Setting Dichroic Glass in Art Clay Silver, Precious Metal Clay, ACS, PMC, Metal Clay

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 51 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #456 in DIY, #9,411 overall

Silver Clay and Dichroic Fused Glass, A Match Made in Heaven

I love the shimmer & sparkle of fused dichroic glass. I also love the cool sheen of pure silver. When the two are combined, it's truly a match made in heaven. The color and sparkle of the glass adds dramatic impact to the silver. The silver provides a beautiful background for the vibrant glass. With metal clay, it is super easy to create fabulous, one of a kind pieces that are eye-catching and beautiful. My intention in writing this guide is to provide guidance for those of you who might want to delve into the world of metal clay and glass.

Make something beautiful, it will bring you Joy!

I have lots of items for sale for both fusing glass and working with metal clay. Check my shop out at heartofthefire.etsy.com You can also check out my main website at artandsoulct.com

Check out a new way to sell using social networking on toldya 

I just opened a store for free. If you follow this link, you can see what it's all about.

I'm not that savvy with social networking, but this seems really easy to do. Follw this link to find out more about my store and how to start your own.

toldya.com/stores/lisel33

Getting Started 

Basic Information you need to know.

There are two types of Silver Clay, Art Clay Silver, which is the brand I use, and Precious Metal Clay, or PMC.

Basically, microscopic particles of silver are embedded in an organic binder which forms a putty like clay that can be rolled, stamped, molded, sculpted, carved, brushed, etc. After drying, the clay is fired with a torch, in a kiln, or on a gas stove. The organic binders burn away, and you are left with pure silver. After firing the piece needs to be wire brushed, burnished or polished in a tumbler to bring out the true beauty of the silver.

I work exclusively with Art Clay Silver 650/1200 lowfire slowdry clay. I like it the best because, in my opinion, the slower drying time allows for more creative freedom, and the low firing temperature is best for combining the clay with glass or stones. It also has the lowest shrinkage rate.

First of all, to incorporate glass into your metal clay work, you do need to fire in a kiln. Glass is very durable if it is heated and cooled in a controlled manner, but is fragile and will crack from stress if it is not annealed properly or is heated unevenly. I like to use a kiln with a digital readout, though you can work with a pyrometer instead. I use the Paragon Caldera kiln for both my fusing and metal clay. It retails for $725, and is well worth the investment. I sell it for $545. It is fully programmable and expandable so is a great starter kiln. It runs on regular 120 volt electricity. If you are serious about making jewelry with silver clay, and want to work with stones and fused glass, it is a great thing to have. There is a smaller kiln, the firefly, which I also sell for $340 for the base kiln. This kiln comes either manual or with digital programming. The programmable kiln is almost as much as the caldera, so I recommend the caldera if you are going to go with a programmable kiln because it is more versatile. The firefly is great if you are only going to do metal clay and small glass cabs, but if you want to expand into fused glass dishes, bowls, drop ring vases and more, the Caldera is better.

Alternatively, there may be craft centers in your area where you can have your pieces fired for you. I have a studio here in Windsor, CT, where I teach glass fusing and metal clay and I provide firing services to my students and customers for a small fee, so there is likely someone near you who would be willing to do the same if you are not yet ready to invest in a kiln. You can check out bead shops, art studios and craft centers, and maybe even some schools.

What You Need 

A list of Materials

  • Silver Clay of Choice
    •  (I personally recommend Art Clay Silver slow dry lowfire)
  • Fused Glass Cabochon of Choice
    •  - If you do not fuse glass yourself, you can purchase cabochons from me. Just email me and I can let you know what I have available and how much they would be. I also sell a fused glass kit for making your own at my Etsy shop heartofthefire.etsy.com If you live in the CT area, I teach classes in fused glass. You can view my class schedule at artandsoulct.com
  • Lubrication
    •  I like a product called Slik, but you can use olive oil, badger balm, etc. I sell slik and other metal clay tools. For more information, feel free to contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.net
  • Rolling pin
    •  Clear Acrylic or PVC pipe
  • Work Surface
    •  I love flexible cutting boards for this purpose. They can be cut into different sizes and are great to work on.
  • Rubber Stamp
    •  texture plate or other means of applying texture to the clay
  • Spray Lubricant
    •  for spraying molds or stamps prior to impressing the clay. I like and sell Cool Slip.
  • Cutting tool
    •  exacto, needle tool, or other tool to cut the clay
  • Slip or Syringe
    •  of Silver Clay, Slip is a paste of silver clay and water. Syringes filled with slip are very handy to have and are also available for sale at my store, Metal Clay Magic, but you can easily mix slip by putting clay scraps in a film canister or small jar with a little bit of water (distilled is best, but you can use tap) and mixing them together.
  • Brushes
    •  Carving tools, & whatever else you would like to use to impress, shape or carve the clay

    Directions 

    Begin by having a design in mind. You can do pendants, rings, pins, bracelets, anything you want.

