Silver Metal Clay Heart

Project designed by Esther Anderson.

Materials:

50-grams of Artclay or 1-ounce size of Silver Precious Metal clay
rolling pin or pasta machine - not for food use
texture plate or any item that can add texture to the clay
heart-shaped cookie cutter or a knife - not for food use. Note: If using Precious Metal clay, use 2-1/2" x 2-1/4" heart-shaped cookie cutter (shrinkage rate of PMC is 30 to 50 percent of original). If using Artclay, use 2" x 1-1/2" heart shaped cookie cutter (shrinkage rate of Artclay is 10 percent of original)
AMACO Push Mold - Berries and Blossoms or molding compound to create an original mold if desired
round needle file, toothpick or sewing needle
fine steel jewelry brush, or fine steel wool - grade 000
burnisher or aluminum knitting needle
paintbrush
Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paints
Pebeo Porcelaine 150 filler undercoat
Pearl Ex Powders - Aztec Gold, or any other desired color
Armor-All car polish protectant

Tips:

• Do not place the silver metal clay in contact with aluminum objects. Silver metal clay that has been exposed to aluminum will not fuse properly during the firing process in the ceramic kiln.
• If the silver metal clay is dry, mix in some water, hand lotion and some clear aloe vera gel to moisturize it.

1. Roll out a 1/8" thick sheet of silver metal clay with a rolling pin or pasta machine. If the silver metal clay is sticking to hands, rolling pin, etc., apply a small amount of olive oil to hands and tools. If the pasta machine has been used for rolling polymer clay sheets, clean off the rollers with rubbing alcohol to prevent the silver metal clay from being contaminated with the polymer clay residue.
2. To create texture for the front of the pendant, press a plastic sheet with brick -like pattern into the clay using a rolling pin to exert pressure. Slowly peel the textured clay from the plastic. Note: The featured project used a plastic, dollhouse piece purchased from a hobby shop but any flat, textured item will work. A metal texture plate was used to create a basketweave pattern on the back of the pendant. To obtain a smooth surface, roll out the silver metal clay on a smooth piece of glass, Plexiglas, marble, ceramic tile, etc.
3. Press a heart-shaped cookie cutter into the textured clay to cut out the heart-shaped base or cut out any desired shape using a knife. Use the remaining portion of the silver metal clay to cast the flowers and leaves.
4. Spray the Berries and Blossoms push mold with Armor-All. Wipe off any excess Armor-All with a paper towel then wait for it to dry on the push mold before using. Press the silver metal clay into the coated push mold to create the flowers and leaves. The items will release easily and cleanly. Tip: To limit distortion when removing cast from the mold, bake the clay while it is still in the mold at 200-degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Do not bake the mold at temperatures above 200-degrees or the mold will be damaged. Make one large flower, two small flowers, and four large leaves.
5. Smooth the edges of the flowers and leaves with fingertip or with a paintbrush moistened with water or hand lotion.
6. To make silver metal clay slip, place some silver metal clay into a small container, such as a film canister, and add a few drops of water. Use a toothpick to blend the metal clay and the water until it reaches a smooth consistency similar to white glue. Apply the slip to the undersides of the flowers and leaves then press them in position on the textured heart-shaped base. The silver clay slip dries quickly, so apply the slip to the first item to be added, press it in place then progress to add the next item.
7. Smooth the edge of the heart-shaped base with fingertips, or use a water- or lotion- moistened paintbrush to create rounded edges. A third option is to wait for the item to air dry then file or sand to round the edges.
8. Use the round needle file or needle or toothpick to drill a hole in the pendant. Drill from front of the piece to the back. Wait until the item has air-dried, then use sandpaper to remove any burrs created when drilling out the hole. To increase the durability of the pendant before filing or sanding it, place the pendant on a ceramic tile and bake the pendant at 500-degrees Fahrenheit in a conventional oven or in a kiln for 30 minutes or more.
9. To fire a pendant made of Precious Metal clay, place it in a cool kiln that has a controller and bring the temperature up to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire the pendant at that temperature for at least 2-1/2 hours. To fire the Artclay pendant, place the pendant in a cool kiln that has a controller, and bring the temperature up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire the piece at that temperature for at least 10 minutes. Please exercise care and caution when using the ceramic kiln. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions and safety advice.
10. The pendant will have a white color after the firing. To create a matte silver finish, use a fine metal brush to rub the entire surface of the pendant. To create a shiny and reflective silver finish, use a burnisher, or knitting needle (anything metal with a smooth surface) to rub the surface of the pendant.
11. Optional - After the pendant is fired and polished, paint the flowers and leaves gold. To create gold paint that will be permanent on the silver metal, mix Aztec Gold Pearl Ex Powder with Pebeo Porcelaine150 filler undercoat.