Shell Pendant

In this tutorial we are going to learn to make a mold and then create a domed pendant with a hidden bail.

25 gm PMC3
 PMC 3 paste
PMC 3 syringe
6mm gemstone cab
6mm fine silver bezel cup
shaping tools - roller, cards, paint brushes, needle tool, craft knife
needle files
olive oil
polymer clay
rubber stamp or natural shell
toaster oven devoted to polymer clay use
fat straw or glass rod
sanding sponges
3 M polishing papers
sunshine cloth
liver of sulphur
emery boards
finishing tools -  wire brush, burnishers or tumbler
Stone setting tools - stone pusher and curved burnisher
particle mask
vermiculite
kiln shelf
kiln

 

  

 

 Roll out a thick piece of polymer clay (PC) - (I use Sculpey II).  Make your mold using a stamp from an angel company (they won't hassle you over copyright issues) or you could use a real shell.  Dust the stamp or shell with a pouncer (muslin filled with cornstarch- make one yourself or buy from a rubber stamp company)  to act as a release.  Place the stamp  over the PC and press down firmly.  Check the impression carefully.  Try again if you don't get a perfect impression.  Bake the PC according to manufacturers directions (use a toaster oven devoted to polymer clay use and have good ventilation).

 

 

 Rub a little olive oil over the mold.  Roll out the clay 3-4 cards thick and push gently onto the mold.  Push gently with your fingers or the palm of your hand.  

 

 

 Remove the clay from the mold and check the impression carefully.  Trim the clay close to the edges of the design.

 

 

 Place the shell shape over an oiled light bulb and allow to dry to leather hard stage.  I love my Excalibur dehydrator for this - I can remove some of the trays and the light bulb fits right in.  When the clay has dried for a while the side facing the light  bulb will still be quite damp.  Remove it from the light bulb and allow to complete dying.

 

 

 Refine the pendant with emery boards, sanding sponges and a damp finger to smooth the edges (the idea is something that has been smoothed by water, so it's more realistic if it's not perfectly rounded edge). Sand the back of your pendant - member to take the time to make the back of your work as perfect ass the front.

 

 Drill a hole in the round part of the pendant where you want to place your gemstone.  Enlarge the hole with a round file until it is a little bit larger than the size of your 6mm bezel cup (the clay will shrink as it fires - if the hole is too tight the clay will buckle around the cup).

 

 Since our pendant is domed, we need to curve the back or the bail so that it will fit snugly into the curve of the pendant.  Cut a small piece of plastic wrap and place into the back of the pendant.  Roll out some more clay 4 cards thick.  Cut out an oval using a plastic template.  Set the oval onto the plastic wrap and gently form into the curve.  Roll the top portion of the oval over a straw to form the bail.  Allow to dry to leather hard stage.

 

 

 Roll some more clay out 2 cards thick. Cut out another small circle, about 8 mm in diameter. Stamp with a signature stamp if you have one (there will be a tutorial on how to make one coming soon:)  Set aside to dry.

Hint: You can make up a bunch of these in several sizes in advance and have them ready to go when you need them.

 

 

 Refine the bail and circle with emery boards and and sanding sponges.  Here are the components of our pendant ready to be assembled.

 

 

 Place some paste on the back of the bail and moisten the back of the pendant with water.  Place the bail onto the pendant in the position shown, remove any excess paste and run a bead of water around the edge with a small paintbrush.  Place some paste on the small circle and moisten the area around the hole in the pendant on the back side.  Place the circle over the hole and run a bead of water around the edge with a small paintbrush.  Allow to dry.

 

 

 Place some paste on the small circle and moisten the area around the hole in the pendant on the back side.  Place the circle over the hole and run a bead of water around the edge with a small paintbrush.  Allow to dry.

 

 Add some syringe at the point that the bail meets the pendant.  Smooth with a wet paintbrush.  Allow to dry.  Check to see if there are any gaps where the dry elements were joined.  Fill them in and smooth with a wet paintbrush and allow to dry.  Inspect your piece carefully.  Smooth away any imperfections with a damp finger or paintbrush.  Sand again if needed.  Take your time and make it as perfect as you can.  It's easier to correct any imperfections at this stage than it will be after it is fired.

 

 Moisten the hole for the bezel cup with water and dip the bottom of the bezel cup in some paste and insert into the hole.  Allow to dry to bone dry stage (clay will feel warm and dry to the touch). Because our pendant is curved it is going to need to be supported as it fires or it will flatten. Make a mound of vermiculite on a kiln shelf and position the pendant on the mound as shown. Fire at 1650 degrees for 2 hours. Allow to cool. Check around the edges of the cup.  If there are any gaps between the clay and the cup, fill them with paste and refire.  Tumble polish or burnish by hand.

 

 

 Follow the directions for setting a gemstone cab in the Book of Kells tutorial.

I set the gemstone before patinating this time.  Any small scratches that are made while setting the stone can be polished out at this point, but would ruin the patina if it were done before the stone was set.
 

 

 Place a small chunk of Liver of Sulphur (LOS) in a glass cup with a little warm water.  Warm the pendant with hot water.  Use a paintbrush to apply the LOS to the pendant, avoiding the stone.   Add a little more patina in some areas than others to achieve an organic look.  Stop the oxidation process by rubbing a small amount of baking soda on the still wet pendant and then rinse.  Allow to dry and polish the back with a sunshine cloth.

The way LOS reacts with silver is magical, mysterious and sometimes frustrating.  It doesn't always do the same thing two times in a row.  I think it might have something to with the phase of the moon, the alignment of the planets and having your tongue placed just so between your teeth.  Fortunately, if you are not satisfied with the results you can remove the patina with a sunshine cloth and try again.

Metal clay artist Gordon Uyehara said in describing his LOS ritual:
"You have to run around nekkid wearing a feathered hat and one old boot
while watching a rerun of the gong show. Do it with the windows
closed. Last time someone called the cops :( "

 

 

 If desired, you can seal the patina with Krylon Workable Fixative.  You don't want to get the fixative on your stone, so you will need to mask it before  you spray.  Put a small piece of double sided tape on a piece of paper.  Cut out a circle the size of your stone a place the tape side onto the stone to mask it while you spray.  Allow to dry and remove the mask.  Remove any tape residue from the stone with rubbing alcohol.
Sit back and admire your work.

 

 

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