Creativity at Work!
As an artist that there is simply no end to the creative process. One piece leads to another but in no way are the two pieces similar. A medium of endless possibilities, ideas feed on the last piece and new art continually evolves. There is so much that one can do with clay from caning, veneers, special techniques, additives of mica powder, silk screening and colour shift paints. Textures change the look of a unique piece and gold or silver leaf is an added bonus to the artist and the end result.
Pendants and Brooches
Necklaces Ready for Delivery to Met Hospital
Canes/Building Blocks for Jewelry
JELLY ROLL CANE
The jelly roll cane is one of the most basic canes, easy to make and with imagination it can become a wonderful building block to more complicated projects. For a basic jelly roll cane you need about a half a block of two contrasting colours of clay: i.e. white and black, royal blue and lime green, yellow and dark brown, any combination you choose is perfect.
First, always condition your clay by rolling it in your hands and when it feels warm, use your rolling pin to flatten and run it through the pasta machine five or six times at the largest setting, folding the clay once each time you roll it through.
Condition your two colours and measure two strips about 3” wide by 8” long. Keep all the scraps.
Place one colour on top of the other, trim. Roll lightly from the center to each end to remove largest air bubbles and then put this double strip through the pasta machine again on the largest setting starting at the short side and making it longer. This will remove more air bubbles, adhere one colour to the other and prepare the clay for the cane. Trim as necessary.
You are ready to make a jelly roll cane. If you roll it now you will get a lovely cane. If you want to run the clay through the pasta machine once more on a thinner setting, it will be longer and your jelly roll will have more detail. Try both ways to see what you like best.
Roll from the shortest side beginning by wrapping the bottom colour over the top one, then continue to roll being careful not to add air bubbles. When you reach the end, slice the edge straight but at a 45 degree angle so that the bottom colour comes up over the top colour making the whole outside one colour. Seal gently with your finger or a knitting needle, then roll on your work surface until the jelly roll is perfectly round. The ends may bulge out. Don’t worry about this, just press them in and trim them evenly and keep your scraps.
When you cut off both ends you will see the result. Cut your cane in half keeping half to work into future projects and place half into your cane storage box wrapped in a piece of parchment paper. Cut a thin slice from one of the ends and stick it on your parchment covered jelly roll to identify it in the future.
Keep every little bit of off cuts, ends etc for future use in a separate covered and labeled cane scrap box.
Words work best for some people while others need to “see” the process. Below is an excellent tutorial by Jessama on making the jelly roll cane.
THERE IS SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH THE SIMPLE JELLY ROLL CANE!
You are ready to practice and try several variations-for example:
SKINNER BLEND
Follow the diagrams above and use the largest setting on your pasta machine. When you lay your triangles of colour on top of each other they will be two thicknesses. If you align them exactly your blend will be more modulated but if you offset (see below) the two triangles you will get some true colour at each end of your blend. You decide but it is easier for a beginner to offset in order to always know that it goes through the pasta machine with two colours facing the rollers.
If you find making triangles and doubling them, then facing your two colours to match and remembering which end goes through the pasta machine somewhat daunting, there is a simpler method that works well with two or more colours. For example take three colours, condition them and the roll each one into a ball. Next decide which colour you want next to each. Now roll the three balls into a teardrop shape and place them side by side, inverting the middle teardrop or alternating if there are more than three colours. There is no limit to how many you can do. Now flatten slightly with your roller and you are ready to proceed putting it through your machine. Fold in half and continue putting the folded part into your machine first. Continue until you are happy with the blend.
A method of achieving a graduated colour change between two or more colours of clay. Starting on the top row left you see two colours cut as triangles but offset and trimmed slightly, then butted right up against each other. Next is a view of how they look after going through the pasta machine 5 times, next 10 times, then 15 times. Second row you see 20 times through the machine, then 25 and finally 30 times.
Note that when you put your clay through the machine it always has the two colours facing the rollers, then fold and run through again in exactly the same orientation. Continue to fold and roll over and over until the blend is what you desire. NEVER RUN THE CLAY THROUGH WITH ONLY ONE COLOUR FACING THE ROLLERS!
