Shrinkage

When creating a piece from Precious Metal Clay you need to keep in mind the shrinkage which will occur when firing your creation. 

Shrinkage occurs because the organic material in the clay burns off during the firing process to leave the pure silver. I use PMC 3 which shrinks around 10-12% during the firing process.

Don't get me wrong shrinkage is not a bad thing ;)

When a piece with an etched design shrinks the detail becomes finer. So depending on the effect you are looking forward the shrinking can be used to your advantage to create the kind of super fine detail you would otherwise not be able create with a non-shrinking clay. By the way all versions of PMC shrink when fired. The original version in excess of 20%!

This picture shows the cutter I used to cut each shape. As you can see the orignal size is clearly larger than the fired piece. These bits are fresh out of the oven today. 

xoK

Messy Workshop and Prometheus in Bake Mode

I made some pendants over the weekend, finished them yesterday so tonight was firing night.

Here's a pic of Promey cooking up a storm and the organised ciaos on my bench.

My first ever commissioned piece * * SOLD * *

This is a piece I finished today in the lovely new kiln.

Custom made for my lovely friend Lou from London for her lovely friend Dani in NSW. And I got paid for it!! Yay yay yay!!!!!

Wa da ya think?

xxK

P.S The kiln works a treat. Can't wait to make and bake some more stuff :-P

One Small Step for Man.... A Giant Leap for JBK

On Thursday I ordered my jewellery kiln. Early Christmas pressie for meeeeee!!!!!! I'm so excited!

Don't get me wrong, I do love my trusty butane torch but it does have its limitations. Like not being able to fire a flat piece larger than a ten cent piece or hollow forms and other fun stuff. Good for the basics but not for the kind of jewellery I really want to make.

Can't wait to get it and fire the pieces I have been working on. This past week I've created a few simple pendants (including my first commissioned piece! Yay!) and a ring. Once they're fired I'll post some pics.

I've been madly sketching away coming up with ideas for all kinds of stuff. Although that doesn't mean I will make every design I come up with... give it time... and with inspiration coming at a rapid rate it could be dangerous to my hip pocket if I don't start selling very soon. Now the kiln is on it's way I can go a little nuts and get a bunch of pieces made to sell at a market stall.

Salada!
xxK