It is often translated as "wood grain metal" and the technique dates back to the 17th century when it was discovered by Denbei Shoami, a sword maker. Look it up in Google and you will see some fabulous jewellery using precious metals. Expensive - you have been warned!
It is a good technique for beginners in polymer clay to experiment with and there are various methods of achieving a pleasing effect. Paddy wants me to do the "indented" method and to use "translucent" clay and "gold leaf". These first pieces use seven different colours of Pardo PC including black and translucent (the reason being that we can bake it in a domestic oven as it does not contain phthlates):
I was a bit bothered about giving too much away but saw, on Paddy's blog, that she had taken photos of her work and included much more than I was going to so now here is the same amount as she has shown. Can't get into trouble can I? You will see I have made some beads inside metal caps, done some round ones, some heart shaped buttons, a tiny pendant and a square piece which I am not going to tell you what it is for. Likewise the cone shape? What on earth can it be? All will be revealed at some other time.
Then I wanted to make some more, try for a different look, and so I used some of my own Fimo clay in different colours - six this time but again including black and translucent. This time I was a bit more discerning about where I cut my slices and what bits I used.
The gold leaf has shown up more this time and the translucent clay has gone clear in some places. This time four rectangles (bet you can guess now what they are for), no bell caps on beads just round ones, but tiny buttons, and again, that mysterious cone.
this is it raw
Now baked
(as a ceramicist I still want to say "fired")
You can see how the gold leaf has shown through the translucent clay in parts but remained milky in others. Now I am waiting for some more to come out of the oven as I made quite a bit with my own clay and have cut out some pendants. Perhaps I will show you these tomorrow - well, schedule these tonight as I will be at Harrogate tomorrow (Hello Lisa and Sue (thanks for becoming a follower Sue) - and friends from Vicky Stampers who I know are coming).
Hope you liked my little showing of polymer clay. Have I time to make up some more - no - must get ready for Harrogate as it is an early get up in the morning.