The only time you will run it through with only one colour facing the rollers is when you have finished the skinner blend. Then you can cut it into two or three equal strips, stack in an identical manner and run with either colour first to achieve a nice long narrow skinner. Run it through several more times exactly the same way reducing the thickness each time until you get a very long narrow blend to work with.
TWO METHODS OF THE SKINNER BLEND CANE
This Jessima tutorial will help you find your way from two colour to more colours. There are countless other You Tube videos available. Do a search to find them.
https://pin.it/i2gi6tscxgs3ii
https://pin.it/bu2taqebag4v67
Here is a video tutorial on using the teardrop shapes
https://pin.it/hsvlvhqkexekxz
Things to try
Remember to add all scrap clay to your scrap container with the leftovers from our jelly rolls. Label your skinner blends and keep at least half of each cane for future projects.
SANDING
I watched a tutorial on sanding but it was Fiona’s recent floral piece that inspired me to go to CANADIAN Tire where I purchased 400, 600, 800, and 1000 grade wet/dry sandpaper for about $4.00 per package, enough to last me a lifetime! Then I came home and selected four craft stamps I seldom use and pulled off the rubber impressions. They are so nice to hold on to. I cut black self stick shelf liner to fit the top of each one covering the picture and then used my labeler to label each of the stamps. On top of the label I used wide clear packing tape and cut with an exactor knife to fit. This will prevent the water from erasing the labels. I could have just used magic marker. On the stamping side I used gorilla glue which is waterproof and glued a piece of foam and cut to fit, followed by the piece of sandpaper with the matching number to the label. These I trimmed neatly with my exactor knife. The four fit nicely into a plastic box also labeled SANDING. I am good to go. I am posting pics of my sanding stamps, two pendants I sanded with them and my best round two sided Natasha (reversible). Isn’t that great?
NATASHA BEADS
OK, this is how you do a Natasha. When you have a bunch of scrap clay from cane ends and such, you make the whole bunch into a ball but don’t try to mix the colours. Then chop the ball in half, put the flat parts on your surface and chop slices, then chop the other way, when finished put these pieces on their side and chop them up into small bits. Now mix all the clay bits randomly and put it all back into a ball but push tightly this time so you eliminate air pockets. Roll this into a sausage keeping the ends pushed in. I try for at least a one inch roll. Now, the key is to twist the roll starting at one end and continue to the end-lots of twists. Roll the piece back into a nice round roll, then press the sides to reshape the roll into a square. Take your time with this. Once it is square, use your roller to flatter opposite sides into a rectangle. The piece ought to be about 1.5 inches by half to three quarters of an inch. Keep your edges sharp. Now place the piece on the narrow side trying to stick it to your work surface. With a very sharp blade cut straight down, let the two pieces fall beside each other. You will see an exact match of pattern. Place the pieces exactly together making certain to keep the match then gently smooth the seam with a knitting needle. The two pieces may mot be exactly the same height so turn it over, stick to your work surface and carefully slice the higher side until it is a nice match. This finished piece ought to be about a quarter inch wide. Turn it over again and you are ready to cut your shape. If you use a cutter be sure to put plastic on top first to keep your edges nicely rounded. This is the Natasha bead. It takes some skill to master each step and the results depend on the clay colour combinations, how you twister the roll and how carefully you made your cuts. Good luck.
There is a further instruction to make all four sides match but I suggest you get the hang of this first.
THIS RESULTS IN YOUR NATASHA, PRACTICE OFTEN UNTIL YOU GET GOOD RESULTS.
MY ART STUDIO
Home and unpacked in only a week so my art studio is organized and calling me. Here are a few photos. As you enter the room on the left is my slicing baking center. I have a paper cutter set up on a 3 drawer storage unit with a new meat slicer I bought to use for canes. Next are my two toaster ovens, the smaller is convection, the one on the lower shelf is not but it’s much bigger.
I have a 5 drawer dresser where I store organza bags for the jewelry and assorted necessities. Pan to the right for the beginning of 6 matching wood bookcases along the entire wall. My clay And canes, textures and molds are in the middle so I can swing around to get new pieces as needed and all my jewelry findings and shape cutters are on lower shelves and labeled.
