Whimsical Tree Mural

This week the studio went mobile as I traveled to do a very special mural for a very special little girl.  Working with her parents, we developed a whimsical tree with floating pink leaves to adorn her walls.  This sort of project is not nearly as intimidating as it may seem.  Decal Murals are pretty popular today, but also pricey.  The cost of paint for this project was under $25 and it was completed in one day.  Below you can see the stages of the mural's development.  You can see I started with a simple pencil sketch right on the wall, if you are not comfortable free-handing your image, project it on the wall and trace it.   

Keep the image and the color simple.  The tree trunk is done as a silhouette in brown, this was a huge time saver since I had only one day to complete this piece from start to finish.  I am using latex wall paint for the large brown area and Martha Stewart Pearl Accents Craft Paint for the leaves (the pearl paint has a really lovely shine as it picks up the light).  The larger leaves were done from stencils I cut from manilla folders and dry brushed multiple colors on at the same time.  There was a plan for the larger leaves and then it became more intuitive as I played with where the smaller leaves would float around the closet.  To fill in the rest (and save hours of time), I cut a medium and small leaf out of a sponge (just using scissors) and simply stamped them on the wall.  The finishing touch can be seen in the image on the below right, as that special little girl got put to work and left her own marks among the leaves.

Frosty Patina

This dome shaped piece was developed as part of my series of reflective pendants inspired by the ocean. Finished on a cold January evening as the east coast plummeted into a deep freeze, the frosty patina on its surface is reminiscent of the wintery afternoons I have spent watching the waves crash on the Narragansett beach with my mother. To achieve this frosty, swirling patina I began with black alcohol ink and mixed a few drops of snowcap white alcohol ink binder.  This creates a dark bluish ink that is thick and dries very quickly.  I painted it on and let it dry, but was unhappy with how dark the patina came out.  I dropped the piece in a cup of rubbing alcohol to remove the color and it began to lift off in layers.  This was a very different effect than I have seen in the past when removing this ink and assume it is due to mixing it with the binder.  When it reached this particular shade of ice blue with some dark areas creating depth in its crevices, I pulled it out and stopped the reaction.  I'm excited about the potential this process has in creating varied layers of value with the inks and will be experimenting with other colors in combination with the binder.

Metal Leaf Case

Recently, a friend was frustrated by not being able to find a small business card holder that didn't take up as much room as her wallet.  Knowing she is an antique lover, I saw a lot of potential in an old cigarette case.  The metal was dinged and scratched, so I thought some of the same techniques that add color to a jewelry surface, might add some interest to the case.  I began by sponging on alcohol inks in blue and purple on the interior of the case.  It dried quickly and I then coated it with metal leaf adhesive.  This adhesive tends to go on milky white and is ready for the leaf when it is clear (which can be any where from 15 minutes to and hour depending on the brand).  I was using a packet of variegated leaf, laying it on gently with tweezers, I then brushed it in a circular pattern which moved the excess flakes around and created a speckled effect on the edges.  I repeated this on the front of the case around the edges and along the center.  When I was happy with the leafing I was left with a bit of a sticky mess on the hinges and the edges of the piece where I left the metal leaf speckled, instead of fully covered.  The metal leaf adhesive never fully dries and leaves a sticky residue.  Using a q-tip dipped in lighter fluid, I was able to clean off the adhesive, be careful since this can also remove the alcohol ink.  Once dry, I went back over the surface with a soft brush until all the leaf was smoothly blended.  I left the piece to dry overnight before finally sealing it with Minwax Polycrylic  water-based sealer.  This case is going to be handled a lot and I've had a lot of luck with this drying clear and leaving a nice protective shell, there are specific metal leaf sealers or something like modge podge will work, as well.  The final results can be seen at the top of this post.  It turned out to be a  great little repurposing project.

White Bronze Continued

 For those of you keeping track, this is my fourth test fire with White Bronze.  Those first three trials can be seen in last week's post.  After contacting the manufacturer, I took their specific notes on my previous firing trials and began by elevating the firing vessel even higher.  I increased it's height by adding another set of stilts so that its rim sat just below the top of the kiln.  This was recommended since even in my small counter top kiln the difference in temperature from floor to lid can be 300 degrees.  My next step was to do both phases of the firing with the pieces buried in the coconut carbon, it was stressed that White Bronze MUST be buried even for the binder burn off phase with the lid off the vessel.  Since both phases are being done buried in the carbon in the kiln, there was no need to cool in between, so I took the recommendation of the following schedule:

RA1: Full 

PF1:1000F 

HOLD:2hrs

RA2: Full 

PF2: 1250F 

HOLD:2hrs

RA3: 000

START

The above image on the left shows the char on top of the carbon after the completed firing had cooled.  This time I definitely smelled more of a "campfire" smell from the kiln than the previous firings, so I do believe it got significantly hotter.   On the right you can see the test pieces out of the kiln, they already appeared stronger.  There were no cracks and they handled well, so I had hope that the firing had been successful.  I took some 220grit sandpaper to the test pieces and removed enough fire scale to reveal a metallic interior.  As I had found out last week, the water drop test does not apply to White Bronze and the way to check is to sand with 220 grit to reveal the bronze, without small particles coming off.  I was really excited and gave the pieces a wiggle with my fingers, at which point they each snapped in the middle.  

Grrrrrrrrrr!  

So back to the drawing board.  What I do know is that the carbon burned hotter this time and the binder appeared to successfully burn out.  What I don't know is whether the White Bronze was at its full firing strength.  The other thing I learned last week was that even when fired properly, it is very fragile and should really never be used alone.  It was recommended that it be used in combination with other materials for strength.  If it is used alone and fired successfully, customers need to be warned that it is a very fragile material and does not have the traditional strength expected from metals meaning the introduction of other tools such as hammers or pliers would result in it breaking, as well as if it is dropped on a hard surface.  My question still remains as to whether or not I should be able to break it with my fingers.  I plan to email these results to the manufacturer to see if this really is the brittle level of this material or if I should slowly bump the second phase firing by 10 degrees.   I will keep you posted...

