Sparkle, Sparkle Mokume Gane Polymer Clay Technique

Sparkle! Sparkle!

with

Angela Ballew

create this beautiful pendant by Angela Ballew

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!

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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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 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.