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Explore a beautifully illustrated encyclopedic musthave with Metal Clay for Jewelry Makers. Internationally
renowned artist Sue Heaser explores all of the basic
and advanced metal clay techniques, such as forming
hinges and hollow forms; working with paper clay; adding
gemstones, metals, glass, ceramic, resin, and enamel; and
forging, annealing, texturing, and adding patinas.
Beautifully showcased are gold, silver, copper, and bronze
in an array of forms. Other techniques showcased include
resin; mounting stones, pearls, fused glass, or metals;
enameling; combining PMC with polymer clay; and
creating patinas.
With more than 500 photographs and finished projects
and techniques throughout, Metal Clay for Jewelry Makers
provides readers the inspiration needed to design unique
metal clay jewelry.
ISBN: 978-1-59668-713-4
Format: Hardcover
Trim Size: 8 10
US Price: $29.95
Canada: $29.95
Interweave books are sold and distributed to the book trade by PERSEUS DISTRIBUTION in the U.S. and Canada.
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or simply a piece that you dislike. This section details the many
ways you can make best use of your metal clay with economical
Water
Spatula or palette knife
Nozzles (2)
Fine nozzle0.5 mm: This gives the
most delicate filigree and is usually
used for random syringing because it is
more difficult to control. With practice,
however, you will find that you can create
controlled lines with the fine nozzle.
See the trees on page 133.
Medium nozzle1 mm: This is the
easiest to use for controlled shapes. It
is best to work from side to side across
a drawing, or toward you. Turn the piece
as you work to avoid pushing the syringe
away from you.
These swatches are made using either a fine nozzle of 0.5mm thickness or a medium nozzle of about 1mm thickness.
Repeating patterns
on a clay sheet backing
From the top:
Zigzag line made with a medium nozzle.
131
FILIGREE WORK
130
Landscape
Drawn with a fine nozzle on a clay sheet
backing. See page 133.
2
4
Openwork filigree
Filigree infill
nozzle.
Right: random lines made with a fine nozzle.
Cuttlefish impression
Text impressions
engraving; commercially
available letter stamps; candle
page 85.
Syringe (1)
KN
The technique is more challenging than many other metal clay techniques and
requires a steady hand, as well as the ability to draw while pressing the plunger
of the syringe to extrude the paste line at a regulated speed. You will need to
coordinate the movement of your hand with the pressure on the plunger. Once
the basic technique is mastered, the varieties of filigree that can be created are
richly decorative and well worth the effort of learning the technique.
Filigree can be applied to a clay background as a decoration, or created
as openwork on a separate surfacesuch as a ceramic tilefrom which it is
removed after drying. It can also be applied to a combustible core.
EXTRUDING TOOLS
Roller
>
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Feathers
Openwork
Fern leaves
95
Lace
94
37
STEP 3 Put most of the powder onto a large
Fern leaves
Fine materials such as fresh or dried leaves, feathers, and grasses give lovely subtle
textures when rolled into metal clay. The aim is to keep any untextured area between
the impressions as smooth as possible, and using rolling guides is the best way to do
this. This method is best used for items that are less than a millimeter thick.
Cuttlefish bone
BARBARA SPERLING
Combining silver clay with other
materials will make your clay go
To begin, there are natural materials in abundance to try. Fresh and dried leaves
and flowers, textured pebbles, seashells and coral, and grasses and bark all
create fascinating textures and patterns. Commercial texture sheets and rubber
stamps, often intended for other crafts, can be adapted for metal clay. You
can also make your own texture sheets and stamps to give your pieces more
originality. Finally, you could try one of several exciting techniques for using
metal clay paste to texture and embellish the clay surface.
APPLYING TEXTURE
BASIC TECHNIQUES
36
Texturing materials
Small feathers