Project designed by Nan Roche.
Materials:
clay gun
Cox caulking gun
clay gun adaptation kit including:
- piece of PVC pipe - 2" x 1" diameter
- 7/8" diameter rubber O-ring
- metal washer with 2" outside diameter and a 7/8" hole in the center
- 1/2" round rubber furniture caster
220, 320, 400 and 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper
sponge and shallow basin
Super glue
pasta machine
Premo Sculpey polymer clay:
- gold
- metallic green
- purple
tissue slicing blade
small flexible ruler
brayer
work surface
Steps:
- Sand the metal piece at the end of plunger on the caulking gun to get a rough surface. Using Super Glue, glue the rubber furniture caster to the end of the metal piece to make a bumper. Let it sit for a while until the glue dries.
- Take the end off the clay gun and pick one of the dyes that come with it to punch into the end piece. Push the O-ring onto the end of the gun, then the piece of PVC pipe. Push the pipe all the way down to the bottom.
- Put the washer on top of the pipe, then screw on the top of the gun.
- Condition the clay by putting it through the pasta machine at least 20 times to remove all the air bubbles, and make it soft.
- Roll each of the clay colors into a log that will fit into the clay gun. With the tissue-slicing braid, cut off several pieces of each color. Line them up into a log (figure A), then roll the piece to remove air bubbles and make it smooth. Put the now tri-colored log into the clay gun. The color that is put in first is the color that will be dominant throughout the bracelet. Put the plunger onto the clay gun.
- Place the clay gun inside the caulking gun so that they just touch. Push on the trigger of the caulking gun, and the clay will squirt out (figure B). Continue squirting the clay until it is all out.
- Cut the long strand into six strands then discard one of them. Press the five strands onto the work surface to make it sturdy, then begin to braid the strands together. It works the same way as a three-strand braid, except one strand is braided over two strands at a time (figure C).
- Measure your wrist circumference, and mark it on a ruler.
- Roll a solid color log of the clay that matches the braid. Use a brayer or roller to flatten the log into a base for the bracelet. Measure the length and shape for the base of the bracelet for your wrist.
- Apply the braid to the band of the bracelet, and use the brayer to squash braid onto the band.
- With the edge of your hand, roll the braid (with the band now attached) into a smooth point (figure D). Flatten the braid with a brayer on both the front and back sides. Briefly measure the wrist again to see where the cut needs to be made.
- Roll the ends around into a "C" shape (figure E) then check to see how it fits on the wrist.
- Bake the clay with the ends touching.
- Sand and polish the bracelet.
Resources video - Special Techniques in Polymer Clay with Nan Roche
Mindstorm Productions
Freehold, NJ
Toll Free Phone: 800-400-7099
Fax: 732-431-2986
URL:
www.mindstorm-inc.com
Premo! Sculpey clay and clay gun
Polyform Products Inc.
Products available at craft and hobby stores.
Website:
www.sculpey.com
The New Clay: Techniques and Approaches to Jewelry Making
by Nan Roche (ISBN: 0962054348)
Click
here to order this title.
Flower Valley Press Inc.
Glen Echo, MD
US
Phone: 301-654-1996
Toll Free Phone: 800-735-5197
URL:
www.flowervalleypress.com
Guests Nan Roche
Artist / Owner, Nan Roche
4511 Amherst Road
College Park, MD 20740
Email:
nan@nanroche.com
URL:
www.nanroche.com
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