What is Metal Clay ?
"Midnight Opera ca 1890" in the Gallery of Hattie Sanderson's Metal Clay Rings book.
Metal Clay is an amazing material that originated in Japan in the early 1990's.The two main companies are Aida with Art Clay and Mitsubishi with PMC. It is a soft, nontoxic clay that consists of powder-like microscopic particles of precious metal suspended in a mix of organic clay binder and water. So far the metal clay companies have been able to produce metal clay in fine silver and gold. The newest products are bronze and copper clays. Other base metal clays in powder form are also available.
Metal Clay can be textured, formed, and shaped into jewelry components, beads, and small sculptures. After it is formed into the desired shape, it is dried and fired by a torch or kiln.When fired, the binder burns away, and the metal particles fuse together creating a piece that is fine silver, sterling, gold, bronze, or copper.
The metal can be finished with a variety of techniques traditionally used by jewelry artists to produce stunning pieces. Enamels, gold, resins, colored concrete, pencils, gems, pearls and more can be used to embellish and add interest to the metal.
If you are anything like me, you are an information hound. There are lots of websites and books that can be used as references, but learning from a good teacher cuts through all the questions.
I'll continue to add and change the information here so check back on occasion to see what's new.
If you ever have any questions, please call, email, or simply fill out the contact page and I'll try to answer any and all of your questions.
Bernadette 786 254-7220
Mokume Gane Ring in Hadar Jacobson's new book "Metal Clay Practice".
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