Iced Enamels with Polymer

by Staci Louise Smith

Karen McGovern did a post on playing with the new Iced Enamels by Susan Lenhart Kazmer.  They are a cold "enamel" system, using some sort of embossing powders with resin to seal them.

Of course, I thought right away, how can I use them on polymer?

Though I really did plan to use them on metal as well.  

I could not wait for them to arrive.  Of course I tried them on polymer clay before metal, of COURSE I did.  Though I did metal as a quick second.

First I followed the instructions, Susan has a nice little video here, but I didn't like the look of the globbed on "enamel".  I wanted a crusty look, both on my metal and polymer.  Something more gritty.

Here is the "globbing" or applying a thick full layer of power on polymer (on the area's I wanted anyhow)

Here is what my first tries on metal looked, like

I mean, I don't NOT like it, but I was not thrilled

So, I kept playing......

For this black polymer donut, I used the German silver and I really bubbled nicely, and gave me a sort of raku'ish look I liked.  However, it just wiped off the polymer, so I used resin to seal it on.  I only put the resin over the "enamel" and a tiny bit over the edges, because I wanted the matte look of my black to remain.  I like it a lot, and now it doesn't come off.

So then I tried to over my already based coat painted polymer, and then put my crackle layer over top. (the donut has stripey circles painted on in the faux 'namel and the pink bead has one stripe at the top)

LOVE these.  Love them so much.  It is exactly what I was going for.  

The crackle layer was enough to seal it on (plus of course the actual sealer I use on top of that).  I didn't need to use any resin on these at all and they are soooo cool.  I love the texture it adds to the pieces.

My painting and crackle tutorial is available here for purchase.  Though it does not include how to use the iced enamels, it does tell you how to layer paints, alcohol inks and use a great crackle that works wonderful with polymer and doesn't take forever to achieve a great aged look.

Another polymer artist, Tammy at Paisley Lizard,  was playing with them as well.  Here is a link to her post. 

http://www.paisleylizard.com/2015/06/using-iced-enamels-with-polymer-clay/
 I loved that she mixed the powder in with the translucent.  Though it may not have given her the look she was going for, it sure did make some pretty beads.  Since I just bought a bunch of translucent to play with, this is on my list to try.  I have mixed other things into translucent and loved how it looked, but the iced enamels were pretty awesome too!  Instead of having to add color and something with particles, like chalks and mica, it is all in one for you!!!

I ended up making some metal pieces I liked as well with the Iced Enamels.  I liked them very much, but they needed the resin to really seal them well.  However, it was soooooo shiny, it not only didn't look like enamel, it was just distracting.

So I sprayed them with some matte sealer....and that made them funky, and matte, and turned the clear resin milky looking in spots.

So I think next time I will use a satin finish over the resin, so its not so shiny.  Anyhow, I don't hate them, and I am having a blast!

I can definitely see me using these........which is nice, because I can sometimes jump into things and then not end up finding a use for them in my work!

Anyone else use these?  What are your thoughts?  Your results?  Feel free to share your pictures of what you did with Iced Enamels on our Facebook feed in the comments.

... in the details

offering bowl - mjd 2014

-----

the air of winter 

may be biting, but in its

sting i feel alive. 

-----

my work over time has evolved into simpler things. my focus is upon solid craftsmanship and defining details. even my writing this year (because i felt like i was losing focus somehow) is being combined with some haiku writing - where the choices all matter - you only have 17 total syllables to work with. 

but in our work, this too is true. there are things you will always need - findings, texture, metal, beads or other materials. they are defining. 

bracelet bar - mjd 2015

-----

as i am me and

you are thee, there must be peace

for the sake of we. 

