Getting Started in Metal Clay - PMC - Art Clay Silver

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Experience the Magic of working with Pure Silver in Clay Form!

Silver Clay, Art Clay Silver, Precious Metal Clay, PMC - whatever name you call it, this magical product is revolutionizing the world of jewelry making.

Basically, microscopic particles of pure silver (or gold) are embedded into an organic binder.

This creates a putty-like clay which can be molded, stamped, impressed, cut, extruded, sculpted, rolled, brushed, etc., into whatever shape or form you desire.

After drying, the clay is then fired, either with a torch or a kiln. During firing, the organic binder burns away, all the metal molecules bond (sinter), and the finished piece of pure silver or gold is left.

There is a 9-15% shrinkage factor depending on which clay you use. Stones and glass can be set into the clay and fired in place as well.

Metal Clay Basics 

The different types and brands of metal clay.

There are two brands of silver clay - Art Clay Silver, which is the brand I use, and Precious Metal Clay (PMC). Both of them are manufactured in Japan and both are excellent products. There is also bronze clay and I believe copper clay is in the works.

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. It only shrinks 8-9% during firing.

Also, Art Clay Silver is a "Green" product. All the silver is recycled and the binder is organic. Another plus is that the price of Art Clay Silver does not go up when the silver market price goes up.

I find the finished product to be a bit smoother and brighter than pmc. I do not have extensive experience with PMC and am totally open to those of you who use and prefer pmc to leave your comments in the comments section of this lens.

Which Metal Clay Brand Do You Prefer? 

Make your opinion known

I have indicated my preferred brand and why I prefer it. I am interested in finding out what you think. You can vote here and leave your reasons in the comments section of this lens.

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Different Forms of Metal Clay 

From Paste to Lump and everything in between.

Metal clay comes in a variety of forms, each having its own special use.

  • LUMP CLAY

    • This is the basic material that can be rolled, smooshed (smooshed is a highly technical term known only to the metal clay elite), sculpted, stamped, carved, impressed, etc. It has a putty like consistency and is extremely malleable. I LOVE IT!!!!!

  • PASTE OR SLIP

    • Paste or Slip is a thick solution of clay and water that is used for joining pieces of lump clay, painting on leaves and other organic material, and filling cracks, etc.

  • SYRINGE

    • Syringes are pre-loaded with a thicker version of paste. They are used to extrude fine lines for decoration, repair, bezels, and to create delicate, filigree work.

  • PAPER

    • Metal clay paper is used for origami, cutting out designs and more.

  • OVERLAY PASTE

    • Overlay paste is for painting on slick surfaces, such as glass or ceramic.

  • OIL PASTE

    • Oil Paste is used to repair fired pieces.

    Creating with Metal Clay 

    From simple stamped pieces to elaborate sculptures, the possibilities are endless.

    The creative freedom of metal clay is so exciting. I have taught absolute beginners, who have never made anything before, and they have been so thrilled with what they have been able to create.

    Artists and artisans have taken metal clay to fantastic places and the range of styles is unlimited.

    It's relatively easy to get started working with metal clay. You just need a few basic tools and your imagination.

    While I recommend kiln firing, it can also be fired with a torch or on a gas stove. Some people use camp stoves to fire it. Many people purchase an inexpensive butane torch when they first start out and that is certainly a good beginning.

    If you love metal clay, however, and decide to make lots of pieces, a kiln is an excellent investment. As a distributor of Paragon Kilns, I offer excellent prices on kilns which are perfect for both metal clay and fused glass. You can contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.net for more information. I often have kilns for sale on ebay as well. You can also check out my store at heartofthefire.etsy.com

    The other tools and supplies are, in many cases, things you might already have hanging about the house.

    Basic Tools and Techniques 

    Here's what you need to get started.

  • WORK SURFACE
    • You need a good work surface. I like to use a flexible cutting board. You can get them at discount stores for just a couple of dollars. You can cut them into different sizes and use a different one for each project. A lot of people like to use cut up report covers, but I find them rather flimsy compared to the flexible cutting boards. Others use teflon sheets. If you have a preferred work surface I haven't mentioned, feel free to tell me in the comments section and I will add it to this lens.

  • TOOLS
    • You also need a rolling pin (either pvc pipe or acrylic), exacto knife, tissue blade or flexible metal potter's rib, some type of needle tool or knitting needle, various shape cutters, plastic wrap for reconstituting the clay and storing unused clay, a cup of water, paintbrush, carving tools, etc. I also love my acrylic rectangle which I use to roll out thin coils of clay for bezels, bails and decorations.

  • TEXTURES
    • Textures can be rubber stamps, texture sheets, fabric, screening, netting, etc. You can make your own textures with polymer clay, two-part mold material, clay, carving soap, carving erasers, etc. The possibilities are endless.

  • LUBRICATION
    • Olive oil works great. Many people like badger balm. I prefer Cool Slip and Slik, both of which I sell and are also sold at cooltools.us. I prefer a spray lubricant for textures and a rub on lubricant for my hands, rollers and work surfaces.

  • CLAY
    • You also need metal clay. I sell Art Clay Silver clay, syringes, paste and more at approximately 20-25% below the retail price. Contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.com for more information. It is best to keep your syringe point down in a cup with a small amount of water to keep the tip from drying out.

