Extruding Polymer Clay

Years ago I use an extruder to make canes for ‘dotty beads’.
Here are some pendants I made in 2007

       
I used the extruder in a different way in 2009

     
 
In 2010, I bought Ronna Sarvas Weltman’s  book and experimented with some of the projects extruded bangles and pendants.
   
Earlier this year at the Euro Conference I again played with the extruder in Klavdija’s  class and made these beads:

There wasn’t time in the workshop to paint the beads or finish, so I completed the necklace when I returned home in May. Since then I have used the extruder to make many different jewellery items after Klavdija's inspiration.

A touch of the blues!

      

        

Mokume Gane and Married Metals with Jen Tattam

Using Hadars Clays again Jen showed the students Inlay (Married Metals) and Mokume Gane. The emphasis on how to master the look of married metals and also how to achieve a smooth matte finish.

    

These are my pieces but not finished, still more sanding and polishing to go.

Base Metal Clay - Inlay

Inlay definition from Wikipedia:  Inlay is a decorative technique of inserting pieces of contrasting, often coloured materials into depressions in a base object to form patterns or pictures that normally are flush with the matrix

This is a sample that I made for Hadar’s book in 2009. It shows the copper inlaid into the bronze clay

   

In the class today Jen showed examples of two clays fired together in a single piece.

    

Makins Air dried clay – the possibilities!

A good workshop with lots of creative people at Creators Corner in Canning Vale. This delightful craft Shop is owner by Irene Alberts and Karin Posthumus, both are very talented and skilful people.

Jen Tattam give some interesting ideas about using the air dry clay made by ‘Makins’.

   

The dried sheets of clay can be decorated with all sorts of paints, inks and markers.

     

Jen brought some pre-made bangles and cuffs so the students could cut there painted sheets with scissors and glue them onto the bangles.

   

Base Metal Clay – Collage of Textures

Jen Showed the mixing of Hadar’s clays and students explored textures.

   

 

         

                     Drying the clay                                                                              Ready for the firing                                  Into the carbon

    

                     Ready for the kiln                                                Laurellee’s pendants                                                Finished pendants

Metal Clay Classes at MCAS

The studio is all ready for the start of Accredited Teacher Jennifer Tattam classes in base metal clays. Jennifer has studied with Hadar Jacobson in the US, using Hadar’s clays.