Robert Dancik – Master Muse Challenge #27

MasterMusesDesignChallenge27 - Robert Dancik

Robert Dancik Hero 1Robert shares with us a quick synopsis of the steps he takes to create his Silver Metal Clay and Faux Bone Ring. This is the third challenge for the group B of 5 Masters. The second team has tackled Steampunk, Ice Resin and Metal Clay and now Faux Bone Rings with Metal Clay Components.

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!

Robert says “The wonderful texture on the inside of a bicycle reflector (and others) has long been one of my favorites. Reflectors come with many different patterns and textures and the one I favor most is a series of small triangular pyramids (actually they are tiny tetrahedrons). When the clay is pushed against this texture, it yields a series of these raised pyramids and pyramidal depressions. The depressions are ideals for inlaying a variety of materials such as epoxy resin, polymer clay and putty epoxy, which I will use for this project.”

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 50 pictures with tons of detail in this #27 Tutorial!

In this tutorial you will learn:

  • How to saw, sand and shape Faux Bone
  • How to connect metal clay to Faux Bone
  • How to inlay micro fasteners into Faux Bone
  • How to use two-part epoxy putty
  • How polish

6a Roll out your metal clay onto a Badger Balm lubricated reflector. Place onto a doming mold. Here Robert has used a dapping die or punch.

Allow to dry, sand and perfect.

9c Torch fire for 5 minutes at this orange glow.

11 Mix up 2 part epoxy putty and mix thoroughly. Force this putty onto the fired metal clay disc and cover fully in the short working time available. Follow the manufacturers directions for cure time.

17 Draw the lines for the ring and saw it out with a Saw and Skip Tooth Blades. File the edges.

20a Drill a pilot hole with your drill bit 1/16″ deep. Heat up with a Heat Gun and screw in the threaded insert.

25a Continue to sand and refine with files and the Faux Bone forming tool or Faux Bone Peeler. Sand with belt sander and wet/dry sandpaper.

31a File and sand the front side of the dome shape to remove the excess putty and refine the domed disc.

35 Using a 1″ Faux Bone Disc, find the center and drill four holes for your rivets and one hole to allow the bolt through the center.

36a Using fine silver wire, make balled up posts, 4, using your torch.

38b Cut and file the wires so they the perfect length for riveting.

Hammer flat each wire end, flaring out the wire to make a rivet.

41a Thread the domed disc through the Faux Bone disc and screw into the ring! Voila you have a fantastic ring! You can create new discs and change them out to add color and variety!

Think of all the possibilities with Robert’s design.  You could use different disks, a different signet, etc.  I love the idea of using a reflector for textured design which then is filled in with mixed media.  You could do this with just about any deep texture.  I know Robert loves to just spend an afternoon walking up and down the isles of the hardware store, thinking about all the possibilities!  

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!

Robert Dancik holds a Masters degree in sculpture and a BA in fine art and has been an artist/teacher for more than 30 years. He is presently an adjunct professor of education at Pace University, and has taught people from kindergarten to graduate school while exhibiting his jewelry and sculpture in museums and galleries across the US and in Europe, Japan, and Australia. He teaches workshops at art centers in the US and abroad including Penland, NC; Arrowmont, TN; Metalwerx, MA; Touchstone Center for Crafts, PA; Victoria College of Art, Australia; Brookfield Craft Center, CT; and Mid Cornwall School of Jewelry (UK) to name a few. His work is in numerous collections including the Wustum Museum of Art, Boeringer- Ingleheim International, Schamberger International, Mitsubishi International, Japan and the Gregg Museum of Art and Design. He has artwork published in many books including “PMC Decade”, “Fine Art of the Tin Can”, “1000 Rings”, “The Art of Resin Jewelry,” and “Creative Metal Clay Jewelry”, and magazines including “Niche”, “Art Jewelry”, “Lapidary Journal” and “Perspectives”. Robert is the originator of Faux Bone™, a new, wonderful material for artists involved in jewelry, artist’s books, sculpture, and many other artistic disciplines. He lives in Oxford, CT where he is an avid cook (I didn’t say good) and collector of toys, maps, and compasses.

Photo credit: final piece Drew Davidson; step-by-step Robert Dancik

16 Responses to Robert Dancik – Master Muse Challenge #27

  1. A delightful FB ring from the Delightful originator of Faux Bone! So nice to have Mr. Dancik as one of the Master Muses. Welcome Sir. ;D

  2. Interchangeable components: so cool! And I absolutely love using the putty to add color, texture, contrast, mystery. So glad you’ve joined the Master Muses, Robert!

  3. Awesome, as usual Robert! Love the interchangable-ness of the ring. So cool!!

  4. Wonderful project and idea. How does the Faux Bone hold up to the regular bumps and bruises of life?

  5. Thanks for all the lovely comments!!! I’m delighted to be among the ranks of such a talented and accomplished group of artists.
    Lennie Poitras had asked about the durability of the Faux Bone in daily wear. The answer is that Faux Bone is as close to unbreakable as one can get. You can actually take and whack it with a hammer on a steel anvil and you won’t even make a mark. So for rings, bracelets and most anything else, it stands up to daily use beautifully.

  6. How Cool Robert-love the idea of being able to change the disc without making a new ring each time.Had my bag inspected in Las Vegas-what was I doing with that big shear. Lots of fun!!

  7. Hi Tonya.
    Above it states:
    ‘In this tutorial you will learn:
    … How to connect metal clay to Faux Bone…’
    I have read through the steps repeatedly and I must be missing something, as I cannot find the instruction/step that explains how the metal dome is attached. Could you please explain. Does one solder/fuse a connection to the underside of the dome?
    Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
    Regards
    Sylvia

  8. Hi Sylvia,
    Yes, in the full tutorial, Robert shows how to use the threaded connectors and how the dome is screwed into the threaded connector. There isn’t enough room in a blog to show 50 pictures and 60+ steps. So we give you an overview to give you inspiration! If you are interested in this tutorial, please stay tuned to the http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com website where it will be available soon! He does share in the full tutorial all the nitty gritty secrets to his work, how it’s finished, the exact steps, the materials he prefers to use, etc! This is what makes these tutorials so unique!
    We have 3 more full bench format tutorials coming out in early September and then we will also be making available by download more of the tutorials. Make sure and vote when the survey comes to you! That way you can let us know which tutorials you want to see available first.
    We had over 1000 people vote last time. Thanks for your support!
    If you can’t wait for the tutorial to come out, Robert does teach all over the world! You can check out his schedule at the above link to his site.

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