All levels of ability
Nature has a wonderful way of inspiring us. If we look closely at the pods that are left behind by a flower or plant, we can see the beautiful symmetry of nature. Pods represent a renewal as it releases its seeds to start the life cycle anew. In this workshop, we will capture the elegance of pods and fashion them into jewelry. We will explore "constructing" pods that look realistic with texture. The detail in this method cannot be captured with merely painting slip on the surface, as this would only capture the basic form and capsulate the detail on the inside where no one can see it. Vines, leaves, and other plant forms will be explored as well.
Materials Needed: (1–2) 25g of Silver Clay of your choice, pods, leaves, stems, and a collection of natural textures; 2- part molding compound, 400 sandpaper, 3 M polishing papers, polishing cloth. Basic tool kit, along with your favorite metal clays tools, textures, carving tools, combustible compound – wood clay, cork clay, or delight paper clay, Eve® Rubber polishing wheels and knife-edge for Silver, blue (medium), pink (fine) for rotary tool, 3M Radial Bristle Brushes 400 grit to fine, Torch or Kiln. 25 g size restriction with torch use.
Elegant Meadow Pods 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.