-----

there are days where components are my focus. they provide opportunities for practicing what i find to be important - creating texture, attention to details, attainment of satisfying patina, even what i choose to clean the pieces up with (sandpaper, steel wool, brass brush, nail shaping block, etc.). and figuring out if the addition of something really does add, or if it detracts and was just fun as an exercise in trying something new. 

this has taken me years - 

it's important - as you work, you find out what makes your work yours. there is no way to really know at the beginning, it takes time and mistakes and victories to find out. it takes listening to your heart and being attentive to what makes it sing. you can successfully execute a design, but is it something you want to do again or reflects your aesthetic? 

what are details that matter to you? what ones do you feel are key to your work? 

wishing you all a year filled with what you need - i think i speak for many when i say that 2014 was a bit of a brutal one. let's hope for something a bit gentler. 

like ripples in a pond

mary jane dodd

small metal pieces - 2014 mjd

we live in a troubled world

we live in a beautiful world

we live in a world where each one of us makes a difference. 

some people do it quietly

some people forcefully

but all do it courageously. 

find your way.

we notice the light most 

when it's dark.

we notice peace most

when there is chaos and unrest.

but each should be constant

however else the conditions might be. 

simple things can carry great impact. 

i try to hone my pieces so that messages 

are clearly stated

and the wearer will feel 'more' for having them.

i have this hope that my physical act of making marks in metal

sends the message out into the ether

like a chant in hammer strikes.

the new addition of scallops 

represents the way things can radiate - 

all those good things we can choose to put

out into the world. 

the shining sterling orbs

are physical representations 

of light and self realization.

peace, love, kindness, compassion, grace

coupled with accountability

abstract in nature,

but ever so real 

and ever so needed now. 

-----------------------------------

the recipients of the 2014 nobel peace prize were announced yesterday - 

one is the youngest ever. you can read about them and be inspired here. 

and might i share these words with you

they come from a young holocaust victim - etty hillesm

ultimately we have just one moral duty:

to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves,

more and more peace,

and to reflect it towards others,

and the more peace there is in us,

the more peace there will be in our troubled world.

Inspiration and Evololution

by Staci L. Smith

It is no secret, that most of us who make beads and / or jewelry......LOVE beads and jewelry.

I am no exception.  So when Karen McGovern made these rings, I had to have one.

She made me one special, just for me....

(I added the wire to make it just a hair smaller so I could wear it on my pink.....i love it!)

She also sent me some of that wonderful aquamarine, and some citrine crystals too.  I was thrilled to have some, and I loved this design so much, I wanted to make myself a necklace to match.

Of course, I added some more rustic elements- mastadon bone beads.....and i  am not one for measuring, so, its a bit rougher.  However, I am so happy with how it turned out.  

I didn't measure at all, just cut some silver that looked like enough to fold up, made a few cuts so I could fold it, and added my beads, and worked it like a huge bezel.  I added some balled headpins on the ends to add the chain.  I love little cabinet curiosities, and boxes always always always had my heart, so this got the ball rolling in my mind.

I made another in copper, and then I made some shallow, large copper boxes, and added some large and small gemstones to make a sort of shadow box pendant.  I also made another silver one that is really rustic looking, not sure I love it, but it has sea glass and a fossil shell.

 I just love when another artist inspires me so much.  The process of watching a simple concept, like "box"  or "capture" evolve and change into many forms.  That is why I love surrounding myself with art.  I see color schemes that inspire me, or a texture, or a shape......and I have to try it in jewelry.  

embracing change

mary jane dodd

 

'release' mjd 2013

releasing can be critical to your ability to rebound. 

metal work is shelved for me right now - 

so i decided to focus a bit

upon my use of fibers. 

a basket for wearing mjd 2013

to allow myself to explore things more fully

that i had wished to try before. 

soft summer whites mjd 2013

finding ways to make the knotting, weaving and threading 

from my youth

a bit more grown up.

grow mjd 2013

thinking of ways to make bits of this and that into something

a designer might like to work with. 

if you are attracted to using fibers in your work,

i encourage you to always think about the strength of your material

and how it will wear over time as it rubs against metal.

