Poświęcony Teresa Donohoe, która uczyła pierwszy"Prawdziwy" klasy biżuteria kiedykolwiek odbyła się w Winter Park dorosłychZawodowe Center w Winter Park na Florydzie.
© 2008 Course Technology ,część Cengage Learning .WSZELKIE PRAWA ZASTRZEŻONE . Żadna część tej pracy objętejcopyright tu nie może być powielana , przesyłana,przechowywane lub wykorzystywane w jakiejkolwiek formie lub w dowolnej grafiki do średnich ,elektroniczne lub mechaniczne, w tym, lecz nie ograniczając się dofotokopii, nagrywanie, skanowanie , digitalizacja , taśmy , WWWdystrybucji , sieci informacyjne lub przechowywania informacjii systemy odzyskiwania , z wyjątkiem dopuszczonych w pkt107 lub 108 z United States Copyright Act z 1976 r. , bezuprzedniej pisemnej zgody wydawcy .Library of Congress numeru kontrolnego : 2008902385ISBN - 13 : 978-1-59863-506-5ISBN - 10 : 1-59863-506-9Technologia golfowe25 Thomson PlaceBoston, MA 02210USACengage Learning jestwiodącym dostawcą dostosowaneuczenia się rozwiązania z lokalizacji biurowych na całym świecie ,w tym Singapurze , Wielkiej Brytanii , Australii,Meksyk , Brazylia i Japonia . Zlokalizować lokalnego biura w :international.cengage.com / regionProdukty Cengage Learning są reprezentowane w KanadzieNelson Edukacja , Ltd.Dla rozwiązań kształcenia ustawicznego , odwiedź courseptr.comOdwiedź naszą stronę korporacyjną w cengage.comWyobraź sobie TworzenieMetal Clay JewelryTammy PowleyWydawca i Dyrektor Generalny,Course Technology PTR : Stacy L. HiquetZastępca Dyrektora ds. Marketingu : Sarah PanellaKierownik Redakcja Usługi: Heather TalbotMarketing Manager : Jordan CaseyNabycie Redaktor : Megan BelangerEdytor projektu: Jenny DavidsonRecenzent techniczny : Robin FaulknerPTR redakcyjne Usługi Koordynator : Erin JohnsonUkład wnętrza: Shawn MorningstarCover Designer : Mike TanamachiDVD-ROM Producent: Brandon PenticuffIndeksowania : Sherry MasseyKorektor : Tonya CuppDo informacji o produkcie i pomocy technologicznej ,skontaktuj się z namiKlient Cengage Learning i Wsparcia Sprzedaży ,1-800-354-9706Za pozwolenie na wykorzystanie materiału z tego tekstu lubProdukt , złożyć on-line na wszystkie wnioskicengage.com / uprawnieniaDodatkowe uprawnienia pytania można przesyłać pocztą elektroniczną dopermissionrequest@cengage.comWydrukowano w Stanach Zjednoczonych Ameryki1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09 08eISBN - 10: 1 -691 - 59863 -XCofnij zmianyCzy to tłumaczenie jest lepsze od maszynowego?Tak, prześlij tłumaczenieDziękujemy za przesłanie tłumaczenia.Please help Google Translate improve quality for your language here.Tłumacz Google dla Firm:Narzędzia dla tłumaczyTłumacz witrynNarzędzie analizy rynków {window.jstiming.load.tick('rsw');window.jstiming.load.tick('rsl');window.jstiming.load.tick('rtl');function _njClk(e){document.body.className+=' nj';var i=new Image();i.src='/gen204?njclk=1';i.onload=function(){i.onload=null;};}var slgms=document.getElementById('gt-sl-gms');var tlgms= document.getElementById('gt-tl-gms');slgms.onclick=tlgms.onclock=_njClk;}Aby przetłumaczyć dokument lub stronę internetową, przeciągnij i upuść plik lub link tutaj.Aby przetłumaczyć stronę internetową, przeciągnij i upuść link tutaj.Tego typu plików nie obsługujemy. Spróbuj przeciągnąć i upuścić plik innego typu.Tego typu linków nie obsługujemy. Spróbuj przeciągnąć i upuścić link innego typu.Wyłącz tłumaczenie na bieżącoTłumacz Google – informacjeNa komórkęPrywatnośćPomocPrześlij opinię MSG_GOOGLE_TRANSLATE='Tłumacz Google';common_translation_tooltip='Popularne tłumaczenie';detect_language='Wykryj język';n_more_label='+ %1$s więcej';rare_translation_tooltip='Rzadkie tłumaczenie';source_language_detected='Wykryty język: %1$s';uncommon_translation_tooltip='Tłumaczenie niestandardowe';url_hyperlink_tooltip='Wyświetl przetłumaczoną stronę';MSG_PUBLIC_EVAL_PATH='';MSG_PUBLIC_EVAL_PATH='/question';REORDERING=1;EXPERIMENT_IDS = ['17259','1500118'];FILE_TRANSLATION_PATH='http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_f';PUBLIC_EVAL_LANGUAGE_PAIRS={};PUBLIC_EVAL_LANGUAGE_PAIRS={"ceb/en":true,"cs/en":true,"de/en":true,"en/ceb":true,"en/cs":true,"en/de":true,"en/es":true,"en/fr":true,"en/ha":true,"en/ig":true,"en/kk":true,"en/km":true,"en/ky":true,"en/mi":true,"en/mn":true,"en/ne":true,"en/pa":true,"en/so":true,"en/tg":true,"en/yi":true,"en/yo":true,"en/zu":true,"es/en":true,"fr/en":true,"ha/en":true,"ig/en":true,"kk/en":true,"km/en":true,"ky/en":true,"mi/en":true,"mn/en":true,"ne/en":true,"pa/en":true,"so/en":true,"tg/en":true,"yo/en":true,"zu/en":true}
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© 2008 Course Technology , czesc Cengage Learning . Wszelkie prawa zastrzeżone . Zadna czesc Tej Pracy objętejcopyright tu NIE moze byc powielana , przesyłana , przechowywane Lub wykorzystywane wag jakiejkolwiek formie Lub w dowolnej Grafiki zrobić średnich , Elektroniczne LuB Mechanicznych , W TYM , lecz nie nie ograniczając sie dofotokopii , nagrywanie , skanowanie , digitalizacja , Taśmy , WWWdystrybucji , Sieci Informacyjne LuB przechowywania informacjii Systemy odzyskiwania , z wyjątkiem dopuszczonych w pkt107 interfejsie lub 108 z United States Copyright Act oo 1976 r. . , Bezuprzedniej pisemnej Zgody Wydawcy Biblioteka Kongresu numeru kontrolnego : . 2008902385ISBN - 13 : 978 - 1 - 59863 - 506 - 5ISBN - 10 : 1 - 59863 - 506 - 9Technologia golfowe25 Thomson PlaceBoston , MA 02210USACengage Learning jestwiodącym dostawcą dostosowaneuczenia SIE Rozwiązania z Lokalizacji Biurowych na całym Świecie , W TYM Singapurze , Wielkiej Brytanii , Australii , Meksyk , Brazylia ppkt i japonia . Zlokalizować lokalnego Biurach w : international.cengage.com / regionProdukty SA Cengage Learning reprezentowane wag KanadzieNelson Edukacja , Ltd.Dla Rozwiązań Kształcenia Ustawicznego , odwiedź courseptr.comOdwiedź Nasza Stronę korporacyjną w cengage.comWyobraź SOBIE TworzenieMetal Clay JewelryTammy PowleyWydawca i Dyrektora Izby Skarbowej Generalny , Course Technology PTR : Stacy L. HiquetZastępca Dyrektora ds . Marketingu : Sarah PanellaKierownik Redakcja Usługi : Heather TalbotMarketing Kierownik : Jordania CaseyNabycie Redaktor : Megan BelangerEdytor projektu : Jenny DavidsonRecenzent Techniczny : Robin FaulknerPTR redakcyjne Usługi Koordynator : Erin JohnsonUkład Wnętrza : Shawn MorningstarCover Projektant: Mike TanamachiDVD - ROM Producent : Brandon PenticuffIndeksowania : Sherry MasseyKorektor : Tonya CuppDo Informacji o produkcie i Pomocy technologicznej , skontaktuj sie z namiKlient Cengage Learning i Wsparcia Sprzedaży ,1 - 800 - 354 - 9706Za pozwolenie na wykorzystanie materiálu oo Tego tekstu lubProdukt , złożyć on-line na WSZYSTKIE wnioskicengage.com / uprawnieniaDodatkowe uprawnienia pytania mozna przesyłać poczta Elektroniczna w Stanach Zjednoczonych dopermissionrequest@cengage.comWydrukowano Ameryki1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09 08eISBN - 10 : 1 -691 - 59863 - XCofnij zmianyCzy do tlumaczenie JEST lepsze OD maszynowego tak , prześlij tłumaczenieDziękujemy ZA przesłanie tłumaczenia.Please pomocy Google Translate ? poprawy jakości dla języka here.Tłumacz Firm dla Google : narzedzia dla tłumaczyTłumacz witrynNarzędzie Analizy Rynków _njClk ( e ) { document.body.className + = ' nj '; var i = nowe zdjęcia ( ) ; i.src = ' / gen204 njclk = 1 '; i.onload = function ( ) { i.onload = null ; } ;} slgms var = document.getElementById ( ' gt -SL- gramów " ) ; tlgms var = document.getElementById (" GT - tl- gramów ") ; slgms.onclick = tlgms.onclock = _njClk ; } ABY przetłumaczyć Dokument LuB Stronę internetowa , przeciągnij i upuść Firma PLIK LuB Link tutaj.Aby przetłumaczyć Stronę internetowa , przeciągnij i upuść Link tutaj.Tego typu plików nie nie obsługujemy . Spróbuj przeciągnąć i upuścić Firma PLIK innego typu.Tego typu linków nie nie obsługujemy
Table of Contents
vii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv
