All levels of ability
Petroglyphs or primitive rock carvings can be found all over the islands in Hawaii. The symbols tell the stories of the ancient Hawaiian people. Presented is a modern take on the traditional Hawaiian Petroglyph. This fun, mixed-media project designed by Holly Gage and Gordon Uyehara will include traditional or colored sand, silver metal clay, and pearls. You will learn step by step how to make the beautiful 3-dimensional framework in silver clay, capture the hardened sand, and inlay your silver metal petroglyph symbol. Cleverly hidden wires allow you to decorate your framework with pearls, and there is a clever bail, attachments, and choices for more complicated designs.
Materials Required: Low fire silver clay 20 g or more • Sand (your color choice • Cardboard or plastic stencil paper • 1/2 drilled pearls, 5 - 8 mm • 20 gauge fine silver or sterling wire • 1 pkg. any type polymer clay • 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 • Art resin® kit, •3 plastic cups for measuring • Tooth picks • Epoxy resin • Bench block, nylon mallet, small sheet of leather • Basic Tool Kit, textures optional, Kiln
Modern Hawaiian Petroglyph Pendant 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.