BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE Simple painted leaves take on a whole new dimension when assembled into a flower. 2 1 2 in. (64 mm) diameter. Fine Silver Flower from Metal FCT-CRON0316_ART110 Assemble painted leaves to create a beautifully detailed flower, then add gold for contrast and drama. 2012 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. by Lynn Cobb Clay facetjewelry.com
1 2 3 materials Metal clay: Lump clay: 18 g Paste: 45 g Syringe clay Gold metal clay paste (optional) Coordinating chain NOTE: The six leaves in the finished pendant were made using 35 40 g of metal clay paste. Using smaller or fewer leaves would require less paste. tools & supplies Ginkgo leaves Needle tool Clay shaper Butane torch, heat-resistant surface, heatproof gloves (optional) The sensual flower paintings of Georgia O Keeffe and Judy Chicago s feminist installation, The Dinner Party, have always inspired me. The importance of their work and women s art runs through my veins, and so I was excited to see, midway through my Flower Series, that I was following in the footsteps of these incredible artists, creating beautiful, sensual flowers that could actually be worn. Gather the leaves. Select several leaves for the petals of the flower. I use ginkgo leaves with ruffled edges, in a variety of sizes [1], because they particularly resemble petals. Other leaves might work as well; see Types of Leaves to Use for Flowers, page 4. Paint the leaves. Use a fine-tip paintbrush to apply a layer of metal clay paste to the back side of one leaf. Apply the paste with quick strokes, and work from the top of the stem to the top edge of the leaf [2]. Do not paint the stem. Paint the back of each leaf. Set the painted leaves aside until they are completely dry. Add layers of paste, allowing each layer to dry com-pletely before adding the next [3], until you have applied 10 layers. Allow the piece to dry completely. NOTE: If air bubbles develop in painted paste, lightly brush them out while the clay is semi-dry. Establish 3 4 layers of paste before removing bubbles. If you attempt to remove the bubbles too soon, you risk pulling the bottom layers from the leaf. NOTE: I prefer to use the back side of the leaf, as it usually has deeper veins. You may use either commercially available metal clay paste or make your own. For your first flower, use paste that is similar in thickness to the paste made by a manufacturer so that you can feel the ideal weight of the 10 layers that is necessary for this flower. Once you are familiar with the feel of this thickness, you may use thinner or thicker paste and add more or fewer layers to achieve the same thickness. NOTE: Be sure that your paste is smooth and free of household dust and debris. The cleaner and smoother the paste, the tidier the finished petals will be. Remove the leaf from the metal clay. Peel the ginkgo leaf away from the metal clay [4]. If some of the leaf remains on the clay, use a needle tool or craft knife to delicately loosen and remove it. Enhance the details in the metal clay leaf. Depending on the depth of the texture achieved on each leaf, you may wish to deepen the grooves. Draw the blade of a craft knife lightly and quickly from stem to edge [5]. This will also help to even out any flaws or air bubbles that may appear on the surface. Creating similar grooves on the back of each leaf will give the flower a nice, finished look. 2
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Assemble the flower. When you are satisfied with the appearance of each leaf, begin to loosely position them in a pleasing, flower-like arrangement. Experiment to find the best arrangement. Use the largest leaves for the base of the flower [6]. Set the leaves aside in the order you have decided upon. NOTE: You will assemble the flower from the outside in, starting with the two largest leaves and working your way in toward the center of the flower. Lightly apply natural hand balm or olive oil to a roller, your hands, and your work surface. Form 2 3 g of metal clay into an oblong lump, and place it on the stem edge of the first leaf. Use a fine-tip paintbrush to moisten the lump of clay [7]. Lightly press the stem edge of the next leaf onto the wet lump of clay; hold it in place for 5 seconds to allow the bond to form. Set aside to dry completely [8]. NOTE: If you prefer a flatter flower, press the second petal parallel to your work surface. If you prefer a flower with petals that stand up, press the petals in at an angle. Form another oblong lump with 3 5 g of fresh clay. Place the lump in the center of the two assembled leaves [9]. Add the third leaf to the wet lump of clay [10]. NOTE: Place supports under the leaves to maintain their position while the clay dries. I used sections of drinking straws [11]. Continue to add the remaining leaves to this wet lump, placing the last leaf nearest the center [12]. Set the assembly aside to dry completely. Set your bail toward the top of the flower s back so that the pendant doesn t flop forward when worn. 3