On the end wall I keep a 3 drawer unit filled with tools with two sets of 60 tiny drawers for beads, jewels, stones, toothpicks, assorted necessities.
I keep main tools in containers on my 8’ work table which I covered with heavy plastic. I have two black leather chairs one on each side of the table so I can always invite a friend to come clay with me which necessitates a second pasta machine on the other side. My station has a grid glass space for clay, my new atlas with motor and my extruder which is clamped to the table for ease of use.
In the far corner I have a large 2 drawer file cabinet, top drawer holds pieces in progress that need finishing, the bottom drawer has finished work packaged individually in organza bags and in groups of 50 so they are easy to deliver on the first of each month for my hospital project. With help from some of you they have received 300 pieces to date and I am ahead the next 200 for delivery on a June 1st and July 1st.
I love my cedar room 12’ X 14’. We just moved to this town house and I was delighted to find I would have this dedicated space for my art. I am one happy and grateful craftsman! Note that although I am a watercolour artist, none of those supplies have found a home in this craft room. Thankfully the floor is also cedar wood which makes it easy to scrape up droppings if clay. This is where I create and spend my happy and imaginative.
COMBINATION BULLSEYE CANE WITH STRIPED LAYER
We have learned and practiced the jelly roll and skinner blend. These are basic tools for all future canes. When we add the bullseye cane with a striped layer successfully, we will be well equipped to tackle almost ant other cane including the mosaic or kaleidoscope cane which is coming up in the near future.
The bullseye cane is simple. The core may be any colour you choose or you could use a rolled skinner blend for the center. The important thing is to make sure the diameter of your roll is consistent. Next, roll a sheet of a contrasting colour and place it on your work surface. Use your ruler and cutting blade to cut the bottom edge straight, then lay your roll on the clay. Next trim the sheet on both sides so it will be easy to fit and roll the coil and wrap it completely in the sheet. Use your blade to loosen the bottom edge, then carefully roll it up and around the roll being careful not to capture air bubbles. Roll slightly past the end which will leave a mark on the clay to indicate where you should cut. Bring the two edges together. If you have overlap cut a little more off. If the two sides don’t quite meet, gently persuade the clay to join with the other side using your finger. Once joined use a knitting needle to carefully seal that seam, then roll the cane on your work table. Using a block of wood or a tile will assist you in getting it even without fingerprints.
You are ready to add another layer to your bullseye cane. The next layer you roll out on the pasta machine may be the same as the first or it can be thinner. Again, use a colour that contrasts against the previous layer. Your final layer after that must be a striped layer. See below for how to accomplish this.
Here are two U Tube tutorials which will help you finesse your bullseye cane.
https://youtu.be/9nrTCfWUC5U
https://youtu.be/bq1-vlmYXnU
STRIPED CANE
You may use any two colours for your striped cane but I like the look of black and white. Condition both pieces of clay and try to get them in an approximate square shape. Place the white on top of the black and use a ruler to carefully cut both into a rectangle with exact square corners. Put the excess clay away so your workspace is neat. Measure and cur the two layers in half and stack one on to the other. You now have four layers-white, black, white, black. Cut the four layers in half again making certain your stack is the same length as your bullseye cane. Place one on top of the other so you now have eight layers beginning with white and ending with black.
When your bullseye cane is ready for the stripe wrap around, carefully cut several layers about 1/8” thick and begin to cover the outside. Continue until you reach all the way around. The last piece may not fit so be prepared to pull some white and black pieces off before joining. Roll the cane gently on the table to adhere the stripped layer. If you desire you can put another layer of colour on the outside.
Here are two U Tube videos to help you with your stripped cane.
https://youtu.be/KGUyZCxKKF8
https://youtu.be/YITQPJ9z57Q
Reduce your finished bullseye cane until it is about the diameter of between a nickel and a quarter. Cut it in half and save half for our next project. Use one half to create a finished piece. Email photos of your cane and your project to duxter.susan@gmail.com or post on our group site.
RETRO CANES
What is a retro cane and how do you make it?
