Cross-Hatch Marks and Holes

Here are a few pieces trying something a bit new to me.  I have always liked the fabric, tweed-like look in polymer, so was thrilled to find a deep texture piece that created a cross-hatched look.  I decided to make some jewelry, that included round openings and colors.  Here are a few of the pieces I made.

The pieces with red have silver embossing powder highlighting the cross-hatch marks.  I liked the way the edges of the holes gave extra depth to the red circles.  The large piece is a pin.







The blue piece is a pendant, and I used titanium white Pan Pastels to color the cross-hatch design. 


The earrings below have gold (left) and silver(right) embossing powder dusted on black "Twinkle" Premo! polymer.  They are quite sparkly in person, even without any special finish or resin. The crystal balls attached at the bottom of the silver pair make them look quite festive.

Playing with More Stripes

I've been having fun making striped canes and stacks, and using them in various shapes.  I particularly like the round, hollow pin/pendants I've been working on.  Here are some of my latest pieces using stripes.

The piece on the left has a gold-plated flower with zircon center adding some sparkle and interest.  Since the edge on this one is ruffled, I did not bring the backing up to the edge.  Some of the striping shows around the edges on the back.

This next pin has very subtle stripes which I think contrast nicely with the textured parts of the piece. Some of the inspiration for this pin comes from my workshop with Fabiola Perez.

Here is another hollow round pin/pendant.  I really love the way the colors blended and how the black and white edging gives the piece an unusual look.  

For these last 2 pieces, I used the same striped stack as the round at the beginning of this post. The necklace is strung with 4mm carnelian rounds and has gold-filled disks between each bead.  The earrings are a "just for fun" pair.  I was playing with some slices and this is what evolved.

Getting the "Point"

If you have glanced through this blog very much, you may have noticed that most of my pieces are smooth and rounded.  I tend to like shapes with curves and things that flow.  Yet every once in a while, it's good to push comfort levels aside, and give something new a try.  So today I have for you a "pointy" necklace.  You have probably seen similar designs elsewhere, but this is my first foray into this particular scheme.

I had fun creating the polymer sheets.  There are three different patterns used here.  I made an Ikat cane, (the one with teal, purple and fuchsia)  a marbled teal and aqua cane with deep texture, and a simply textured purple-blue sheet. Then I cut the shapes.  I used a sharp blade and cut angles that I found appealing.  The top of the pieces were bevel-cut and rolled back to create bails for hanging.  The slightly oval crystals on the cord compliment the colors in the piece, but don't detract from the focals.  It was a fun piece to make, and should be fun to wear on a spring or summer day.

New!! Pictures in Polymer

I've been thinking about trying to make pictures out of polymer, and then this idea came to me.   Of course!  I had to make pictures with flowers.  What fun!

I set my flower designs on polymer sheet backings, which I treated with textures and different color schemes.  Then the pictures were placed inside small frames.  The backs of the frames I used have stands.   In that way, these little pictures, which are about 4"x 6", will sit nicely on a counter, table or window sill.




Before I assembled my first pieces, I experimented with different methods of baking. Some of the frames were solid wood, and could handle the temps in the oven, while others had coatings or coverings on plastic bases, and these did not do well in the oven. So, in some cases I was able to bake the whole "picture" as one piece, and in other cases, I had to bake the components separately, then assemble the picture using an epoxy glue.

Scattered about on this page are my first set of "Pictures in Polymer":

Ikat Three Ways

I've just returned from New Mexico where I had a fantastic time in a sculpture and armature workshop with Kate Church.  Once I finish the pieces I began, I'll post photos and tell you more!  Until then, I've other things to share.

Right before I headed to Albuquerque, I presented a workshop on Ikat techniques.  I showed the participants a few different methods for achieving the Ikat effect.  I thought I'd share some of the pieces I made from canes I developed as part of my demonstrations.  Judging from their Ikat stacks and the products students made, everyone was very successful!

The set to the left was made from a 3-color Skinner blend with white strips of clay set on top to add contrast.  The blend was then cut up and the piece were off-set making a nice stack. I cut slices from the stack and used a thin bamboo stick to draw the feathered pattern on the clay.  Rolling the pieces through the pasta machine enhanced the look.  The picture on the right shows a similar feathering pattern applied to an Ikat stack with multiple color stripes.

These pieces in purple, orange and fuschia were made from an Ikat stack made from medium thick logs of clay set up in a specific pattern.  You can see the set up online  at Polymerclaycentral.com. The earrings and the pendant between them have been further enhanced with some tiny dried flowers, then covered with Magic Gloss.  the other pendant has a satin finish, made by sanding and buffing after baking.  Also, you'll notice one pendant has the feathered design while on the other I left the Ikat design alone.

The green set was made from a 2-color Skinner Blend that I did not reduce as much as the other stacks I made.  Again, I decorated with the little dried flowers and sealed the surface with the Magic Gloss resin.


The brass cuff bracelets below were covered with twisted and swirled snakes made from the various Ikat stacks.  I love the way the colors and textures interact.

