Lora Hart – Master Muse Challenge #8

Lora shares with us a brief synopsis of the steps she takes to create her stenciled pendant. She says “this articulated pendant was inspired by a misty memory of an early cartoon submarine periscope. Each segment nestles into it’s neighbor, joined together with a simple cold connection. The tutorial is designed to be an exploration of techniques and design elements.”

If you are interested in the full step-by-step tutorial please stay tuned. It will be available in April at Whole Lotta Whimsy. They will be in a handy bench format too! This tutorial looks like it will be over 65 pictures with tons of detail! Lora will teach you, in tutorial #8, these fantastic techniques:

• How to design a composed piece with layers and articulating segments
• How to use polymer clay for forms and molds for texture
• Texturing with thick slip and a palette knife
• How to account for shrinkage from a drawing to include cold connected attachments
• How to apply the Kelly Russell Spackling Technique to create texture
• Learn tricks to creating texture using PMC Sheet
• How to do simple cold connecting
• How to finish the surface and patina your beautiful piece

Forming the Armature:

Using 1.5 packs of polymer clay, form it into a log shape, smoothing out any lines or lumps. Use a coil roller to make it into a tapered coil approximately 3.5-4 inches long.

Divide the coil using your tissue blade into 5 segments. Remove the second and fourth segment.

Making the Mold:

Create a polymer clay slab with a pasta machine or acrylic roller and press the watch parts into the slab. After the impression is acceptable, bake this and the tapered armatures in a toaster oven according to the directions on the package.

Make a Paper Template:

Wrap a strip of paper around each of the tapered segments and tape it closed. This template will be an exact replica of the tapered circumference of your segments.

Forming the Metal Clay Articulating Sections Top & Bottom:

Using the paper templates cut out PMC+. Wrap your clay around the teflon on the polymer clay form and complete the join. Repeat for all 3 segments.

Forming The Center Section:

Roll out PMC+. Place it over the texture sheet you molded and press with your fingertips or you can use an acrylic roller with no spacers to gently roll the design onto the clay. Repeat 4th step to complete this center section.

Alter the Fit of the 3 Articulating Parts:

After the segments have had time to dry completely try to fit them together. If you need to make alerations, use a combination of trimming and sanding until perfected.

Drilling the Rivet Holes:

Drill the holes for the rivets before applying any additional textures.

Making a Stencil for Slip Printing:

Use the index card template you created, to make a mask for the stencil spackling method of applying texture.

Applying Slip:

Use a spatula to “butter” the slip or PMC3 Paste through the stencil opening.

Firing/Finishing the Components:

Fire pieces in a kiln at 1650°F for 10 minutes. Polish the pieces and cold connect them together.

Lora’s pendant is an exciting piece that has not only innovative design and construct, but it has movement and life. The piece tells a story, through the design and materials, as do all her truly romantic and baroque designs. We hope it’s inspired you to try making a piece that moves and uses parts and texture in a unique way.

Remember to please leave a comment on any of the blog postings, and you’ll be entered to win a give-away. Mention it somewhere else and send us the link (tonya@wholelottawhimsy.com) and you’ll get two entries! The drawing will be held every 3-4 weeks. One will be announced Thursday, March 18, 2010. We’d love to hear from you!

Take this new challenge as well to try your hand at making a custom stencil and learn to cold-connect your found object. Time for a little steampunkery? Can’t wait to see your pieces. Send them and we’ll post pictures in a future Challenge Gallery.

PMC Connection Senior Instructor Lora Hart began working with metal clay at the turn of the century. After nearly 20 years as a busy make-up artist in the entertainment industry, an actor’s strike put her career onhold. Four happily creative years later, she began a new and fulfilling life as an instructor in the greater Los Angeles area.She is a Senior Teacher for PMC Connection.

Working out of her quaint Venice Beach Studio, Lora is honored that her work has been included in many publications including The PMC Guild Annual, Barbara Becker Simon’s Metal Clay Beads, Sherri Haab’s Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry and Holly Gage’s The Art and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry. This year, Lora has begun an online challenge to make a Ring A Day and started work on the first level of The Master’s Registry.

Check out Lora’s work available for purchase at www.LoraHart.com. She has a fantastic blog as well.

Photo credit: final piece Drew Davidson; step-by-step Lora Hart