    Once you have an idea, oil your hands and the roller and pre lubricate any textures you will be using. Begin by cutting off a suitable size piece of clay. You want to have a strong enough base for the glass to be supported, without wasting clay. Using cards as guides, roll out your clay to an even thickness. If you will be texturing your clay, roll it first with one or two thicknesses higher than your finished thickness will be. To texture, place the rolled out piece of clay on the lubricated texture with guides on either side on top of the texture and then roll firmly and smoothly in one direction. This will give you an even depth and great overall impression. If the texture is too small for the clay and guides, build the guides up on either side of the texture to get the required depth. For small rubber stamps, you can press it into the clay.

    Decide where you want to place your glass piece on the object before you cut out your design to make sure there is enough room to support it and for the piece to have good proportions. Then use your exacto, blade or other cutting tool to cut out the shape of the piece. Roll up your scraps, wrap in plastic wrap, and put them back in the original packaging with a wet piece of paper towel to keep the clay moist.

    Next, press lightly on your glass piece to make an impression of its shape. Remove it and use a cutting tool to cut out some clay from behind where the glass will be going. I usually cut a decorative pattern with stars or circles. This saves on clay, provides visual interest on the back of the piece, and gives the clay room to shrink and move as it is firing. Put the clay you cut out in with your scraps, or use it to make a bail or decorative elements for your piece.

    Place the glass back on the piece. Now you want to create a bezel. I have tried making a bezel with syringe, but find the thickness of the coil too small for glass. My preferred method is to roll a coil of clay and use that to make my bezel. It is important to adhere the bezel to the clay around the glass, not the glass itself. Also, don't make it tight as the clay will shrink during firing and the glass won't. I paint some paste on the clay surrounding the glass, and then adhere my coil. You can keep the bezel simple, or make it very decorative. You could also make a bezel with strips of clay, either textured or smooth.

    Complete your project 

    Once your glass is adhered, you can decorate your piece by adding balls, coils, or pieces of clay, carving into the clay, squeezing syringe clay, whatever your heart desires.

    If you are making a pendant, you need to consider how you will hang it. You can either put a hole at the top, or create a bail with clay.

    Once your design is complete, let it dry thoroughly, do any sanding or smoothing you feel necessary, clean off the glass cab with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, and then fire it.

    I fire to 1250 degrees farenheit, hold for 30-45 minutes, then turn off the kiln and let it cool slowly to allow the glass to anneal. I usually let the kiln cool overnight and open it in the morning.

    To finish the piece, I wire brush it, being careful around the glass, and then tumble or burnish the silver. The tumbler does not harm the glass.

    I hope this guide helps you to explore the creative and wonderful worlds of both metal clay and dichroic glass. Remember to have fun and enjoy the process.

    If you have any questions, you can feel free to contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.net. I sell all the tools and materials you need to get started. There is also a lot of information on the artclayworld.com website.

    Dichroic Cabs and Glass Fusing Kits 

    I sell pre-fused glass cabs, metal clay, and kits for fusing, as well as kilns & tools to help you get started.

    I have a wonderful glass fusing kit that is perfect for creating glass cabs. It contains 1/2 pound of precut glass in a variety of colors and shapes, including a great selection of dichroic. I also include easy instructions. All you need is a kiln. The fusing kit is only $25 plus shipping. I have lots of items for sale for both fusing glass and working with metal clay. Check my shop out at heartofthefire.etsy.com

    I also teach a variety of classes and workshops in metalsmithing, fused glass, metal clay, mosaics and more. I teach in CT and other locations. To view my current schedule, just check out my main website at artandsoulct.com

    I also sell Art Clay Silver, syringes, tools, kilns and more at excellent prices. If you are interested in more information, feel free to contact me directly. My email address is lisel33@sbcglobal.net.

    Great kilns at great prices 

    My two favorite kilns, the Paragon Caldera and Firefly

    As a distributor for Paragon, I am proud to sell the Caldera and Firefly kilns at reduced prices to help people get started with both metal clay and fused glass.

    I can sell other kilns in the Paragon line, but these are the two I recommend for this purpose.

    For more information and to see some of my work, check out my store heartofthefire.etsy.com and my main website artandsoulct.com

    Great Stuff on eBay 

    Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
    eBay

    Great Stuff on eBay 

    Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
    eBay

    Feedback, Guidance and Ratings 

    Please take a moment to give me feedback

    I'm new to creating lenses. I love the opportunity to share with others and would love to receive your feedback and suggestions. If you find this lens valuable, please consider adding your rating by clicking on the appropriate star at the top of the page (you must be registered on Squidoo to rate a lens).

