Gemstones for Metal Clay – Art Clay Silver – Silver Metal Clay Jewelry Making
Now that I have some time under my belt cutting, shaping, sanding and polishing gemstones for others who are skilled jewelry designers, I am now ready to learn some type of jewelry making. After selling to so many talented jewelry designers and witnessing the many interesting jewelry making techniques, I have decided to pursue metal clay.
Every time I see settings made by silversmiths, bezel work, wire wrapping and metal clay, I get an anxious feeling inside tugging at me to get busy with one of them.
I have one customer in particular who is truly an expert metal clay artist / jewelry designer. She uses many of my stones in her designs. She commented to me how Art Clay has a shrinkage rate of 8 to 9 percent and Precious Metal Clay has a shrinkage rate of 12 to 15 percent. A person can become familiar with either of the two metal clays shrinkage rate after some time.
Most people seem to settle in with which ever of the two they start out with.
Smaller cabs seem to be preferred over larger and heavier gemstone cabochons due to the weight difference. I do offer a great many smaller cabs. That is one reason she sends her students to me for browsing through my gemstones.
I live just north of Spokane Wash, USA. I am presently looking for someone that offers classes in the area.
There is a forum operated by Rings and Things out of Spokane, but presently they are not offering classes. I just joined the forum and will be asking for some help with finding classes.
The prospect of actually designing gemstone jewelry is really exciting for me. It is on the top of my list for realistic goals for TaoGem this year. With a little luck combined with actually developing some metal clay skills, I hope to add a line of metal clay jewelry to my store.
Hopefully I will be able to spark some discussion and maybe even share in the art with others on my Lapidary / Gemstone Community forum as I learn. Not to mention that I am looking forward to posting some blog entries as I go as well !
Wish me luck, and if you are reading this, and working with metal clay, please keep checking back to monitor my success. I will share more in the days ahead !
April 29th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Hi,
Thanks for mentioning our classes. Don’t despair, we usually offer a few classes per year at the Rings & Things warehouse. Also, we have a yearly anniversary sale in August, which usually features a metal clay class. On staff we have certified master Art Clay Silver instructor, Kurt Madison, who really knows what he’s talking about! Talk to him on our website forum that you mentioned. He’ll answer any questions for you…
Take care,
–Dave
http://www.rings-things.com
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the response.
I finally was able to find a beginning silver metal clay class offered by Shirley who I am sure you know. The great part is that she is having the beginning course here in Newport on the 31st and 1st. Very reasonable priced.
I will take that course and then take a secondary course that will offer setting stones using bezel tape on the silver metal clay as a backing.
That is what I am really anxious to get started with. Very exciting !
Thanks again for the response!