What's New on the Metal Clay Academy Website?
This page provides you with a quick idea of what's been added in the past month. If you are a regular visitor, you can see what we've added since your last visit here.
Archived What's New pages for earlier months can be seen here
October What's New Archive - you can see everything that was added during October 2010 here
30th November
A new beginners metal clay video was added.
Art Jewelry Magazine - how to fill a butane torch
29th November
A new downloadable beginners project was added.
Layered Texture Necklaces from PMC Connection
Whether you are new to metal clay or an accomplished artisan, this layering idea inspires beautiful combinations of color and texture. These flat, center-hole beads are a great solution for the small pieces of clay you have left over at the end of the pack.
28th November
A new downloadable advanced project was added.
Ginko Forest Basket - PMC Connection
Pretty basket, made using ginko Style Stones available from the PMC Connection.
27th November
A new glass supplier was added.
Glass Diversions - US
They specialize in premium blended frit utilizing only the finest quality 92-96 COE furnace glass available for glass artists. Their blends are Extra-Ordinary because they understand color theory and they do extensive color testing in and out of the torch. They're easy to use with beautiful and consistent results, regardless of your skill level. Advanced lampworkers are able to achieve additional and unexpected results. They have a wide assortment of unique and unusual frit blends that will enable you to enrich the look of your glass work.
26th November
A new metal clay supplier was added to multiple pages.
Sassafras Art Studio - Canada
Supplier of Art Clay silver and gold, bronze and copper clay, tools, cutters, molds, beads, cabochons, CZ's, findings, books and DVD's.
25th November
A new business marketing resource was added.
Branded Gifts
Promotional ideas and personalised gifts available online from Get Yourself Noticed. Full promotional product range to meet promotional ideas and marketing needs.
24th November
A new supplier was added to multiple pages.
Thunderbird Supply Company
US based supplier of metal including sterling silver sheet and wire, copper sheet and wire, gold filled sheet and wire, fine silver, nickel silver and red brass. Also supply chain, findings, stones and beads, beading supplies and tools, metal working tools, display and packaging items.
23rd November
A new jewelry finding supplier was added.
Heather Ferman
US based supplier of end caps and bails in sterling silver, brass, rose bronze and lead free pewter.
22nd November
A new Art Clay training provider was added.
Sassafras Art Studio - Vancouver Island, Victoria, BC, Canada
Introduction to Art Clay, beads, rings and paper clay classes.
21st November
An update to PMC training was added.
In France, the PMC Studio France is the only Training centre running full certification classes in France and Continental Europe. The courses are fully
recognised by the PMC Guild internationally and the
grades of competency exceed the minimum requirements set by the Guild. Their
certification courses are modular (three in total), three days long and can be
taken in any order. Some of their students complete the full course over nine days, some spread them out over several months, others complete them as part
of a learning holiday. Although the content of the three modules is identical to the PMC Studio certification programme, the MCA have been told there is no connection between the two. Currently it isn't possible for people to do some of the modules in France and gain credit for them with the UK training providers, or vice versa.
An entry on the PMC training pages was updated.
The PMC Studio France - France
PMC Studio France specialise in learning holidays offering a variety of courses ranging from three days to two weeks. For example the three days may involve learning how to make fingerprint jewellery and personalised jewellery with time left to enjoy the pool as well as a glass of French wine or two! Those coming on a weeks holiday may wish to complete an introductory course and one of the certification modules of their choice. Other choices include working with bronze and copper. These are fully catered holidays with plenty of French cuisine and indulgence if you so wish. Partners are also welcome for a moderate supplement and are free to see the sites whilst you learn. These holidays are suitable for all levels from those looking at learning a new skill to those serious about metal clay becoming their business.
A new International PMC supplier was added.
The PMC Studio France - France
PMC Studio supplies a range of tools, clay and equipment as well as a selection of designer kits.
20th November
A new downloadable beginners metal clay tutorial was added.
Spiral Earrings by PMC Studio France
Nice simple project from PMC Studio France. Perfect for beginners.
19th November
A new tool was added to the creativity page.
Wordstorm
Visual brainstorming tool. Enter a word and Wordstorm will present a number of related words - really good for overcoming blocks to your creativity.
18th November
A new downloadable tutorial was added to the beginners metal clay page.
Hadar Jacobson - How to make your own metal clay extruder
This useful tutorial shows you how to make a metal clay extruder cheaply. On Hadar's blog she also shows how to make extruder discs cheaply using base metal clay.
17th November
A new tutorial was added to the beginners metal clay projects page.
Fire Mountain Gems - Bracelet with Art Clay Charms
Simple project showing how to make a charm bracelet.
16th November
A new tutorial was added to the bronze metal clay tutorials page.
