step by step jewelry~polymer, ceramic, and metal clays - winter 2006

5/25/2018 Step by Step Jewelry~Polymer, Ceramic, and Metal Clays - Winter 2006

make an

impressionwith classic shapes

metal clay

ringdesignswith shine

rock & roll!

faux stonepolymerbeads

Enrich Silver Clay with Texture

treasure

1414favoriteprojects

polymer, ceramic & metal clayspolymer, ceramic & metal clays

Winter 2006

make your

own clasps!

create asilver lentil beadyoull

make an

impressionwith classic shapes

metal clay

ringdesignswith shine

rock & roll!

faux stonepolymerbeads

make your

own clasps!

treasure

create asilver lentil beadyoull

Bonus!

WebResource

Guides


More Projects @ StepbyStepJewelry.com 3

Seeing ThingsDifferently

Remember those kids puzzles where

you have to find whats wrong in apicture? They had something out of

place, hidden or camouflaged. Some-

times whats 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 inte-

gral to the illustration. The artist used

the lines and textures of the bird to com-plement 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 whats out of place in this col-

lection 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 doesnt need to make sense, it simply looks good. The

picture makes artistic sense either way.

The exotic letters communicate a great deal, whether you canread them or not. Their Asian influence complements the subdued

elegance of the beads shape, color, and finish. They also suggest a

secret, a hidden message we see but arent meant to know. The char-

acters disappear off the beads edge, giving us only a glimpse of the

whole story, adding not only depth and texture but a sense of mys-

tery 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 Chi-

nese characters with Japanese symbols to indicate pronunciation. In

the artists 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 ob-

jects around you with the fresh eye and creative spark that lives in

your own sense of design. Its true that nothing is new, and yet the

possibilities are always endless.

Merle White

polymer, ceramic & metal clays

Leslie Rogalski

EDITORIALEditor-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. GrahamKristen Gibson

Assistant Art Directors Karen DoughertyCheryl L. Long

Editorial Director Merle White

BUSINESS

Publisher Joseph Breck

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PRIMEDIAEnthusiast Media

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Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays is published by PRIMEDIA, Inc., 200Madison 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 withoutthe 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, whethersolicited or not, unless a signed, prior written agreement is executed. All manuscripts, photographsor other material submitted will be conclusively presumed to be for publication unless accompaniedby a written explanation otherwise. Once accepted by Publisher, materials become the sole propertyof Step by Step Jewelry: Polymer, Ceramic & Metal Clays, who has the unconditional right to editor change material. All manuscripts, photographs or other material accepted by Publisher will bepaid 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 responsiblefor any liability arising

from anyerrors, omissionsor mistakes containedin themagazineand readers shouldproceed cau-tiously, especiallywith respectto anytechnicalinformation,for whichStep by Step Jewelry: Polymer,Ceramic & Metal Claysdoesnot warrantthe accuracyand further disclaimsliabilitytherefrom.

Printed in USA


4

Beginner: Someone juststarting outcan

completethis projectand be happy withthe results.

Beginner/Intermediate:Someonewhohas hadexperience withthe materialcanhappilycompletethis project,but willalso learnsomethingnew by doingit.

Intermediate: A comfortable project forsomeone who hasa good workingknowledge of thematerial.

Intermediate/Advanced: A project forsomeone who is readyfor a more chal-lengingapproach to a materialthey haveworkedwith repeatedly.

Advanced: A good project for someonewho is confident with the material andhas had a lot of experience with thetechniques.

P R O J E C T S K I L L L E V E L S

10

3 Seeing Things DifferentlyBy Merle White, Editorial Director

6 Metal Clay Appliqu RingCreate a fine silver ring from metal clay.By Celie Fago

10 Polymer Clay Pillows3-D polymer designs.By Ulrike Schfer

16 Watch This!Create a metal clay bracelet watch.By Arlene Hildebrand

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

28 Silvered BeadsMetal and ceramic clays make a dynamic duo.By Tonya Davidson

6

Winter 20 06

contents

polymer, ceramic & metal clays

28

50


Metal clay Silver Lentil Bead

by Celie Fago, page 22.

