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The Marriage of Metal and Polymer Clay: Rivets

Rivets are a way to mechanically fasten two materials together. Traditionally, both the rivet and the materials being fastened are metal.  Polymer is not sturdy enough to rivet together by itself so in this class, students will learn to be creative! Primary focus will be placed on an introductions to traditional riveting skills and modifications to make this versatile technique work for polymer clay. Whether the rivets are functional or decorative, exposed or hidden, this demo-focused virtual workshop will cover several options to open up a new world of possibilities for your polymer creations!

This workshop is the second 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 utilizing rivets, but students should have some polymer veneers/canes ready to work with.

 

Meet the instructor

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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 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 creating rivets, but students should have some polymer veneers/canes ready to work with.):

  • 6"x12" x copper sheet - 24g (Rio Grande)

  • 1 pack x escutcheon pins - 20g (Rio Grande)

  • 1 pack x drill bit - #65 (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x liver of sulfur gel (Cool Tools)

  • polymer vaneers/canes ready to work with

 

Hand tools: 

 

Other/miscellaneous items:  

  • 2 x glass containers

  • baking soda

  • steel wool - 0000

  • paper towels or rags

  • small scrap of leather - 1"x2"

 

If you have any questions regarding supplies, please feel free to contact Lynn directly at [email protected]!!

 

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