Chapter 1 About Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Types of Art Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Types of Precious Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Note on Low-Fire Metal Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Cost of Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Metal Clay Jewelry Design Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Metal Clay for the Jewelry Hobbyist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Going Pro with Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 2 Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Must-Have Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Multi-Purpose Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Handy Dandy Metal Clay Tools and Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Starting with a Starter Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 3 Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques. . . . . 41
Important Firing Safety Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The Right Firing Method for You: Low-Tech to High-Tech . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Gas Stove Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Butane Torch Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Hot-Pot Metal Clay Firing Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Cone System Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Kiln Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Chapter 4 Setting Up Your Clay Work Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Picking the Perfect Spot to Form Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Setting Up the Tools and Equipment for Forming . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Important Safety and Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Table of Contents
vii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv
Chapter 1 About Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Types of Art Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Types of Precious Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Note on Low-Fire Metal Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Cost of Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Metal Clay Jewelry Design Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Metal Clay for the Jewelry Hobbyist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Going Pro with Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 2 Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Must-Have Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Multi-Purpose Metal Clay Tools and Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Handy Dandy Metal Clay Tools and Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Starting with a Starter Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 3 Metal Clay Firing Equipment and Techniques. . . . . 41
Important Firing Safety Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The Right Firing Method for You: Low-Tech to High-Tech . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Gas Stove Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Butane Torch Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Hot-Pot Metal Clay Firing Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Cone System Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Kiln Metal Clay Firing Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Chapter 4 Setting Up Your Clay Work Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Picking the Perfect Spot to Form Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Setting Up the Tools and Equipment for Forming . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Important Safety and Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Picking the Perfect Spot to Fire Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Setting Up the Materials and Equipment for Firing . . . . . . . . . . 68
Important Safety and Other Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Work Area Show and Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Everything and the Kitchen Sink to Boot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Have Toolbox Will Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Giving and Getting Inspiration at the Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Real Jeweler’s Bench for Real Jewelry Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
A Studio for the Teacher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
A Glass and Metal Clay Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
A Mess Can Be Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Changing Table Turns into Firing Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
From Cars to Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chapter 5 Basic Metal Clay Tips and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Using Olive Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Rolling Out Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Storing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Cutting Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Carving Dry Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Texturing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Using Stamps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Making and Using Slip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Hydrating Dry Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Appliqu・or Layering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Making Molds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Adding Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Paste and Organic Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Smoothing Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Sanding and Filing Dry Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Filing Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Burnishing Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Polishing Fired Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Polishing Cloth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Rotary Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Rock Tumblers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Magnetic Polishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
viiiSunbeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Ruffles and Old Lace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Y-You Are a Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
ID Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Ribbon Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Go Groovy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Quilted Heart Earrings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Tone on Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Guest Artists’ Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Maple Leaf Necklace by Cyndi Lavin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Sycamore Key Cluster Pendant by Amanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Stained Glass Window Pendants by Shahasp Valentine . . . . . 196
Textured End Caps by Carol A. Babineau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Chapter 8 Metal Clay Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Robin Walter-Bonnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Branch of the Family Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Heart and Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Royalty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
What Is Normal?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Alice Alper-Rein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Sea Charmbangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
When I See One Bird I Think of You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Spinning Bead Kaleidoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Pendant Clasp with Dangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Color Your World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Judy Kogut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
So Purple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Star of the Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Elaine Luther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
El Dia de los Muertos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Hershey Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Anti-War Medal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Pokey Pendant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Spoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
