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Hints and tips suggested by our customers

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*****

Mar 17, 2010, 09:55

"Hi Yvonne,

The Vitrea paints should be vitrea160 – oven proof.

The process for this would be to make your piece as usual, and fire it. Then, you paint it, or the parts you would like to paint, then leave to dry for 48 hours. After this, in order to set the colour(s) you would bake the piece in the oven following the manufacturers instructions. The oven temperature will not affect the clay but Will set the paint.

Hope this clarify things"

– Katherine Platt

*****

Mar 14, 2010, 12:28

"Question to Katherine Platt: re Vitrail160

Katherine, such an excellent idea to use Vitrail. Can you please just clarify that it is ok to paint this directly to the dry clay, and then fire with a blowtorch?

Some amazing tips here! So glad to have found this site!

Yvonne"

– Yvonne Muk

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:49

"A TECHNIQUE FOR METAL PAPER CLAY

If you haven't tried it before them yuo have to give this one a go - quilling!
Yes, just like with papercrafts, metal paper clay can have some STUNNING finishes when quilled - get imaginative...there's hundreds of free quilling patterns online, just google search it, cut your paper clay to strips, and quill away!!!!! Easy as 123 and takes seconds....

Enjoy :-)"

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:49

"Look for inspiration in unusual places! EVERYWHERE! You will create and represent things that mean something to you better than anything else."

– Yvonne

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:48

"Gemstones, glass and other embellishments...

As you may, or may not know (those starting out) CZ lab grown gems and some high fireable gemstones work wonders for embellishing metal clay pieces. Cabs and stones can really make a piece.

If you cant get the hang of bezel setting, or have problems in getting the inclusions to fit (I know a lot of people find this troublesome) there is an alternative option.

One of the BEST stones for use directly with syringe clay or paste is lava stone. The natural material was a gift from god, spat by volcanoes at that hot temperature they are perfect for firing! Overlay the stone with paste in random patches, or syringe a design onto it and the silver shines through in a complete contrast with the jet black from the lava stone - a fantastic effect with dramatic style."

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:47

"Another method of adding colour to clay without a kiln...

Product: Prismacolor pencils

how to:

NB: Begin with a base palette of 3-5 colours. Apply 1 colour to all pieces in series before moving to next for consistency

BLENDING
1. Use on 'white stage' fired clay.
2. Use a q-tip
3. Overlap colours blending one to the next
4. To liquify colours add v. small amount of turputine - will bleed for a softer look
(or in high relief areas)

APPLY acrylic medium to seal colour
burnish and finish

(not my fav, can be difficult to get the hang of, and pencils are pricey!)"

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:47

"Invest in a fillabel chinese water colour brush.

These are great brushes from most art/craft stores which can be filled with water and are an invaluable addition to your kit - allowing you to control the flow of water added to your pieces without saturating and ruining them!"

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:47

"Adding colour to PMC/Art clay pieces

If you are not comfortable using a patina, epoxy resin or enamalling, or if you are just starting out and do not have access to a kiln for example, there is an easy way to adhere colour sections to your pieces without the use of a kiln...

...the product is called Vitrail160.

It is a glass paint especially designed to be dishwasher safe. You can buy this from most specialist art shops (or ebay!). The paint can be fired and set onto dry fired clay using a conventional oven and there are a range of wonderful colours that can be used!

NB: Although cheaper, I would avoid the pens they are incredibly hard to control paint flow."

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:46

"If a flat clay shape has dried warped...

...you can re-flatten it!

1. Lightly mist the piece with water. Wait a few minutes for this to be absorbed. (should be flexible, but not saturated!)

2. Gently place a flat object on the wet clay. After a few minutes check for flatness...

...et voila!"

– Katherine Platt

*****

Feb 24, 2010, 12:45

"A guide to clay thickness...

If like me, when starting out, you sometimes struggle with determining the thickness you should use for a piece a general rule of thumb would be as follows:

2 card thickness - (aprox 0.8mm) for use when joining layers of clay. VERY fragile when dry and unfired

3 card thickness - (aprox 1.2mm) fine for majority of projects, including brooches, rings and pendants

4 card thickness - (aprox 1.6mm) best if a texture is to be applied. Once texture applied, this can then be rolled to 3 card thick for finishing (also useful for a heavier ring band)

5/6 card thickness (aprox 2/2.4mm) for items requing additions such as bezel strip, or projects needing 'cells' to be filled with other materials (i.e. resin or epoxy enamel)

**Beginners should start with 3/4 card thickness, once experienced with this then clay can be rolled and worked with at a thinner/finer state)"

– Katherine Platt

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