O N T H E C O V E R

32

32 Silver Braided RingSetting a stone in a metal clay ring.By Patricia Walton

36 Bead CapsMake your own metal clay findings.By Ginger Seiple

39 Petroglyph PinsPolymer clay pictures from the past.By Gwen Gibson

42 Silver ClaspsMetal clay toggle and button clasps.By Kate McKinnon

46 Pink Granite BeadsA faux stone polymer technique.By Patricia Kimle

50 Classic Black and WhiteOne polymer cane with many looks.By Kathy Weaver

54 Reversible BraceletHollow metal clay beads.By Hattie Sanderson

56 The Complete Guide to Metal ClaysBy Suzanne Wade

61 Polymer Clay HintsBy Kathy Weaver

63 Clay Web Resources

46

5

39

www.stepbystepjewelry.com

C H E C K U S O U T O N T H E W E B :

63 Advertisers Index

64 The Next Step: Classes Near You

A D V E R T I S E R S S E C T I O N


6 Step by Step Jewelry: Clays Winter 2006

STeP bySTeP

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 free-

hand 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 youre 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 sur-

face. 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 312" x 134". Wrap the pa-

per 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, its necessary to add a millimeterof thickness to the ring form. To do this, cut two or three strips of paper and

1 package PMC+

1 or more pieces of PMC Sheet

PMC+ Slip or Paste

Olive oil

Original Saran Wrap (I recom-

mend using this brand because

it doesnt 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 34" x 34", avail-

able from jewelry supply stores)

Liver-of-sulfur (or alternative

antiquing agent)

Kiln that will reliably hold 1650Ffor 10 minutes

What you need

Skill level

PhotooffinishedpiececourtesyofRockportPublishers;illu

strationsbyLorraineDey

Metal ClayAppliqu Ring

Create a fine silver ring from metal clay.

BY CELIE FAGO

1



Forming the ring.

Wrap a small scrap of paper around your ring

form to measure the circumference then lay thepaper flat on your work surface to use as a length

guide. Lightly oil the work surface, place 12 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 14" (6mm) longer than

the paper guide. (The featured ring was rolled out

to the height of 3 cards and cut to a width of 58"

[16mm]). Using the tissue blade, cut one end ofthe 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.

The clay needs to dry to a leather-hard state be-

fore 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. Moni-

tor 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

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) in-

stead of paper.

An alternative method for sizing rings made with PMC

and PMC+ is featured in Tim McCreights book, Working

with PMC.

3

RING SIZING CHART

Ring Size Metal PMC+ PMC

2 44.6 mm 50.7 mm 61.9 mm

2.5 45.8 52.0 63.6

3 47.1 53.5 65.4

3.5 48.4 55.0 67.2

4 49.6 56.4 68.8

4.5 50.9 57.8 70.7

5 52.1 59.2 72.4

5.5 53.4 60.7 74.2

6 54.6 62.0 75.8

6.5 55.9 63.5 77.6

7 57.1 64.8 79.37.5 58.4 66.4 81.1

8 59.7 67.8 82.9

8.5 60.9 69.2 84.6

9 62.2 70.7 86.4

9.5 63.4 72.0 88.0

10 64.7 73.5 89.9

10.5 65.9 74.8 91.5

11 67.2 76.4 93.3

11.5 68.5 77.8 95.1

12 69.7 79.2 96.8

12.5 71.0 80.7 98.6

13 72.2 82.0 100.3

2



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. Sandboth 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.

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.

Decorating the ring.

To decorate rings, I use cutouts from the PMC Sheet.

You can do this in many different ways. You can use paperpunches in the shape of spirals, hearts, or any of the other

shapes available. You can cut shapes from the sheet free-

hand 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.

Firing the ring.

Fire the ring upright on a kiln shelf that has been sprin-

kled with alumina hydrate. The alumina will reduce friction

as the ring shrinks and ensure that it doesnt 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 1650F.

Finishing the ring.

Using the brass brush and a few drops of dish detergent,scrub your ring under running water until it is gleaming sil-

ver. If you want to patina your ring, dissolve a small piece of

liver-of-sulfur gravel in hot water to get a lemon-colored solu-

tion. Dip your ring, then rinse; repeat until youve 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 rolled-

up 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 rings 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

STeP bySTeP

4

5

6

7


dry and reinforce any

gaps as necessary

with thick slip. Fire

and finish as de-

scribed in Step 7.

