PROJECT INTERMEDIATE METAL CLAY Coreless Construction: Rethinking the Metal Clay Build this four-sided pendant using forethought and a 3-D template. by Cindy Ambrose FCT-MWON0216_ART17 Hollow metal clay forms are typically built over organic cores like wood clay or cork clay. When the clay is fired in a kiln, these organic cores burn to ash. My hollow metal clay pendant is different, because it s made without a core. It goes into the kiln hollow, so it comes out of the kiln without the telltale rattle of residual core ash. Careful construction is the secret. You ll subtly texture each of the pendant s metal clay panels, then transfer them to a 3-D polymer clay template, or form, to dry. By drying each panel on the same 3-D form, the panels will have the same shape, making it easier for you to assemble them precisely to make the bud shape. I used embellishments and a sophisticated bail design to accentuate the pendant s elegant lines. 2010 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. facetjewelry.com
Each of the pendant s four sides is textured with a different pattern. 21 8 x 5 8 in. (54 x 16 mm). 35
Part 1: Preparation materials Metal clay: 50 g Metal clay slip additional tools & supplies Cardstock Polymer clay: 25 g Glycerin Drafting template (optional) Metal Clay Dryness Wet Semi-dry Mostly dry Completely dry A lot of moisture; very pliable Some moisture; firm, holds its shape Nearly devoid of moisture; rigid No moisture; can be fired 1a Bud model Make five templates. Photocopy and cut out the master template [Template]. Trace this master template [1a] four times onto cardstock, and then cut out the cardstock panels. Make a bud-form model. Using clear tape, join the four panels to make a bud model [1b]. Polymer clay support You ll use the bud model as a support to form a polymer clay panel, which is your 3-D template. Later, you ll dry four metal clay panels on the polymer panel. Make a sheet of polymer clay. Condition polymer clay, and run it through a pasta machine set to a medium thickness to make a sheet that s about 1¼ x 2½ in. (32 x 64 mm). 1b 2 Make a polymer clay panel. Lay the master template on the polymer clay sheet. Using a craft knife, carefully cut around the template to make a petalshaped panel. Set the bud model on a ceramic baking tile. Carefully transfer the polymer clay panel to the model, laying it on one side of the model [2]. Bake the panel. Place the tile with the model and polymer clay panel clay-side up into your toaster oven. Bake according to the polymer clay manufacturer s instructions. Remove the assembly from the oven, and allow the polymer clay panel to cool completely. Remove the panel from the model. Template 36
Part 2: Metal clay panels how to rehydrate and realign metal clay Here s how to partially rehydrate a metal clay panel to give it enough flexibility that you can slightly readjust its curvature. [1] Use a soft-tip paintbrush to apply water to the untextured surface of the clay panel; the surface should appear wet. [2] Set the panel aside until the water is no longer visible on the clay s surface. [3] Gently bend the panel to the desired curvature. [4] Let the panel dry completely. Roll out and texture metal clay. Lightly coat your hands, a plastic roller, four lowrelief texture sheets, and a flexible Teflon sheet with hand balm or olive oil. Roll out about 5 g of metal clay to 5 playing cards thick. Remove 1 card, and lightly oil the surface of the clay sheet. Lay one tear-away or low-relief sheet texture-side down on the clay. Roll over the texture sheet with the plastic roller to impress a subtle texture into the clay. Remove the texture sheet from the clay. Make one metal clay panel. Gently lay the master template on the textured metal clay sheet. Using a needle tool, trace around the template to cut out a clay panel. Transfer the metal clay panel textureside up onto the polymer clay support [Photo]. Make sure that the curve of the metal clay panel conforms exactly to the polymer clay support. Allow the panel to dry completely (see the Metal Clay Dryness chart). Carefully remove the dry panel from the support. NOTE: Each metal clay panel must air-dry individually on the polymer clay support. Although this process is tedious, using the same polymer clay support ensures that the four panels will have identical curvatures that fit together precisely. Make three more panels. Repeat the steps to make three more panels, texturing each one differently. While each panel is drying, follow the instructions in part 3 for making the metal clay components. To learn how to make a Viking knit chain like this one, check out Viking Splendor by Kate Ferrant Richbourg and Anne E. Mitchell (March 2005). You can buy a downloadable PDF of the project at www.artjewelrymag. com/projects. 37
Part 3: Metal clay components In addition to the four panels, you ll make four ribs, 16 small decorative balls, one large decorative ball, a bail head, a bail disk, and a bail neck [Photo]. Ribs To make the ribs flexible so that they can follow the curved edges of the bud form, you ll mix glycerin into your metal clay. Mix a batch of glycerin metal clay. Place a small lump of wet metal clay on a smooth ceramic tile or sheet of glass. Add a drop or two of glycerin to the clay. Using a palette knife, mix the glycerin into the clay. The clay will be sticky. Continue to mix the clay until it returns to its original consistency. Make the ribs. Use a clear, hard plastic sheet to roll four glycerin-clay cylinders, each approximately 1 16 in. (1.5 mm) in diameter and 2 3 8 in. (60 mm) long. Set these ribs aside to air-dry completely. The glycerin clay will remain flexible after it dries. Embellishments and bail components You ll use regular metal clay (no glycerin added) to make the embellishments and bail components. Make decorative balls. Roll a small amount of metal clay into 16 1 16-in. (1.5 mm) decorative balls. Roll a lump of clay into a 5 mm ( 3 16-in.) ball. Allow all the balls to dry completely. Make the bail head. Roll a lump of clay into an 8 mm ( 5 16-in.) ball. Set it aside to dry completely. Make the bail neck. Use the clear, hard plastic sheet to roll a lump of clay into a cylinder approximately 5 32 in. (4 mm) in diameter and 3 8 in. (9.5 mm) long. Set it aside to dry completely. Make the bail disk. Roll out clay to 4 cards thick. Use a circle cutter, or a needle tool and drafting template, to cut out a 3 8-in. (9.5 mm) circle. Set this disk of clay aside to dry completely. Small decorative balls (1.5 mm) Bail neck Large decorative ball (5 mm) Ribs Bail head (8 mm) Bail disk 38
