The Glow Experiments

As with all my experimenting in the different aspects of the technique, Mokume Gane holds for polymer clay, I was thinking about the layering of the B/W  sheets and the purpose for each in revealing the design placed in the polymer clay ... hence, the experiment with glow clay was born!

* I am using Sculpey Glow polymer clay.

 First, condition your clay, I ran it through the pasta machine (you can do it by hand) on the thickest setting, as you can see it is already glowing!!!

 



 

In the picture above, I applied the silver leaf and alcohol inks of choice (teak, butterscotch,golds and a 'Lil raspberry) then, allow to completely dry.  Once dry, I rolled out a thin sheet of translucent polymer clay and laid it on top of the sheet that was inked, then rolled out a sheet of black on the thickest setting and laid that on top of the stack then, ran the entire stack through the pasta machine on the thickest setting.  You may cut your stack in half if it is more manageable and make a double stack or just use your single stacks to cut-in your design.

** side note:  ( the sheet of white has been omitted so the glow clay shows up nicely as, you have the black outlining your design).







Here are the slices that were obtained from my single stacks.  top: lights on - bottom: lights off
 

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Below are a few completed projects made from the slices obtained from the stack I had created 

 

 

 

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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).

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!