All levels of ability
The influences of old Yorkshire architecture with richly detailed arches, towers, stained glass and gable windows meet modern interpretation as we explore making a graceful pendant balancing beautifully in motion. Our new explorations into kinetics will also include a reversible focal design, unique gem-setting techniques of setting all stones at once, and the romance of pearls.
Materials Needed: 960 Silver Metal Clay (PMC Sterling 925 and Art Clay Fine Silver mixed 1:1 ratio), 2 – 5mm fire in place gems (dark colors, no nano gems), 2 half-drilled pearls 3 – 5 mm, 18g hard sterling wire, 16 junk wire, Super Sculpey® Original (beige) polymer clay, Carving tools or dockyard tools, Dental tools, Ball stylus, 18 g drill bit, Elmers gel glue, Steel bench block, Rubber or nylon mallet, 5 min. 2 part non-yellowing epoxy, Tracing paper. Rotary tool, Eve® Rubber polishing wheels and knife edge for Silver, blue (medium), pink (fine) for rotary tool, 3M Radial Bristle Brushes 400 grit to fine, Kiln.
Pivotal Moments Tutorial by Holly Gage
Lessons are in a PDF format are for students who need no teacher guidance with the lesson. You do, however, have an option to purchase a 1 hour question and answer session by appointment. To purchase a private session in addition to the self guided lesson, select the "A Private Session with Holly Gage." separately. You can select how many sessions you would like. Sessions are live on the Go to Meeting platform. This option is for seeking answers to questions and have an interest in seeing Holly Gage perform select demonstrations.
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Each tutorial suggests what Metal Clay to use, but you can use the clay you choose with these guidelines in mind since clay preference is an individual choice.
I tend to use Metal Clay with a good melting surface, which means adding water to eliminate imperfections on the greenware surface makes an excellent "self slip" that you can move around with a brush or healing tool to smooth the surface. Many of the lessons use this technique.
Since PMC Sterling is discontinued, the handmade 960 (1/2 PMC Sterling and 1/2 Art Clay Silver) you see in some lessons can be replaced with another strong clay with good carving properties — 950, 960, Sterling Clays, and Base Metal Clays that carve smoothly without chipping.