how it can support the weight of your pendant or other components.

i personally love using waxed irish linen thread 

for its strength and knotting abilities. 

if you're new to fibers and are looking for some inspiration, 

take a look at 

bohemian-inspired jewelry

a book created around the use of fibers in jewelry. 

i think i speak for most of us when i say 

that making/creating/exploring is not just something 

we like to do, 

but something 

we have to do.

if you find your life turned upside down, 

be open to new ways

of expressing yourself.

then give yourself permission

to sink into them. 

not only will you be learning

a new skill,

but you will begin to heal

in ways

that modern medicine cannot fix you.

it will be the balm 

that soothes your spirit. 

-----------------------------------

for the winner of the giveaway please check the sidebar!

texture boot camp -

mary jane dodd

piece of railroad track purchased at a flea market

this edition of texture boot camp is brought to you by a lipstick chicken, you know, a person who doesn't like to wear lipstick that looks like you are wearing lipstick (and so why struggle to find that perfect color at all, right?)... this aesthetic carries over into my work... as an admirer of the subtle i would like to show you how i add texture to my metal...

i find texture on things - like this old railroad tie... i was told how i could clean up the face - but why would i do that?

small bench top anvil

this anvil's finish did not hold up over time - but if you put metal on it and hammer, when you turn it over, you will find a lovely texture that is picked up by liver of sulphur or other patina...

with a pitted surface

did you ever mar the surface of a hammer? unknowingly, like before you learned that a brass head is better suited for striking metal design stamps? i did - and now i have a head that creates texture similar to the raw silk texture hammer...

'marred' hammer face

and finally i wanted to show you how i used patterned brass sheet - no rolling mill required!

tape the metal you are working with to the patterned sheet , hammer all over the surface evenly and...

viola!

my apologies on not having pieces finished with the patina to show the contrast - this was my first time down to the bench in almost 3 months and i don't have everything set up... 

coloring metal, cont'd

mary jane dodd

julie spoke of ways to add color to metal yesterday and i wanted to continue the conversation as the use of patina has become quite near and dear to me... 

aside from los and salt & vinegar, i hadn't used anything in the way of patina... 

but there are times and places that you need just that in your designs... 

i love sculptor's grade patina - 

the use of opaque and translucent... layering, buffing, adding powders for sheen... 

i learned of it through shannon levart a.k.a. missficklemedia who has put together a wonderful tutorial.... 

as with anything, there is a learning curve, but shannon's tutorial is very informative and helps to explain the whole process.... this is truly one of the techniques that i am most grateful to have in my arsenal... 

and you can see how addicting it is!

quick follow up to 'silver'

mary jane dodd

last week, staci posted an informative article about silver-filled (vs. silver-plated) wire, sheet and chain...

i have soldered the wire and thought i would show you the result... it's beautiful and there is no outward indication that the wire is filled with base metal... 

while i didn't finish the test, when i went to ball end with butane, the silver started to move, but not the core... the ball end will not be comparative in look to a sterling or fine silver wire ball end... the metals will end up mixing... different metals have different melting points, requiring different flame temps to work them... therefore you need to find the highest one needed for the job... 

rio grande has in its description that the core is 90% copper, 10% zinc (brass, more specifically a red brass)... silver has a melting point of 1760*, copper 1983*... a finer wire  would be able to be balled in butane, i only had 16 gauge... but you really have to play and do the experimenting... 

i do feel very strongly though that people need to know - and pricing should reflect accordingly... this new option should not end up hurting those silversmiths who choose to use their metal of choice - which is more expensive... on the flip side, it will allow those of us who may be working with a smaller budget to add more silver into our work - a very exciting prospect... especially in the area of having sheet metal available that way... 

it's like some of the innovations that are becoming available and rival traditional techniques... there is a riveting system which is terrific and makes setting rivets effortless... i think it is great, really... but there are those makers who will continue to set rivets from wire - this takes time and a developed skill level... and should add to the value of the piece... 

