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The Marriage of Metal and Polymer Clay: Tabs
Tabs are a versatile type of stone setting technique that allow you to grab and hold onto an item. They are typically cut or sawed out of sheet metal and can hold onto any shape. In this demo-focused virtual workshop we will discuss three types of tabs - outer, inner, and edge - for the purpose of setting your polymer pieces. We will go over practical aspects of tabs like tips on sawing, how long to make them, how many to cut, finishing edges, and bending them in place. We will also explore the possibilities of incorporating the tabs and surrounding metal into our designs.
This workshop is the third 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 metal tabs with polymer, 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 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 tabs for polymer, but students should have some polymer veneers/canes ready to work with.):
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6"x12" x copper sheet - 24g (Rio Grande)
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1 pack x drill bit - #65 (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 half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)
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1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x center punch (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 sanding sticks (Rio Grande)
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1 x soft metal shears (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
If you have any questions regarding supplies, please feel free to contact Lynn directly at [email protected]!!