I spent a very informative and experimental weekend learning how to use Bronze and Copper Clay at the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery which is fast becoming my second home! The tutor was Carol Douglas who showed us some of her work which was both inspiring and intimidating! There were four of us on the course, with varying experience (I was probably the least experienced of us all).
Carol spent some time at the beginning of the first day explaining about the issues of using bronze and copper clay. They aren't as easy to fire as silver clay, with most types having to be kiln fired in charcoal. Results can still be mixed and pieces can end up needing to be fired again.
Because of our experience Carol let us loose on lots of different projects at the same time in order to experiment with the clays. I found this really helpful because I was able to try out lots of different techniques that I wouldn't normally try in order to see what came out well. I made a number of different pieces over the two days, pictures of them are below. I made a few pieces that haven't been fired yet but I'll need to get some charcoal and stainless steel ice cream containers before I can see how they went!
I'm back down to Cornwall next week for two parts of my certification course.
I like this patchwork pendant. It is made from bronze clay with some copper and bronze pieces added
I wore this one today! I wasn't too sure about it to start with but it has grown on me! It is a bronze pendant with two copper inlays
This bead was moulded in copper from a pebble and a bronze piece was laid around it
Some copper earrings made from torch fired copper clay
This star pendant didn't keep the copper inlay piece I put in to the largest star unfortunately. I used a heat patina which came out OK
A bronze piece that was kiln fired and a silver piece added which was then torch fired. I loved the idea of this one but the silver didn't get up to temperature so I'd need to have another go I think
Carol spent some time at the beginning of the first day explaining about the issues of using bronze and copper clay. They aren't as easy to fire as silver clay, with most types having to be kiln fired in charcoal. Results can still be mixed and pieces can end up needing to be fired again.
Because of our experience Carol let us loose on lots of different projects at the same time in order to experiment with the clays. I found this really helpful because I was able to try out lots of different techniques that I wouldn't normally try in order to see what came out well. I made a number of different pieces over the two days, pictures of them are below. I made a few pieces that haven't been fired yet but I'll need to get some charcoal and stainless steel ice cream containers before I can see how they went!
I'm back down to Cornwall next week for two parts of my certification course.
I like this patchwork pendant. It is made from bronze clay with some copper and bronze pieces added
I wore this one today! I wasn't too sure about it to start with but it has grown on me! It is a bronze pendant with two copper inlays
This bead was moulded in copper from a pebble and a bronze piece was laid around it
Some copper earrings made from torch fired copper clay
This star pendant didn't keep the copper inlay piece I put in to the largest star unfortunately. I used a heat patina which came out OK
A bronze piece that was kiln fired and a silver piece added which was then torch fired. I loved the idea of this one but the silver didn't get up to temperature so I'd need to have another go I think
I love these. If I was cast in the second "Inception" movie, that little pebble warrior guy would be my totem. I also think the kite came out beautifully. A++ would admire again.
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