The cut-out

shapes on the bot-

tom ring in the pho-

to above were

placed over a

leather-hard textured

ring. Once fired, the

cutouts fused to and took on the shape of the rings 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 bub-

bles (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 togeth-

er will fit in conventional paper punches.

This project has been adapted from Polymer Clay Explo-rations, by Georgia Sargeant and Celie Fago with LiviaMcRee, published by Rockport Publishers, 2002; reprintedwith permission from Rockport Publishers, Inc.

Celie Fagois a Vermont-based jewelry artist whoworks in metal clay, metal, and polymerclay. She is one of eight Senior Instructorswith the Rio Rewards Certification Pro-gram. In addition to her numerous articlespublished on PMC and polymer, she alsoworked with Tim McCreight on the video

Push Play for PMC: Intermediate Techniques. Celies latestbook is Keum-Boo on Silver. For more on Celie and her work,visit her Web site, www.celiefago.com.



4 blocks of polymer clay,

2 oz. each, your choice

of colors. I recommend

using FIMO for this pro-

ject because it retains

crisp lines when creating

canes. When selecting

your colors, make surethey are high in contrast.

The canes will be re-

duced to a very small di-

mension; you want to

make sure the patterns

are still clearly visible

when reduced.

Tissue blade

Brayer/roller

Latex gloves

Pasta machine (optional)

What you need

Skill level

PhotooffinishedpiecesbyFrankDeSantis.

For me, the true joy, the true challenge of working with polymer clayis to create very fine and intricate designs using the millefiori technique.

When I took my first class at the Princeton YWCA with Liz Mitchell in1994, I originally set out to create only non-jewelry items, such as pictureframes and eggs. My complex millefiori pattern worked well for theseprojects. But how can you work with polymer clay without creating jew-elry? I was looking for something that would show my intricate designs

better than beads, yet still have a soft, three-dimensional look unlikeplain flat slices. So I decided to make what I call pillows.

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 its 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 12 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 ma-

chine on the widest set-

ting. 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 open-

ing, folded side first, again. Repeat 1520 times.

After conditioning your clay, roll it out evenly into flat sheets to the thick-

est setting on your pasta machine or 3mm.

1

3-D polymer designs.

BY ULRIKE SCHFERpillowspolymerclay


STeP bySTeP


The pattern for my pillows consists of 4 individual

canes, approximately 5cm long x 2.5cm in diameter.

Jellyroll.

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.

Bulls-eye.

Cane #2 is a simple bulls-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.

Diagonal cross.

Cane #3 has no name, so lets 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

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 evenlengths, flip alternating lengths, and reassemble. Cut again

into slices that are as thick as the stripes themselves. Re-

assemble the slices, alternating the colors forming the

checkerboard pattern.

FLIP

2

3

4

5


STeP bySTeP


Once you have your 4 individual patterned canes, its time

to start reducing. Apply gentle and even pressure on the

canes (and square out the two round patterns jellyroll andbulls-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.

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.

You now have a big square cane, which is ready for anoth-

er reduction. Again, using a roller and pulling, apply pres-

sure 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.

Youre ready to cut a slice, bake it, and glue a pin

back to it. Or, you can make a pillow!

Making a pillow.

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.

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 togeth-

er, making sure there is no lip. The seams should be

smoothand, ideally, thepattern shouldmatch,too.

6

7

8

9

10



Shape the pillow according to your preference and pierce

it according to its future use.

I use my pillows as individual pendants, or in combinationwith twists and precious metal beads for a full

necklace.

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

Ulrike Schfer,

a native of Germany, was first introduced to poly-mer clay in 1993. A year later, she began workingwith clay on a regular basis, employing and fine-tuning 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.

11


STeP bySTeP


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. Thesize 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.

Watch face with center hole for

stringing, 114" long

40g Art Clay

34g Art Clay syringe type

34g Art Clay paste type

24 faceted stones (3mm)

57 jump rings (3.5mm) or 12"

of chain

5" 21-gauge sterling silver wire

48 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 (38" diameter)

Stepped metal bracelet mandrel

or other curved surface

Small needle files, sandpaper

(600 grit), other sanding sur-

faces

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

What you need

Skill level

Photoof

finishedpiececourtesyofFrankDeSantis;allotherphotoscourtesyoftheauthor.