there are two sides to everything... so it's just something to consider... 

and i do love the silver-filled wire/sheet/chain - it's a great alternative... thanks to staci for starting the conversation...


just found this video @ rio -

trying out a tumbler

mary jane dodd

this is a tumbler that a friend lent to me... it can be found at target, toy r us and of course - amazon... i have not been using it long, and in fact, don't know if this particular model is the one that will best suit my needs... it serves as an example only... 

it is one of those big additions - and i am not referring to cost here - and what it does is pretty important and helpful... 

tumblers will harden metal components - ear wires, clasps, etc. - and remove sharp edges... adding another level of professionalism to your work... it will save you time... if i had to rank it in terms of my other tool/investments, it would be pretty high (and make me wonder why i hadn't tried it before... oh right, i know - that resistance we have to new things as much as we are intrigued by them...)

an excellent post on tumblers can be found here... 

texturing metal - no chemicals, no heat required

mary jane dodd

we keep at something long enough and as we experiment, we learn... 

while i love etching and using the torch - perhaps one of my favorite things to do is texture the metal i work with... and i did quite a bit of that this week making bits for my components shop on etsy... 

one of the first tools i used for texture was the round head on the chasing hammer... 

i became aware of texture hammers (but will admit i bought only one... they are a bit expensive and i like to try to use things where i can that are less expensive...)

a basic economy stamp set has lots of design options in it - o's, x's

and u's

a center punch from your local craft store

can do this -

these texture sheets have lots of uses... people use them in rolling mills or use them as sheet metal for example... metalclay supply has a nice assortment... 

but i like to  hammer small areas of them for a hint of texture... 

go to your local hardware store and look at the small tools - there i found this chisel... 

look in your home with new eyes, see what you already have and give it a try... 

i used 24 gauge sheet metal in all of these examples...

and remember - 

the art bead love tour is currently at my life under the bus - stop by for your chance to have this strand of handmade beads come to you... where you take what you like and add what you can ... then send it along!

guest post - shae freeman

Sometimes the hand remembers 

what the brain does not.
It recalls what the rest of the human has never known.
There are unknown cartographies in the fingertips, 
ones that map old memory. 
- anonymous   

       

Objects exist as visual language, representations of complex ideas before spoken language itself was even established.  Ritual objects, spiritual objects, fetishes.  Objects for remembrance, objects for hexing.  Objects for containing the spirit after death, family heirlooms and objects for earthly remains. Good luck charms, protection and safe travel. Functional objects, objet d’art and artifact.  Objects are tasked with carrying precious and sometimes fearful power. Our species has an affinity for tangibility, for acquisition. Our relationships to objects are so vast and complicated that very many of us are not consciously aware of them.

As a maker, I use the same tools and traditions that have been used in metalworking for thousands of years.   I am following an ancient and deeply embedded tradition of object making.  My hands, the intermediary between brain and tools, are the executors of intent which make the ideas a tangible reality.  As an artist, my responsibility lies in truthfully reporting the world as seen through my eyes.  The end result of my interpretation of the data I receive through my senses is what name we give to an object- art.  As a creator, I am tapping into genetic memory, collective unconscious and archetypes imprinted in the human animal’s psyche- the wellspring from which we all draw.  This skill is only honed by the act of creation itself, and by opening interiors doors to allow it to enter.  In creating, the attempt is being made to enter into a state of grace to receive creativity.  By allowing myself to be open, if I am very lucky, I can channel this imperative and let my hands do the rest.  The object thus made will be invested with power shaped through my unique focusing of the lens.  A uniqueness we all have in common.

I am a visual artist, a visual learner and most of my communication with the general populace is visual. So let me tell you a short story, visually.

Thank you for letting me share my limited understanding of the universe.


............................................................

shae's work ranges in scale from jewelry to large sculpture (7+ ft. tall)

find her here:

etsy

flickr