White Bronze Explorations

I've spent the last few weeks exploring White Bronze Metal Clay.  The clay comes in powder form and can be mixed easily.  The mixed clay is silky and flexible.  It was easy to work with and was quick to sand.   I was excited to see how the pieces came out once fired, but that's where my trouble began.  So far I have fired three different test pieces, each ending with different problems.  Below is a page from one of my firing notebooks, and at the bottom are the results.  Test Fire #1 was based on the directions from the clay, in the end the center appeared sintered, but the edges were fragile enough to snap off.   Base metal clays must be fired buried in carbon, this is done inside a vessel in the kiln.  For test firing #2 I altered my firing parameters based on suggestions from my vessel's manufacturer.  This time, the piece was far weaker and crumbled like a cookie when wiggled.  For my third test fire, I reached out to other metal clay artists working in bronze and adjusted my firing schedule accordingly.  This resulted in the piece splitting and then crumbling.  

I was reassured by other metal clay artists that initial explorations in bronze required several test fires since everything from the kiln type to carbon type to vessel type to bronze type effects firing, but was still a bit disheartened.  I contacted the manufacturer of the white bronze and they immediately responded.  You can see in my firing notes below their direct feedback on my trials.  The key points include the following:

-The water drop test used in other bronze clays to check for sintering, is not a valid test for White Bronze.

-Both phases of firing must be done in a kiln, buried in carbon - this includes the first phase where the binder is burned off.

-Even the small kiln I use for firing can have a 300 degree difference from the floor to the lid, so the vessel must be up on stilts to best achieve high temperatures.

-The lid should be off the vessel for both phases of the firing.

-When both phases of firing are done in the kiln, there is no need to cool in between.

-The following firing was recommended:

Vessel on Stilts/No Lid for entire firing

Piece buried for entire firing

Phase 1:  Full Ramp to 1000F hold 2hrs

No Cool

Phase 2:  Full Ramp to 1250F hold 2hrs

Test cooled pieces with 220grit sandpaper, if it is metallic it's good.

*** On a side note, the instruction manual for White Bronze is part of the manual for the entire collection of base metal clays and therefore a little confusing as they are all talked about together.  In the manual, it does say it is a brittle metal when made into thin pieces and recommends it being used in combination with other clays for strength.  The email response I receive basically asked why I would be using it alone to begin with and that it NEEDS to be used in combination with other metals.  That it should not be used alone and even if you do get it to fire correctly, customers need to understand that their piece will be VERY fragile.  This really is different than how it is presented in the manual.  I went back and checked on the manufacturer's website and no where does it note that White Bronze is any different than the other base metal clays, you only learn that once you download the manual which I imagine most people do not do until they order it.  This is something which I find a bit frustrating, it should be more clearly noted as part of the product description.  I really didn't see the red flags until the manufacturer questioned my use of it because the manual is not that direct.  My persistence in firing it correctly is partially to see the process through and partially to complete the handful of pieces I have in White Bronze that are waiting to be fired.

So my next step?  More test pieces next week based on the above suggestions.  Wish me luck!

Alcohol Ink Patina on Metal Clay

As I got to the finishing stages of this series, I knew I wanted to really bring the texture out and that the best way to do that was with a patina.   Liver of Sulfur is a traditional way to get a variety of tones, but requires precise timing for colors beyond black and a strong stomach as it does stink up the immediate area.  In looking for another option, I began experimenting with alcohol ink on the recommendation of a friend and have really been happy with the results.  Alcohol inks are sold in the scrapbooking section of most craft stores.  They are a solvent based ink and work great on non-porous surfaces, from metal to glass to super glossy paper and they come in dozens of colors.  I wanted to antique this piece with turquoise tones to really draw on its references to the ocean.  I took my fired and polished pendant and just touched the tip of the ink bottle to the surface and let the ink run through the crevices of the texture.  It only takes a few moments to dry and then I start buffing it off with a super fine piece of steel wool.  I also like to dab a little on my maker's mark on the back to pronounce it a little more.  I clean up edges and brushes (if I use them) with rubbing alcohol.  Remember to protect anything you don't want to be stained by this ink, such as findings or stones.  Since I am using the ink as a patina that sits down inside the texture and all the ink has been removed from the surface, I do not seal it because it is no more likely to rub off than a liver of sulfur or other such patina.  

Tumble & Shine

Once I resolved the bails on this small series of simple pendants, it was time to fire and tumble them.  When silver clay is fired it does not come out looking shiny and metallic.  When I first tried metal clay I thought I was under-firing it because it kept coming out white.  Now I know that white is simply the fire-scale on the surface of the metal (below left).  It easily comes off with a brass brush, but leaves the silver sort of matte and in need of polishing.  A tumbler is a great way to polish up your pieces (not just metal clay) and it serves to help work-harden your pieces.  It also softens burrs that might be on your metal.  Tumblers range in price, I use the small inexpensive one above and can fit a number of pieces into it.  It's a simple tool, fill the barrel halfway with stainless steel shot (bought with the tumbler), a small amount of cleaning solution (see what your instructions recommend), place your pieces and fill with water just above the shot.  I run the tumbler for 2-3 hours depending on the degree of tumbling the pieces appear to need.  Below you can see the difference from the white fire-scale to the shine out of the tumbler.  A word of caution, soft materials such as pearls and turquoise may react badly with your cleaning solution, so know its compatibility and be sure precious metals are actually precious or the stainless steel shot may reveal more than a high shine!