STeP bySTeP



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 favoritebead 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 712" bracelet, you will need one template that

measures 214" by 78". 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 78", this is the ring side of the tog-

gle clasp. I've chosen to curve the end for design and com-

fort reasons. The second template is a spacer for the bar

side of the clasp and should be cut to1

2" x7

8".

To create a 7" bracelet, decrease the watchband templateby 18" on each side. Also reduce the ring side of the clasp

template by 18". To create an 8" bracelet, increase the

watchband template by 18" on each side. Also increase the

ring side of the clasp template by 18". 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 pro-

vides 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.

Knead 15 grams of Art Clay Silver to soften it. Using the

acrylic roller and 1mm thickness guides, roll it into a rec-

tangle shape a little larger than the template for the watch-

bands. 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.

Place a texture plate on top of the clay. Leaving the thick-

ness guides in place, roll over the plate creating texture on

the watchband. If you prefer, rubber stamps, but-

tons, or other items may be used to create the de-

sired texture in the clay.

Using the blunt

end of a paint-

brush 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.

On one end ofthe 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. Dont overdo the holes at this point. They can

be smoothed and enlarged later with a small file if

needed. The holes should be placed 14" from the long

side of the band and 18" from the short side of the

band.

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 leather-

hard state.

1

2

3

4

5



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 sheetfrom the wet clay band. Center the watchband on

the curved side of the bracelet mandrel or other

curved surface and set aside.

Repeat Steps 18 to make the other half of the

bracelet. When both bands are on the mandrel,

place them on whatever drying surface you are us-

ing. 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.

Once theyre dry and leather-hard, sand the watch-

bands and clean up any rough surfaces. Use a

round needle file to clean and further ream holes

made for jump rings and stones.

Setting the stones.

With a round needle file, make sure the holes cre-

ated for the stones are large enough that the bot-

tom facet fits in the hole.

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.

With tweezers, pick up

each stone and place

the pointed facet into thecenter of each bezel. Us-

ing 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.

Watchband tabs.

Knead 2 grams of clay and using 1mm thickness guides

roll out a strip that is1

8" wide and about 1" long.

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 thick-

nesses 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 14" tail from the bottom of the

pasta roll and repeat the process to make all four. Place

tabs on the drying surface and when theyre leather-hard,

sand and smooth as needed.

Using a small paint-

brush, take a generous

amount of paste and ap-

ply 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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6

7

8

12

13

14

9

10

11



With the syringe, go

around the outside of

the tabs. Use a paint-brush to help push the sy-

ringed 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.

You will be making the ring side of the toggle clasp first

with the 1" by 78" template. Using the acrylic roller and

1mm thickness guides, roll out 10 grams of clay into a rec-tangle 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 men-

tioned, I rounded one end of this piece.

Create the same tex-

ture on the clasp as in

step 2 on the watchbands.

Using your 38" diame-

ter circle template, cut

a hole in the clasp to cre-ate the ring. Place the

hole at the rounded end

of the clasp, centered on

the curve with the closest

end of the hole about 14"

from the edge.

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.

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 con-

nector 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 the12" by 78" template.

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

piece of clay and trim to the size of the clasp tem-

plate using an X-Acto knife or tissue blade.

Create the same texture on the connector as in

Step 2 on the watchbands.

Create holes on the connector piece using the

same method used on the watchbands in Step 4.

The holes will be made on the 78" side. Create two

holes on one end matching the placement of those

on the watchbands. Create one hole on the other 78"

side. This hole should be centered between the 1"

sides and 18" from the end of the 78" side. Set

aside on your drying surface.

When the piece is dry and leather-hard, sand andsmooth as needed. Clean out holes with a round

needle file if necessary.

To make the bar, I use my snake rolling tool al-

though you can use your hands. This is a tool that I

made myself. I use a 3" x 4" x 18" piece of acrylic.

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 need-

ed 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.

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24



Roll out a snake that is 1mm thick and 58" long

and set aside on your drying surface.

Use 14 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.

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.

Using a small paintbrush, take a generousamount 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.

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

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

the kiln.

Take the pieces out of the kiln and allow them to

cool.

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.

Polish the pieces with a silver polish. I use Wenol for the

shine and protection it provides to the silver.

Putting it all together.

Start with the right side of one of the watchbands facing

you. Using 212" of sterling silver wire, insert the wire

through one of the tab holes on the watchband.