This last photo has a few pieces made based on a technique that Lindly Haunani uses for Ikat stacks.  She has a great class teaching leaves using this technique on CraftArtEdu.  If you like the Ikat look, her class is excellent.

Some recent - and updated - projects

I've been off on a bicycle touring vacation in Minnesota and Wisconsin - pretty country.  We're home now, and I've had a chance to get back to some polymer.  I miss having my "fingers" in the clay when I'm away from home, and it feels good to be making some pieces, and augmenting others.
Just yesterday, I taught a workshop on painting polymer with Pearl-x powders.  We had as many different results as we had participants, and everyone had a good time experimenting and learning.  Here are a couple of pieces I made as part of my demonstration.  On the red clusters with bronze stems pieces to the left, I used a micro-pearl for the background.  These pieces I finished with Magic Gloss.  The next set with the basket weave pattern was finished with several sprays of Preserve Your Memories II.The two finishes make the pieces look quite different.  The Magic Gloss adds a depth that looks like a piece of glass. This creates a really shiny surface that seems to distort the background slightly.  The PYM II makes a shiny satin finish that leaves the colors and textures clear.  It certainly is a matter of personal preference.

While I was using the Magic Gloss, I decided to finish up a few mosaic pieces I'd made a while back and hadn't finished.  Each of these pieces now has a layer of Magic Gloss.  On the mosaic pieces, the gloss adds depth but there is no distortion of the design - probably because the design is so specific and sharp.

The last photo is another mosaic piece that still needs "grout" and a final finish.  I really like the colors in this one.

Both of these techniques are a lot of fun.  They are time consuming in some ways, though I find that I get caught up in the processes and don't notice the time it takes.        

Necklace #2: Flowering Vine

Although this type of sectional design has been used in necklaces in a variety of different mediums, this is the first time I've tried it myself.  I like the way the sections move and change size, while the pattern or design flows from one section to the next.

I love flowers and vines, and thought they'd work well in a sectional design.  Of course, I had to make a Skinner blend for the base.  The vines continue from one piece to the next.  I chose to make the background move from light on the ends to dark in the middle, while the vines start with just leaves at the ends and progress to blossoms with variegated colors as we move toward the center.

The closer view below shows the texture on the base. Perhaps you can also see there is a leaf and a flower that extend a bit beyond the base pieces.  I wasn't sure how that would work with pieces that were hooked together and moving.  Now that I've made this piece, I plan to make others and extend more of the decorative components beyond the base.  I think it adds interest and more dimension.

Black & White Magic: The Art of Contrast

The topic for the March show at the Artist's Cooperative of Westerly (RI) is "Black (and white) Magic:  The Art of Contrast.  I'm one of the featured artists, and I've been working on pieces for the show.  I've been trying some techniques that are new for me, so I thought I'd share some of the pieces here.  I think that polymer is a perfect medium for this theme.  Not only do we have contrast with black and white, we can easily contrast other colors as well as textures, shapes and sizes.  Love my polymer!

The first couple of items were inspired by tutorials I saw on the CraftEdu site.  This first set is made from a sheet I constructed based on a traditional Japanese pattern I saw in a tutorial from Nikolina Otrzan.   I used textured clay to construct the pattern, and I think it really fits the show theme.
This next pendant is based on directions from one of Donna Kato's tutorials.  I liked the way Donna constructed the basic black and white base, but found my clay was too soft to use her technique for adding bands of color.  So, I used my own cutting ideas to add the lines of red.








The idea of inserting lines appeals to me, so I decided to try some straight lines rather than curves and waves.  The next set is an example of this type of insertion.











I also experimented with inserting lines and circles.  I particularly like this new shape that comes from a template produced by Melanie Muir.








The last photo shows a larger pendant made using a mokume gane technique.  This piece has a high polish and I like the way the beads look flanking each side.

I'll be back soon to show you some black and white earrings and bracelets in the next post.  Then on to some color!

Fanning Out

A couple of years ago, I was playing with some scraps of clay at a workshop, and developed a piece that was composed of cut outs using the same shape, just differing sizes.  I've been meaning to get back to this particular idea, and finally did.  Today's post shows you a few pairs of earrings I made using what I call "fanning out".
I started with sheets of clay, some in Skinner blends, then I textured them.  I cut out the shapes with an exacto knife.  As you can see in the photos of these earring sets, each different shape was cut out in 3 or more sizes and then the shapes were layered and "fanned" out.  Hence, the name "Fanning Out."

After making some of the earrings with my usual ear wires, I decided to make some with posts.  This required adding an extra piece at the top of the fanned design so the ear posts had a location for attachment.





The last pair on this page shows another version of post earrings in a fanning that displays the Skinner blend well.

P.S. Pendants coming soon....

Yipes - Stripes!

I'm not sure why, but I don't usually do a lot of things in stripes. I was inspired to give stripes a try when I sat across from Anita, of Anita K Designs, at the Mammoth Cave Retreat.  She was using long bolts to make texture on striped slices, and I really liked the way they looked.

