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The Marriage of Metal and Polymer Clay: Links
Links are a way to provide points of connections in the construction of your jewelry. Most commonly, they are used as connection points in a necklace, but they can just as easily be used in earring, bracelets, and even brooches. This demo-focused virtual workshop will illustrate how to create links of various shapes using multiple gauges of wire and then how to incorporate them with polymer clay.
This workshop is the first in a 3-part series titled "The Marriage of Metal and Polymer Clay". The focus of these workshops will be to introduce simple cold-connection metalsmithing skills for polymer clay that will help elevate a student's work to the next level. Each workshop will be stand-alone, so take one or all and build your skill set!
This class was created for polymer artists that want to incorporate some metal into their work. Focus will be on the metal, not polymer. The instructor will demo options for decorating links, but students should have some polymer veneers/canes ready to work with.
Meet the instructor
Lynn Yuhr’s art is inspired by 2 things: a love of nature and the vivid colors that surround her living in Miami. She uses them as a focal point in her contemporary jewelry, art journals and mixed media endeavors.
She loves being creative and is passionate about polymer clay. Exploring possibilities and overcoming obstacles in the construction of a project are her favorite parts of the creative process. Her diverse experiences directly influence her artistic life where she developed a playful yet distinctive style and a strong curiosity that propels her to follow the ‘what ifs’ and try new things.
She holds a firm belief that the act of creating something softens one’s heart and opens one’s mind. With this philosophy, she readily shares her creative techniques and teaches both locally and nationally. Lynn shares her inspiration, polymer experience, travel and other artistics on her studio blog, Flying Squirrel Studio, as well as Instagram (@lynnyuhr).
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is welcomed but not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials (This class was created for polymer artists that want to incorporate some metal into their work. Focus will be on the metal, not polymer. The instructor will demo options for decorating links, but students should have some polymer veneers/canes ready to work with.):
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25ft x copper round wire - 16g (Rio Grande)
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25ft x copper round wire - 18g (Rio Grande)
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1 x liver of sulfur gel (Cool Tools)
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polymer vaneers/canes ready to work with
Hand tools:
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1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x chain nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)
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1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
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1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 (Rio Grande)
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1 x burlife / bee's wax (Rio Grande)
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1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
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1 x rawhide / plastic mallet (Rio Grande)
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1 x chasing hammer (Rio Grande)
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1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)
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1 x small steel ruler (Rio Grande)
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1 x Stepped Wrap and Tap Forming Pliers - medium (Rio Grande)
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1 x Stepped Wrap and Tap Forming Pliers - large (Rio Grande)
Other/miscellaneous items:
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2 x glass containers
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baking soda
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steel wool - 0000
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paper towels or rags
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wooden dowels (6" length) - 1/4" and 1/2"
If you have any questions regarding supplies, please feel free to contact Lynn directly at [email protected]!!