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

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26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35



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

same manner.

Repeat Steps 17 above to connect the other watchband tothe other side of the watch face.

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

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 USAand a fused glass artist. She teaches throughoutthe San Francisco Bay area. Arlene can be contact-ed by e-mail at [email protected].

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37



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 dry-

ing the bead halves)

A cup or bowl with foam rubber, bub-

ble wrap, or paper towel accordian-

folded in it to hold the light bulbs up-

right while the clay dries

A piece of Teflon paper, available

from cooking stores a similar prod-

uct, known as Non-Stick Teflon

Pressing Sheets, are available from

fabric stores. If you cant 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 recommenda small pointed brush for applying wa-

ter and slip, and a square tipped

brush known as a bright for clean-

ing 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 orbrass brush wheel on a polishing

lathe, flex shaft, or Dremel

Kiln capable of holding 1650F for

10 minutes

Kiln shelf

Unglazed terra cotta dish like thoseused under potted plants

Vermiculite or alumina hydrate

Dust mask

Optional: Liver-of-sulfur or other pati-

nating solution

1200-grit micron graded polishing pa-

per, polishing cloth (rouge or Sun-

shine), or steel wool

Flat stick or salon board, to wrap

paper or cloth around

Baking soda

Pledge spray, butchers wax, or clearspray fixative

Pacific cloth

What you need

Skill level

PhotooffinishedpiecesbyRobertDiamante;allotherphotoscourtesyoftheauthor.

Lentil-shaped beads made with metal clay.

BY CELIE FAGO

Precious Metal Clay Plus (PMC+) enables you to make large, light-

weight hollow forms that dont require interior support during firing;

just some creative planning in the fresh clay stage. The lentil beads pic-

tured 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. Ive successfully made lentil beads, without fir-

ing cores, with circles ranging in size from 1" to 238".

Light bulbs come in many shapes and sizes and are ideal for drying

symmetrical curves. If you are making several small lentils you can clus-

ter 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 158" diameter lentil bead after firing. During fir-

ing, 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 whenits 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.

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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 to-

gether keeps them from sliding around). If youve

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 12 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.

If youve 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 tex-

tures, like screen, roll the oiled texture onto the

clay. For rigid textures, like a rubber stamp, its eas-

ier to roll the clay onto the texture. Remove the tex-

turing material and place the lightly oiled circle tem-plate on top of the textured clay.

Cutting out the circles.

Hold the template firmly in place and, keeping

your pin tool perpendicularto your work surface,

cut around the circumference of the circle in one

smooth motion.

Use a straw or tube to make a 6mm hole, ap-

proximately 10mm from the top. If you dont have

either tool, make a small hole with your pin tool andenlarge it later with your needle file. See alterna-

tives at the end of the project for other hole place-

ments and alternative methods.

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.

1

2

3

4

5

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Using your fingers and gentle pressure, so as not to dis-

tort the texture, smooth out the folds in the circle so the

clay accommodates the curve of the bulb. Press any air bub-

bles outward to the edge of the circle. Once dry, the clay will

detach easily from the glass.

Repeat to make a 2nd textured circle, but without a hole,

and dry it on the second bulb.

Note: Although PMC+ is stronger than Standard PMC

after firing, while its leather hard its extremely fragileand

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 be-

cause once youve glued them with slip, readjustment is

difficult.

Mix up thick, lumpless slip by adding small amounts of

water to your clay and mixing until its the consistency of

frosting, or use prepackaged PMC+

paste. If youre usingprepackaged slip, its 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.

6

7

8

9

10



You can smooth the edge of the bead with 1000-grit

sandpaper, once the bead is dry.

Now its time to make the hole in the other half of the

bead. Using a flex-shaft or a drill press, drill gently, goingstraight through the existing hole, making a new hole on

the other side. If you dont have a flex shaft, see Alterna-

tives 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 ad-

justments with the needle file until it hangs straight.

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 38" (approximately 10 mm)

brass circle cutter, but you can also use your circle tem-plate. 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 1650F. After the cycle is finished, turn off the kiln and

crack the door open. When the red glow has subsided (5-

10 minutes), carefully remove the bead from the kiln with

tongs, and air cool or quench in water.

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.

11

12

13

14

15

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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) to12 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.

Polish off high points in the design with 1200-grit polish-

ing 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 fix-ative 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 1011.

