Barbara shares with us a quick synopsis of the steps she takes to create her fantastic hinged pendant.
We hope the tutorial will serve to inspire you to create! No matter if you just get out your sketch book and draw a similar project based on these challenges. It’s a place to start. It’s a way to start off your day in the right frame of mind with a creative exercise!
Barbara says “For this project I wanted to make a small pendant with an antiquated, mysterious look to it. I have always loved references to Greek/Roman columns and architecture. At a flea market, I found a booth that sold 19th century ephemera that I have been wanting to use. And, making hinges using the method that my friend Terry Kovalcik taught me, is not as intimidating as you might think. Thanks, Terry!!”
If you are interested in the full step-by-step tutorial please stay tuned. It will be available at Whole Lotta Whimsy. They will be in a handy bench format too! This tutorial looks like it will be over 80 pictures with tons of detail in this #40 Tutorial!
In this tutorial you will learn:
- How to make a polymer clay female master from a texture
- How to roll out clay into a textured mold and keep your thickness and design perfect
- How to make a three part hinged pendant from one design
- How to do hinges easily and professionally
- How to rivet
- How to use resin to create a mixed media piece of wearable art
- Polishing and patina tricks and tips!
Make a polymer clay female mold of a desired stamp (column stamp used here). Using polymer clay, roll out enough to cover your chosen stamp. Don’t forget to lubricate the stamp first so the poly clay doesn’t stick.
Roll out your silver metal clay into the lubricated polymer clay mold. Carefully pull the clay from the mold.
Trim the design. Dry flat. Sand and refine.
In the full tutorial, Barbara guides you through every step of creating a mold and rolling out the perfect textured slab!
Roll out another slab of clay to create the back slab for the pendant. Using a craft knife, cut out an identical piece.
Dry, sand and perfect.
Using dividers, segment the column into 3 pieces. Using a pencil and ruler, draw out three lines where the pendant will be divided.
Cut out the window or niche where your image will be contained, using a craft knife.
Coat the two slabs with paste or slip and water. Press firmly to connect the front textured slab to the back slab.
Dry completely. If needed, caulk and sculpt to even out the edges. Sand and perfect the niche window.
Using the pencil lines as a guide, saw the column slab into three equal pieces.
Using PMC Sheet construct the hinges and attach them to the 3 sections.
Create a bail using the same methods and left over clay.
Barbara details out how to do this, including her tips for working with PMC Sheet (which disintegrates with moisture) in the full tutorial. Too many steps for this synopsis!
Fire for 1 hour at 1650°F in your kiln.
Ream out the knuckles and check sterling wire fit in the hinges.
Remove the wires and patina the pieces using Liver of Sulphur.
Remove excess patina to create an antique look. Dry fully.
Prepare the picture to insert into the niche window. Using a piece of tape to protect the surface from discoloring, trim and insert into the window.
Turn on the Metal Clay Dryer and place the niche window on a piece of teflon. Using resin, fill the window. Barbara used Magic Gloss here, but you could also use regular resin (Ice Resin) or UV Resin.
With Magic Gloss you will need to place it under a UV lamp for about 5-20 minutes to harden.
Cut the wire pieces and rivet the pins into the hinges. Barbara also details out these steps and the equipment needed to assure perfect rivets.
Repeat this on both hinges.
Place a cord through the bail and wear it with an air of mystery!
A fantastic project with movement and an interesting mix of materials. I love the design and use of the hinges! Hinges can take a simple column piece and really make it interesting. Plus the techniques shared in this tutorial will take your other projects to the next level!
Each of these Master Muse class tutorials exposes new techniques to even the most seasoned of instructors and makers. I’m always surprised at how differently each artist approaches a challenge and how their skills allow them to execute a creative result. I learn at least one valuable shortcut or new technique in each tutorial.
These are affordable classes that you can take in your studio, at your pace, with all the details and more that you would get in a live class. Not to mention that they are scrupulously edited and if the details aren’t there, I ask for more info and pictures.
We’d love to see you take the challenge and make this or a similar piece as well. Can’t wait to see your pieces. Send them and we’ll post pictures in a future Challenge Gallery. Challenge yourself!
Don’t forget to leave a comment. We are giving away a 1/2″ Faux Bone Ring Blank along WITH a Faux Bone Peeler from Robert Dancik this month, a $40+ value! Try your hand at making a Faux Bone ring from our third round of challenges by the Master Muses.
How to win? Leave a comment on every blog (even older posts) or get two entries for tweeting, putting it on Facebook, the Metal Clay Yahoo Gallery forum, your blog etc. Just send us a copy of the link to support@wholelottawhimsy.com! Let your friends know how to make their Wednesday’s rock…. with of course, the Master Muse Tutorial launch! Your odds of winning are pretty darn good so leave a message or comment.
Barbara Becker Simon earned a BS in Art Education and an MFA in Metalwork and Jewelry. She has been a goldsmith for over 40 years and taught at the University of Wisconsin-Menomonie and Iowa State University. Barbara travels the US teaching lampwork & metal clay workshops as Senior Instructor for Rio Grande. Her work appears in Creative Metal Clay Jewelry: Techniques, Projects, and Inspiration New Directions in Metal Clay, (Wire), The Art of Metal Clay, (Haab), and PMC Decade and PMC Technic, (McCreight), among others. In April 2009, Lark Books published her book, Metal Clay Beads. Barbara is known internationally for her lampworked glass beads & jewelry. Contemporary Lampworking by Bandhu Dunham features Barbara’s work on the cover. Formed of Fire (Dunham), Beads of Glass (Jenkins), and 1000 Glass Beads, (Lark) also features her beads. Barbara work is on display in Washington DC, Glendale, AZ, & Japan.
Check out Barbara’s work at www.BBSimon.com. You can purchase her incredible glass & metal beads and work online! Contact her for more details.
Photo credit: final piece Drew Davidson; step-by-step Barbara Becker Simon
This is so cool. Barbara I always love your work! Thanks for the reminder about Terry’s hinges.
This looks so amazing. I would love to do this in a workshop! Thanks for putting your fantastic creativity out there. Chris
Your creations are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.