Part 4: Assembly In order for the panels to fit together precisely to form the bud s corners, you must carefully sand the edge of each completely dry panel to a 45 angle. Miter the panel edges. Using a 320-grit sanding stick or sandpaper wrapped around your finger, and taking care not to sand the panel s textured surface, sand the edges of each panel to a 45 angle. Check the fit. Hold the mitered panels together to form the bud. The bottom (smaller) tip of the bud must come together in a point. If the panels don t fit precisely, correct the fit by slightly adjusting their curvature. (See How to Rehydrate and Realign Metal clay, page 37.) NOTE: It is not critical for the panels to precisely meet at the top (larger) end of the bud; you ll make a hole at the top to accommodate the bail neck. Label the panels. Use a pencil to number the inside of the panels to ensure that you later join them in the proper configuration. 1 2 Make panel halves. Using a fine-tip paintbrush, apply a bead of water to the edges of panels 1 and 2. Then brush a thin coat of metal clay slip along the edges, and carefully press panels 1 and 2 together to make a panel half. Allow the panel half to dry completely. Repeat to join panel 3 to panel 4 [1]. Join the panel halves. Use the same joining technique to join the panel halves to make the bud. Allow the bud to dry completely. Make grooves for the ribs. Use a round needle file to make a groove along each of the four joined edges of the bud [2]. These grooves will accommodate the ribs, which you ll add later. Prepare the large decorative ball. Touch the tip of a craft knife to the surface of the large decorative ball. Keeping the blade perpendicular to the ball, rotate the blade counterclockwise a few rotations to carve a divot in the ball. Do not make a hole through the ball. 3 Attach the large decorative ball to the bud. Use a fine-tip paintbrush and water to dampen the bottom tip of the bud. Fill the divot in the decorative ball with slip. Insert the damp bud tip into the divot. Use a dry paintbrush to remove excess slip. Allow the assembly to dry completely [3]. Attach the ribs. Use a craft knife to cut the end of one rib at a 45 angle. Use the fine-tip paintbrush and water to moisten one of the grooves along the bud. Use the paintbrush or a syringe to apply a bead of 4 slip along the moistened groove. Position the angled end of the rib in the slip-lined groove against the decorative ball. Press the rib into the length of the slip-lined groove. Use a craft knife to trim the excess rib at the top of the bud. Set the assembly aside to dry completely [4]. Repeat to attach the remaining ribs one at a time, allowing the assembly to dry completely between each addition. 39
A liver of sulfur patina accentuates the pendant s subtle textures. Process photos by Cindy Ambrose. 5 flat area and on the center of the disk. Position the bail head slip-side down on the center of the disk, and apply gentle pressure with your finger. Remove any excess slip, and allow the assembly to dry completely. Refine the bail neck and the disk. Use 320-grit sandpaper to sand one end of the bail neck flat and level. Use the sandpaper to smooth the edges of the bail disk. Join the neck to the disk. Use the paintbrush to dab slip on the sanded end of the neck. Position the neck slip-side down on the center of the disk. Gently press the components together. Use a dry paintbrush to remove excess slip, and then set the assembly aside to dry completely. Attach the bail neck to the bud. Use a round needle file to make a hole in the top of the bud that s just large enough to accommodate the bail neck. Apply slip to the walls of the hole and to the unsanded end of the bail neck. Insert the bail neck into the hole, making sure that the neck is perpendicular to the top of the bud with about 3 16 in. (5 mm) of the neck showing [5]. Remove any excess slip with the dry paintbrush, and allow the assembly to dry completely. Attach the bail head to the disk. Use sandpaper to sand a flat area on one side of the bail head. Dab water and slip on the 40 Make a hole in the bail head. Secure a 2 mm drill bit in a pin vise. Hold the tip of the drill bit against the side and center of the bail head. Make sure the bit is parallel to the disk and in line with one pair of ribs that cross the top of the bud. Gently drill a pilot hole through the ball. Using a rolled up piece of sandpaper, enlarge the hole to a size that will accommodate your chain or cord. Be sure to factor in how much the clay will shrink during firing. My handmade Viking knit chain required a 4.5 mm hole. Add small decorative balls. Use dabs of water and slip to add the decorative balls to your bud form. Remove excess slip with a dry paintbrush, and allow the assembly to dry completely [6]. Fire the pendant. Support the pendant on a bed of vermiculite or alumina hydrate in a kiln-safe bowl. Fire according to the clay manufacturer s instructions. Allow the pendant to cool completely. Finish the pendant. Use a soft brass brush and soapy water to polish the pendant. Apply a liver of sulfur patina [7]. Use micro sanding pads to remove some of the patina and highlight the subtle textures of the panels. 6 7