Experimenting with Translucent Pardo Art Clay

A couple weeks ago when I was at Hobby LobbyI picked up a couple packages of Pardo Translucent Art Clay. I also purchased bronze, gold and silver metallic Pardo Jewellery Clay.  It's fairly expensive so I thought I would give these a try before I invested in a wider variety of colors.... though I was tempted to buy one of everything.  

 I started with the translucent.  It was easy to condition, I conditioned it the same as I do other brands, ran it through the pasta machine on the # 1 setting 20 times.  I divided it into 5 pieces and tinted with Ranger alcohol inks.  I let it sit until the ink dried and then used the pasta machine to blend in the colors.  I made a muted skinner blend with the blue, lavender and green with clear between the colors and a second skinner blend with the amber and red. 

Click on the photos for a closer look.

I then covered a sheet of Kato Pearl with silver leaf, ran it through the pasta machine on the 2 and 3 settings to get a crackled effect.  I ran a sheet of the tricolor translucent to the #8 setting and placed it over the Kato Pearl.  Next I cut thin slices of my Jackie flower canes and placed them on top of the translucent.  I smoothed the cane slices by placing a piece of parchment paper over the surface and burnished with the back of a spoon. I then cut a shape I liked and popped it in the oven for curing.  I dropped it into an ice bath right out of the oven...and I immediately saw the translucent begin to clear.  After sanding and buffing I used Pigma Micron pens to draw the curlicues. I found it difficult to draw on a slick surface with a permanent pen... it's obvious I need to practice, hopefully  I will do better next time.  I added micro glass balls in tiny drops of Kato liquid clay and put it back in the oven for 15 minutes to set the liquid clay and the ink.  The frame is black Kato clay painted with PearlEx silver.

 For the next one I used the 2nd Skinner blend, again running it through the pasta machine to the #8 setting. The background is crackled gold leaf over red and I used more of Jackie's red flower cane to decorate the top. I'm not through with this one. I may add more to the top or bead around it.  I love the way the flowers seem to be floating across the surface.

I was very pleased with the Pardo translucent. No problems at all, it was easy to condition, the inks mixed well and it went through the pasta machine to the thinnest setting without any wrinkling or sticking to the rollers. It sands and buffs to a high shine and it is clearer than the other brands of translucent.

Now I am off to try the metallics.

Rainbow Skinner Blend Beads and Cane

It was to hot to go outside today so I concentrated on clay. I think the heat is frying my brain.

My pasta machine motor hasn't arrived, I know it's on the way so hopefully it will be here soon.  I made do by feeding the clay in with my left hand and cranking with my right. I'm left handed so I normally crank with my left, it was a little awkward but I got the job done and didn't mush a single finger.... came close a time or two. It felt like that coordination test where you pat your head with one hand and rub your tummy with the other. (Not as easy as it sounds.... go ahead, give it a try.  See, I told ya.)

Click on the photos for a closer look.

First I made a Rainbow Skinner blend using Kato Pearl that I tinted with Premo and Fimo Classic. I used the black button as a mold and made these two round tiles.

I accordion folded the skinner blend strip then use the pieces that I trimmed off the sides to make the tube beads and the flat tile.  The round tiles are reversible, this is one side....  I was going to show you the other side but I somehow deleted the other photo and can't figure out how to put it back in the proper order.... you'll just have to take my word... the other side is pretty too.   Lordy I hate being so computer illiterate! Just when I think I have things figured out they  "new and improve" and I'm in the dark again.

Here are the canes I made.