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What is silver clay?
Silver clay is sold as a product called Art Clay Silver that is made of silver powder blended with organic binding agents and water to form the clay.
There are several variants available, but all of them have the same basic ingredients. Once the clay has been sculpted, it is left to harden.
Then the design can be filed, sanded, engraved or drilled before it is fired with a butane torch, over the flame of a gas stove, or in a kiln. The binding agents and water content are burnt away, leaving the silver behind.
To expose the silver, the item is polished with a stainless-steel brush, silver polish, or fine-grained sandpaper in the final step of the process.
How pure is it?
It is 99,9% pure, in comparison with sterling silver, for example, which is an alloy of metals containing 92,5%
silver.
It is slightly softer than sterling silver because it is not mixed with other metals to harden it.
Where does it come from?
Silver clay is made by a Japanese company. The patent for a metal clay was registered in 1991, and it later became silver clay.
The silver is reclaimed from old photographic materials and computer circuit-board panels in an environmentally friendly manufacturing process.
The products
There are a wide variety of silver clay products available, and each has a particular use or demands a special technique.
Because the products are virtually pure silver, they aren't cheap, so it's worth reading up on the various types and techniques before you rush out and buy anything. It also helps to decide beforehand what you want to make, and to buy only the essentials.
It lasts a long time in its packaging, but must be kept damp after being opened. Store it in resealable plastic bags or in an airtight plastic container. You could even place a slightly damp sponge in the packaging with the clay, to help raise the moisture content inside the bag or container.
It is used mostly to join loose pieces of clay or to fill cracks and small holes. It is also ideal for achieving natural shapes such as a leaf.
It is useful for knotting or braiding strings of clay. The clay feels like plastic and has to be kneaded a little before you can use it. Bear in mind, however, that it will take longer to harden.
Once it has hardened, you can etch designs or patterns into it using a sharp object to expose the glass or porcelain beneath the silver.
Equipment
You don't need special equipment to work with silver clay and the good news is that you probably have most of the basics in your home already.
Here is a general list:
Look for them in the section of the supermarket where you'd find foil bakeware. They are lightweight, easy to clean and dried clay won't stick to them.
The strips are placed on either side of the clay so that you can roll it out to the correct thickness. The thinnest that you can roll out silver clay before it disintegrates, is 1mm.
Buy a set containing different ring sizes if you want to make rings for other people as well.
If you use a butane torch, you will also need a heat-resistant firing brick and metal container.
Chemical polishing agents such as Wenol or Unipol can also be used, depending on how shiny you want the silver to be.
Specialised products
Resin consists of coloured bars that are dissolved in boiling water and used to create moulds, for example using natural elements such as shells and starfish.
Leaf pendant
A leaf is used as a pattern for this beginner's project.
Level of difficulty: Easy
Product type: Paste
You will need
To make
1. Pick a leaf just before starting and keep it in a little water until you start working. Don't break off the stem – it's useful for holding the leaf.
Note: You'll achieve the best results with a leaf that has clearly defined veins and no surface hairs, and isn't waxy.
2. Put some of the paste into a container and add a few drops of water while stirring constantly and slowly until it has the consistency of thick cream.
3. Place the leaf upside down on your work surface and brush the creamy paste over the entire leaf. Make sure there are no air bubbles in the paste. Seal the container of paste and leave the leaf to dry.
4. When the first layer has dried, thin the paste in the container with a few more drops of water until it has the consistency of pouring cream. Paint a second layer over the first on the leaf, taking care not to crack the first layer, then leave it to dry.
5. Give the leaf another five or six coats, applying the layers fairly thickly. Pat or dab the paste onto the leaf rather than trying to paint it on.
6. Once the final layer has dried, snap off the stem of the leaf and insert the screw eye. Use the syringe to apply a little paste just below the spot where the stem was.
Insert the screw eye, neaten it with the brush and add a little more paste, if necessary, before leaving it to dry.
7. Put the leaf in a metal container on a firing brick and fire for about five minutes in the flame of a butane torch. The leaf and the organic compounds in the clay will burn away.
8. Carefully lift the hot leaf with tongs and dip it into cold water to cool slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
9. Burnish the leaf with a stainless-steel brush until only the silver remains.
Firing tips
Keep these tips in mind when firing or working with the hot items:
Good idea
Test whether the paste is completely dry by placing the item on a sheet of glass. If no condensation forms, it is ready to be fired.