Condition at least five different colors of clay to the widest setting.
Cut each sheet into as many circles as you can.
Stack the circles randomly until you have at least three stacks 5” high
Roll the stacks to narrow the diameter somewhat so it will fit into your extruder.
Use the square insert in your extruder and load.
Extrude all three stacks and lay them on your work surface
With a measuring guide, cut the pieces into equal lengths 3” long
Stack your extruded pieces at least three across and three high. Trim and keep your leftovers for another project
This is your retro cane.
What can you do with it?
1. Take 9 thin slices and place them together on a #2 backing clay.
Roll gently and use your burnishing paper
Use any cutter to create a pendant with the pattern.
This is your retro shape piece.
2. You can also texture a matching color and mica powder it.
Then place the mica texture under another retro sheet and use a cutter.
These will not stick because of the mica so now divide the shape using your flexible blade.
Take the pieces apart. Match the texture sheet to the retro sheet and place on a thin background. This will give you two pendants.
3. Place 4-6 logs of the retro cane side by side and roll gently half flat.
Place a deep texture on top and carefully press the pattern into your sheet
Prepare two backing sheets in a complimentary color.
Begin to shave the texture from the texture, turn upside down and drop randomly on one of your backing sheets. Roll and run through the pasta machine on the thickest setting.
Use a cutter to create your piece. This is your scrap mokume piece.
4. Take the shaved texture sheet and place it on a backing sheet.
Roll gently and burnish.
Cut with any shape cutter.
This is your retro mokume piece
5. Stack more multicolored circles into three tall stacks and run them through the extruder on the three different circles-small, medium and wide. Take the thinnest snake and wrap it around a 3” piece of the widest snake. Take the medium snake and wrap it around a three” piece of the widest snake. Then wrap a second layer of medium snake and wrap it on top of the two layers of wide and thin. Take the thinnest snake and wrap round the medium snake. Cut all snakes the same length of 3 inches but keep one piece of each thickness in the same length also....thin, medium and thick. Roll a backing sheet and begin to slice the various rolls as thin as possible and arrange randomly on the backing so eventually they are touching. This is your retro veneer sheet. Roll and burnish. This sheet is ready to make a number of matching pieces for a graduated necklace or as individual pieces.
TIPS
Give thought to your color scheme
Use white or pearl, half and half with your colors
Try a stack of metallics or black, white and silver
Break up your stack with black or white for contrast
Consider using tiny slices of an extruded piece as accents on other jewelry
Retro canes make an extraordinary border. Try using one row sandwiched between two thin sheets of clay.
For those of you interested in the retro cane, here are some great tutorials that will help get you started. Good luck.
https://youtu.be/KvDpXAcnB_M Black and white retro cane
https://youtu.be/FqkBdZO_jZI Making. CLAY VENEER
https://youtu.be/T4tQwPbqnrE Colorful retro cane
https://youtu.be/pOEyje5MG0M Extruder cane veneer/beautiful
https://youtu.be/EZwDQUyT2U8 Homogeneous color scheme retro cane
The jelly roll cane is one of the most basic canes, easy to make and with imagination it can become a wonderful building block to more complicated projects. For a basic jelly roll cane you need about a half a block of two contrasting colours of clay: i.e. white and black, royal blue and lime green, yellow and dark brown, any combination you choose is perfect.
First, always condition your clay by rolling it in your hands and when it feels warm, use your rolling pin to flatten and run it through the pasta machine five or six times at the largest setting, folding the clay once each time you roll it through.
Condition your two colours and measure two strips about 3” wide by 8” long. Keep all the scraps.
Place one colour on top of the other, trim. Roll lightly from the center to each end to remove largest air bubbles and then put this double strip through the pasta machine again on the largest setting starting at the short side and making it longer. This will remove more air bubbles, adhere one colour to the other and prepare the clay for the cane. Trim as necessary.
You are ready to make a jelly roll cane. If you roll it now you will get a lovely cane. If you want to run the clay through the pasta machine once more on a thinner setting, it will be longer and your jelly roll will have more detail. Try both ways to see what you like best.