  • KITS
    • I have put together a basic kit that includes all my favorite tools, lubricants, work surfaces, clay, slip and syringe. It's valued at over $200 and I sell it for $165. It also includes basic directions. You can contact me at lisel33@sbcglobal.net if you'd like more information.

    Working with Metal Clay 

    Basic tips to make your life easier.

    The important thing to remember about metal clay is that it dries quickly. It's important to work quickly once you open your clay, and always keep the clay you aren't using wrapped tightly in plastic. It's good to have a water spritzer to periodically spritz the clay as you go.

  • PLAN

    • I am an intuitive artist, so don't work with sketches, etc. However, I do have an idea of what I'll be making before I start. I decide if I'll be make a pendant, earrings, ring, etc.. I then select the textures I want to work with. I also make sure I have all the tools I will need handy so I don't have to go searching for them. Many artists do work with sketches and preplan their work a lot more than I do, which is an excellent thing to do.

  • LUBRICATE

    • Always remember to lubricate. In the kit I sell, there are two lubricants. One for hands and work surfaces and a spray lubricant for textures. They are formulated specifically for metal clay. Lubricate your hands, your work surface, your rolling pin and any textures you are going to use. Be ready so you can work quickly when you open your clay as it does dry out fast.

  • OPEN THE CLAY AND GET TO WORK
    • .
    This step can be intimidating to the newbie. Just remember, it's clay and if you don't like what you do, you can roll it up and rework it.

    You use the playing cards or thickness guides to make sure you are rolling out an even thickness. You can texture, cut out shapes, layer, etc. to create your piece. At this point, you might want to refer to specific, project oriented directions, ether from a book or magazine, so you have direct guidance on thickness and technique.

    If you go to the artclayworld.com , you will find several tutorials on getting started that have more details on tools, techniques, etc. They also have firing guides and lots of other great information.

    There are also some great tutorials here on Squidoo that have lots of wonderful information on Metal Clay.

    I have a tutorial on Squidoo that is specifically about setting fused dichroic glass into metal clay. From that tutorial there are links to other great pages about metal clay.

    Metal Clay and Kilns at Great prices are available on Ebay 

    Here's just a few items

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    Great Stuff on eBay 

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    Lenses about or related to Metal Clay 

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

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    featured lens Techniques Overview for Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver and Gold

    This lens is a gateway to information about techniques for working with metal clay. It includes links to the individual lenses I am developing with in-depth, detailed information about the relevant techniques for each stage in the process. Read, explo...

    Questions or Comments? 

    Let me know what you think.

    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

    submit
    • Reply
      Teri Baskett Teri Baskett Jan 15, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
      Very interesting....I am one who went to a beginner class in artclay some years ago, just made a pendant and always thought I'd get back to it. Well, I finally bought the kiln instead of a torch and made a few pieces this summer (torches will set off your smoke alarm, I found that out the hard way!). It is such a different, unique medium that, I honestly have some problems coming up with exactly WHAT I want to create---isn't that odd---when the sky is the limit it takes time to get an idea formed. But I love the stuff. I do wonder if people will appreciate it and pay what these pieces cost!
    • Reply
      Audrey McDonald Audrey McDonald Jan 15, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
      I enjoyed reading this and your work is delightful. It will be a great help to all. Cheers, Audrey, London, Ontario, Canada.
    Show All

    Excellent metal clay books 

    Here are some great references for working with metal clay

    1

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    Magical Metal Clay Jewelry by Sue Heaser

    Magical Metal Clay Jewelry by Sue Heaser

    Improvements in inexpensive firing processes make more...0 points

    2

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

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

    *Findings and supplies are readily available at ch more...0 points

    3

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    Metal Clay Jewelry: Projects. Techniques. Inspirations. by Louise Duhamel

    Metal Clay Jewelry: Projects. Techniques. Inspirations. by Louise Duhamel

    Hot New Jewelry Making Material <p>*Features more...0 points

    4

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    Inventive Metal Clay for Beaders: Exciting Projects for All Levels by Irina Miech

    Inventive Metal Clay for Beaders: Exciting Projects for All Levels by Irina Miech

    ? Organic yet sophisticated jewelry for crafters a more...0 points

    5

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    Metal Clay for Beaders by Irina Miech

    Metal Clay for Beaders by Irina Miech

    Beaders will learn how to shape, texture, stamp, c more...0 points

    Netflix Movies 

    These are some of my favorite movies.

    I know this has nothing to do with metal clay, but I've been a Netflix subscriber for many years and have discovered some great movies I never would have heard of any other way. I totally recommend netflix membership.

    001- Juno

    Facing an unplanned pregnancy while she's still in high school, quirky teen Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page...
    002- Garden State

    Having just weaned himself off antidepressants, Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff, who also directs) retur...
    003- Once

    In this charming contemporary musical helmed by John Carney, a street musician (Glen Hansard) in Dub...
    004- Friends with Money

    Writer-director Nicole Holofcener's bittersweet tale examines the evolving lives of four female frie...
    005- The Darjeeling Limited

    In the wake of their father's death, three brothers (Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman...
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    by lisel33

    Check out my website at www.artandsoulct.com

    I've always been interested in making stuff. As a child, I believed you couldn't be an artist unless y... (more)

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