Fire Mountain Gems - Double Stranded Necklace with Bronzclay™ and Copprclay™
Learn how to make tube beads in bronze metal clay and copper metal clay with this great tutorial. Good pictures.
15th November
A new metal clay video was added to the Bronze Clay, Copper Clay and Firing Metal Clay Tutorials pages.
Cool Tools - How to Make a Metal Clay Firing Box from No Flake Foil
14th November
A new beginners metal clay video was added.
Rio Grande - Using Metal Clay Stamps, Ringmaking
13th November
A new beginners metal clay video was added.
Rio Grande - Adding Links, Eyelets and Bails to Metal Clay
12th November
A new professional metal clay organisation was added.
Art Clay World - Europe
Official website of the European Art Clay Guild
11th November
A new enamel distributor was added.
Painting with Fire
US distributor of Thompson enamels. The Painting with Fire Method is a unique "immersion" torch-firing technique. All of the tools and supplies are available at the website. In addition, moral and technical support for torch firing is available here. Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop in Painting with Fire by Barbara Lewis will be released by North Light Books in August, 2011.
10th November
New rubber stamp suppliers were added.
Stamps Direct
UK rubber stamp site, also make custom stamps.
DanDee Images
US site with selection of rubber stamps including African American, Egyptian, Latin American, Asian, Ethnic and Native rubber stamps.
9th November
A new tutorial was added to the stone setting page.
Holly Gage - Tube Bezel Tutorial
This fabulous tutorial shows you how to make tube bezels for setting stones. The bezels are very clean and accurate. Another winner from Holly!
8th November
A new book was added.
Jewelry Design Challenge: 10 Materials * 30 Artists * 30 Spectacular Projects (Lark Jewelry Books)
- Amazon US Link
Jewelry Design Challenge (Lark Jewelry Books)
- Amazon UK Link, pre-order, available February 2011
Challenges are one of the hottest crafting trends, so we put a who's who of modern jewellery artists to the test. Chosen for their different aesthetic visions, 30 designers (including Todd Reed, Thomas Mann, Joanna Gollberg, Tim McCreight, Boris Bally , among others) received a box containing nine jewellery supplies with the request that they create a piece using only those items, plus one wild card material of their choice. These are their show stopping designs, complete with how-to steps for making them.
7th November
A new bead supplier was added.
Cabari Beads
US based maker of lampworked beads and focals.
6th November
A new artist selling her metal clay work was added to the gallery section .
Jewelry by Mirinda
To see Mirinda Kossoff's metal clay and mixed metals necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets visit her website or buy from her Etsy shop.
5th November
A new supplier was added to the chain page and the jewelry findings page.
Cahootz
This Etsy shop sells Viking knit chain with end caps in sterling silver, also sell Viking knit chain by the inch in sterling silver. You can also buy Viking knit end caps in sterling silver, brass, rose bronze and copper.
New downloadable metal clay resources were added for the new PMC Pro
PMC Comparison Chart
This very useful comparison chart for the PMC brands of metal clay includes the new PMC Pro. It shows comparative shrinkage, firing schedules, tensile strength, bending strength, surface hardness and density. It also includes explanations of what all that means!
PMC Pro - Steel Firing Box DIY
If you fancy making your own steel firing box, here are the instructions. Much cheaper than buying a box - and you can make it whatever size you like. Here's a template for a box size 3” x 4” x 2½” deep.
PMC User Guide from Rio Grande
This 16 page document includes all you need to know about working with PMC, including the new PMC Pro.
4th November
A new metal clay related blog was added.
Catherine Davies Paetz - About Art and Other Stuff....
Artist and teacher Catherine Davies Paetz blogs about what she's up to and includes useful tips and hints, new experiments and much more.
3rd November
A new advanced metal clay technique tutorial was added to the web based resources page.
Holly Gage - Negative Space Caning
Innovative technique for creating negative space in your metal clay designs. This technique comes from polymer clay caning. It uses combustible materials combined with metal clay to create gaps, holes etc in the designs. These can then be filled with polymer clay, resin, enamel - just about anything. Fantastically detailed tutorial from Holly who once again generously shares her discoveries for free. Great pictures.
2nd November
A new metal clay video tutorial was added.
Firing Sterling Silver with Metal Clay from Cool Tools
1st November
New metal clay related events were added.
PMC Connection Retreat
The 2011 Retreat will be held at the beautiful Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN
When: May 2-6, 2011
More details will be available in January 2011
Bead and Button Show
When: 4th - 12th June 2011
Where: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Online Registration opens Tuesday, January 11, 2011, noon, CST. There's an incredible line-up of teachers for the 2011 Bead & Button Show Master Classes, and the first four-day program in glass beadmaking. Here's your opportunity to enroll in a class of a lifetime. The alumni master class students are in agreement that this kind of mentoring and teaching environment is rarely duplicated.
