I've had a bit of a blahh week,my back has been very achy and my lungs have been complaining about the cold so I've mainly stayed in and fermented on the couch.. hopefully i'm not brewing anything, i'll just have to wait and wrap up extra warm when I do venture out. It's a bit of a vicious circle really, I feel rough so I stay in, I stay in too long and get miserable which makes me feel worse..and repeat.. still, I treated myself to some silver clay and had a bit of a play.
My mum (who is a Pisces) has just got a new aquarium for the front room so I took this as a sign... my first piece I made just had to be fish related...
This is in no way a tutorial, more a "what I did"
I rolled out some silver clay onto a plastic wallet. I had put a drop of olive oil onto it and my hands to stop the clay from sticking.
I placed a (badly drawn!) picture of the fish shape I wanted onto the silver clay and traced around it lightly.
The impression of the fish shape.
Starting to cut the shape out...
The fish with added detail and a gem eye ( I made sure it was one that could be fired in the kiln)
I left it to dry over night. You can see the rough bits all ready for sanding.
Ahhhh! The tail snapped off while I was sanding.I didn't swear.. honest! (fingers crossed!)
Fixed with lots of silver paste. I think it looks better this way, it has more dimension (ooo go me getting all technical!) It's funny how an improvement can come from a mess up!
I added a brooch back with paste.
A bit of time in the kiln, sanded and polished to a mirror shine, here is the finished piece.
I'm really pleased with my first try with PMC and my mum loves her brooch. :)
I'm off to have a look what everyone else taking part in
Handmade Monday have been making.
LH
x
I really love knowing the genesis of pieces (guess there might be Angel fish in your tank) and it is so nice to know that things do not know always go quite as you expect but that you can get them back.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised that your mum is pleased, it is super!
I like seeing how crafts progress to the finished item. Unlucky about the tail though. At least it all worked out in the end.
ReplyDeleteIt's really lovely and I really enjoyed seeing the process. I'd love to have a go at silver clay. Hope you're feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely, he looks so happy, well done with your first attempt, I'd love to have a go but alas I don't have a kiln so it's fimo for me.
ReplyDeleteJan x
The fish looks great. I hope your blahh week comes to an end soon, I've had them myself, why go out in the cold when its so warm and cosy inside and then before you know it you're desperate for a bit of fresh air however cold it may be! x
ReplyDeleteWow that looks great - first time for me having seen what you actually do with that clay. Mich x (hope you're feeling better this week.)
ReplyDeleteI love it...a great start to working with PMC....hope you continue xx
ReplyDeleteIt's brilliant!
ReplyDeleteWell done the fish looks great makes me want to get my silver clay out but where to find the time....
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous fish - well done. I can understand that your mum was pleased, he (she?) is lovely. Hope you have a good week.
ReplyDeleteHarriet the fish is lovely, no wonder your mum likes it :) looks fab x
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself x
The end product looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteThe finished item looks really good! Make more, make more :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great when a design pops into your head like that. Nice brooch.
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea you could do one like this, and I"m very jazzed. He's awesome! I need to find my silver clay, NOW! That's just super. Cute cute cute!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great, such a difference between the beginning and end product, no wonder your mum loves it.
ReplyDeleteJo x