Once youve put the 2 halves together, enlarge the holes

with a needle file.

To finish your bead follow Steps 1417.

What to do if you dont 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 claywhile its fresh with a brass tube or straw, but its

easier to make 2 holes that match perfectly by wait-

ing and drilling them together.

Celie Fagois a Vermont-based jewelry artist whoworks in metal clay, metal, and polymerclay. She is one of eight Senior Instructorswith the Rio Rewards Certification Pro-gram. In addition to her numerous arti-cles published on PMC and polymer,

she also worked with Tim McCreight onthe video Push Play for PMC: Intermedi-ate Techniques. Celies latest book is Keum-Boo on Silver.For more on Celie and her work, visit her Web site,www.celiefago.com.

16

17


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

8001000-grit

sandpaper

Water

Kiln or torch

Stilts and nichrome wire

for firing glazed beads

What you need

Skill level

Photo

offinishedpiecebyFrankDeSantis;allotherphotoscourtesyoftheauthor.

Working on several beads at one time, assembly line style, is the most ef-

ficient 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.

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 holewhen the clay shrinks during firing. You dont 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.

1

PMC is an incredible and revolutionary product. Unfortunately, a solid

PMCbead 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 arma-

ture that would allow me to make a custom silver bead that would have a

good markup. It would needto 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,Im sure youllenjoy making these beads.

Metal and ceramic clays make a dynamic duo.

BY TONYA DAVIDSON



The silver around the hole should be dry before inserting

the bead onto a chenille stem. Make sure to use a che-

nille 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 youre 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. Its 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.

Sand the dried, paste-covered beads with 8001000-grit

sandpaper. Use care not to file more than 1 layer of

PMC3

off. If youre going to do heavy sanding, apply 6coats 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.

Working with the sheet in a single layer works very well and

yields a nice look but you can laminate multiple sheets to-

gether to get a more 3-D look from your punch outs. Tolaminate 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 Ive cut out my shapes, I prefer to prefire them

(see Step 5) before applying to the bead. This isnt com-

pletely necessary; however, theyre 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. Im able towork very closely to the areas that are already cut out,

keeping the shape Im working on very close to the

edge. If you work from the top of the punch, you really

cant see the sheet underneath very well.

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 youve made asmany cutouts from it as possible, by cutting it in a pleasing

way and using the negative space as a design element.

TIPS FOR USING

THE PMC SHEET

2

3



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 andpunch out a shape from the PMC Sheet.

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 or-

ange glow stage. Be careful not to get too close, as

the sheets are so thin that theyll melt down very easi-

ly. Or for efficiency, fire a whole load of them in the

kiln. PMC Sheet is fired at 1650F for 10 minutes.

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 fin-

ger. This is a quick press and release movement. Ex-

cess 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.

If your design calls for other embellishments, you

can apply stones and casting grains to the bead using

the PMC3 syringe.

Let the bead dry and then fire to 1650F for 10

minutes. Allow the beads to cool down to 300F

and then crack the kiln an inch to cool more quickly

to room temperature.

Once the beads have cooled, they need to be fin-

ished. 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 theyre 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.

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 1823F

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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5

6

7

8

9

10

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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

1650F it becomes liquid and will stick to any surface ittouches except nichrome wire. Stilting is the process of rais-

ing 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 1650F 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 be-

hind. 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 ap-

plied either on the bare bisque or glazed bead. Just remem-

bertorch firing is not as good as kiln firing. I recommend

concentrating your torch fire on the bead for at least 510

minutes. You can also torch fire preglazed beads with

PMC3 applications. The glaze doesnt start to move at

that temperature, and they dont need to be stilted while

torch firing.

Your beads are now complete and ready to be incorporat-

ed into your next bead creation.

Tonya Davidsonis 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 Tonyas 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].

11




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

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 ad-

justable plastic strip

sizer

Ring mandrel

Teflon sheet, 1"x 3"

Small, hand-held bu-tane torch

Butane fuel

Firing brick

Small half round file

Tweezers

Stainless steel wire

brush

Burnisher

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 dont have teeth)

Wenol metal polish

and soft polish cloth

Small amount of oliveoil for lubricant

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Skill level

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 ex-truded 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,

four-prong setting allows you to set a faceted stone in

minutes. And if you think you need a kiln to create

this ring, think again! A small, hand-held butane torch

transforms the dry Art Clay ring into 99.9% fine silver

in minutes. The entire project, start to finish, can be

completed in 2 to 3 hours.