    If there is anything you think would make this lens more valuable, a topic you would like to see added, or any feedback of any kind (what you like, what you don't, what you'd like to see more of), please let me know! You can contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.net.

    My website is artandsoulct.com

    You can see some of my work at heartofthefire.etsy.com

    Wonderful books on the subjects of metal clay and fused glass 

    You can learn so much from books. They are a worthwhile investment and great reference to keep around.

    These are some of my favorite books on the subjects.
    Metal Clay The Complete Guide: Innovative Techniques to Inspire Any Artist

    Metal Clay The Complete Guide: Innovative Techniques to Inspire Any Artist

    by: Jackie Truty

    I haven't yet read this book. It's brand new, but I have heard raves about it and can't wait to get it.

    Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

    Dichroics: Art Glass All Dressed Up

    Dichroics: Art Glass All Dressed Up

    by: Jackie Paciello-Truty

    Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

    Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry: Innovative Projects Featuring Resin, Polymer Clay, Fiber, Glass, Ceramics, Collage Materials, and More

    Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry: Innovative Projects Featuring Resin, Polymer Clay, Fiber, Glass, Ceramics, Collage Materials, and More

    by: Sherri Haab

    This book shows a wonderful variety of other media that can be mixed with metal clay for innovative & beautiful designs.

    Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

    Metal Clay for Beaders

    Metal Clay for Beaders

    by: Irina Miech

    I love this book for the basic ideas & projects.

    Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

    Metal Clay Beyond the Basics

    Metal Clay Beyond the Basics

    by: Carol A. Babineau

    Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 07/06/2009) Buy Now

    Please take a moment to sign my guest book. 

    I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on what I can do to make this lens better.

    Lensmaster

    lizziebeth wrote...

    I really enjoyed reading your lens today. I am hoping to try silver clay soon and will probably want to make some rings with dichroic glass. I will be back to read this lens again. You have some great information here, and a friendly way of telling us about how to start making this kind of jewelry. I will favorite your lens. I gave it five stars.

    ReplyPosted May 20, 2009

    Lensmaster

    KitandCaboodle wrote...

    Thanks for sharing you information and knowledge. I'm just starting in PMC and have just bought a kiln. Can't wait to get started.

    ReplyPosted April 01, 2009

    Lensmaster

    alienbeader wrote

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I'm hoping to meet you at your shop and take a class sometime soon.
    I appreciate your positive attitude and your generosity of spirit!
    alienbeader@gmail.com
    alienbeadings.com

    Reply Posted March 17, 2009

    Lensmaster

    Derrayjac wrote...

    Great Lens, I love dichroic Glass jewelry, when created with silver, I thinks it is a stunning combination, You really have to see dichroic glass in person so to speak, because the beauty and life in each unique piece is amazing. a photo does not capture it's brilliance. They say diamond have fire, dichroic glass is alive! It is art!
    I am a bit biased as I love all jewelry, usually natural stones and diamonds of course, for man made stuff, dichroic glass is one of the best. It is Stunning

    Picture a rainbow, dragon fly wings, or fire opals, dichroic glass is a fusion of all these only better. I swear, there is lampwork glass, and murano glass and the there is Dichroic in a league of it's own. Honestly every one should see dichroic glass, it will cheer ya up on a rainy day,

    The Mesmerizing Beauty of Dichroic Glass Jewellery

    ReplyPosted November 15, 2008

    Lensmaster

    Kirstie wrote

    Awesome lense, Lisel!!
    http://bonhomiejewels.blogspot.com

    Reply Posted October 21, 2008

     
    Next Page
    1 of 10 pages

    Here are some other great lenses on the topic of metal clay 

    Art Clay Silver and Precious Metal Clay are probably the hottest new thing to come around in the jewelry making universe. Many talented artists are doing amazing work in this great new medium and are generously sharing their expertise in these fantastic lenses.
    featured lens Metal Clay - Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold

    If you're interested in working with metal clay (Precious Metal Clay AKA PMC, Art Clay Silver, Art Clay Gold, Aura 22, etc.) or in buying jewelry or other items created with metal clay, this lens is for you. :) Metal clay is made up of particles of pr...

    featured lens Setting Gemstones in Metal Clay - Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold

    Metal clay - best known by brand names Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and Art Clay (Silver or Gold) - is an amazing material to work with. You can create unique handcrafted jewelry and other items that, after firing to burn off the organic binders and wat...

    featured lens Textures in Metal Clay (Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold)

    One of the things that makes metal clay (Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold such an exciting medium is its ability to be textured easily. Everything from rubber stamps to found objects can be used to impress wonderful details into...

    featured lens Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Types: Lump, Paste, Syringe and Paper

    Metal clay (Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold) is an amazing material that lets you create pure silver (.999 fine silver) or 22k gold jewelry and other items, without a lot of costly tools, and even if you don't have any prior me...