Silver Clay

I am a very curios person; the family calls me “Curios George” for reason as I always want to try something new. I have been making simple bead jewellery for quite a time and heard a lot about the polymer clay. Then I came across a completely new technique- silver clay, which is pure silver blended with some particles and has a consistency of clay. When burnt in high temperatures (in kiln or by torch) these particles burn out and you get a piece in fine silver.

I enrolled myself to a course and this is what we managed to do during the two days we were there.

Pendant Black Current.

It is a technique when you have a real leaf, for example in this case from a black current bush and paint it with silver clay in the form of paste. You need to apply 10-12 layers and let the piece dry completely between the sessions of painting. Then you attach a holder and decorate with the clay syringe if you wish. I also added a white pearl later.

Small pendant Colourful beads

The same technique, although with a much smaller leaf. Three colourful beads were added later. When choosing leaves it’s better to go with more robust, like black current, pelargonium etc as very thin or fragile leaves can crack under the weight of the clay.

Pendant Old Runes

We also made pendants from the clay and decorated them with artificial zirconium stones. It is important to use specially created stones as the natural ones will crack in the process of burning.

The results were amazing, although it was not always easy to reach the look you have in your head. It’s a lot of fun to work with this technique and you can also continue at home as it does not demand complicated and expensive equipment.

For help and inspiration I would recommend books that I bought myself, by Irina Miech:
Metal Clay for Beaders
http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Clay-Beaders-Irina-Miech/dp/0871162334
Inventive Metal Clay for Beaders
http://www.amazon.com/Inventive-Metal-Clay-Beaders-Exciting/dp/087116258X/ref=pd_sim_b_3
More Metal Clay for Beaders
http://www.alibris.co.uk/booksearch?qwork=10207155&matches=11&author=Miech%2C+Irina&browse=1&cm_sp=works*listing*title

There are of course many other sources, just google it!