sculptural

metal clay
j e w e l r y

t ech n i q u e s + e x p lo r ati o n s
k at e M c k i n n o n
amphora
Materials
50–75 g of fine silver clay for Amphora
50–75 g of fine silver clay for chain (optional)

necklace 1 glass 14 × 63 mm tube bead or size of choice

1" (2.5 cm) of 10- or 12-gauge fine silver wire to
snugly fit bead hole
16 or more dry fine silver clay 8mm rings
One of my favorite fictional charac- 12 or more dry fine silver clay 3mm balls
2 fine silver 15 mm jump rings and 2 fine
ters, Hercule Poirot, always wore a silver 13 × 30 mm S-clasps or 8" (20.3 cm) of
12-gauge fine silver wire
silver boutonniere on his vest, given Liver of sulfur
2-part epoxy resin
to him as a young man by one of
the two women he ever loved. Make Tools
Work surface
this interesting amphora setting to Roller
show off a favorite bead, practice Rolling guides
Texture pads or rubber stamps
your appliqué, fusing, chainmaking Sharp tissue blade
Heavy-duty flush cutters
and open box-building skills, and to Soft paintbrush and water
Cocktail straw or small drill bit and drill
evoke the well-dressed Poirot and
5mm circle cutter
his romantic devotion. Ball-end burnisher
Kiln
Hammer
Finished size Anvil
necklace 22¼" (56.5 cm) Tumbler
pendant 1¼" × 2¾" × ½" Flat- or chain-nose pliers
(3.2 × 7 × 1.3 cm) Torch (optional)
Kiln brick (optional)
Large round-nose pliers (optional)
Brass brush

Lampworked bead by Stephanie Sersich

3
 amphora
necklace
Note I used a long, narrow lampworked
Project Notes
bead for my design, but you can use any
This lovely project can be made entirely of metal large bead for yours; just design the setting
clay. Just create larger hanging holes and attach
a metal clay chain directly to the pendant. I used to accommodate the bead size.
S-hooks to connect my piece so the chain could
be removable, giving the option of wearing the 02 | Side rectangles. Roll and
amphora on a plain, less expensive chain if
texture a sheet of fresh metal clay to a
desired.
finished thickness of 3–4 cards. Cut two
Techniques + Elements 1
⁄2" × 3" (1.3 × 7.6 cm) rectangles. Use a
Box building
ball-end burnisher to make small div-
Rivet post
ots along the length of the rectangles
Appliqué
Rings 01 | Back. Roll and texture a sheet of where you’ll add the dry clay rings. Use
Chainmaking fresh metal clay to a finished thickness the circle cutter to cut out a few of the
S-clasp of 3–4 cards. Cut an elongated fan shape, divots; the rings will frame the holes
Fused rings (optional) 15⁄8" × 31⁄8" (4.1 × 8 cm), to form the am- later. Let the rectangles become hard-
phora’s back. Cut decorative windows leather hard to bone dry.
in the back of the piece, to show the
bead from behind, and to cut the weight
of your finished piece. Cut hanging
holes at the top right and left corners,
either when the clay is bone dry, using a
small drill bit, or when it is fresh, using
a cocktail straw. If you cut fresh, you
can remove the cut material from your
cocktail straw and either use it to roll a
little ball of clay for an egg or a ball-end It can be helpful to lay your 8mm bone-dry clay
rings onto the freshly cut sides, to help you
head pin. Let the back piece become
position your divots.
hard-leather hard to bone dry, and, if
you wish, appliqué small pieces of dry
clay to it for interest. I used three plain
circles, cut from a thinly rolled sheet
with a drinking straw and attached
them bone dry, with a wash of water.