On the first pieces I made, I passed the striped clay through the pasta machine multiple times, with the result that the lines between the stripes were softened.  I think these softer stripes are pretty.  However, I tried using the bolts to make the waffle design on these soft stripes, and realized I was not getting the crisp look I wanted.




The next striped pieces I made were passed through the pasta machine just once to seal the joints between the colored stripes.    Since the bolt ridges only run in one direction, each piece is rolled twice, once each in perpendicular directions.  The clay does move a bit while being rolled, which I think adds to the interest of the sheets.

These photos show how the impressed lines from the long bolts made a nice waffle texture and emphasized the stripes.

Polymer Faux Ceramic: A Side Step

While working with the faux ceramic look, I found I really liked working with pastels.  I decided to try them with some different texture patterns.  The pieces I made did not have as much of a ceramic look as the first set, partially, I feel, due to the designs used, as well as the shapes I made.  After baking, they asked for something more besides a PYM2 finish.  Since I enjoy the depth and shine of a resin finish, I decided to give these pieces a resin coating.  I'm quite pleased with the way they turned out.

The branch and tiny blossom design is quite delicate, and really doesn't look much like the broader patterns we usually associate with ceramics.  The pendant and earring set were made using teal, green and rust shades.  The earrings were colored in shades of blue and pink.  You can see how using different colors changes the tone entirely.




These two pair of earrings again are the result of multiple colors added one at a time, with the brush worked in different directions.





The golden pendant is simple, and I thought the filigree bail I found complimented it quite well.

Polymer "Pottery": Modified Faux Ceramic Technique for Cuffs

Thought I'd share what I did last night.  This is sooooo easy, and I love the results!  As I was working on more ceramic effects in polymer, I realized everything I was making was on a flat surface.  I need at least a few brass cuffs for the show.  I didn't think the liquid polymer with alcohol ink approach would work on a curved surface without a lot of dripping, so I decided to see if I could make the other technique work.  I simplified the steps I'd used on the pendants, and I think the cuffs turned out nicely.
The steps are simple:
Condition your clay.  For the ceramic looks, I make my own cream color that is a mixture of white, pearl and small (tiny) amounts of ecru and yellow.  Rolled out to a thickness of 2 (Atlas), the clay fits well on the channeled cuffs.  A texture or design can be imprinted on the clay first, then a strip can be cut out and placed on the cuff.  Alternately, the clay can be placed into the cuff, and then impressed with a design.  Be sure to use a release if your texture plate requires one.  Once the clay is pressed into the cuff and the edges and ends are evened and pressed in, the fun part begins.

Of all the various color techniques I'd been using doing the faux ceramic look, I found using pastels the most fun.  The tutorials and ideas I'd found suggested using your finger to apply the chalk. However, that approach sometimes left prints or made a spot of color that was too large or dark for what I wanted, so I decided to use small paint brushes to add the color to the design.  The first photo shows two cuffs after the pastels have been added and the cuff baked.   Each cuff has 5 or more colors.  I found that the results looked different if all the brush strokes went in the same direction, or if different colors were laid on in different directions. Experiment!  The second photo is the same 2 cuffs after being sprayed with PYM2. I liked both looks, but wanted to be sure the pastels were protected against wear. Easy, fun, and and definitely ceramic-like.

  

Making Silk Screens

As I mentioned in my June 30th posting, I spent a week at the Arrowmont School for Arts and Crafts, studying with Seth Savarick. The focus was surface textures and techniques, and we spent a great deal of time learning about silk screening, and making our own silk screens for use with polymer.  The real trick, besides being sure we had everything set up correctly in the dark room, was finding the right moment with the right amount of sun to cure the screens.  Seth, from southern California, is used to just walking out into his yard whenever he wants to make a screen. Arrowmont is in Tennessee, and we were battling with early summer thundershowers that would descend upon us without much warning.  It got a little comical - we'd be in the midst of working or of listening to new information and someone would shout, "SUN!" We'd drop whatever we were doing, grab our screen setups, and dash out for our minute of sun.  We didn't need much time, but getting it was sometimes a real trick.

I have finally put together some pieces made from sheets of polymer I made up from silk screens.  A few were made with screen overlays.  Take a look!

This purple, gold and silver iris pendant was fun to make.  I started with a Skinner blend base in dark to light purples.  Then, I used gold and silver paint in sections on the silk screen and dragged the squeegee across the surface.  The result is a variation in both the background and in the colors in the foreground.

 The midnight blue pieces are half-lentils with curved top surfaces on a flat, silver leaf covered backing.  There are two different stencils used on the surface.  One made the periwinkle small squares and dots while I used another stencil to add the silver diamond and star-burst shapes.  The surface really looks like a night sky.



The green bamboo pieces were also made with 2 different stencils: one for the bamboo leaves, the other for bits of gold splash.

The deep purple leaf set was set up a bit differently.   I used 2 different silk screens that needed to be placed precisely to ensure that the "fill-in" color landed within the outlines.




Since I came home, I have made some of my own screens.  You'll see some of them down the road when I get out my paints and screening set up.  The color on the polymer from the paints is really lovely, and doesn't show up as well on the computer screen as it does in person.