Key Collage Pendant
Design By Barbara A. McGuire

Materials:

• Premo! Sculpey Polymer Clay in the following colors:
  • Pearl 5101
  • Black 5042
  • Bronze (Mix equal parts of Gold 5303 And Black 5042)
• Inkredible Ink - Burnt Brass, Ancient Earth
• Imprintz- Gold pigment ink
• Classic Shapelets
• Excel Craft Blade
• Super Sculpey Flexible Slicer
• Card stock for work and baking surface
• Pasta machine for rolling flat sheets of clay (or acrylic roller)
• Key, Column and script stamps by Limited Edition Rubberstamps

Directions:

• Prepare the custom colors you will use by mixing equal portions of the gold and black to make a 'bronze' color.
  
  

  
  
  
• Condition and roll a flat sheet of pearl clay, this is your 'canvas'. It should be about 1/16' thick or a #4 on the pasta machine. Work on a piece of card stock paper.
• Choose a stamp. Any image will work. The stamps shown here are a key, a column and a stamp with script writing. Ink the stamp. Use pigment, fabric or Heat -set inks. (You can use different color inks as well as metallic ink.)
• Do not touch the ink once it is stamped. A good trick is to use small sheets of waxed paper to cover the stamped image while you are manipulating the shapes. The inks will cure during the baking of the clay.

  
  
  
• Stamp the sheet of clay and create a collage. Create several works at one time. Be sure to leave some negative space in the composition. This makes the focus more dynamic. Clean your stamps with water, non-alcohol baby wipes, or stamp cleaner.
• Use the classic 'rectangle' template to crop the design. Move the template suspended over the collage as if the template were a frame.
• When you have found the desired spot, lay the template on the clay. Be sure the template is clean, so you can use the entire collage. Cut through the clay (gently) using the Excel craft blade. The template will serve as a guide to cut the shape.
  
  

  
  
  Move the template to cut another piece.
  
  
  
  
• Place the cut shape on a very thin sheet of black clay. This should be as thin as possible to add elegance to the design. Cut through the black clay a slight distance from the border of the imaged shape by bending the Sculpey Slicer and bearing down. Be careful, the Slicer is very sharp. This border can be any width from a 'hair' to a thick line.

• The next sheet should be the bronze color. Stamp the next layer with the 'script' stamp or a pattern stamp that is complimentary to the theme.

• Place the piece you have just cut on the stamped clay.
  
  

  
  
  
• Bend the blade and cut another border. You can make border shapes as you desire and widen or lengthen the border.
• Finishing - Add an additional border.

  
  
  
  
• Make this layer a thickness of at least #5 and do not have any thin protruding edges that could be vulnerable to breaking. Simple projects may only be three layers.
• Create a 'bail' with polymer clay. Make it to match the art again using the curves and layers that are in your piece.

  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bend the clay over the artwork and attach securely to the pendant.

  
  

  
  
• You can also use a dab of Liquid Sculpey to secure the pieces together.
• Baking: Bake the piece at 275 degrees F (130 degrees C) for 30 minutes per ¼ " of finished thickness. Allow the piece to cool. It may appear 'rubbery,' but it will harden as it cools.

  
  
  

Also shown, Additional variations using the same stamps.