x
Lora Hart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Split Lentil #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Jean’s Bead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Shield Earrings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Holly Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Secret Places. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Fallen Pods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Life’s Renewal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Heather Gill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Flirty Flower Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Ring Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Hang Ten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Ornamental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Tag It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Michela Verani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Snakeskin Lentils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Beautiful Button Earrings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Donna Barao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Spiral Surprise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Dori Daus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Face of Contentment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Christine Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
A Whole Lotta Luck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Where Are You Going Little Lady? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Dear Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Donna Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Queen’s Ransom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Wristlinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Amanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Fall Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Submersion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Louise Little. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Southwest Petroglyph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Shahasp Valentine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Rococo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Celechee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
xi
Table of ContentsMelissa Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Charmed Kiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Cherry Blossom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Sarah Peacock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
The Tribeca Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Anna Necklace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hip to Be Square Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Personalized Ribbon Necklace with Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Protector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Robin Faulkner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
The Jar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Butterflies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Hollie J. Mion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Caribbean Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Pyramid Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Star Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Appendix A Metal Clay Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Sources for Metal Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Cool Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Dick Blick Art Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Metal Clay Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
PMC Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Rings and Things. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Santa Fe Jewelers Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
U. S. Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Addicted to Rubber Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Artgems Inc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Auntie’s Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Beadshop.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
The Bead Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
B’Sue Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
CGM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Dick Blick Art Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
xiiGemshow Online Jewelry Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
HHH Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Jade Kraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Jan’s Jewels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
JSBeads.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Land of Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Monsterslayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Ornamentea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Out on a Whim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Rings and Things. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Schmooze with Suze. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Shipwreck Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Soft Flex Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
South Pacific Wholesale Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Urban Maille Chainworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Wire-Sculpture.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
International Sources for Jewelry Making Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
African Trade Beads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
The Bead Company of Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
The Bead Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Beadfx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Beadgems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Beadworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Canadian Beading Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Gem Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Gems2Behold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Hobbycraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
The House of Orange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Katie’s Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Kernowcrafts Rocks and Gems Limited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Mee Ngai Wah in Sham Shui Po . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Space Trader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Other Helpful Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
xiii
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Jewelry making is one of the fastest
growing hobbies today, and metal clay is
becoming a considerable part of the jewelry
making community. Metal clay is a clay-like substance
that when fired turns into an actual piece of
hard metal. No, it’s not magic, but it does feel like
it when you first start working with this unique
substance. This book is designed to unlock some
of the secrets of this exciting jewelry medium
and turn the uninitiated jewelry maker on to the
fun and beauty of making your own metal clay
components.
Years ago, when I first started playing with what
was then a revolutionary product, metal clay was
not as user-friendly as it is now. You needed to
have a kiln, period—the end. No kiln? Then you
had no way to fire your clay. However, thanks to
technology, you no longer are tied to kiln-only
metal clay jewelry because there are a number of
low-fire metal clay alternatives available to the
home-crafter. With a simple butane torch, you can
fire small pieces of clay with lower temperatures
than their predecessors required. Metal clay technologies
continue to advance, and as a result, new
types of metal clay as well as related products
come out regularly. What is available today may
still be here tomorrow, but your choices will continue
to expand.
When I started to develop this book, I knew I wanted
to concentrate on low-fire metal clay because
I wanted anyone to be able to make the projects
in the book, even with zero jewelry making experience.
