Vaas met bloemen in een venster / Vase with Flowers in a Window, 1620
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder
Oil on Copper, 64cm x 46 cm

I used brass coloured metal flower beads and multiple strands of mixed yellow seed beads to complete the necklace.

The first mistake was that I shaped the clay, brushed it with metallic powder and added the tinted liquid clay all before the first bake. This meant that the metal powder brushed off the base and mixed with the liquid clay making it cloudy (particularly visible on the crest of the hill). The next problem was that when I used the heat gun to try to clarify the liquid clay it caused blisters.

For the first test piece I made (left) I baked the clay with the metallic powder on before adding the liquid clay and baking again. Then I very cautiously used the heat gun. It made no difference. Then I tried the heat gun more boldly. Again no improvement. Finally I used some Renaissance Wax and this did bring out the colour and shine.

Then I compared using varnish before adding the liquid clay (after first baking the metal powder on), and if skipping the heat gun made any difference. The two central moons indicate the heat gun does not make much difference (I finished both with wax). Using the varnish did make a difference – primarily I could leave the raised “metal” areas exposed without a layer of liquid clay for protection so this improved th shine of the piece. For the last moon on the right I used glass paint instead of liquid clay and this was much closer to the finish I was looking for.

Next I compared using the glass paint with and without a layer of varnish underneath. Again with the varnish I could leave the raised areas without paint but more importantly the one without the varnish now has a slightly sticky surface (I made these in late January). I did not use wax on either of these.

Finally I wanted to test if the base clay had an effect on the finished piece. I compared the metallic powder and varnish with silver acrylic paint. When using the powder the base colour did not seem to make a big difference, but with the paint it did. The paint also tended to be more streaky.

In conclusion the metal powder gives a smoother finish than the paint and the colour of the base clay is less visible; the varnish gives a better finish and may prevent stickiness; the heat gun makes no difference (but the wax does); the glass paint has much better clarity and shine than the liquid clay.

I just need to wait a while to confirm whether the varnish continues to prevent stickiness so I’ll put these in quarantine for now. Speaking of which it has now been over a year since my experiments with DIY expanding foam and there does not seem to be any adverse reaction. Perhaps it’s time for me to dust them off and use them?

My sister gave me a glass lantern so I could burn a candle for baby. It was plain clear glass, with a raised heart shape on the front. I decided it would be simpler (and more appropriate) to decorate the lantern instead.

I made a marbled cane and applied it as thinly as I could (so the candle light would still shine through). Then I got slightly carried away with some silver filigree. Once the clay was baked I had to add some Super Glue around the edges of the filigree to stop it lifting.

Unfortunately I discovered that my toaster oven was not big enough to bake the lantern standing up, so instead of using polymer clay to decorate all around I decided to use glass paint on the inside. (I have been doing some experiments with polymer clay and glass paint and they seem to react and get sticky so I didn’t want them to come into contact with each other.)

I’m not really happy with the paint effect as it ended up a bit streaky. I wanted a dip-dyed gradient effect with layers of paint drips flowing upwards. I used a clear medium to get a more pastel shade of purple, but it seems this prevented the drips. The pure paint dripped, but is a bit darker than I intended.

I think I prefered it before I added the paint, although the lantern does have a nice purple glow when lit

Prepare a sheet of polymer clay with a surface design of your choice e.g. mokume gane etc. It should be fairly thick (2mm for a 5cm diameter doughnut).

Cut out a circle using a cutter slightly larger than you want your finished doughnut.

Place your cut out circle face down on the BLUNT side of a slightly smaller cutter (this will give it a nice dome). This will be the finished size of you pendant. Make sure the edges of the clay circle are still above the top of the cutter’s edge.

Prepare a sheet of coordinating clay for the back. This should also be quite thick e.g. 2mm (same as the clay for the front). I have textured mine using rough sandpaper.

Place your backing clay face down on a surface you can bake (I have used a tile). Place it down carefully to avoid air bubbles. Prick the clay with a needle tool (this helps keep the back flat).

