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Hey Everyone! As promised, come join polymer clay artist, Angela Ballew , as she puts her own twists to my, "The Tutorial" and follow alongside her in creating this beautiful, sparkling polymer clay pendant using the Mokume Gane adapted technique with translucent polymer clay, alcohol inks and metallic sheets . . . please click on the link below to get started! From The Bench: Sparkle, Sparkle Mokume Gane Polymer Clay Technique Have fun, and enjoy!
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!
1. Condition a sheet of Black on the thickest setting if, you are using a pasta machine and a sheet of White Polymer clay again, thickest setting. *if using a roller - approx. 1/8 inch.
2. Create a stack with the Black on top of the White, set aside.
3. Now, condition a sheet of Translucent polymer clay on the thickest setting or roll again, to 1/8 inch. (I personally, condition my translucent 20+ times until I can smell the plasticizers releasing from within the clay itself then, I know the chemicals in the clay are properly mixed).
4. Okay, now carefully, because you know how these leafing sheets can get away from you! And, lay a sheet (gold or silver) I am using silver here. gain carefully lay it on top of the translucent sheet of polymer clay. Here I have just used my acrylic roller to "crackle" the sheet.
Now grab your alcohol inks! These are a few of Tim Holtz's - Adirondack Ink (don't forget to use your craft store coupons!!!).
5. This is where your creative imagination comes in! Randomly or not, your choice apply drops of ink (I didn't have to squeeze the bottle to obtain a drop on my sheet) you can use as many or as little color as you want. Here I have used Blue, Poppyfield and Teraa Cotta in a random pattern. When you like the colored pattern you have . . . STOP! Now, you must let these inks dry that usually takes an hour or more. I don't use my heat gun to speed up this process because it degrades the intensity of the inks I have found in other projects with the use of alcohol inks.
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!
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.
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!
I have come to a point in my life where I want to refine myself, to even the point where I want to be known with a symbol. I chose one to represent myself, the zodiacal symbol of my birth sign, Taurus and this goes on all my artistry. . . kinda' like the artist formerly known as "Prince." Simple, I want to be more simplistic even with all the complexities of being me, Marilyn. Does that make sense?
