The Tutorial - Part 2 Mokume Gane, Alcohols Inks and Translucent Polymer Clay

I hope you enjoyed the Intermission!  Okay, we are actually reaching the home stretch, if you have stayed with me thus far . . . thank you! Now, onto Part 2.


6.  Remember the B/W sheets we put together and set aside? Now we are going to work that sheet we created.  Put it through the pasta machine on the thickest setting which should reduced it to a thickness of 1/8 inch (manually it should end up approximately that thickness). It will almost be doubled in length.

7.  Place that sheet we just created, lay on top of your dried alcohol inked transparent sheet of polymer clay. Then, put that through the pasta machine on the thickest setting whereas, this is  the "compression" in metalsmith terminology of what we are actually doing to the polymer clay.

8.  Once again, your sheet will almost double in size.  After which, you can trim the sheet up, cut in half and stack it, making sure your black is always on top. *see image 9.

9.  This is where you can get out all your cutters, old credit cards, needle nose pliers and create your unique stamp on your polymer clay stack. *use the blunt side of cutters to better drag the colors throughout the stack, same for anything you are going to be using for design purposes.

10.  You can, before you begin slicing, lightly use your acrylic roller (any) to compress the stack a bit and that in turn helps hold it to the table.  You can also elevate your stack by placing it on scrappy clay as to not dug quite so deep unevenly through the stack . . .there is a video showing exactly how to do this, I'll have find it.  Using a sharp tissue blade taking the thinnest slices possible underneath the top sheet, begin slicing through your stack as I have pictured below. Turn your cut slices over to reveal the patterns and colors.

11.  Here are my slices from my stack, yours may be very different from mine and that's a good thing.  But, the fun isn't over quite yet.  We now have to use these slices in creating a piece, the magic begins in the baking of the translucent polymer clay with the alcohol inks and don't forget our leafing sheet!



** to be continued in The Tutorial - Part 3 Mokume Gane, Alcohol Inks and Translucent Polymer Clay  . . . Thanks!

continue to Part 3 of this tutorial

The Tutorial - Part 1 Mokume Gane, Alcohol Inks and Translucent Polymer Clay

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.

- INTERMISSION -



continue to Part 2 of this tutorial





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 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.