Recent Mokume Gane Stack

Mokume Gane Technique Adapted for Polymer Clay

Large size Disk Beads

Love the transparency achieved in these disks!

** hand model is Jon Williams :-)                                

The results of my recent experiments with alcohol inks and translucent polymer clay are coming in slowly as I am creating disk beads from the created stack and obtaining sheets using the Mokume Gane technique, adapted for Polymer Clay.

 

How this experiment came about was, I was cleaning my workstation when I came upon a sheet of translucent already inked and silver leaf added to it!!!! Egads, you know that feeling when you find something you had completely forgot you had created, that initial sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach! I quickly grabbed it up and upon examining it, discovered some of the ink had bled through the trans.  So, I quickly created a sheet of B/W both on a thick setting then reduced that on the thickest setting and laid it upon the translucent clay that I found already prepared. Then using my acrylic roller, reduced the stack to not quite half its original thickness. I got thinking how much I would really like to have more silver and blue come through so I placed another sheet I created under the original sheet I found of the inked up translucent polymer clay, and then cut the stack in half! Stack it again with the black on top.  I used the blunt end of my strictly for polymer clay use only cookie cutter shapes, and plunged them the clay itself.  Satisfied with the design, I slightly rolled over it,  lightly to compress the layers, and pushed the sides in slightly to create a more pleasing rectangular shape for slicing full sheets.  Below are the slices I rendered from the stack . . . .

 

 

some nice full sheet slices!

 

 



A Note Of Thanks!

I want to say, "Thank You" to EVERYONE from around the globe who came to this blog to view, study and hopefully begin working with the tutorial I blogged freely to ALL. 

Please do not hesitate to ask me questions if there is anything you do not understand or can't seem to grasp the information I have presented in the tutorial.  There are a number of ways to bring your inquiry to my attention; you may post directly within the blog site itself, email me on google+ or catch up with me over on Facebook.

I have recently created a closed Facebook group for those wanting to learn more about this technique and/or share your works created after working through the tutorial and want to talk with other like-minded artists, feel free to come join us!  The group is Mokume Gane - Advanced Techniques and is subject to administrative approval upon your request.

Again, Thank you,

Marilyn


* I will continue to strive; to push my mind, and imagination as I hope it sparks your creativity and artistic voice!

A tile I made from the tutorials stack



The Tutorial - Part 3 Mokume Gane, Alcohol Inks and Translucent Polymer Clay

Thanks for sticking with me into this home stretch!

12.  What you want to do with your slices you have taken off your stack is figure out what background color you want to come through when the translucent clay is baked.   First thing I do is roll out, like in this case, a sheet of white polymer clay on a medium setting (6) on my pasta machine. Then, I arrange my slices on to that sheet, cover it as much as I can with all my slices.  Trim off the excess.  I then take me acrylic roller and lightly go over the sheet because I do not want a lot of distortion with added pressure. I just want to even out the slices in order to cut my pendants and earrings from it.

I am very curious to see just how this section will turned out once I have a piece baked!?

this section of my sheet equally intrigues me . . . will be interesting!



13.  As you can see from the images taken above here, I have some very interesting areas I want to capture a few pendants and earrings from.  Soooooo . . . let's do it!

14.  These are the shapes I am currently working with from templates I created myself and used my "mud" as the medium.  Now, you go, do, and be free to create yours!!!!  Meet ya' back!

Here are mine, from the above sections I was very interested in







 15. Don't forget to sign your pieces!

The Artist Formerly Known As, Marilyn



 16.  Ready to Bake.  Follow manufacturers directions for temperature and time.  Here is my setup and it has worked excellent from the prior pieces that have been shown here and other network websites.   First, I have a temp gauge for interior of oven, second I have foil on the baking rack itself third, 4x4 ceramic tile with parchment paper.  I place my pieces on that and then "tent" my pieces, just to add protection to the translucent as it bakes at higher temperatures. Try not to let your pieces over bake as soon as mine are ready, I pull them . . .



my setup for smaller pieces



 17.  Remove from the oven safely and have a bowl or pot of cold water with ice cubes ready to plunge your pieces into the icy water, and stop the process thus, the pieces discontinue to bake.

simple saucepan with ice water - you can see already how transparent the polymer clay baked



18.  Here are my finished pieces.  I have recently went down to a 300 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lightly sand the tops, then graduate to the finer grits - 1200 usually.  I buff these on my buffing wheel and apply lastly, a coat of triple thick glaze.  Done!