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 112 sizes bigger. (For example, if your

finger measures a size 6, make the ring a size 712.) 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 112" wide and

tape it closed so it can slip inside the appropriate larger

ring sizer. Next, slide the Teflon strip onto the ring man-

drel and tape it directly onto the mandrel. The appropri-

ate-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.PhotooffinishedringbyDonnaChiarelli;allotherphotoscourte

syoftheauthor.

1

What you need



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.

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

Clay. Divide the clay in half and store one half in a small, air-

tight container for later use.

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.

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 left-

over clay and clean the syringe.

You will need 5 extruded ropes, 3 for braiding and 2 to at-

tach to the edges of the ring. I advise extruding only the 3

for braiding at this point. Press the plunger slowly and ex-

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

the length of each rope. Return the syringe to the

container of water.

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 18" of the braid. Add

paste to keep the ends together if needed.

Dampen the braid and transfer it to the ring man-

drel, positioning it over the pencil marks on the

Teflon sheet. Let the ends overlap, and using a

craft knife, remove the excess. Line up the ends and

join using the paste applied with a brush.

2

3

4

5

6



Place the excess clay in the airtight container for lat-

er use.

Using tweezers, place the fine silver, 5mm setting

over the joint area. The setting should be pressed

into the wet clay up to the second wire. Add paste,

if needed, to fill the area up to the second wire, se-

curing 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.

When dry, extrude 2 more ropes using the remain-

ing Slow Dry in the syringe. Attach one rope toeach 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.

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-

pletely before refining.

Refine the ring by filing with small files or sanding using

600- and 1200-grit dry sandpaper. All seams and jointsshould 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 dont 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.

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 flamma-ble 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 mov-

ing in a circle around the ring. The ring will begin to smoke

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 afterthe 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.

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 topog-

STeP bySTeP

7

8

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11



raphy of the surface is one in which the micro particles of sil-

ver are randomly positioned producing the white appearance.

When finished via wire brushing, tumbling, burnishing, or pol-ishing, 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

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 metal-smithing finishing techniques including tumble finishing.

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.

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 us-

ing 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

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 thatthe 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 yearsago, Patricia Walton spent the last three decades as a tradi-tional metalsmith, jewelry artist, and instructor. She is anArt Clay Master Instructor. Patricia calls Utah home butspends about two weeks each month traveling, demon-strating, and teaching as Western Education Director forArt Clay World, USA. She can be contacted by e-mail [email protected]. Check out the Art Clay Web siteat www.artclayworld.com for classes as well as productinformation.

12

13

START WORKING ON THE PROJECTS YOUWANT TO MAKE!START WORKING ON THE PROJECTS YOUWANT TO MAKE!

PROJECT PLANSPROJECT PLANS

Jewelry.comJewelry.com

From the Editors of Lapidary Journal

Choose the projects that interest you, purchase on-line and

well e-mail the project directly to your computer.

No waiting! Start today!

Carving Alabaster Ster ling Silver

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These are samples of some of the projects YOUcan make:

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Browse through all of our jewelry project plans today!

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From the Editors of

300 Chesterfield Parkway, Suite 100, Malvern PA 19355


Photo

offinishedjewelrybyDonnaChiarelli,allotherphoto

scourtesyoftheauthor.

What you need

Bead CapsMake your own metal clay findings.BY GINGER SEIPLE

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 work-

space. Also plan your texturing design and gather

all texturing tools/items.

Prepare Styrofoam balls for bead cap forms

by first piercing them with the awl or sharp-point-

ed 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.

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

STeP bySTeP

1


Skill level


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 de-

creases 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 34" 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.

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 pos-

sible.) Using the large drinking straw, cut out 8 circles, blow-

ing 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 some-

times hard to

blow out without

mistakes, quickly re-

ball them to a round

shape. Rewrap any ex-

cess PMC.

Gently make a dimple

into each of the small

circles with a ball-endedclay 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 larg-

er 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

step by step jewelry~polymer, ceramic, and metal clays - winter 2006

Documents

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ceramic metal clayspolymer

ceramic metal clayswinter

metal clays winter

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