The Convergence of Like Materials

March 7, 2016

DStubitschPinkAs I mentioned last week, I was very excited to have a metal clay article for this issue. I have been wanting to do one for a while, especially since Metal Clay Artist magazine was forced to close their doors. I spent a lot of time conversing with the editor of MCAM, Jeannette Froese LeBlanc, trying to find a way to integrate our periodicals so they could continue to provide articles to metal clayers, but this market is a big challenge. Jeanette eventually went onto create Creative Fire, an online periodical, presented blog style, with in-depth and magazine-quality posts. If you are interested in metal clay, you need to subscribe to the free posts there.

It was through those conversations that I was steered to Dawn Stubitsch who so kindly agreed to write The Polymer Arts magazine’s first metal clay article. Dawn has been working in polymer for quite a while and only found metal clay as a way to create more durable bails for her pendants. The combination resulted in some truly unique pendants, like the one you see here. The bail is not just something added as a functional necessity, but it is the real focal point of the pendant. You don’t even think about it being a bail; it’s that strong center that holds all the riotous colors and patterns together.

I’m hoping Dawn’s article, with its clear direction and many tips, will get polymer clayers to consider giving metal clay a try. We use a lot of the same tools and many polymer skills translate quite directly to metal clay. As with many of the articles in the Spring issue, which focuses on the convergence of polymer and similar or complementary materials, we hope you see how expanding materials to use with polymer so greatly expands your creative potential with clay.

For more pieces from Dawn, go to her Flickr page, or check out her Facebook artist’s page where you can find shots from her work table that will complement what you see in the article, as well as more of her work.

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Create or design a functional part of a piece as the focal point. It could be bail, an ear wire, or a necklace or bracelet clasp. If you are creating decor, it could be the handle, knob, latch, feet, or lid of the piece. Or if you’re creating a sculpture, make the base or wall hanging a well considered and important piece of the composition. Make it so the part in your craft art that is necessary for function comes across just as, or more than, necessary for the design.

_________________________________________

Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:

PCTV March 2016 Blog

___________________________________________

Decorative Polymer Bails

If there is any pre-made finding that polymer versions replace as well as, if not better, I think it would be the bail.  Of course, many of us integrate polymer bails into our pendants and focal beads almost without thinking. But you can also create a stock of decorative polymer bails that can be used in combination with jump rings, or embedded in the clay as needed.

My most basic polymer bail stock had always been extruded hollow tubes in scrap clay. I would make them fairly thin-walled and bake them so I had sturdy base tubes to cover in my choice of raw clay, which I could then press onto newly created pendant pieces. Easy, quick, and made to match the pieces.

However, I have to say I was very intrigued when I found these polymer and wire combination bails created by Марина Горячих (translates as Marina Hot which may or may not be the best English translation).

bail-collage

Of course, I have a thing for the filigree work, but most any kind of decorative clay work would make for some interesting bails. She goes through the steps for making these bails on her LiveJournal page here – just replace or adjust the decorative filigree with your type of work. Definitely worth trying out!

Bails on the Backside

February 23, 2013

If you’ve gotten your latest issue of The Polymer Arts magazine (yes, I know many of you are still waiting for it to come in the mail … they just went out this past week so give them a little time but they will be there soon!)  you probably saw the article “Back Stories” which Jan Montarsi put together, soliciting a number of artists to tell why and how they treat the back sides of their work for a professional and well finished look. Jan’s penchant for doing all things well shows in his own carefully finished pieces and simple but elegant ideas such as these backside bails.

5756057693_c83f6770af

Jan has several shots of what he does with just a jump ring and a little clay on his Flickr page. Heading on over to his pages also gives you a chance to ogle his beautiful mica mush pendants (seen here) and other beauties. Don’t you just love the colors and shimmer? Jan’s Flickr pages are a treasure of color and fun pieces so hopefully you can take a little time to wander around there and check out his work.

If you haven’t received your latest issue of The Polymer Arts as a digital subscriber, check your spam/junk mail folders first as they do sometimes get shuffled off there. You can also write me at connect@thepolymerarts.com to inquire. Please be patient about print issues arriving … they are on thier way. If you need to order yourself a digital or print copy of the Spring 2013 Stories themed issue or would like a subscription, that can all be done here: http://www.thepolymerarts.com/Subscribe.html

A Bundle of Bails

January 16, 2013

Let’s talk bails. Some kind of contraption or addition or subtraction to a piece must be formed for pendants to do their hanging about a person’s neck. There are many approaches to this, with a good majority making the bail or connection either invisible or an accent, if even that. There is nothing inherently wrong with these approaches, but I just think its fantastic to have the bail as part of the pendant design. If it’s going to show, then let it shine.

I consider Susan Waddington of PolyDogz a kind of master bail-er. Although most of her bails are pretty simple in construction, they look like a necessary or at least a complimentary addition to the pendant’s design. Here is just one of her many interesting bail solutions. This one is directly integrated into the design–the pendant would be but half as stunning without it.

pen5.sized

Different forms, overlaid shapes, textures, colorations, and ways of introducing the cord make her site a kind of treasury of bezel ideas. Oh … and her pendants are pretty darn fabulous, too.

I shall not waste any more of your time blathering away. Your time would be better spent exploring Susan’s website for ideas and inspiration.

