See it to believe it: eye-catching faux dichroic-glass dangles

Expression, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Kris Richards

One of the most fascinating things about polymer clay is its ability to be compatible with so many other art media. Each year, more and more ways are discovered to add, combine, mix, apply, implant, embed and include "goodies." The results of combining polymer clay with just two of these "goodies" is shown here in a technique I learned from Marie Segal, who called it Faux Dichroic Glass. When Marie showed the technique to me, she added the foil to the top of the clay, and baked it on, creating a metallic dichroic effect. But, while playing in my studio, I discovered a kicker ... add Clear UTEE over the top of the foil and SHAZAM--the UTEE gives the depth and illusion of clear, thick glass.

After you've successfully created a gorgeous pendant or brooch of your own, you'll be as inspired as I was when you take it in your own direction. Who knows? You may just invent a whole new technique to add to the ever-growing, ever exciting, polymer clay technique list!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Condition half a block of Black Sculpey and flatten using the thickest setting of your pasta machine--about 1/4-inch thick. 2. Fold the piece of clay in half. Be sure the clay adheres together well by brayering with the acrylic brayer or roller. 3. Cut several small sheets of the Jones Tones Foils, and arrange them colored side up on the surface of the clay. Use the sharp side of the Sculpey Super Slicer to burnish the foils tightly to the surface of the clay. (Photo 1) 4. Grasp the corner of one of the sheets and in one quick "ripping" motion, pull it from the clay surface. 5. Repeat until all sheets are removed and the foils are transferred to the clay surface. (Photo 2) 6. If there is any clay showing through that you don't want, lay another contrasting color of foil on the area where the clay is showing, and repeat steps 3 and 4. 7. Place your preferred Sculpey Shapelet on top of the clay, being sure you like the arrangement of foils, as this is what your piece will look like when you are finished. 8. Use the needle tool to lightly trace around the edge of the Shapelet, and then retrace deeper until you've completely cut through the entire piece of clay. (Photo 3) 9. Remove the cutout piece. You may wish to save the leftover clay for another project. 10. Use the sheet of waxed paper to smooth and press down the edges of the piece, gently rounding the edges. Trim any edges that protrude with your Super Slicer if needed. 11. Cut a piece of wire approximately 2-inches long. 12. Use the round-nose pliers to bend the wire into a "U" shape (Photo 4). Bend the ends one over the other, and pull one side around the other and wrap it twice. 13. Bend the long end slightly to crimp it so that it doesn't pull out of the pendant once baked. (Photo 5) 14. Press the long end of the wire into the top of the pendant. Use the waxed paper to smooth any lumps caused by the wire insertion. 15. Place the piece on the baking surface and sprinkle the top of the clay with Clear Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (make sure that the embossing enamel doesn't stick to the baking surface or that the baking surface is disposable). The shaker that the embossing enamel comes in can be difficult to handle, especially if you have the larger size. Try transferring some of the enamel into a small salt or pepper shaker. You can apply the coats more evenly, thinly, and direct the flow better. 16. Place the piece in the oven and bake at 275 F for 30 minutes. The embossing enamel will be melted, but you may wish to make the pendant look "deeper" by adding several more coats of embossing enamel, and returning the piece to the oven briefly to melt each coat. Continue to add more coats of embossing enamel until you are happy with the thickness. A minimum of two coats or a maximum of six coats for ultimate "glassy depth" is recommended for this project. Note: Several thin coats work better than one or two thick coats, as the enamel will tend to run if it is applied too thickly. 17. Use a small metal painter's spatula to remove your piece from the baking surface. Scrape any pooled embossing enamel off the edges and back of the piece using the Super Slicer. (Photo 6) Make sure you are lightly scraping, not cutting directly into the enamel, as this may crack it. 18. Lightly sand the back of the piece using 400- then 600-grit automotive sandpaper under a running faucet or in a small bowl of water.

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Note: Because of the possibility of burns, this project is recommended for adults, or for closely supervised teens. This is an intermediate-to-advanced project.

RELATED ARTICLE: MATERIALS

2 OZ PACKAGE SCULPEY III OR PREMO SCULPEY--BLACK

SCULPEY SHAPELET

JONES TONES FOILS--ASSORTED COLORS

SCISSORS

ULTRA THICK EMBOSSING ENAMEL--CLEAR

ART-DEDICATED PASTA MACHINE

ACRYLIC CLAY ROLLER OR BRAYER

SCULPEY SUPER SLICER

NEEDLE TOOL

WAXED PAPER

METAL PAINTER'S SPATULA

PIECE OF GLASS, SHINY CERAMIC TILE OR DISPOSABLE ALUMINUM PIE PAN TO BAKE ON