Place your domed front clay onto the backing clay. DO NOT apply pressure at this point – it should just rest lightly in place.

Use a small cutter to cut out the doughnut hole. As the dome is only lightly resting on the backing clay it should allow excess air to escape while you press down the inner cuter for the hole.

Now press down the outer cutter to get a good join with the backing. I use my roller to press down as the sharp side of the cutter is up.

*There is a picture missing here*

Remove both cutters. Manipulate the edges of your dome so the edges slope gently to the backing. I use my fingers or a knitting needle. Now use the sharp side of the outer cutter you just removed to cut off the excess backing clay.

Make sure there is a good join all around the doughnut including the inside of the hole. I use a knitting needle to smooth the edges.

Bake your clay according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you want a smooth pendant sand at this point.

Depending on how well your backing clay blends with the front you may feel your pendant is finished at this point. However I often like to apply a contrasting edging.

Roll out clay to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine and cut out strips (approx 5mm wide).

Apply a strip around the inner hole and smooth the edges using a knitting needle.

To even the top of the edging I hold my tissue blade parallel to the base of the doughnut and cut around.

Remove the excess edging. I use a needle tool or the back of my scalpel blade to do this. Bake again and your pendant is finished.

Finished pendant

And the back of the finished pendant is pretty flat.

I made the interior of the box a bit of a contrast, by using fully saturated blue and a blue/green/yellow kaleidoscope cane for the underside of the lid.

I made the interior panels separately on pieces of card and then wrapped clay around the outside, but it was a bit of a challenge trying to attach the pieces together and keep the corners square. Previously when I have made smaller boxes I have used a cardboard box as a mold and baked the polymer clay over that – I think that way worked better.

Have a look at this polymer clay pietra dura box by Fiona Abel-Smith to put my humble efforts into perspective!

While I am happy enough with the colours and the image, unfortunately the metallic effect has largely been lost. I used a base of scrap clay and dusted it with silver powder, then I applied liquid polymer with added alcohol inks. I think my mistake was that I didn’t bake the base before adding the liquid clay so the metallic powder lifted and got mixed in with the glaze.

“January Blue” by Cate van Alphen
Polymer Clay, 6.5cm x 5.5cm

After it was baked I tried to clarify the liquid clay glaze by using a heat gun. Sadly this did not improve it much and caused blisters to appear. I’m not sure if the heat gun was too hot, too close or used too long. Does anyone have any advice?

ABS inspiration painting
“Black Peacocks with Japanese Persimmons” (1940) by Jessie Arms Botke

I like that they are an abstract interpretation of the peacocks – incorporating the colours, the pattern of the eyes, and the flow of the tail feathers. The focal beads are polymer clay, handmade by me, accented by long bugle beads and a mix of glass seed beads. The ear-wires are bronze coloured niobium.

See my previous entries for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenges.

I still have more listings to add to both shops (I only get time to add a couple every day), but here’s some of the new stuff so far:

While I did manage to make more than 52 pairs of earrings, some were a bit late (or I would make the earrings and forget to upload them). At one point I stalled trying to think of a new style of earring to make until I decided that anything was better than nothing.

This caused me to realise something – for a few years now I have been waiting for “my style” to become evident, but when I work I keep trying to make things different to avoid sameness. Perhaps and artist’s “style” DEPENDS on an element of sameness, so I am preventing mine from developing?

All in all it was an enjoyable and worthwhile challenge. I particularly enjoyed the themes, and I would have liked to have made more of my earrings to fit them. Perhaps in 2013 I will challenge myself to make earrings for the themes I skipped?

Happy New Year! Whishing you all enjoyable and worthwile challenges for 2013.

In the end I did manage to do it by working very slowly. I made one 6th of the design which I flipped and joined up to complete the kaleidoscope pattern. I was fairly pleased with the results, although I miscalculated the height of the cane so I had to reduce it before I could cut and join up the sections resulting in some visible “seams”.

I hope you had a joyous Christmas. Wishing you all the best in the New Year.