4 sculptural metal clay jewelry

03 | BASE. Roll a plain sheet of clay ball. Let the balls set up briefly,
freshmetal clay 6 cards thick. Cut a 5⁄8" and, when sticky, press and rotate them
× 1" (1.5 × 2.5 cm) rectangle to form in their divots to secure.
the amphora’s base. Use the wire that
will support the bead to make a hole 05 | Use a small amount of water
in the base where a rivet post will go. and pressure to squidge the box sides
Keep in mind that the hole may not together, assembling an open box form.
be dead center, depending on the fit of Brush the joins with a damp paintbrush
your bead in your setting. Let the base to gently smooth and clean them.
become hard-leather hard to bone dry. The finished box form, ready for the post imbed
and firing, and a finished Amphora box in the
Note This rivet post will hold your bead in
background. Note the different look of flush vs high
place, so be sure to choose a wire gauge that sides.
fits your bead hole tightly. Beware of large
beads with tiny holes; you want your wire 08 | Reset the rivet post into the
to be thick enough to support the weight of hole in your base, which should have
the bead without bending. shrunk in drying. This is one of my
favorite techniques to get a really good
fit on a large wire imbed; make the hole
in wet clay, set the post in the dry clay.
The prepared box back, sides, and base, bone dry,
and ready for assembly. The drying process offers just enough
shrinkage to ensure a tight fit of the
06 | Let the box dry completely. Fill wire in the hole. Fire the box and chain
any errors in your joinery, if necessary, for 2 hours at 1650° F (899° C).
Place the dry clay balls in the drop of water in your with tiny snakes of freshly rolled clay,
dry clay divots, and let them get sticky. and smooth in place with a thin wash of 09 | After firing, work-harden the
water or slip. Let the box completely dry. chain by hammering the links on the
04 | Use water and pressure to squidge anvil and a bezel mandrel.
the dry clay rings to the two dry 1⁄2" 07 | optional. Make and assemble
× 3" (1.3 × 7.6 cm) rectangles so they a 16" to 24" (41 to 61 cm) metal clay 10 | Attach 1 commercial or hand-
frame the divots or cut-out holes. For chain for hanging the pendant. made fine silver jump ring to each of
the rings that frame a divot, fill the ring the hanging holes. Fuse the rings closed
with a drop of water and drop in 1 dry if desired.

amphora necklace 5
 project
gallery
circle of flowers necklace

knobby rings

owl peeking pendant

wave ring

6 sculptural metal clay jewelry

 sea prong rings

pebble prong pendant sea prong bracelet

project gallery 7
 sculpt art to wear
Master teacher and jewelry artist Kate Her designs have multiple components
McKinnon begins Sculptural Metal Clay made from metal clay and fine silver wire,
Jewelry with an overview of metal clay including not only clasps, chain, and
basics: terms, techniques, and tools. Next, settings, but also moveable and remov-
she offers detailed instructions for creating able pieces, unusual textures and patinas,
a variety of metal clay and fine silver unique construction and engineering, and
About the Artist wire elements: components, settings, creative ways to incorporate beads.
Kate McKinnon is a mixed-media artist who findings, attachments, 3-D forms, and
lives and works in Tucson, Arizona. Her work textured effects that are the foundation All of the techniques are shown with
focuses on the engineering of how elements
work together, connect, and grow into finished of her signature jewelry designs. crystal-clear step-by-step photography. For
pieces of jewelry. She won the prestigious Rio added instructional assistance, the author
Grande Saul Bell award in 2003 for her innova- The technique section is followed by 10 and her techniques in action appear on the
tive design with metal clay, and has taught unique projects that combine foundation enclosed DVD bound in the back of the
and lectured internationally. Kate is the author
of several self-published books on jewelry techniques with one-of-a kind design book. This book and DVD combination
design, a mixed-media book, and a novel about elements. Projects include: offers jewelry artists both the techniques
rebuilding Thoreau’s dream in a form to suit the + three-dimensional rings and design inspiration needed to create
digital age—an urban Walden.
+ organic chain designs gallery-level jewelry that is truly art to wear.
+ metal clay and lampworked bead pendants

Paperback w/flaps, 8½ × 9
160 pages + DVD
150 photographs
ISBN 978-1-59668-174-3
$26.95
Available April 2010