I realized that the average hobbyist might
spend $20 on a torch to get started but would not
(understandably) want to spend several hundred
dollars on a kiln. Thus, the low-fire clay is where
I began. But, then I realized that if my target audience
had no previous jewelry making skills, then
I needed to include more than just how-to information
about metal clay; I needed to provide a
comprehensive book that also included basic
jewelry techniques as well. So, that is the focus
of this book: super simple to make metal clay
component projects teamed up with basic jewelry
techniques resulting in projects that allow you to
make finished jewelry pieces that showcase your
metal clay creations.
Along with easy projects, I begin by discussing the
various types of metal clay and provide a more
specific definition than what I’ve offered in this
introduction. Tools is another area of this text,
which includes an extensive list of tools you must
have to begin as well as tools you might like to
collect if you continue pursuing this hobby.
xivThis book is really designed as a stepping stone—
just a place to begin your journey. From here, you
can go on to try all sorts of more advanced metal
clay techniques and methodologies. The world of
metal clay is relatively new when compared to
other jewelry media, so there’s no reason you can’t
“begin at the beginning” today but eventually find
yourself well versed and entrenched as a metal clay
expert in the future.
Firing information is also important, and while you
will really only need a hand-held butane torch for
this book, I also discuss other types of firing options
such as a hot-pot and kiln. Then setting up a safe
and clean work area is covered because as with
many forms of metal work, which is essentially
what you’ll be doing, safety is a factor to seriously
consider. Next, before jumping into projects, you’ll
need to understand some metal clay methods as
well as some basic jewelry techniques needed to
construct your finished jewelry. Then, following
the jewelry projects, you’ll be amazed and inspired
by the work of super-talented metal clay artists
who are showing off their skills in the book’s
gallery section. In fact, you’ll notice additional
jewelry designs from some of these same artists
sprinkled throughout other areas of the book.
Finally, you’ll need to know where and how to
get your hands on metal clay and other needed
supplies, so there’s a handy resource and vendors’
section at the back to help you locate what you
need to get started.
Introduction
xvIt’s metal. It’s clay. Both materials appear to be complete opposites
of one another, so to combine the two just seems to boggle the
mind at first. Imagine a clay substance similar to polymer clay: you can
roll it, shape it, cut it, and form it with your hands. Yet, after the firing
process, you can file it, saw it, hammer it, and solder it. Really, the concept
is more than brilliant. This is metal clay, a substance that is initially clay
but after it is fired becomes dense metal.
Two Japanese companies now manufacture metal clay and each has its
own name for these similar products. Precious Metal Clay, referred to by
the acronym PMC, is manufactured by Mitsubishi Materials; Art Clay is
manufactured by Aida Chemical Industries. Both brands come in two types
of precious metals, fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver, or 22kt gold.
Obviously, the fine silver variety tends to be more popular due to the price
difference, but many metal clay artists, once they become proficient in the
craft, eventually venture into the realm of gold metal clay, sometimes even
combining the two to create two-tone jewelry items.
So, how can this product turn from soft clay to dense metal? The reason
this is possible is that the clay is a combination of metal particles, water,
and organic binding materials. Therefore, the clay is very soft when you
first start using it. However, once it is dried and fired with a torch or kiln
(depending on the type of clay used), the water and organic materials
literally burn out of the clay, and you end up with solid metal. Because
part of the materials are no longer inside the clay (now metal) there is
some shrinkage as well, so what you start out with will become a little
smaller after firing.
1
About
Metal Clay
Along with different manufacturers
of metal clay, there are various types
and forms of the clay such as lump,
syringe, and even paper. Let’s look at some of
the metal clay products available from each
manufacturer. First, let’s look at Art Clay. As
I mentioned before, Art Clay is made by Aida
Chemical Industries, which is located in Japan.
It started producing this product for Japanese
resale in 1994. They are considered a “green”
company because they use recycled metals for
their clay. Some of these metals originally were
used in computers or photography materials.
This list is in no particular order. I just want to
give you an idea of the range of products available:
Art Clay Silver: This is the original Art Clay
product that spurred on its predecessors listed
below. The clay must be fired at a temperature
of 1598 degrees F and shrinks about 9-12%. It
can be fired using a torch or kiln, but because
very often the burn-out process may run as long
as ten minutes or more, depending on the size
of the piece, many metal clay artists prefer to
use a kiln for this type of clay. Holding a torch
for 10 minutes is not real fun.
Art Clay Silver Slow Dry: This clay requires
a burn-out temperature of 1472 degrees F and
results in approximately 8-10% shrinkage of
materials. The term “slow dry” refers to the fact
that it dries a little slower than other metal
clays, which can be helpful when you have a
very detailed piece to create. It can be fired
using either a kiln or a torch. Again, as with the
first standardized clay mentioned above, due to
anywhere from a 10- to 30-minute firing process,
many use a kiln when firing this clay. The packaging
for Art Clay Silver Slow Dry is shown in
Figure 1.1.
2
Types of Art Clay
Figure 1.1
Art Clay Silver Slow Dry.
ｩSpeedy Peacock Photograph
About Metal Clay Chapter 1
Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe: This has the same
attributes of the other 650 series, but it is available
in syringe form, meaning that you literally
get a syringe of it inside the package (shown in
Figure 1.4) and use this to apply the clay. It’s
handy for making tiny fixes as well as decorative
elements, though it does take a steady hand.
Art Clay Silver 650: Now we are getting into
Art Clay’s 650 series (packaging shown in Figure
1.2), which means it fires at a lower temperature,
as low as 1200 degree F. Of course, that’s on the
low end. So, the lower the temperature the
longer you’ll need to fire it. Ideally, you want to
fire this clay around 1436 degrees F because
then it takes less time. For a piece that is no
larger than an inch in diameter and weighs 25
grams or under, it can take anywhere from one
to five minutes to fire. Shrinkage is 8-9%.
Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry: Like the Art
Clay Silver 650, this clay is good for small items
you’d like to fire with a torch, and “slow dry”
means that it dries a little slower—four times
slower than the standard type of Art Clay Silver.
Shrinkage is 8-9%. Some of the advantages of a
clay that dries more slowly is that you can work
with it longer without having to worry about it
getting too dry. For example, if you have a piece
that is very intricate or detailed and it will take a
while for you to form the piece before it dries
and then gets fired, then you may want to opt for
the slow-dry variety of clay. The packaging for Art
Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry is shown in Figure 1.3.
3
Figure 1.2
Art Clay Silver 650.
ｩSpeedy Peacock Photograph
Figure 1.3
Art Clay Silver 650 Slow Dry.
ｩSpeedy Peacock Photograph
Figure 1.4
Art Clay Silver 650 Syringe.
ｩSpeedy Peacock Photograph
About Metal Clay Chapter 1
Next, let’s take a look at some of
the metal clay products available from
Mitsubishi Materials. As with the Art
Clay products I discussed, I say “some” because
since both companies come out with new products
regularly, this is not meant to be a definitive
product list. The product name is Precious Metal
Clay and is often referred to as its acronym,
PMC. You probably recognize the name
Mitsubishi from the car industry. Along with
automotive products and PMC, this company
manufactures electronics, construction, and
engineering products. They introduced PMC to
the United States in 1996, and they continue to
develop new metal clay products for use in jewelry
making:
PMC Standard: This is the original form of PMC
that started the whole Precious Metal Clay series.
It must be fired in a kiln and requires a longer
firing time than any of the other PMC products.
It also has larger shrinkage, about 29%, and its
firing temperature is 1650 degrees F (900
degrees C). The packaging for PMC Standard is
shown in Figure 1.8.
PMC+: This form of PMC was developed after
the standard and has less shrinkage, 12%, and
also requires lower firing temperatures, 1470
degrees F (800 degrees C). PMC+ still must be
fired in a kiln, though: anywhere from 10 to
30 minutes. Because of the lower temperature,
sterling (versus fine silver) findings are suitable
for PMC+. The packaging for PMC+ Clay is
shown in Figure 1.9.
5
Types of Precious Metal Clay
Figure 1.8
PMC Standard.
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Figure 1.9
PMC+.
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PMC+ Sheet: This is a thin sheet of clay, resembling
paper, that has no water in it, so it is flexible
and easy to bend, fold, and form. You also
don’t have to worry about the drying issues like
you do when using the clays. It is about
.01 inches thick (30 gauge). It also shrinks about
12%. The packaging for PMC+ Sheet is shown in
Figure 1.10.
PMC3: Finally, we come to PMC’s lowest firing
clay, PMC3. It fires anywhere from 1110 to
1290 degrees F (600 degrees C to 70 degrees C)
depending on the length of firing time: the
longer it’s fired the lower the temperature can
be. This clay can be fired with a hand-held
butane torch or a hot-pot, which sort of looks
like a potpourri burner and is discussed in more
detail in Chapter 3, “Firing Equipment and
Techniques.” The packaging for PMC3 Clay is
shown in Figure 1.11.
6
Figure 1.10
PMC+ Sheet.
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Figure 1.11
PMC3.
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About Metal Clay Chapter 1
PMC Gold Clay: The gold metal version of PMC
has many of the same attributes as the low-fire
PMC3. According to the manufacturer, kiln firing
is recommended for PMC gold; however, they
say it is possible to torch fire it as long as the
temperature is kept constant for at least two
minutes after the piece has glowed red. It is
made of 91.7% pure gold, 8.3% silver, water, and
organic binder and shrinks about 12%. So, after
firing, it is 22kt gold. The packaging for PMC
Gold is shown in Figure 1.14.
PMC3 Paste (Slip): The paste form of PMC3 has
the same properties as the clay form as far as firing
and shrinkage (about 12%). However, since it
is in a paste form, it can be used for a variety of
purposes such as painting over organic items
and patching mistakes. You can, of course, make
your own slip by diluting regular metal clay, but
if you need a good deal of it, buying pre-made is
handy. The packaging for PMC3 Paste is shown
in Figure 1.12.
PMC3 Syringe: Using a syringe to apply metal
clay offers a number of design opportunities.
A good deal of detail can be created by those
with patience and a steady hand. It also has the
same properties as regular PMC3 clay; it’s just
packaged differently and is a little moister than
the clay form. The packaging for the PMC3
Syringe is shown in Figure 1.13.
7
Figure 1.12
PMC3 Paste.
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Figure 1.13
PMC3 Syringe.
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Figure 1.14
PMC Gold.
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There are many different types of
metal clay products available, but since
I’m focusing on the low-fire variety for this
book, I want to note an important point before
continuing. Some of this I discuss later in the
book, but before jumping into working with this
particular form of clay, it’s helpful to know a few
facts about it first.
When you are planning to use a torch or hot-pot
to fire your metal clay pieces, the biggest issue
with this low-fire clay is size. You must be mindful
of size limitations when forming your metal
clay pieces. If they are too large, you can have
issues with the finished product breaking. This
is because all the organic material may not have
been burnt out during the firing process. A good
rule of thumb is to keep pieces no larger than a
silver dollar. Remember those silver dollars from
way back when? Picture this in your mind as you
make pieces to fire later on and just be aware
that the larger the piece the longer you’ll need
to fire it. If you make something larger than
silver dollar size (more than 25 grams of clay for
example), then consider using a kiln. With this
in mind, I made sure that all of the projects in
this book make small pieces, such as charms and
pendants. But, if you want to start branching out
into other designs you might create on your own,
just keep this rule in mind. It is really not fun to
make something beautiful only to see it crack or
break in your hands later on—very uncool!
