Anne shares with us a quick synopsis of the steps she takes to create her Silver Metal Clay and WhimsyCrete™ Ring. This is the fourth challenge for the first group of 5 Masters. The first team has tackled Metal Clay Clasps, Torch Fired Enamels and Metal Clay and Boxes 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!
Anne says “when this Master Muse project was revealed to me the only thing that I could see in my mind was a rough stone protruding from an earthen colored base. I dug through my collection of gems and found a beauty that went very well with one of the colors that is part of the Whimsey Crete collection. I knew I was on the right track! Now, my only choice after that was to decide if I wanted to make a pendant of a ring. Since I have made several pendants for this series I decided that we all deserved a change of pace and I have made you all a ring. I hope that you enjoy this as much as I did.”
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 30 pictures with tons of detail in this #33 Tutorial!
In this tutorial you will learn:
- How to make an open bezel with slab construction
- How to texture metal clay
- How to use fine silver wire to create the ring bands
- How to use WhimsyCrete™
- How to patina and finish a fired piece of metal clay
Using a ring gauge, determine the correct size you will make. Slide this up the ring mandrel. Using fine silver wire, wrap this around the ring mandrel at the correct size. Using the Extra Hard Jaw Flush Cutters clip the wire as shown. You will need to make two of these.
Roll out your clay and then texture the clay. Cut a 35mm circle using a pattern cutter or template.
Making sure to find the center with a template, firmly set the rings into the clay center.
Take note not to move this portion of the ring unless under extreme care until it has been fired.
Roll out a strip of textured metal clay and shape into a circle. The ends should be cut into a mitered 45° angle. Mend together and let dry completely.
Roll out another textured circle of metal clay and join it to the bottom sheet. You will need to rig a drying platfom so the ring portion is not being handled. This is sitting on top of an elevated pattern cutter, with the ring bands inside the cutter shown.
Attach the bezel band to the top of the ring. Dry this upside down so the gravity allows the clay slurry to connect, creating good joins.
Place on a kiln shelf and fire to 1650F for 2 hours in a kiln for maximum strength.
Brass brush, with soap and water, to lay down the silver particles, giving you a nice satin finish.
Mix up the desired amount of WhimsyCrete™ following the website instructions. Fill the cavity to the desired level.
Using a set of wax carving tools, nudge the WhimsyCrete™ into the nooks and crannies and around the stone which was set into the concrete.
Let the WhimsyCrete™ dry for 24 hours.
Patina using Liver of Sulphur and a Q-tip.
It was kismet for this stone to be set into this piece. The concrete is a nice fit with the stone and works great to capture the stone. Don’t you love it when things come together!
Incredibly 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 not often found in a live class. Not to mention that they are scrupulously edited. If the details aren’t there, I ask for more info and pictures to provide you the ultimate instruction.
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 Linda Kaye-Moses Doming Plate 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. 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
Love the irregular stone setting. Opens up great possibilities.
Setting a found object on top of a ring in this way is genius. And Anne couldn’t have found a better”stone” to set!
Great setting Anne! Oh-so-many creative uses for Whimsycrete!