Silver and polymer clay earrings
These luscious earrings use a polymer clay ‘skinner blend’ to graduate colours seamlessly.
By Jema Hewitt
The silver ivy elements add a natural grace to the design, and although they look delicate, once fired they are very sturdy. I love rich red and purples together especially when the nights are dark and I need some colour to cheer me up. The ivy is from my garden, which makes these pieces extra special. I also used a liver of sulphur patina to create a dark vintage looking metal.
designer tips
Make sure you bake and fire everything properly, too high temperatures may burn clay and melt the silver wire, too low and the pieces will be brittle and break
Breaks and cracks in fired clay can be repaired by oil paste clay. Make your own by adding oil of lavender to paste clay. I use 3 drops of lavender oil to I tsp of paste type. Dry thoroughly then re-fire
Save all the sanded dust to make your own paste type clay. Simply tip into an empty bead container and add drops of water until at
the right consistency
Tools & Materials
- 2 colours of polymer clay
- Art Clay silver (I use slow dry 650)
- Art Clay silver paste type (I use slow dry 650)
- 2 Sterling silver fish hooks
- 6 tiny ivy leaves
- Pure silver wire, 4 inches
- Small paintbrush
- Pasta machine
- Tissue blade or cookie cutters
- Sanding papers (fine to very fine)
- Round nosed pliers
- Playing cards
- Acrylic roller
Step 1
To start the skinner blend take two walnut sized pieces of clay, condition until smooth and form into teardrop shapes. Place them together and squeeze gently to adhere, shaping into a rough rectangle. There should be ¾ of one colour and ¼ of the other on each side of the rectangle.
Step 2
Flatten your rectangle to about ¼ inch thick and put your pasta machine on its thickest setting. Place the rectangle with one of the multicoloured edges downwards into the pasta machine. Gently roll it through, trying to feed it as evenly as you can.
Step 3
Fold the piece in half, matching the red and purple edges to their same colour. Roll through the machine again, folded side first. Continue folding and rolling until it’s totally blended. Then put it on the second thinnest setting and feed through to create a long ribbon.
Step 4
Roll the ribbon up, matching red to red and purple to purple. Gently compress into a rectangle 1 inch thick and wide and 2 inches long. From this rainbow cut 2 slices approximately ¼ inch thick. Roll them through the pasta maker on its thickest setting to even the thickness, if necessary.
Step 5
Cut out a pendant shape from the clay, either using a cookie cutter or a blade, or a combination of both, flex the tissue blade and press straight down to create a nice curve. Create a hole to hang them with a toothpick in the centre top edge. Bake according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 6
Very thinly coat the ivy leaves with paste clay using a fine paintbrush. Leave to dry and add another coat. Keep adding coats, at least 6, the more coats the sturdier your leaves will be. You can dry them with a hairdryer, holding the stalk in your pliers so they don’t blow away.
Step 7
Roll out the silver clay, 2 playing cards in thickness. Cut out an L shape the width and ¾ length of your pendant. Make little spirals from the wire using your round nosed pliers and attach to the base with tiny scraps of clay, smooth with modelling tools. Add a hanging hole and allow to dry.
Step 8
Sand and neaten the base until you are happy with its finish, then attach the ivy leaves with paste type clay. Use plenty to secure them firmly, dry and then fill in any gaps if necessary, finally leave both pieces to dry overnight. Next day, fire exactly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 9
Clean the piece gently with a wire brush and polish to a shine. Add a patina with liver of sulphur if you like at this stage. Sand and buff the polymer clay pieces and polish to a shine. Attach the two pieces together with the fishhook. Just add a jumpring or triangular bail if the hook is too small.
Contact
Jema is a professional designer working in Nottingham Workshops in jewellery, millinery and tiara making can be booked at www.bridal-originals.co.uk
Resources
Polymer clay and silver clay: www.poymerclaypit.co.uk