8
Note on Low-Fire Metal CAbout Metal Clay Chapter 1
Prices vary between different retailers, so it helps
to comparison shop, and there is a list of metal
clay vendors provided in Appendix A of this text.
However, generally speaking, the retail cost of
metal clay is a little more than $1 a gram. The
cost of regular silver (such as silver plate or wire)
fluctuates, and actually, like many precious metals,
has risen over the last few years, but it normally
ranges in price from $10 to $14 an ounce. When
comparing metal clay to regular silver, it seems
at first like metal clay is unreasonably expensive,
doesn’t it? But, you’d be amazed at how many
jewelry components you can make out of a
small lump of metal clay. A little goes a long
way. Also, when considering the cost of this
product, it’s important to remember other factors
such as the cost of equipment and materials
needed to form and fire the clay and the cost of
your time when creating with the clay versus
using hand-fabrication methods normally used
with silver and other metals.
So, yes, metal clay isn’t cheap. It’s not like
modeling clay or even polymer clay that you can
pick up at your local craft store for a few dollars.
However, before shying away from this medium,
it is important to remember that money alone is
not the only factor to consider when determining
the cost of the clay.
The price range of all the types of
metal clay varies depending on the
product’s characteristics and the amount
purchased. Like most items we buy these days
at big super stores, the more you buy the less
expensive it works out to be. I think it is important
to talk about the cost factor of metal clay
early on because those new to the craft often
hesitate to jump in and try it due to the assumption
that it is too expensive.
To help break down the cost, it is helpful to first
look at the way metal clay is sold. The clay is
individually packaged to keep it fresh, as contact
with the air will dry it out, and then it is sold in
various gram weight amounts, which differ
between the two manufacturers. For example,
the smallest gram weight of a PMC3 packaged
for retail sales is 6.3 grams, and the smallest Art
Clay 650 (also a low-fire clay like PMC3) is available
in a 7 gram package. Both PMC3 and Art
Clay 650 come packaged as large as 50 grams.
There is a price break when purchasing the larger
amounts, but keep in mind that as soon as a
package is opened it is exposed to the air, thus
compromising the softness of the clay as it
begins to dry out. Sometimes, especially for the
beginner or for anyone who has limited time for
this hobby, smaller packages make more sense.
9
The Cost of Metal ClaAbout Metal Clay Chapter 1
11
Figure 1.15
Beads and clay and baubles.
Now, taking this same item as another example
—a small silver charm—and using a low-fire
metal clay (such as Art Clay 650 or PMC3), the
jeweler forms the clay into the charm, which
may require rolling, cutting, and manipulating it
in various ways; lets it dry (usually over night);
checks the dried clay to see if any clean up is
necessary, such as a little filing; and then fires
the clay, which can take as little as five minutes
with a butane torch. Next, the jeweler must
clean the fired charm, which is now a hardened
fine silver charm. If she wants a quick clean and
shine, she uses a burnishing brush. If she wants
a higher shine, she might toss the charm into a
tumbler or use a polishing wheel. Ta da! The
same charm can be made in less time and with
fewer pieces of equipment.
Granted, not all comparisons of metal clay and
traditional metal methods will be like this example,
but you probably get the picture by now. It’s
a fun alternative to many metal techniques, so
why not explore the possibilities?
ylay12
Metal Clay for the Jewelry Hobbyist
First of all, this hobby is really growing, but
there still aren’t a ton of people doing it yet,
unlike bead stringing, which is pretty saturated.
Just count the number of people you know who
make beaded jewelry, or walk down the aisles of
a few arts and craft shows, and you’ll see what
I’m talking about. Not that this is a bad thing,
but if you are trying to expand into other areas
of jewelry making and want to find a way to
create a signature look to your jewelry designs,
then metal clay could be a perfect fit for you.
It’s not saturated like bead stringing, so there is
room for many more to join in and make a niche
for themselves.
Most jewelry making hobbyists
begin the craft by learning how to do
basic bead stringing. Then they might
start branching out into other jewelry making
methods such as wire work, bead weaving, and
metalsmithing (just to name a few methods
available). While this book is designed with the
total “newbie” in mind, it is also a good place to
begin for those who may have some jewelry
making skills under their belts already. In fact,
frequently after learning the basics, jewelry hobbyists
want to take on more diverse techniques
but aren’t sure where to begin or what to try
next. That’s why metal clay is a great option to
consider for a number of reasons.
Fig 1.16
Metal clay fan pendant by Judy Kogut.
About Metal Clay Chapter 1
13
Another lure for the hobbyist is the chance to
learn to create your own jewelry components.
This is when the idea of “signature” comes into
play. By being able to make your own charms
and pendants (just a few examples that are commonly
made with this medium), you are able to
add one more handcrafted touch to your finished
jewelry designs. As you develop your metal
clay skills, you can play around with different
methods and eventually create a look to your
jewelry that says “you” when someone else sees
your work. Plus, it’s very cool to be able to say,
“Oh, that pendant? Where did it come from?
I designed and made it myself.”
But, where does the hobbyist learn to work with
metal clay? Obviously, you have already started if
you are reading this book, and as I explained in
the introduction of this text, the focus of this
book is for beginners. So, there is a lot of good
beginning-level information right here for you.