Roll from the shortest side beginning by wrapping the bottom colour over the top one, then continue to roll being careful not to add air bubbles. When you reach the end, slice the edge straight but at a 45 degree angle so that the bottom colour comes up over the top colour making the whole outside one colour. Seal gently with your finger or a knitting needle, then roll on your work surface until the jelly roll is perfectly round. The ends may bulge out. Don’t worry about this, just press them in and trim them evenly and keep your scraps.
When you cut off both ends you will see the result. Cut your cane in half keeping half to work into future projects and place half into your cane storage box wrapped in a piece of parchment paper. Cut a thin slice from one of the ends and stick it on your parchment covered jelly roll to identify it in the future.
Keep every little bit of off cuts, ends etc for future use in a separate covered and labeled cane scrap box.
Words work best for some people while others need to “see” the process. Below is an excellent tutorial by Jessama on making the jelly roll cane.
THERE IS SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH THE SIMPLE JELLY ROLL CANE!
You are ready to practice and try several variations-for example:
- Jelly roll three colours but vary the thickness of each colour layer
- Jelly roll and reshape the cane into a square. Cut into four equal lengths and place them together to form a larger square
- Jelly roll two colours but add a plain or striped layer around the outside
- Cut your jelly roll into three pieces. Place one in the center, then cut the other two remaining pieces in half lengthwise twice. Place these four quarter pieces curve side against the curve side of the center piece until you have all four equally placed. Shape and press into a square. See picture below
- Make one piece of jewelry using your jelly roll canes. It can be a brooch or a pendant. Cookie cutters help make neat shapes. Make a veneer first by slicing your jelly roll cane as thin as you can and placing the pieces on another piece of background clay. Roll this until the pieces have become part of the sheet. Use the back of a soup spoon or a coffee tamper over a piece of parchment placed over the clay sheet and smooth using uniform gentle pressure. Place the sheet on another same colour background on the thickest setting and you are ready to cut your shape. Use a piece of plastic between the clay and your cutter to provide nicely rounded edges. Pick up the piece using your blade to loosen it from your work surface. Use your fingers to gently smooth the outside edges before baking.
- Did you know that if you use a blunt edge tool like a ruler to press in all four sides of your jelly roll you have a pretty flower?
SKINNER BLEND
- Setting #1 means your thickest setting
- You can trim if you like but it’s not necessary
- Cutting corner to corner is the aligned method (see below for offset method)
- Cut both pieces diagonally
- Separate
- Place same colours on top of one another and butt up against each other, roll to seal
Follow the diagrams above and use the largest setting on your pasta machine. When you lay your triangles of colour on top of each other they will be two thicknesses. If you align them exactly your blend will be more modulated but if you offset (see below) the two triangles you will get some true colour at each end of your blend. You decide but it is easier for a beginner to offset in order to always know that it goes through the pasta machine with two colours facing the rollers.
If you find making triangles and doubling them, then facing your two colours to match and remembering which end goes through the pasta machine somewhat daunting, there is a simpler method that works well with two or more colours. For example take three colours, condition them and the roll each one into a ball. Next decide which colour you want next to each. Now roll the three balls into a teardrop shape and place them side by side, inverting the middle teardrop or alternating if there are more than three colours. There is no limit to how many you can do. Now flatten slightly with your roller and you are ready to proceed putting it through your machine. Fold in half and continue putting the folded part into your machine first. Continue until you are happy with the blend.
A method of achieving a graduated colour change between two or more colours of clay. Starting on the top row left you see two colours cut as triangles but offset and trimmed slightly, then butted right up against each other. Next is a view of how they look after going through the pasta machine 5 times, next 10 times, then 15 times. Second row you see 20 times through the machine, then 25 and finally 30 times.
Note that when you put your clay through the machine it always has the two colours facing the rollers, then fold and run through again in exactly the same orientation. Continue to fold and roll over and over until the blend is what you desire. NEVER RUN THE CLAY THROUGH WITH ONLY ONE COLOUR FACING THE ROLLERS!
The only time you will run it through with only one colour facing the rollers is when you have finished the skinner blend. Then you can cut it into two or three equal strips, stack in an identical manner and run with either colour first to achieve a nice long narrow skinner. Run it through several more times exactly the same way reducing the thickness each time until you get a very long narrow blend to work with.
