When it comes to precious metal clay, the techniques and processes used range from the very simple (everyone can do it), to the extremely tricky (only for the experienced and the expert). But silver art clay is one of the best and easiest to use and is therefore a great starting point, with the option to create incredibly intricate and interesting pieces.

But firstly, you need to know what silver art clay is. Known as art clay silver (ACS), it was developed so that anyone could make their own silver pieces. It is as easily moulded and shaped as the modelling clay you used at school, meaning any shape is possible. This silver clay is made with pure silver, water and a bonding agent and once dry it can then be fired in temperatures of up to 1600⁰F, burning this bonding agent away and leaving only 99.9% pure silver which can then be polished for a beautiful shiny finish.

Now you know what silver art clay is, you need to know how to use it. Make sure you have everything you need. All tools and firing equipment must be clean and ready for use. You will need: A dish of water, some cooking oil, sculpting tools (such as a plastic hammer, file, and tweezers), a low fire kiln or hand held blow torch and burnishing tools (such as a wire rush).

You will also need protective goggles and heat resistant gloves when using the kiln and also a long handled spatula or kiln fork for adding and removing your silver art clay. You will also need any additional decorative details (such as jewels, beads and liquid silver or shells and stones to add texture) and the necessary tools for these adornments.
Once everything is taken care of, you can begin to use your clay:

Make sure your work surface is clean and covered with paper. Keep a small bowl of water on hand as well as all your tools, so you are not wasting time searching for the appropriate tool for the job.

Next, rub your hands with cooking oil so that the clay will stay moist as you work with it (the bowl of water can also be used in the same way). This will also stop the clay from sticking to your fingers. Be careful not to keep the silver clay too wet as it can cause damage meaning it won’t mould or fire correctly.

Remove the clay from its packaging and work with it until it is pliable and soft, adding a few drops of water if necessary.

Shape your clay into anything you want, making sure that it is smooth, as roughness and cracks are amplified once fired. Almost any shape will become sturdier once fired, meaning you can be as creative as you like. Simple circular and square shapes are classic or you could try organic, natural shapes such as leaves and flowers. If you want to add jewels use silver bezels (where the jewel will be placed and held once dry) to keep the spacing throughout firing.

Allow the clay to dry completely. The colour of the silver clay will pale slightly indicating that it is ready to fire. The clay can take from 6-24 hours to dry but you could speed up this process by using a hairdryer.
A tip to check if the clay is completely dry is to place a small mirror or piece of tin onto the clays surface for three seconds. Once removed, if there is a fog on the surface of the mirror or tin, then the clay still isn’t dry.

Once dry the silver art clay can be fired. Use the appropriate kiln or a blow torch on a fire resistant surface (such as a brick) to fire the clay. Wear protective goggles and gloves and wait until the clay glows a bright orange. Wait for at least 30 minutes until the clay is cool and ready for handling.

The silver clay won’t look very silver at first, but once it has been cleaned with a wire brush, the dull surface will transform before your eyes into a sparkling, silver piece. Run under cold water to clean away any ash and burnt particles that the brush might have missed.

You can then burnish or polish the silver with a burnishing tool (such as the back of a spoon) which will compress the silver particles in the clay to reveal a glorious shine.

Your silver clay is ready to wear or give as a gift. Whether it is a decorative name plate for dinner parties or a gorgeous pair of earrings and a necklace for your mum, silver can be both classic and modern and can be made into whatever your creative mind chooses.

Author Bio: Adam Hunter – E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver wire, jewellery findings, tools, silver clay and precious metal sheet – gold, silver, platinum and palladium plus technical information for jewellers, jobbers, designer, craftsmen, artisans and students.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: precious metal clay, pmc, silver art clay, copper metal clay