However, once you have devoured the pages in
here and tried the different projects I have developed,
there is a lot of great information available
if you know where to look.
Jewelry magazines are a great resource these
days because there are so many of them, and a
good number are turning their readers onto
metal clay. Art Jewelry, Jewelry Crafts, and
Jewelry Artist are three magazines that often
have metal clay projects published in them. All
are available on newsstands, so they are easy to
find. I’ve even seen some of these for sale in my
local grocery store. Vendors are another place to
see about metal clay information. There is a list
of suppliers provided in Appendix A of this
book, and many of them have websites with
free information covering techniques as well as
providing tips for using the products they sell.
Finally, if you are really going to get serious
about metal clay, you may want to see about
taking a class. Check with your local rock and
gem club because these clubs normally teach a
wide range of jewelry making classes. They are
also some of the more economical places to
take jewelry classes since the instructors are
club members and the clubs are non-profit
organizations. I took a ten-week metal clay class
at my local club for only $25. Another place to
look for classes is through either the PMC Guild
(www.pmcguild.com) or Art Clay World
(www.artclayworld.com).
14
Going Pro with Metal Clay
PMC Connection, on the other hand, another
jewelry vendor-turned educator, has its own
certification program. Like the Rio Grande’s, it
has different levels, but in this case, they provide
all three and don’t limit the number of seniorlevel
instructors. Both require students to make
a certain number of projects using specific
skills and then these are graded by a certified
instructor.
Talking about getting serious,
believe it or not you can actually become
a metal clay professional. Early on, one of
the unusual aspects of this medium was the formation
of related organizations that encouraged
the idea of a professional approach to metal clay.
Granted, many other types of jewelry making,
such as metalsmithing, also have organized,
professional groups, but it took a while for them
to form; metal clay groups seemed to pop up
very quickly after the initial introduction of this
product. A lot of this was due to vendors who saw
an opportunity to expand on the products.
The PMC Guild is one such group. It sponsors
conferences, provides related publications, offers
information and community outlets on its
website (www.pmcguild.com), and promotes
educational opportunities for members. Founded
in 1997, the guild offers certification classes
through a company called Rio Grande (a vendor
of PMC as well as all kinds of other jewelry
making products). Their certification program
is called PMC Rewards and the process allows
members to become certified at two different
levels. There is a third level where a select few
are allowed to become Senior Instructors, but
they limit this.
Figure 1.17
Textured metal clay and crystal bead earrings
by Judy Kogut.
About Metal Clay Chapter 1
15
Art Clay also has a certification program, which
is set up very similarly (see Art Clay World at
www.artclayworld.com). Specific classes require
the completion of predetermined projects. These
projects are designed to develop a certain number
of skill sets that must be demonstrated by
the students in order to receive certification status,
and eventually, candidates can graduate and
become senior- or master-level instructors and
teach these same classes to other Art Clay fans.
True, there is no requirement to become certified
in order to teach metal clay classes; however,
certification has a number of benefits. Discounts
and other benefits make the certification process
worth it for those who are interested in making
a career out of teaching others to create with
metal clay. Instructors are able to purchase clay
and related supplies at reduced rates, they have
access to curriculum resources that help them
teach specific skills, and of course, there’s the
prestige that goes along with the certification
as well. Additionally, senior- and master-level
instructors can, in turn, teach certification classes
themselves, so it’s sort of a revolving-door system.
You learn from a certified instructor, and you
can then teach others to be certified.
It seems that there are so many designers selling
jewelry lately that competition is fierce. If you
have a jewelry business now or have thought of
starting one, teaching may be a better alternative.
I have taught jewelry classes as well as writing
classes, and I also sold my jewelry at art shows,
galleries, and boutiques for many years. I have
found teaching (and writing) to be much more
rewarding than selling and marketing my jewelry.
Because of the professional structure created by
these metal clay organizations, those who may
want to step into the teaching side of the jewelry
business have a ready-made program to follow
along with continuing curriculum support and
discounts to boot.
Just to clarify, certification is not required to
teach others to make metal clay jewelry. I have
taken a certified level 1 class from a certified
instructor as well as a very similar non-certified
class from someone with just a lot of experience,
and I learned plenty in both classes. Though you
may just be learning the basics of this jewelry
making form now, which is why you are reading
this book in the first place, it is still nice to know
that as your abilities increase, you have some
exciting options to maybe turn “pro” some day.
Tools and Supplies for
Metal Clay
This chapter covers a slew of metal clay tools
and supplies, but even then, it is not a complete list of
what is available from numerous jewelry supply vendors.
That would be a book in itself! Some items included here are
the “must-have” materials, and really, you don’t need that
many to get you started. Many of the tools and supplies are
super handy and nice to get if you can afford them or are
starting to get serious about working with metal clay, but it
is possible to live without them, especially in the beginning
of your journey into metal clay. Still, it is helpful to know
what you need now and what you might like to add to your
toolbox in the future.
2Like any form of jewelry making,
there seems to be an endless number of
tools and supplies available for the metal
clay artist, and vendors come up with new gizmos
and gadgets on a regular basis. It would be great
to be able to purchase every single one of them.
Of course, this is not really possible for the average
home-crafter or even professional metal clay
artist. So, we have to think long and hard about
what sorts of products are necessities and maybe
even become creative and figure out alternatives
to help us form, cut, fire, and polish our metal
clay masterpieces. Let’s start with the must-have
items.