TWO METHODS OF THE SKINNER BLEND CANE
- Carefully roll the strip from either end being careful not to capture air pockets. Roll all the way to the end and you have a round roll with one colour in the center and the other around the outside.
- Take your long strip and fan fold about one and a half inches at a time until it forms a rectangular shape with one colour on top and the other on the bottom.
This Jessima tutorial will help you find your way from two colour to more colours. There are countless other You Tube videos available. Do a search to find them.
https://pin.it/i2gi6tscxgs3ii
https://pin.it/bu2taqebag4v67
Here is a video tutorial on using the teardrop shapes
https://pin.it/hsvlvhqkexekxz
Things to try
- Make a two colour skinner blend
- Make a three colour skinner blend
- Make a skinner roll with your two colour blend
- Make a rectangular plug with your three colour blend
- Design a piece of jewelry using a skinner blend
Remember to add all scrap clay to your scrap container with the leftovers from our jelly rolls. Label your skinner blends and keep at least half of each cane for future projects.
SANDING
- Just finished making four nice sanding blocks using old craft stamps, a labeler, foam board and gorilla glue to put the different sandpaper’s on as it is waterproof. I am thrilled with how much easier it is to sand my pieces now. Good idea
I watched a tutorial on sanding but it was Fiona’s recent floral piece that inspired me to go to CANADIAN Tire where I purchased 400, 600, 800, and 1000 grade wet/dry sandpaper for about $4.00 per package, enough to last me a lifetime! Then I came home and selected four craft stamps I seldom use and pulled off the rubber impressions. They are so nice to hold on to. I cut black self stick shelf liner to fit the top of each one covering the picture and then used my labeler to label each of the stamps. On top of the label I used wide clear packing tape and cut with an exactor knife to fit. This will prevent the water from erasing the labels. I could have just used magic marker. On the stamping side I used gorilla glue which is waterproof and glued a piece of foam and cut to fit, followed by the piece of sandpaper with the matching number to the label. These I trimmed neatly with my exactor knife. The four fit nicely into a plastic box also labeled SANDING. I am good to go. I am posting pics of my sanding stamps, two pendants I sanded with them and my best round two sided Natasha (reversible). Isn’t that great?
NATASHA BEADS
OK, this is how you do a Natasha. When you have a bunch of scrap clay from cane ends and such, you make the whole bunch into a ball but don’t try to mix the colours. Then chop the ball in half, put the flat parts on your surface and chop slices, then chop the other way, when finished put these pieces on their side and chop them up into small bits. Now mix all the clay bits randomly and put it all back into a ball but push tightly this time so you eliminate air pockets. Roll this into a sausage keeping the ends pushed in. I try for at least a one inch roll. Now, the key is to twist the roll starting at one end and continue to the end-lots of twists. Roll the piece back into a nice round roll, then press the sides to reshape the roll into a square. Take your time with this. Once it is square, use your roller to flatter opposite sides into a rectangle. The piece ought to be about 1.5 inches by half to three quarters of an inch. Keep your edges sharp. Now place the piece on the narrow side trying to stick it to your work surface. With a very sharp blade cut straight down, let the two pieces fall beside each other. You will see an exact match of pattern. Place the pieces exactly together making certain to keep the match then gently smooth the seam with a knitting needle. The two pieces may mot be exactly the same height so turn it over, stick to your work surface and carefully slice the higher side until it is a nice match. This finished piece ought to be about a quarter inch wide. Turn it over again and you are ready to cut your shape. If you use a cutter be sure to put plastic on top first to keep your edges nicely rounded. This is the Natasha bead. It takes some skill to master each step and the results depend on the clay colour combinations, how you twister the roll and how carefully you made your cuts. Good luck.
There is a further instruction to make all four sides match but I suggest you get the hang of this first.
- Time to take some of your scrap clay and make Natasha beads.
- Use your blade to chop different scraps into small pieces.
- Press together into a log and roll firmly to compress
- Twist the log over and over to get a nice spiral pattern on the outside.
