Donna Penoyer – Master Muse Challenge #19

Donna shares with us a quick synopsis of the steps she takes to create her silver metal clay and Ice Resin ring. 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!

Donna has played a lot with epoxy resin—pouring into frames and molds. She’s always been inspired by the ways Robert Dancik uses epoxy in his pieces, so she wanted to create a bolder, 3D look as well. This type of design requiresd a little planning, as it is the nature of thinner epoxies to self-level and move toward flat.

Donna’ says “I needed a way to work with that rule but literally bend it. The result is the look of sheer simplicity! I love this piece for the complexity of the planning and the ease of the solution, not to mention the way that light through the spice-colored resin makes it glow.”

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 55 pictures with tons of detail in this #19 Tutorial!

In this tutorial you will learn:

• How to make hollow open half-cone textured shapes using a custom polymer drape mold
• How to create a metal clay ring band and size to fit
• Helpful sanding techniques and repair tips prior to firing
• Learn how to finish your piece, make repairs after firing, and patina
• How to use Ice Resin to create a “spicy diamond” in an unusual receptacle shape

Making the Ring Top:

Make a polymer clay armature for the half-cones top of the ring signet. Bake, sand and perfect. (detailed steps and tips for working with polymer for molds in Donna’s tutorial)

Using your draped tester clay piece, trace it onto a piece of cardstock to make your stencil. (Donna shares lots of tips on for this!)

Roll out your silver metal clay on your lubricated textured surface. Using the template you made, cut out your shape. Apply it to your lubricated polymer draping mold. Allow to dry.

Once the clay is dry, sand and perfect. Donna recommends circles, figure eights or back and forth movements. Don’t forget to sand the bottom and sides.

Find a brass tube that will make an arch slightly larger than the open ends of the half-cones. Cut out the circle and then cut that circle in half again. Sand to perfect and then attach to the half cone sides.

Roll out clay and arrange the cones onto the base piece of clay. Attach them, making sure the channel is wide enough to accompany the resin. Remove excess clay after you cut just outside the edge of the half-cones with a needle tool.

Add a reinforcement strip/pad to the middle section of the piece where it will connect to the ring. Then sand all the edges and give definition to the inside corners with a diamond toothpick file.

Making the Ring Shank:

Decide what size ring you will make. Assemble your ring mandrel so it’s in the right place for the size you need to make, accompanying shrinkage. (Donna has gone into great detail on how she makes rings). Roll out the clay and wrap it around the mandrel. Using paste attach the two sides together. Blend the seam with a clay shaper and perfect the edge with your tissue blade. Once dry, sand and perfect. (Donna covers all sorts of great tips on sanding, repairs and more!)

Attach the ring band to the back of the half-cone domed ring signet. Using a clay shaper perfect and sculpt the two pieces together. Then using a Fantastix tool, smooth everything out!

Fire the ring with an Ring Protector inside it at 1650F for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). (Donna shows you 5 ways to set up the firing)

Tumble and patina.

Apply the Resin:

The two-part Ice Resin, as with all epoxy resins, requires very careful measuring and mixing for it to cure properly. This resin uses equal amounts of Part A (resin) and Part B (hardener).

Use a clean popsicle stick to add some dry spice to the resin. I chose turmeric, which is golden orange when dry but reddish orange in the resin. Add a little at a time, mixing the same, slow way, until you achieve the color and density you like.

The resin will need to cure thoroughly before the next step. To test your batch, always keep the leftover resin in the mixing container. Try to dent it with your fingernail. If it leaves no mark, it’s ready to sand. Don’t do the fingernail test on your piece or touch your piece’s resin in any way until the scrap resin is completely cured.

Donna’s piece is strong, bold and powerful! It is a wonderful way to use color in a way that no other medium would work. This is what is great about artist who push the envelope with any medium they use. What does it inspire you to try with resin?

We’d love to see you take the challenge as well to make this ring. 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 an Ice Resin kit in June. 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!

Great news! Barbara’s Spiral Clasp #2, Patrik’s Peek-a-Boo Clasp #4, and Vickie’s Jeweled Ball and Slot Clasp #3 tutorials are back from the printer. They are NOW available on the site. It’s as detailed as a class and you don’t have to travel!

Donna Penoyer started out her artistic endeavors learning to be a poet. Instead she became a stilt walker, married a professional fool, and today is known as “The Whistle Lady” for her sculptural, wearable metal clay whistles. Donna has been working in PMC since 2005, is a founding member of the Western PA Chapter of the PMC Guild. She teaches nationally at The Bead & Button Show, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Touchstone Center for Crafts, and Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh. She has written articles for PolymerCAFÉ and Art Jewelry magazines, and her work may be seen in Robert Dancik’s book Amulets and Talismans and other upcoming publications. Donna’s whistle ring “Journey Companion” is currently on the cover of the 2009 edition of the PMC Guild Annual 3.

Check out Donna’s work at www.DonnaPenoyer.com. She teaches at many venues across the country. Stop by and see her at Bead and Button at meet the teachers! Make sure you find the location nearest you and sign up for one of her fabulous classes!

Photo credit: final piece Drew Davidson; step-by-step Donna Penoyer