edu Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is the largest private art & design university in the nation offering accredited degrees as well as certificates and personal enrichment courses both on campus and online. The 12 art & design majors include Fine Art (Sculpture). Classes include jewelry making and metal arts.

Creative Castle 2321 Michael Drive Newbury Park, CA 91320 Ph: (805) 499-1377; Toll Free: (877) BEADS4U Email: [email protected] Website: www.creativecastle.com Wide selection of classes from beginning to advanced beadwork and all levels of wire work. Monthly, nationally known guest teachers including: Nancy Cain, Jeannette Cook, Marcia, DeCoster, Margo Field, Diane Fitzgerald, Leslie Frazier, Laura McCabe, NanC Meinhardt, Cynthia Rutledge, Sherry Serafini, Carol Wilcox Wells, more. Visit website or call for current class schedule.

Idyllwild Arts Summer Program P.O. Box 38 Idyllwild, CA 92549 Ph: (951) 659-2171, ext. 2365 Fax: (951) 659-5463 [email protected] www.idyllwildarts.org Offering jewelry making workshops in Glass beadmaking, Chainmaking, Wirework & Rollerprinting, Hopi Silversmithing/overlay, and Navajo Inlay/lapidary. All levels of experience. Weeklong and 2-day workshops, on our campus in the mountains of Southern California. Also offering workshops in Fibers, Sculpture, Painting, Ceramics, Native American Arts, and more. Free course catalog available.

Precious Metal Arts 2510 Main Street, Suite C Santa Monica, CA 90405 Ph: (310) 581-4844 Fax (310) 581-5144 Email: [email protected] website: www.preciousmetalarts.com A unique combination of introductory classes

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(8 students), workshops, and small group tutoring sessions (2-4 students) allows customized education from beginning to advanced. Instructor Peter Solomon brings 25+ years of colorful and varied experience in wax carving, production management, stone setting, custom design, and fabrication. Visit website for current schedule.

Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts 760 Market St., Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94102 Ph. (415) 391-4179 Email: [email protected] Website: www.revereacademy.com Classes by master craftsmen to students at all levels: beginners, hobbyists, working jewelers. Two open sessions annually (Jan.-Mar., July-Oct.) include over forty 3-day classes in wide range of subjects: design, fabrication, repair, casting, wax modeling, stone setting, gem identification, more. Two 8-week Jewelry Technician Intensives (MayJune, Oct.-Dec.). Masters Symposium April. State approved diploma programs.

The Spirited Bead & Klews Gallery 435 West J Street Tehachapi, CA 93561 Ph: (661) 823-1930 Fax: (760) 384-2323 Email: [email protected] Website: www.klewexpressions.com Customers often quote “I have been to beads stores all over, and none come close to your unique selection, and your prices are better than a wholesale catalog! I’ll be back with friends!” Wire, Polymer & Metal Clay classes. OPEN 7 days - Mon.-Fri. 10:30am - 5:30pm, Sat. 10am 6pm Sun. 12 - 4pm.

FLORIDA Crystal Creations Beads Gone Wild 4058 Forest Hill Blvd. West Palm Beach, Fl 33406 Ph: (561) 649-9909 Email: [email protected] Website: www.crystalcreationsbeadinstitute.com Crystal Creations Bead Institute - Leaders in beading education! Over 100 professional classes & monthly guest teachers. Discover the Ancient Art of Beading with NanC Meinhardt, Carol Wilcox Wells, Margo Field, Leslie Fraizer, Dayle Doroshow, Diane Fitzgerald, Jeannette Cook, Dallas Lovett, and Many more. Beading, Wire, Fibers, & Clay, we teach it all!

GEORGIA Bead Fest Atlanta, A Step by Step Beads Special Event Georgia International Convention Center Atlanta, GA Ph: (610) 232-5700 Website: www.beadfest.com Classes August 11- 13, 2006. Vendor Expo on Fri. and Sat. Learn to make your own beautiful beaded jewelry. Bead Fest also includes a vendor area with dealers selling beads, supplies and equipment. Look for more details and class registration on our website!

William Holland School of Lapidary Arts P.O. Box 980 230 Lapidary Lane Young Harris, GA 30582 Ph: (706) 379-2126 Email: [email protected] Website: www.lapidaryschool.org We offer classes in beading, cabochons, silver, gold, wirewrappings, glass bead making, chain making, channel, faceting, gem ID, mineral ID, intarsia, glass fusing, opals, silver clay casting, jewelry repair and gem trees from May through October each year. Check out our website.