- Now roll the log smooth again-use a square glass to assist
- Carefully cut the log in half and let sides drop open
- Carefully match the pattern as exactly as you can
- Turn over and press into work surface so it adheres.
- Carefully slice two rounded backs to an even width
- Fill the crevasse between with a small roll of clay
- Turn back over and use your parchment paper to smooth
- Choose a cutter that will fit, place Saran first and cut
THIS RESULTS IN YOUR NATASHA, PRACTICE OFTEN UNTIL YOU GET GOOD RESULTS.
MY ART STUDIO
Home and unpacked in only a week so my art studio is organized and calling me. Here are a few photos. As you enter the room on the left is my slicing baking center. I have a paper cutter set up on a 3 drawer storage unit with a new meat slicer I bought to use for canes. Next are my two toaster ovens, the smaller is convection, the one on the lower shelf is not but it’s much bigger.
I have a 5 drawer dresser where I store organza bags for the jewelry and assorted necessities. Pan to the right for the beginning of 6 matching wood bookcases along the entire wall. My clay And canes, textures and molds are in the middle so I can swing around to get new pieces as needed and all my jewelry findings and shape cutters are on lower shelves and labeled.
On the end wall I keep a 3 drawer unit filled with tools with two sets of 60 tiny drawers for beads, jewels, stones, toothpicks, assorted necessities.
I keep main tools in containers on my 8’ work table which I covered with heavy plastic. I have two black leather chairs one on each side of the table so I can always invite a friend to come clay with me which necessitates a second pasta machine on the other side. My station has a grid glass space for clay, my new atlas with motor and my extruder which is clamped to the table for ease of use.
In the far corner I have a large 2 drawer file cabinet, top drawer holds pieces in progress that need finishing, the bottom drawer has finished work packaged individually in organza bags and in groups of 50 so they are easy to deliver on the first of each month for my hospital project. With help from some of you they have received 300 pieces to date and I am ahead the next 200 for delivery on a June 1st and July 1st.
I love my cedar room 12’ X 14’. We just moved to this town house and I was delighted to find I would have this dedicated space for my art. I am one happy and grateful craftsman! Note that although I am a watercolour artist, none of those supplies have found a home in this craft room. Thankfully the floor is also cedar wood which makes it easy to scrape up droppings if clay. This is where I create and spend my happy and imaginative.
COMBINATION BULLSEYE CANE WITH STRIPED LAYER
We have learned and practiced the jelly roll and skinner blend. These are basic tools for all future canes. When we add the bullseye cane with a striped layer successfully, we will be well equipped to tackle almost ant other cane including the mosaic or kaleidoscope cane which is coming up in the near future.
The bullseye cane is simple. The core may be any colour you choose or you could use a rolled skinner blend for the center. The important thing is to make sure the diameter of your roll is consistent. Next, roll a sheet of a contrasting colour and place it on your work surface. Use your ruler and cutting blade to cut the bottom edge straight, then lay your roll on the clay. Next trim the sheet on both sides so it will be easy to fit and roll the coil and wrap it completely in the sheet. Use your blade to loosen the bottom edge, then carefully roll it up and around the roll being careful not to capture air bubbles. Roll slightly past the end which will leave a mark on the clay to indicate where you should cut. Bring the two edges together. If you have overlap cut a little more off. If the two sides don’t quite meet, gently persuade the clay to join with the other side using your finger. Once joined use a knitting needle to carefully seal that seam, then roll the cane on your work table. Using a block of wood or a tile will assist you in getting it even without fingerprints.
You are ready to add another layer to your bullseye cane. The next layer you roll out on the pasta machine may be the same as the first or it can be thinner. Again, use a colour that contrasts against the previous layer. Your final layer after that must be a striped layer. See below for how to accomplish this.
Here are two U Tube tutorials which will help you finesse your bullseye cane.
https://youtu.be/9nrTCfWUC5U
https://youtu.be/bq1-vlmYXnU
STRIPED CANE
You may use any two colours for your striped cane but I like the look of black and white. Condition both pieces of clay and try to get them in an approximate square shape. Place the white on top of the black and use a ruler to carefully cut both into a rectangle with exact square corners. Put the excess clay away so your workspace is neat. Measure and cur the two layers in half and stack one on to the other. You now have four layers-white, black, white, black. Cut the four layers in half again making certain your stack is the same length as your bullseye cane. Place one on top of the other so you now have eight layers beginning with white and ending with black.
