And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond. ~Irish Blessing
This Monarch butterfly with chrysalis was created for the Metal Clay Heads bi-monthly challenge. This months theme is Springs Awakenings with an included technique of 3-D.
The monarch butterfly emerges from her transformation inside the chrysalis, and spreads her wings........
I first made a mold of a cherry tree branch, then pressed the silver clay into the mold. After it was dry, I filed and sanded it. I then carved a monarch butterfly into a rubber block, and then rolled the clay over it. This was then shaped and filed and added to the branch.
For the chrysalis, I made a mold with cork clay and painted quite a lot of layers of silver paste on to the mold. When this was fired, the cork clay burns out leaving a hollow bead.
The chrysalis is dropped from the branch with a sterling silver jump ring and has a leaf carved Vesuvianite bead added.
To finish the pendant, I wrapped faceted amethyst beads to sterling silver chain and added a clasp i made with fine silver wire. The clasp is a hook clasp with an extender chain.
The necklace is just over 16 inches long with a 1 1/2 inch extender chain.
©All Rights Reserved 2011
A note on precious metal clay:
ArtClay silver is a recycled product that consists of fine silver particles suspended in an organic binder. The clay can be worked like other forms of clay, sculpted to almost any shape you desire. The product is then fired at an extremely high temperature, either by kiln or torch.
The binder burns away resulting in a pure silver (.999) piece.
This necklace can be given a patina ( to darken the silver) if you wish. Please convo me before purchase, or add it in the 'notes to seller' section at checkout. Thank you!
Have any questions?
Contact the shop owner.
