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Art Clay silver 3D pendant

This Art Clay design is made in three seperate sections, which are then joined to construct a hollow pendant. By Lesley Messam

The Artist

Lesley Messam

Lesley is a senior Art Clay instructor who has been teaching for a few years within her home studio based in Chichester. Lesley also conducts classes in Silver Art Clay, Beginners Silver Smithing, Beginners Beading and Wirework on a regular basis.

Tools & Materials

  • 50grams Art Clay
  • Syringe, paste
  • Spacers 1mm and 1.5mm and four playing cards
  • Roller
  • Badger balm
  • Pot of water
  • Craft knife
  • Work surface
  • Cocktail stick
  • Paint brush
  • Rubber block
  • Set of sanding pads – grit 180/220/280
  • Files
  • Blow torch or kiln
  • Brass brush
  • Stainless steel bowl
  • Vermiculite
  • Texture sheet of your choice
  • Flower cutters
  • 2 dessert spoons
  • Snake roller or credit cards
  • Polishing cloth
  • Polishing liquid
  • Liver of sulphur
  • 1 head pin, 1 jumpring, 1 bead
  • Round nose pliers
  • Snipe nose pliers
  • Side cutters

Step 1

Roll your clay on a worksheet with 1mm spacer and 2 playing cards on each side. Now take away the cards. Still use the 1mm spacers on the texture mat as you roll out again. You will get a perfect texture imprint every time using this method.

Step 2

Take a dessert spoon and lay the clay over the back. Trim to the outline edge of the spoon. Once you have done this take it off the spoon and cut some flowers with your cutters. Replace the clay onto the back of the spoon and leave to dry fully. Now repeat step 1 and 2 again.

Step 3

Once your two halves of clay are fully dry you can sand them. Use your course sanding pad 180 grit, to sand the edges that are going to be joined together. Sand in a figure of eight motion as this will give an even finish. Keep checking until they have a good seam. Once they meet together nicely you can syringe along one edge and paste the other and stick them together. Then leave them to dry.

Step 4

When the pendant is fully dry, you can now make the top. As in step 1, roll the clay out with 1mm spacers and 2 playing cards. Remove the card using your spacers on the texture mat and roll again. Place the dried spoon section onto the textured clay, make sure the texture faces out and trim to the shape of the top.

Step 5

Now make a hole in the centre of the top with a cocktail stick. Use the green nozzle syringe and syringe all the way around the edge of the lid. Paste the spoon section and join the sections together. Now leave your hollow pendant to dry fully.

Step 6

Once your pendant is dry you can start sanding and shaping the top. Make sure you start with a 180 sanding pad moving through the grits. The more work you put in at this stage the better your project will look once fired. Remember that your pendant is in the green ware stage and is very fragile. Try to support it on a rubber block.

Step 7

When you have sanded any visible marks away you can start adding the third dimension. This time use 1.5 mm spacers when rolling out the clay and cut 4 to 6 small flowers and 4 to 6 medium flowers. Ensure you neaten the edges. Paste the flowers onto the pendant in no particular order on the front and back of the pendant. Make snake like tendrils and paste them on. Leave to dry then give them a good sanding going through all the grits again.

Step 8

You are now ready to fire the pendant. This is a large piece of Art Clay at 50 grams and although I have fired a piece this big before for 10 minutes without a problem, I do prefer to use my kiln. Place your pendant in a stainless steel bowl with vermiculite for support and fire at 780°c for 1 hour. When the firing is finished allow the pendant to cool thoroughly.

Step 9

Once your pendant is fired it will be white. This is the natural state of silver. Use your brass brush, to brush the surface then go to your sanding pads and again go through the grits 180/220/280. Finish with a polishing cloth dampened with some silver liquid polish.

Step 10

Now add the patina. Make a weak solution of liver of sulphur mixed with some warm water. Dip your pendant in until you get the desired colour. When you are happy with the colour, wash the pendant with soap and dry. Take your polishing cloth and polish to remove any excess colour that you do not want.

Step 11

The pendant is now almost finished. Take a head pin and pass it through the hole of a cut out flower and up into the hole you made in step 5 with the cocktail stick. Now add a bead. The bead can be silver or a crystal, it’s your own preference.

Step 12

Using a pair of round nose pliers and snipe nose pliers make a loop and wrap the wire round. Trim with a pair of side cutters. Put the jumpring through the loop and add a 32" piece of handmade or ready made chain and close the jumpring.

Fashion Tips

A statement piece such as this pendent is sure to be admired silhouetted against a black cocktail dress. Co-ordinate it with high–spec, future perfect metallic fabrics, in silver and pewter. Sequin embellished fabrics are big this season. Worn with white waistcoats or cropped jackets, you are guaranteed to be the belle of the ball

Dress £130 Country Casuals

Costu Platform Court £48.74 Schuh

Stone Cuff £13 Marks & Spencer

Lesley's tips

  • Badger balm your work surface and mould, this will prevent the clay sticking
  • Always mark your sanding pads with a marker pen, so that you can see the grades at a glance
  • Make the back as smart as the front because you never know who might look at it

Resources

Art Clay silver and tools are available at www.silverwithlesley.com and www.dmessam.co.uk.

For more information visit Lesley’s website and blog: www.silverwithlesley.com. www.silverwithlesley.blogspot.com