This project was designed and demonstrated by Barbara McGuire.
Materials:
white, translucent, gold, black and copper Premo polymer clay
sized clip art images
photocopies of images on a toner-based (not digital) machine
bone folder for burnishing
polymer clay blade
roller
pasta machine
needle tool
wire rod
cord
card stock
Steps:
1. Condition the clay and mix the colors if desired. The gold we used had small bits of black mixed in thoroughly to dull the color.
2. Roll a thin sheet of white clay (#4 on the pasta machine). Place the photocopy transfers on the white clay and leave them 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the clay. The temperature of the room will also make a difference. Burnish the paper onto the clay with the bone folder to make sure there are no trapped air bubbles.
3. Pull back the paper to see if the toner has transferred to the clay. When copies are transferred, remove the paper (figure A).
4. Cover the transfer with a very thin sheet of translucent clay (#6 setting or as thin as possible). This embeds the transfer so you can touch it. Trim the piece.
5. Make a 3/8-inch diameter snake. And a 1/2-inch diameter tube to be the core of a bead and a bracelet. The bracelet core should be about 8-1/2 inches long and the bead core about three inches long.
6. For the bead: Wrap the core with the prepared transfer (figure B).
7. Fill in any gaps with more transfer design (embedded in translucent) (figure C). Smooth the seams.
8. Make small disks for the caps at either end of the bead and attach. You can also use silver bead caps.
9. Poke a hole through the bead with the needle tool and suspend on a wire rod for baking. You can suspend the rod between the edges of a pan during baking (figure D).
10. For the bracelet: Cut a small strip of the transfer and set aside. Cover the clay snake with the remaining transfer and additional sheets of gold and copper ( figure E).
11. Smooth the transfer seams and color seams. Trim the ends with a blunt cut and connect the bracelet together, joining with firm pressure. Stretch the bracelet gently to fit over your hand to test the fit.
12. Make a small tube of white clay. Place the transfer strip you previously set aside on the tube and slice just where the transfer shows. You are creating a half -round shape with the transfer on the curve.
13. Place the half-round on the seam of the bracelet. The band will go perpendicular around the seam, hiding it. Trim ends and secure the band (figure F).
14. Bake both bead and bracelet on card stock paper, according to manufacturer's instructions.
Resources design transfer sheets
Art-Forward
Website:
store.barbaramcguire.com
Premo! Sculpey polymer clay
Polyform Products Inc.
Products available at craft and hobby stores.
Website:
www.sculpey.com
Traditional African Designs
by Gregory Mirow
Dover Publications Inc.
31 East 2nd St.
Mineola, NY 11501-3852
US
Website:
store.doverpublications.com
Guests Barbara McGuire
Art-Forward
Website:
www.barbaramcguire.com
Also in this Episode
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