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Tropical Flora Lei Brooch Tutorial by Holly Gage
All levels of ability​
 
The flower Lei is used as a show of affection to welcome guests to the islands. You will practically smell Honolulu’s native tropical flora and remember the traditions when you bring home this beautiful pendant suggesting the beauty of the floral leis. I will show you how to make your own embossed texture plates using easy to manipulate copper sheet and ball stylus. The design will focus on stylized techniques to help you interpret flowers with your own unique flair. Finally, I will assist you in exploring new and distinctive ways to set a gem to create a unique and dynamic focal point, and your own pin back.
 
Materials Needed: 1 - 2 25g pkgs. PMC3 or Low fire Art Clay, (1) 5 – 8 mm fire in place gem. 2” 18g sterling wire, 3 M polishing papers, 400 sandpaper, 1 small package of polymer clay, copper sheet 34 gauge. All basic tools needed for class will be available. (Bring your favorite metal clays tools, textures. A 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, embossing tools, ott light, and pliers sets are optional, Kiln.

Tropical Flora Lei Brooch Tutorial by Holly Gage

$38.00Price

  • 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.

    ©2021 Gage Designs. All rights reserved. This lesson and information within are protected under copyright law. Sharing or reproduction in whole or part are prohibited.

  • 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.
     

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