Make your own jewellery out of clay

Story on Art clay silver, an easy to do hobby for hobbyists, from Japan is now in Kuala Lumpur. FAIHAN GHANI/The Star.

CREATIVITY, to some, is the soul of life.

From scientific literature we have learned that the right hemisphere of the brain is the creative realm and is largely responsible for rhythm, spatial awareness, colour, imagination, daydreaming, holistic awareness and dimension (www.thethinkingbusiness.com)

Imagine life without the creative elements that add colour to life – theatre and classical music performances, music genres to nourish the soul, artistic expressions on canvas, graphic and interior work, catchy advertising, skilful handwork in knitting, crochet, embroidery and patchwork to jewellery-making from beading, silversmithing, lampworking, and the list goes on and on.

The clay is first rolled before it is shaped into a ring.

 

For enthusiasts keen on the art of making jewellery, an interesting jewellery-making technique called Art Clay Silver has now reached our shores.

This pliable product, to a jewellery maker is reminiscent of plasticine, the modelling clay which encourages a child’s creativity in sculpturing and shaping animals, fruits and other objects.

For as long as there is creativity, the possibilities are endless when it comes to shaping your very own personalised pendant, earring, necklace or ring using Art Clay Silver. Jewellery making studio Jewelz director Derek Tan stumbled upon the Art Clay Silver method in a magazine and his curiosity led him on a search for the product so he could try his hands on them.

Tan said the aqueous Art Clay Silver has been around for more than 15 years but he only got to work with it four years ago.

Using a pencil, Tan carefully draws out impressions which he will later carve out on his clay model piece.

 

He said the Japanese were known for their role in recycling and came up with an innovative way to rescue silver from being thrown away.

In 1963, Aida Chemical Industries Co Ltd, which deals with silver materials used as a sensitiser in photographs, used its chemical knowledge and experience to start a business to extract silver out of used waste liquid and films collected from hospitals, photograph slides and film makers, Tan explained.

The company later established its creative arm producing Art Clay Silver.

“People, these days, want to have hobbies to indulge in during their spare time.

“Hobbies such as jewellery-making encourage the hobbyist to explore their creative talent.

“My students are always asking me for new jewellery techniques and as a teacher, I have to be resourceful and search for unique jewellery making methods from other parts of the world that will interest them.

“Art Clay Silver is the ideal art to introduce to someone who wants to produce or make jewellery in the comfort of their homes,” he said.

Tan got his lucky break, by chance, when the manufacturer of Art Clay Silver contacted him to become a distributor in Malaysia.

“Since we are one of the few jewellery studios offering jewellery courses especially in silver smithing, Jewelz was identified to carry the products as well as teach courses for those wanting to take a further step to become an instructor,” said Tan, who went to Japan to master the art as well as to get certification from Art Clay World, Japan.

The art piece can either be baked or placed on a flame to burn away the binders, leaving clay behind the 99.9% fine silver.

 

The series of products, Tan said, were made of pure metal powders mixed with non-toxic binders and water.

The binders, when placed in heat such as in a kiln, torched or fired on a stove-top, burn away and leave behind pure silver (99.9% silver), pure copper (more than 99.5% copper) or gold (22K) depending on the material being used.

With Art Clay Silver, artistic folk have the flexibility of time as they can make their own silver, copper or gold jewellery pieces at their leisure.

“For those who do not have a kiln, you can use a stove top or torch to burn away the binders,” he said.

There are three types of art clay products – clay, syringe and paste.

While the clay is used in moulding the artist’s required design, the syringe comes in handy to draw out fine lines and filigree while the paste is a necessity as it is used for patching up rough edges.

First the artist is required to mould the design and then shape it into a pattern of his or her liking.

Once the piece has been shaped, it is then dried with a hair dryer and is refined by either the sanding or carving process. The silver clay piece, once properly cleaned up, has to be fired on a gas stove or with a gas torch or put into a kiln.

Almost done, the piece of jewellery is polished and refined to its final look. — Photos: FAIHAN GHANI/TheStar

 

“The firing method helps the binders and water to burn away leaving behind 99.9% fine silver,” Tan explained adding that firing at the proper temperature and holding time would result in a one-of-a-kind pure silver, gold, or copper piece.

To give the piece a fine polished look, it is brushed down and then polished with a burnisher or a polishing machine.

What is exciting about Art Clay Silver is that the designer can also embellish the piece of jewellery with man-made stones like cubic zirconia, semi-precious stones or even precious stones.

Tan said those who were interested in trying their hands at Art Clay Silver will get their certification from Jewelz in Plaza Damas, supported by Art Clay World.

For details, call 03-6201 3220 or visit www.jewelz.com.my