13 14 15 Process photos by Andrew Stevenson. types of leaves to use for flowers I like ginkgo leaves for my flowers because they have a nice resemblance to petals when finished. But there are many leaves that will also work. When choosing your leaves, make a test leaf first. Some leaf types adhere to the clay and are difficult or impossible to remove without firing. If you can t remove the leaf before firing, then you won t be able to see and correct any flaws in the clay before firing. Flaws are much easier to remove from unfired clay than from sintered metal. Some leaf types may separate from the wet clay as they dry, creating flaws on the surface of what will be the top of each petal. If these flaws are minor, they can be brushed out with a damp brush. If major, set them aside for a project where the design will disguise the flaw, or return them to your paste container to be reconstituted into paste. Add details to the flower. Roll three tiny balls of wet clay. Dab paste in the center of the flower, then add the clay balls [13]. Set the assembly aside until it s semi-dry. Working carefully so that you don t disassemble the flower or break a leaf, use a clay shaper or damp brush to smooth the surface between the leaves where they meet the base [14]. If the flower begins to feel too damp or unstable, allow the flower to dry further before continuing. Examine the flower carefully for any holes or unwanted spaces where the leaves meet the base; use syringe metal clay to fill these gaps, letting it dry completely before proceeding. Form the bail. Apply olive oil to a roller, a texture sheet, and a short section of a large straw. NOTE: The bail s diameter should accommodate the chain you are using. The straw or dowel you use to form the bail should meet that requirement, with enough overage to accommodate the shrinkage rate of the clay you re using. Roll out approximately 10 g of clay to 4 playing cards (1 mm) thick in an elongated shape. Place the clay onto the texture sheet. Roll the clay to 3 cards (0.75 mm) thick [15]. Use a tissue blade to 16 17 trim the textured clay so that the edges are straight and clean. Wrap the textured clay around the straw until it overlaps; trim the excess clay so that the ends meet neatly. NOTE: You can use a wooden dowel instead of a straw as your form. If you do, wrap a 1-in (25.5 mm) section of the dowel with a piece of flexible Teflon to keep the clay from sticking to the wood. Use a paintbrush to moisten the ends of the textured clay, then use a bit of pressure to bring the seam together without disturbing the texture [16]. Allow the clay to dry until mostly dry, then carefully remove it from the straw and allow it to dry completely. Use an emery board to refine the edges. Attach the bail. Determine where on the flower you will place the bail. It should be placed so that it is hidden and so that the flower will hang properly. Place the bail toward the top of the flower so that the pendant doesn t flop forward when worn on its chain. I like positioning the bail so that the flower hangs slightly off the centerline, but symmetrical placement works well, too. NOTE: Your flower is fragile at this stage; handle it carefully. 4
design option Use a wet paintbrush to apply a bit of paste to the area on the bail and the flower where they will be joined. Press the bail to the flower for approximately 5 seconds, or until you feel them connect [17]. Allow it to dry completely. Use syringe clay to fill any gaps between the bail and flower. Allow the pendant to dry completely. Refine the pendant. Examine all the edges of the flower, and carefully sand or smooth any rough areas. Add gold paste (optional). If you want to add a touch of gold, paint two thin layers of gold paste on selected areas of your flower (I like to add a touch of gold to the tiny balls in the center of the blossom), allowing each layer to dry completely before adding the next. NOTE: Do not touch the areas that will receive the gold paste. Fire the pendant. Place the pendant on the firing surface. Use a fiber blanket (or place it in a bed of vermiculite) to keep the petals from slumping as they heat up. Fire the pendant in a kiln according to the silver clay manufacturer s instructions. A full 2-hour firing will ensure the strongest finished pendant. If you re using gold, apply two more layers of gold paste, again allowing the paste to dry completely between layers. After the second layer is dry, torch-fire the gold paste until it turns bright orange. Hold this color/temperature for 1 minute. Allow the metal to cool for a few seconds, then burnish the gold. Hot burnishing will further bond the gold to the silver. SAFETY NOTE: Always use heatproof gloves while burnishing a hot piece. Finish the pendant. Allow the pendant to cool, then brush it with a brass brush in soapy water, hand-burnish it, then tumble it. make a ring! If you want to make a ring, make your flowers using smaller and/or fewer leaves, so that the finished piece is less unwieldy on the finger. Create a ring band and let it dry completely. Use paste and/or syringe clay to mount your completely dry flower on the band. Let the piece dry completely. Set the ring in a bed of vermiculite to support the leaves, and fire the ring in a kiln according to the manufacturer s instructions. Photo by George Post. 5