When your bullseye cane is ready for the stripe wrap around, carefully cut several layers about 1/8” thick and begin to cover the outside. Continue until you reach all the way around. The last piece may not fit so be prepared to pull some white and black pieces off before joining. Roll the cane gently on the table to adhere the stripped layer. If you desire you can put another layer of colour on the outside.
Here are two U Tube videos to help you with your stripped cane.
https://youtu.be/KGUyZCxKKF8
https://youtu.be/YITQPJ9z57Q
Reduce your finished bullseye cane until it is about the diameter of between a nickel and a quarter. Cut it in half and save half for our next project. Use one half to create a finished piece. Email photos of your cane and your project to duxter.susan@gmail.com or post on our group site.
RETRO CANES
What is a retro cane and how do you make it?
Condition at least five different colors of clay to the widest setting.
Cut each sheet into as many circles as you can.
Stack the circles randomly until you have at least three stacks 5” high
Roll the stacks to narrow the diameter somewhat so it will fit into your extruder.
Use the square insert in your extruder and load.
Extrude all three stacks and lay them on your work surface
With a measuring guide, cut the pieces into equal lengths 3” long
Stack your extruded pieces at least three across and three high. Trim and keep your leftovers for another project
This is your retro cane.
What can you do with it?
1. Take 9 thin slices and place them together on a #2 backing clay.
Roll gently and use your burnishing paper
Use any cutter to create a pendant with the pattern.
This is your retro shape piece.
2. You can also texture a matching color and mica powder it.
Then place the mica texture under another retro sheet and use a cutter.
These will not stick because of the mica so now divide the shape using your flexible blade.
Take the pieces apart. Match the texture sheet to the retro sheet and place on a thin background. This will give you two pendants.
3. Place 4-6 logs of the retro cane side by side and roll gently half flat.
Place a deep texture on top and carefully press the pattern into your sheet
Prepare two backing sheets in a complimentary color.
Begin to shave the texture from the texture, turn upside down and drop randomly on one of your backing sheets. Roll and run through the pasta machine on the thickest setting.
Use a cutter to create your piece. This is your scrap mokume piece.
4. Take the shaved texture sheet and place it on a backing sheet.
Roll gently and burnish.
Cut with any shape cutter.
This is your retro mokume piece
5. Stack more multicolored circles into three tall stacks and run them through the extruder on the three different circles-small, medium and wide. Take the thinnest snake and wrap it around a 3” piece of the widest snake. Take the medium snake and wrap it around a three” piece of the widest snake. Then wrap a second layer of medium snake and wrap it on top of the two layers of wide and thin. Take the thinnest snake and wrap round the medium snake. Cut all snakes the same length of 3 inches but keep one piece of each thickness in the same length also....thin, medium and thick. Roll a backing sheet and begin to slice the various rolls as thin as possible and arrange randomly on the backing so eventually they are touching. This is your retro veneer sheet. Roll and burnish. This sheet is ready to make a number of matching pieces for a graduated necklace or as individual pieces.
TIPS
Give thought to your color scheme
Use white or pearl, half and half with your colors
Try a stack of metallics or black, white and silver
Break up your stack with black or white for contrast
Consider using tiny slices of an extruded piece as accents on other jewelry
Retro canes make an extraordinary border. Try using one row sandwiched between two thin sheets of clay.
For those of you interested in the retro cane, here are some great tutorials that will help get you started. Good luck.
https://youtu.be/KvDpXAcnB_M Black and white retro cane
https://youtu.be/FqkBdZO_jZI Making. CLAY VENEER
https://youtu.be/T4tQwPbqnrE Colorful retro cane
https://youtu.be/pOEyje5MG0M Extruder cane veneer/beautiful
https://youtu.be/EZwDQUyT2U8 Homogeneous color scheme retro cane
