Anne shares with us a quick synopsis of the steps she takes to create her silver metal clay hinged box locket. 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!
Anne says “this design challenge came easily to me. As soon as I read the outline of what we Muses needed to tackle I had a rough image just pop right into my head. I love it when a plan forms so smoothly. The only thing that I kept pondering was what to place inside the locket. I had a number of found objects that were speaking to me. In the end, I had some product left over and the thought of a little heart in the box made such perfect sense to me. So there you have it!”
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 40 pictures with tons of detail in this #21 Tutorial!
In this tutorial you will learn:
- How to make hollow box shapes
- How to create a bail using wire
- How to use the extruder to create shapes
- How to easily solder on the hinge components
- How to make a safer pickle with grocery store components
- How to rivet
- How to finish your piece and patina
- How to fuse jump rings to make a chain and make a J Hook
Top of Locket:
Roll out your clay with regular slat thickness. Next, add double thickness to your slats and place your texture/stamp on the clay face down. Using a bench block, press down til you come up to your double slat thickness. Using a circle cutter, cut out the circle around the stamped clay.
Bottom of Locket:
Roll out clay with texture both on the top and bottom of the clay so you get a piece with two sided texture. Use the same circle cutter to cut out the matching shape for the bottom of back side of the locket box.
Making the Locket Box:
Roll out a long snake with the metal clay. Place this on a long texture sheet to create textured sides.
Square off and trim the pieces with a tissue blade.
Let all the components dry thoroughly.
Sand the components so they fit together perfectly. It is safest to wear a dust or particulate mask for this step. Sand carefully and slowly so you remove just enough but not too much of the length of each side.
Using water, place a small drop on the pieces you desire to join together. Wiggle them together to create a slurry, where you’ll feel them catch and grip together.
Use this same technique to add the box to the bottom of the locket box.
Using the Makins Professional Ultimate Stainless Steel Clay Extruder ™ and the discs, create a variety of shapes that you could use as possible focals for inside the box. Inside this particular box, Anne made a heart shape using a stylus and an extruded log, pinched into a heart shape.
The Bail:
Drill the holes in the side of the box where the wire will be attached. The shrinkage of the metal clay will capture the wire after firing.
Next attach the focal component, heart, to the inside of the box.
Fire in the kiln for 2.5 hours at 1650°F.
Making the Hinge:
Cut tubing the length of the inside of the box and then cut that into three equal knuckle pieces.
Solder these two outside knuckles in place. Make sure you work in a well ventilated area during soldering.
Mark the placement of the center knuckle on the lid of the locket box. Solder that knuckle in place to the inside of the lid of the box.
Friction Fit Closure:
Ball up one end of the wire and cut off the wire. Mark the inside of the lid where the outside edge of the wall of the box closes. Next measure the thickness of the wall of the box and move the mark in to that point. This is where you will solder on the ball, however, you need to make sure the ball’s edge is going to be attached at the edge so it forms a friction fit. Solder the balled end of the wire in place.
Riveting the Hinge:
Cut the wire so there is just enough wire extending beyond the hinged knuckles to rivet without the wire bending. Using a German Riveting Hammer and Fretz Riveting Hammer, flare out the wire to create the rivet in each end of the tubing.
Anne continues her tutorial to show how to fuse the chain links for her custom chain, how to make the J Hook and how to also how to pickle the solder with a safer method than traditional pickle using store bought materials. She also includes her secrets for finishing and patina.
This piece debuted at Bead and Button last weekend with great feedback from admirers. It’s a great surprise when you open this locket and see the wonderful patinated heart inside. Of course, Anne’s chains are exquisite and fun to make as well. It’s perfect for the piece and for today’s fashions. This tutorial is more than a one day class in detail! Learn many valuable techniques!
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 Makins Ultimate Stainless Steel Extruder this month. 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!
Anne Mitchell started her creative career over 20 years ago as a professional lighting designer. Looking for another outlet for her artistic energies, Anne began teaching chain making and metal working approximately eight years ago for just pure enjoyment. During those years, Anne found that the creative outlet provided by teaching, as well as a consistent demand for her classes was too alluring to deny. Leaving lighting behind in 2003, Anne is now a full-time designer, teacher, and author. Her classes always sell out at the Bead & Button Show. She was the recipient of Bead and Button’s Excellence in Bead Artistry in 2009. She is a dynamic teacher who always pushes the technical and artistic limits with her designs.
Check out Anne’s work at www.AnneMitchell.net. You can purchase her work online. She is teaching at many different venues. Treat yourself to one of her classes!
Photo credit: final piece Drew Davidson; step-by-step Anne Mitchell
Very nice! Can’t do this type of thing yet, (kilnless), but enjoy the constructon of this piece.
Just gorgeous, Anne! Love the friction closure.
I agree with Vickie! That friction closure is great. I’ll have to try it myself.
Very nice piece Anne! Luv the friction closure too!
I like the friction closure…I’m not comfortable soldering, but will certainly give it a try.
Great design, neat idea on the friction closure.