 

 

The Convergence of Like Materials

March 7, 2016
Posted in

DStubitschPinkAs I mentioned last week, I was very excited to have a metal clay article for this issue. I have been wanting to do one for a while, especially since Metal Clay Artist magazine was forced to close their doors. I spent a lot of time conversing with the editor of MCAM, Jeannette Froese LeBlanc, trying to find a way to integrate our periodicals so they could continue to provide articles to metal clayers, but this market is a big challenge. Jeanette eventually went onto create Creative Fire, an online periodical, presented blog style, with in-depth and magazine-quality posts. If you are interested in metal clay, you need to subscribe to the free posts there.

It was through those conversations that I was steered to Dawn Stubitsch who so kindly agreed to write The Polymer Arts magazine’s first metal clay article. Dawn has been working in polymer for quite a while and only found metal clay as a way to create more durable bails for her pendants. The combination resulted in some truly unique pendants, like the one you see here. The bail is not just something added as a functional necessity, but it is the real focal point of the pendant. You don’t even think about it being a bail; it’s that strong center that holds all the riotous colors and patterns together.

I’m hoping Dawn’s article, with its clear direction and many tips, will get polymer clayers to consider giving metal clay a try. We use a lot of the same tools and many polymer skills translate quite directly to metal clay. As with many of the articles in the Spring issue, which focuses on the convergence of polymer and similar or complementary materials, we hope you see how expanding materials to use with polymer so greatly expands your creative potential with clay.

For more pieces from Dawn, go to her Flickr page, or check out her Facebook artist’s page where you can find shots from her work table that will complement what you see in the article, as well as more of her work.

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Create or design a functional part of a piece as the focal point. It could be bail, an ear wire, or a necklace or bracelet clasp. If you are creating decor, it could be the handle, knob, latch, feet, or lid of the piece. Or if you’re creating a sculpture, make the base or wall hanging a well considered and important piece of the composition. Make it so the part in your craft art that is necessary for function comes across just as, or more than, necessary for the design.

_________________________________________

Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:

PCTV March 2016 Blog

___________________________________________

Read More

Decorative Polymer Bails

May 30, 2013
Posted in ,

If there is any pre-made finding that polymer versions replace as well as, if not better, I think it would be the bail.  Of course, many of us integrate polymer bails into our pendants and focal beads almost without thinking. But you can also create a stock of decorative polymer bails that can be used in combination with jump rings, or embedded in the clay as needed.

My most basic polymer bail stock had always been extruded hollow tubes in scrap clay. I would make them fairly thin-walled and bake them so I had sturdy base tubes to cover in my choice of raw clay, which I could then press onto newly created pendant pieces. Easy, quick, and made to match the pieces.

However, I have to say I was very intrigued when I found these polymer and wire combination bails created by Марина Горячих (translates as Marina Hot which may or may not be the best English translation).

bail-collage

Of course, I have a thing for the filigree work, but most any kind of decorative clay work would make for some interesting bails. She goes through the steps for making these bails on her LiveJournal page here – just replace or adjust the decorative filigree with your type of work. Definitely worth trying out!

Read More

Bails on the Backside

February 23, 2013
Posted in

If you’ve gotten your latest issue of The Polymer Arts magazine (yes, I know many of you are still waiting for it to come in the mail … they just went out this past week so give them a little time but they will be there soon!)  you probably saw the article “Back Stories” which Jan Montarsi put together, soliciting a number of artists to tell why and how they treat the back sides of their work for a professional and well finished look. Jan’s penchant for doing all things well shows in his own carefully finished pieces and simple but elegant ideas such as these backside bails.

5756057693_c83f6770af

Jan has several shots of what he does with just a jump ring and a little clay on his Flickr page. Heading on over to his pages also gives you a chance to ogle his beautiful mica mush pendants (seen here) and other beauties. Don’t you just love the colors and shimmer? Jan’s Flickr pages are a treasure of color and fun pieces so hopefully you can take a little time to wander around there and check out his work.

If you haven’t received your latest issue of The Polymer Arts as a digital subscriber, check your spam/junk mail folders first as they do sometimes get shuffled off there. You can also write me at connect@thepolymerarts.com to inquire. Please be patient about print issues arriving … they are on thier way. If you need to order yourself a digital or print copy of the Spring 2013 Stories themed issue or would like a subscription, that can all be done here: http://www.thepolymerarts.com/Subscribe.html

Read More

A Bundle of Bails

January 16, 2013
Posted in

Let’s talk bails. Some kind of contraption or addition or subtraction to a piece must be formed for pendants to do their hanging about a person’s neck. There are many approaches to this, with a good majority making the bail or connection either invisible or an accent, if even that. There is nothing inherently wrong with these approaches, but I just think its fantastic to have the bail as part of the pendant design. If it’s going to show, then let it shine.

I consider Susan Waddington of PolyDogz a kind of master bail-er. Although most of her bails are pretty simple in construction, they look like a necessary or at least a complimentary addition to the pendant’s design. Here is just one of her many interesting bail solutions. This one is directly integrated into the design–the pendant would be but half as stunning without it.

pen5.sized

Different forms, overlaid shapes, textures, colorations, and ways of introducing the cord make her site a kind of treasury of bezel ideas. Oh … and her pendants are pretty darn fabulous, too.

I shall not waste any more of your time blathering away. Your time would be better spent exploring Susan’s website for ideas and inspiration.

 

 

Read More
If you love these posts ...