Thank you! And I hope you enjoyed working along side of me as we created some beautiful pieces with Polymer Clay, Translucent polymer clay, And Alcohol Inks using the Mokume Gane technique adapted for polymer clay. 

Back to Beginning (Part 1).

The Tutorial - Introduction: Material's List Mokume Gane, Alcohol Inks and translucent Polymer Clay Technique

My Bracelet created from the Mokume Gane slices from this tutorial

Why am I doing this!?  Because there are a few people, and you know who you are that want to know how I am achieving these latest created pieces using translucent polymer clay and alcohol inks so, I am sharing my knowledge gained laboring diligently in my crafty LA-BOR-A-TORY! Just for fun, say that like Dr. Frankenstein after watching his monster high above the castle being electromagnetically shocked and then coming back down, down into the lab and twitching . . . and the doctor saying that famous line, It's Alive!!!!!

Okay, on with the tutorial!
** just a side note - if you have any questions and/or something you aren't understanding, do not hesitate to leave me a comment at the bottom *remember there are no stupid questions as there may be others sitting there at any point in time wondering the same thing but, afraid to ask!

In this tutorial I am assuming, you all have a basic knowledge and understanding of skills in beginning polymer clay.  With that said, Let's Begin!

What you will need:
Polymer clay:  I have used 3/4 of a 2oz bar of each
                         White
                          Black
                          Translucent
** this can be your choice depending on how much you want to create to be used for your future projects: necklaces, earrings, pendants, also used as an overlay on objects.  Also, use the clay you feel you get the best results from,  I use Sculpey Translucent.  I have used other brands; Kato, Fimo and Premo and I went back to Sculpey because I achieved the best transparency with it but, you use what you feel most comfortable.

Additional Materials and Tools used:

                           Pasta Machine (not a necessity)

                           Acrylic Roller ( or whatever you use for rolling)

                            Sharp Blade and/or Flexible Blade

                            Gold or Silver Leaf Sheets (1 sheet needed)

                            Cookie Cutters and/or objects to create a design

or effect in the clay (specifically for polymer clay)

                            Acohol Inks (any colors - Tim Holtz, Ranger, etc.)

** if you use regular cookie cutters or any objects to create your patterns in the clay DO NOT USE them  again for servicing or eating off of, in association with food or food preparation there afterwards.  They will remain dedicated polymer clay tools for use only!!!

                       

                                               On to Part 1 of The Tutorial

Polymer Clay - Mokume Gane

Here are some of my created pendant sets using, what I would call traditional Mokume Gane meaning, the stack and compression of the polymer clay itself by use of manipulating the stack with objects that would create patterns, designs and/or textures to the clay. Then, slicing across the sheet to reveal one's creation! But, what is this all leading up to!? My Tutorial . . . I'm working on it as we speak!

Sooooooo . . . stayed tuned!

Polymer Clay - Mokume Gane with Translucent Clay and Alcohol Inks

I have been experimenting specifically in the adapted technique called,  Mokume Gane. With this technique, the experiment has been in incorporating the use of translucent polymer clay, gold and silver leafing sheets, and alcohol inks. Below are some examples of my created pieces from these experiments.

Welcome!

I should introduce myself, I am Marilyn and I am an artist.   

It's been thrilling, and I have met a lot of wonderful people along the way.  I continually learn and believe educating oneself is the essence to unlocking more and more of the creative imagination that comes from within each and every one of us. Expressing myself creatively through art, whatever form that may take, is important to my well-being.

These are "snippets" into the "WHY" I am an artist and do the things I do in life.  I hope you will walk with me on this adventure, whilest enjoying the images of unique, whimsical at times . . . jewelry I design and create  . . . for you!