Sculpey Premo™ Dopamine Earrings
Sculpey Premo™ Dopamine Earrings
Designed by Amy Koranek
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This Mokume Gane technique using the Wavey Blade produces a really far-out feel-good pattern that is adaptable to lots of different color combinations. In this tutorial we try it out on fabulous fluorescents!
COMPLETION TIME:
60 Minutes to make and bake
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ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES
- Beadalon ColourCraft Wire Sapphire Silver Plated 22 gauge
- Wire cutters
- Flat nose pliers
![final glamour image for Sculpey Premo™ Dopamine Earrings](http://www.sculpey.com/cdn/shop/products/515-final.jpg?v=1682705520&width=1445)
![products used for this project](http://www.sculpey.com/cdn/shop/products/515-final2.jpg?v=1682705520&width=1445)
Project Instructions
- Getting Started:
Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together. Wash hands after use.
- Baking:
Make equal sized pieces of Turquoise, Flo Yellow, Flo Pink, and Orange. My squares are about 1.5” X 1.5” and 1/8” thick or the thickest setting on the pasta machine.
Make four White squares equal in size to the colors above but half as thick - 1/16” thick or #4 on a pasta machine.
Make four White squares equal in size to the colors above but half as thick - 1/16” thick or #4 on a pasta machine.
![photo shows squares of clay colors](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-02_jpeg.webp)
Layer the colors as shown. The reason for all the extra White pieces between layers is to keep the integrity of the fluorescent colors. The fluorescent colors are super bright but when they are thinned (like in this tutorial), they become more translucent and their brightness can be muddied. The White will help maintain their color quality.
![photo shows clays stacked as described](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-03.jpg)
Flatten the stack of colors with the Roller until it is about 1/4” thick. Cut it into three even sections.
![photo shows 3 cut sections](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-04.jpg)
Stack the sections up again.
![photo shows sections restacked](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-05.jpg)
Roll over the stack to press out air bubbles and to thin to 1/4” thick. Cut the stack in half.
![photo shows the stack cut in half](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-06.jpg)
Pile the two halves together again. Press them together with hand pressure to make a solid loaf.
Stand the loaf up on the work surface so that the stripes are perpendicular to the work surface. Cut parallel to the stripes using the Wavey Blade from top to bottom. Try to keep your slices of basically even thickness. This can be a little tricky since we are cutting with a blade that is not straight!
Open up the slices to see the cool wave pattern.
Open up the slices to see the cool wave pattern.
![photo shows the wavy blade cut pieces](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-07.jpg)
Select a couple slices that are even in thickness. Cut one half of the largest Oval Cutter from each slice.
![photo shows the two half oval pieces](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-08.jpg)
I flipped one of the half ovals over because I thought the patterns made a better pair. At this point, cut out the centers of the ovals with the smallest or next to smallest Oval Cutter. (Please refer to finished photo for a visual.) When removing the center, leave a wide band of the pattern to form the earring shape.
![photo shows the round notch at top of earrings cut by smaller cutter](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-09nw_jpg.webp)
Next, we will make the ear wire which will be embedded into the clay. Using the second largest Oval Cutter as a form, wrap wire tightly around the outside one complete wrap.
![photo shows wrapping wire around cutter](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-10.jpg)
Trim the excess wire. Carefully remove the oval wire from the cutter.
![photo shows the oval shaped wire](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-11.jpg)
Cut the other side so that you have two half oval wires.
![photo shows two equal half pieces of wire](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-12.jpg)
Bend at least a 90-degree tail in one end of each wire. If you like, you can completely pinch this little tail into a fold. The point is to create a barb which cannot easily be pulled out from the baked clay.
![photo shows the wire as described](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-13.jpg)
Carefully push the barbed end of the wire into the clay as shown creating two mirror image earring pieces. Re-shape the areas where the wire was pushed into the clay with your fingertips.
Bake the clay pieces following the baking instructions for Sculpey Premo™. Allow them to cool completely and then adjust any kinks in the wire with fingers.
![photo shows the wires attached in the clay](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-14.jpg)
Here is a final look at the earrings
![photo shows the artists final photo of th earrings](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0667/6421/0426/files/515-15.jpg)
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