ILLINOIS Magpies 207 E. State St. Cherry Valley, IL Ph: (866) 562-4743 toll free Email [email protected] We are a full service bead store offering ongoing classes in all facets of bead stringing, bead stitching, Precious Metal Clay, chain making and wire work. Please call or email to receive a copy of our newsletters.

MARYLAND Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore 3600 Clippers Mill Rd., Suite 116 Baltimore, MD 21211 Ph:(410) 467-9838 Website: www.gemcuttersguild.com Offering beginner to advanced classes in the jewelry arts including lapidary, faceting, gold and silver smithing, wire wrap, PMC, polymer clay, fused glass and much more! One day workshops to eight week sessions offered throughout the year. Talented local instructors as well as visiting nationally known artists. Check our website.


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MICHIGAN Brighton Beads & More 9850 East Grand River Brighton, MI 48116 Ph: (810) 844-0066 Email: [email protected] Website: www.brightonbeadsandmore.com Expect the Unusual & the Usual. Gemstones & pearls, cabs & facetted stones. Fabulous beginning to advanced classes in wire wrapping, PMC, metalsmithing, beading techniques, fused glass & lampwork from staff & visiting accomplished teachers. Open everyday.

MISSISSIPPI Trinity Art Design Studio 110 Country Drive Brandon, MS 39042 Ph: (601) 955-3941 Email: [email protected] Learn the art of Precious Metal Clay (PMC) with Certified Instructor Laura Tarbutton. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Classes available. Techniques include: Basic techniques, metal inclusion, porcelain, dichroic glass, enameling, ring making. Call or email for more information.

NEW JERSEY Just Bead It 9631 Third Ave. Stone Harbor, NJ 08247 Ph: (609) 368-0400 Website: www.justbeadit.net Wire working and chandelier earrings workshops. Call for details and hours. A shore thing, covering Cape May and Ocean Counties. Full-service bead stores with a must see selection of semi-precious, Czech glass, delicas, lampworking, charms, pendants, Hill Tribe and Sterling Silver. Two locations on Long Beach Island too!

The Art School at Old Church 561 Piermont Road Demarest, NJ 07627 Ph: (201) 767-7160; fax (201) 767-0497 Email: [email protected] Website: www.occcartschool.org Jewelry classes and workshops from beginner to advanced, in metal, glass beads, resin and polymer clay, taught by a faculty of nationally recognized professional artists. Log onto www.occcartschool.org for details.

NEW MEXICO Hazeltine School of Fine Jewelry Santa Fe, NM Ph: (505) 400-3274 Mr. Hazeltine brings 36 years of professional jewelry making and 23 years of teaching experience to his school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The classes are limited to six students. You will learn professional time tested techniques that are safe, efficient and economically sound. Enjoy and gain confidence with this wonderful profession. Call 505-400-3274 for more information.

NEW YORK

Ph: (585) 737-5858 Email: [email protected] Website: www.studio34beads.com Bead Class Central! All jewelry media: glass beadmaking, PMC, polymer, wire wrap, embroidery, Ndebele, metalsmith, fusing, woven sterling, design and marketing. Public access studio and gallery. Professional instructors: Amy Kruger, Patty Uttaro, Stephanie Donaldson, Maura Wilson, Tory Rothenburgh, Disa Baylis, Sandy Gianniny, Mary Elter, Lisa Johnson, Marilynne Lipshutz.

Studio Jewelers, Ltd. 32 East 31 Street New York, NY 10016 Ph: (212) 686-1944; fax (212) 689-7923 Email: [email protected] Website: www.studiojewelersltd.com

Bead Fest 2006, A Lapidary Journal & Step by Step Beads Special Event Fort Washington Expo Center Fort Washington, PA Ph: (610) 232-5700 Website: www.beadfest.com 100+ classes to choose from by experts from around the country, half-days and full-days, Classes October 5-8, and show October 6-8, 2006. Learn to make your own lampwork and metal clay beads, create beautiful beaded jewelry, seed beadwork and wirework. Bead Fest also includes a vendor area with more than 300 booths. Look for full description plus registration on our website!

NORTH CAROLINA

Jewelry Arts Expo and Mineral Market, A Lapidary Journal & Step by Step Beads Special Event

Charlotte Lapidary Arts and Jewelry Design 3019 Kilborne Drive Charlotte, NC 28205 Ph: (800) 355-7099 Fax (704) 537-8890 Email: [email protected] Beading, pearl stringing, metalsmithing, casting, cabochons, faceting, wax carving: equipment and supplies. Since 1985. For class schedule please call (800) 355-7099.