Roller: Very similar to a rolling pin you would
use for making bread, a small plastic roller is
used to roll out the clay. These are usually white
or clear plastic, about five inches long, and
about 1⁄2 " in diameter. The clear plastic pipes are
nice because you can see through the pipe and
thus see the clay as you roll it out. You can use
other round items to roll out the clay, but make
sure they are not porous like wood. One alternative
to buying a metal clay roller from a metal
clay vendor is to make your own. Just go to any
hardware store and purchase the same diameter
of PVC pipe. Then cut it to the length you need
using either a saw or a PVC cutter (which will
give you a smoother finish on the end). Of
course, even though PVC is very inexpensive,
you can’t usually buy five inches of PVC pipe.
Normally, you’ll have to buy more like 10 feet,
so unless you have nine friends who want metal
clay rollers, it may be worth it to just buy the
roller. They cost as little as $1. Figure 2.1 shows
a roller I received from a kit purchased for one
of the metal clay classes I took a few years ago.
18
Must-Have Metal Clay Tools and Supplies
Figure 2.1
Plastic metal clay roller.
Tools and Supplies for Metal Clay Chapter 2
Prices vary, but you can spend anywhere from as
little at $6 on up to $40, and higher price doesn’t
always equate to higher quality, so make sure
you either are able to look at your pliers in
person or that the vendor you purchase from
has a reasonable refund policy in case you want
to return them.
Chain-nosed pliers: The nose on these is flat on
the inside and rounded on the outside. Like the
round-nosed pliers, you’ll want a pair that has a
spring handle. Also, be aware of the length of
the handle. If you have smaller hands, pliers with
extra-long handles can be awkward to work
with. Some vendors stock pliers that have long
or short handles, so that’s another option to
consider when purchasing your pliers. Chainnosed
pliers are used for bending wire, holding
wire, opening and closing jump rings, and general
all-purpose functions. Make sure the inside
of the nose is not textured or it could mark your
wire. This is especially critical if you use fine
silver wire (as metal clay is also fine silver)
because fine silver is a little softer than sterling
silver wire.
Craft knife: A craft knife, such as an X-acto
knife, is perfect for cutting out small pieces of
clay. Make sure the blades are nice and sharp
and kept very clean. You don’t want to contaminate
the clay. You can pick up a craft knife at all
kinds of places such as your local craft store (of
course), hardware stores, and I’ve even found
them at the dollar store. When you do buy one,
remember to also pick up extra blades. Once you
start using your knife regularly, it doesn’t take
that long for the blade to dull, especially if you
use it for other crafts besides clay. So, you want
to make sure you always have at least a few new
blades on hand. Otherwise, you will not get a
clean cut, and that can be very frustrating
because it will require more clean up later for
you. Figure 2.2 shows a simple craft knife you
can find at most craft stores.
Round-nosed pliers: To make just about any
kind of jewelry, you need a good set of handtools,
and that especially includes round-nosed
pliers, which are a specialized hand-tool for jewelry
makers. The nose is round so that you can
wrap wire around it and make perfectly round
loops (or at least, after a lot of practice they
become perfect). While you can often find other
pliers at a hardware store, you won’t be able to
find these there. You’ll need to get them from
either a jewelry supply vendor (such as from the
web), a bead shop, or a craft store. Many of the
larger craft stores now carry a decent amount of
jewelry making supplies these days, including
pliers. When shopping for your round-nosed
pliers, make sure the ends are nicely tapered.
Sometimes the lesser expensive brands will have
a wider nose versus tapered, and that can make
a big difference as far as how easy they are to
work with as well as the finished product you
end up with. Also, try to get a pair that has a
spring-hinged handle, just because they are less
stressful on your hands while you are working.
19
Figure 2.2
Craft knife.
Flat-nosed pliers: These are very similar to
chain-nosed pliers, and sometimes the names
are used interchangeably. Just about anything
you can do with chain nosed you can also do
with flat-nosed, but it’s handy to actually have
both of these for some techniques. For example,
when you open and close jump rings, it’s much
easier and more effective to have a pair of pliers
in both hands as you work, one pair holding one
side of the jump ring, and the other pair holding
the other side. This makes it much easier to snap
the jump ring closed or pull it open and causes
less stress on the jump ring. Also, make sure the
flat nosed pliers are smooth inside of the jaw.
Filing out marks on your wire is not fun!
Wire cutters: Wire is a great medium to use
along with metal clay because you can actually
fire pieces of wire into the clay. This is handy
for adding bales to the top of a pendant, for
example. You want a nice pair of flush-cut wire
cutters. There are a number of different types of
wire cutters available, but flush cut are the best
for general wire work. Flush cut means that
when you cut wire with them you get a straight
cut. Some wire cutters will cut more diagonally
and thus give more of a pointed end than a flat
end to the wire. With a flatter end to the wire,
there is less filing required and less of a chance
of cutting the wearer of your jewelry with pointy
or rough wire areas. Look for a flush-cut pair
with a spring handle. To keep the cutter from
becoming damaged, do not use it on memory
wire (there are shears available specifically for
memory wire) or very large wire gauges. Wire
around 16-gauge (.051 inches, 1.29 millimeters)
is the largest you’d probably want to go with an
average pair of wire cutters. You can have problems
with dulling or even gouging the cutting
area of the pliers. If you need to use thicker wire
for your jewelry designs, consider using a jeweler’s
saw instead. Figure 2.3 is an example of a tool
set that would be perfect for basic bead stringing
and simple wire work. It includes a pair of
round-nosed, chain-nosed, and flat-nosed pliers
as well as a pair of wire cutters.
20
Figure 2.3
Pliers set.
ｩSpeedy Peacock Photograph