SEASHELL HUNTING!

Hello!

As you know I am a participating in the ArtBeadScene monthly challenge and it’s almost the end of the month and my design still not ready. I had this idea in my mind for days, but even though I had a pretty good idea of the shape I wanted, the colors totally eluded me. And I had to test a lot of color combinations to finally decide for this one…. and still I’m not convinced that this is the best one. I’ll let you be the judge of it…

This is the inspiration image for this month’s ArtbeadScene Challenge: 

Still Life with Shells, 1640

By Balthasar van der Ast

Pigments on Panel

Not an easy inspiration I would say, but challenging, yes, it is …

I would add also that I’m in a “bracelet mood”: I have a momentary desire to make bracelets and more bracelets…

So let’s get going!

Tools and materials used: white Fimo Professional Polymer clay, a pasta machine, a clay extruder, a craft knife, clay sculpting tools, a clay roller, a clay blade,  liquid Fimo, a screw, acrylic paints, mica powders, varnish, Oyumaru for the mould, a shell, a statement bracelet blank.

I  conditioned the clay, rolled it through the pasta machine through a medium thickness. I put some Liquid Fimo on the bracelet blank and then put the sheet of polymer clay on top of the blank (all around it).

I erased the joining line using the clay roller. 

I cut out the excess clay.

I pressed firmly on the clay to make sure it sticks to the bracelet blank.

I started to extrude clay.

I put some liquid clay on the marging then I added extruded clay on the bracelet in order to cover the margins of the bracelet.

I extruded clay using another clay setting.

I twisted a little bit more the strings and then, after applying liquid Fimo, I started to press them onto the bracelet, cutting out the excess.

I extruded more clay using the following setting:

And then I applied it all around the margins (after having put some liquid Fimo).

Then I textured the margins using a screw.

I prepared a mould using Oyumaru (see other projects made using Oyumary Inspired by Boho https://michellemaya2005.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/boho-or-not/   and Inspired by Art Nouveau https://michellemaya2005.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/one-tutorial-a-day-for-31-days-day-21-of-my-journey-inspired-by-art-nouveau/).

I applied the moulded shells on the bracelet using liquid Fimo and a ball tool, pressing slightly all around the shell’s base (you can see the indentations in the picture below).

I applied the molded shells only to the front of the bracelet.

I continued to texture the margins.

I added some texture near to the shells and all around the bracelet.

I polished it a little bit using polymer clay wet sand paper and water (making sure that I’m not breathing in the polymer clay particles – which should remain in the water – that are harmful).

I started to color the bracelet using acrylic paint (a mixture of green, yellow and black). 

I made four oval clay balls that I pushed into clay (using the ball tool), two on each sides and then I colored them with red.

I colored also the shells (mixing red, yellow and black).

Using baby wipes I removed part of the paint from the shells.

I added some light brown and dark brown mica powders (using some old eye shadows).

And also some dark green and light green mica powders (eye shadows).

I baked it in the oven according to the manufacturer’s specifications. 

I applied varnish.

For the pendant, I used a light bulb, white Fimo Professional Polymer clay, an acrylic clay roller, sculpting tools, acrylic paint and varnish. 

I made a round ball with my hands and flattened it with the roller.

I applied it on a light bulb (I wanted to have a more irregular shape, not a perfect round shape). I am using the light bulb to have a curved bead after baking it in the oven. This is my inspiration shell for the pattern (not for the color).

I drawed the pattern freehand.

I textured it some more using the sculpting tool.

I covered it with the same color I used to color the molded shells and then I wiped out the color using baby wipes.

I applied brown mica powders. I made the hole. I baked it in the oven according to the manufacturer’s specifications. I applied varnish. 

I am happy that I managed to finish a piece of jewelry for the ArtBeadScene monthly challenge (late again, I always tell myself I will work on that at the beginning of the month). I am very happy with the 3D look of the bracelet, but I am still not sure about the colors.

Have a wonderful and creative day!

Mihaela