Earthspeak Arts PO Box 1228 Leicester, NC, 28748 Ph: (828) 683-0967 Email: [email protected] Website: www.earthspeakarts.com Earthspeak Arts is located in downtown Asheville, NC. We offer classes in beginning and intermediate Silversmithing, casting, advanced techniques, and work space. Coming workshops; Fold Forming, Chasing and Repousse, Tool Making, Anticlastic Raising, Gravers, and Texturing. Visit our website for the class schedule and descriptions or call for a brochure.

OHIO TAP STUDIOS Art Jewelry Workshop 1667 East 40th Street #3B Cleveland, Ohio 44103 Ph: (216) 773-8277 Email: [email protected] TAP STUDIOS offers professional classes in jewelry making, metalsmithing, stone setting and wax carving. Classes limited to 3-5 students per class for a high attention and individualized teaching atmosphere. Students are encouraged and able to work on their own design ideas. Instruction in small motor skills which improve tool use.

PENNSYLVANIA Abington Art Center

Bead Mercantile and Gallery 716 University Ave and 34 Elton St. Rochester, NY 14607

515 Meetinghouse Road Jenkintown, PA 19046 Ph: (215) 887-4882; Fax 215-887-1402


Our beautifully equipped studio is the perfect place to begin (or continue) your journey in jewelry making. Abington Art Center hosts weekly classes and special workshops in jewelry making, metalsmithing, glass bead making, PMC, bead stringing & wire wrapping, and more! These small classes are taught by professional teaching artists. Join Us!

Studio Jewelers, a NYS licensed Trade School offering day, evening and Saturday classes, full and part time. Basic jewelry making, repair, diamond setting, wax modeling/casting, pearl & bead stringing and design. Financial aid offered to those qualified, VA approved. Studio Jewelers is winner of the “School of Distinction 2005” award by ACCSCT Accrediting Commission.

Studio 34 Jewelry Arts Learning Center


Email: [email protected] Website: www.abingtonartcenter.org

Fort Washington Expo Center 1100 Virginia Drive Fort Washington, PA 19034 Ph: (610) 232-5700 Website: www.jewelryartsexpo.com APRIL 21-22-23, 2006! Make your own jewelry in classes taught by experts from around the country. Learn metalwork, wirework, metal clay, stringing, design, and marketing — and shop for tools and supplies as well as finished jewelry in the vendor area. For up-to-the-minute information and registration, please visit our website.

TEXAS Wired Designs The Shops @ Artisans’ Alley 555 W. Bitters San Antonio, TX Ph: (210) 495-4495 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wireddesignsstudio.com Dichroic beads and pendants are our specialty! We are a working glass studio offering one-day workshops in glass fusing/slumping, Precious Metal Clay, mosaics, lampworking/beadmaking, metalsmithing, soldering/setting, and jewelry design & construction. You don’t need experience, just a desire to have fun! Call or visit our website for complete workshop schedule!

VIRGINIA Beaded Babes Designs “We Make Adornment Personally” 5517 Talon Court (mailing address only, not a shop) Fairfax, Virginia 22032 Ph.: (571) 220-8717 or (703) 772-6701; Fax: (703) 503-5964 Email: [email protected] Website: www.beadedbabesdesigns.com Adorn Yourself! Create Beautiful Beaded Jewelry and Home Décor. On-going classes in Basic and Advanced Stringing Techniques, Off-loom Bead weaving, Polymer Bead-making, PMC and Wirework. Visit our site for current class schedules.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR ALL THE 2006 BEAD FEST EVENTS

2006 • Shop for beads, supplies & jewelry!

PHILADELPHIA 2006

• Learn how to make jewelry!

EXPO: October 6-8, 2006 CLASSES: October 5-8, 2006

• Free Expo admission to Bead Fest students!

ATLANTA 2006

• For information on booth rental, call Karen Nuckols at 610-232-5724 or Email: [email protected]

EXPO & CLASSES: August 11-13, 2006

Bead Fest is a Step By Step Beads, Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Special Event.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.BEADFEST.COM ! 006AL 2 for INER ed

W M d NE EM &KET aditional

G AR dd on t M US a day 21s PL xpo April E y, da Fri

JEWELRY MAKING CLASSES AVAILABLE ALL YEAR LONG! Check www.greatvalleystudio.com for schedule and to register! M A L V E R N ,


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Step by Step Jewelry~Polymer, Ceramic, And Metal Clays - Winter 2006

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