[Jewelry making - Article 00547] - Re: [Orchid] PMC in general

[Elaine Luther]

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>         To my knowledge there is nothing that can be done in PMC that
>     cannot easily be done with either metalsmithing or casting
>     techniques. 

    Okay, in anticipation of the question in response to my other post
    on this topic, where I said you can do things faster in PMC than
    with traditional methods, here is an example. 

    One of the things PMC does really well is take a texture.  Let's
    examine our choices for putting a texture in metal: 

    1.  hydraulic press 
    2.  etching, first preparing a resist somehow 
    3.  rolling mill with a texture plate purchased from Mettaliferous
    (or other method with rolling mill) 
    4.  engraving 
    5.  chasing 

    Maybe there are more, that's what I came up with off the top of my
    head.  Chasing would require the fewest tools.  The rest require
    specialized, sometimes expensive tools. 

    Say I want to put a texture in PMC.  Here's what I can use: 

    - a rubber stamp 
    - a texture plate made from polymer clay 
    - a texture plate carved into special rubber carving stuff sold at
       the art supply stores 
    - plastic texture plate 
    - Silicone Texture Plate (TM) 
    - a piece of lace 
    - a green leaf 
    - a cool looking plastic coaster from the 1970s 
    - a bar of soap with a design carved into it 

    you get the idea. 

    I roll out the PMC to the desired thickness, roll the PMC on the
    texture, or the texture on it, and ta da, I'm done, no specialized
    or expensive equipment. 

    And PMC is not inherently "raw around the edges." 

    It _can_ be finished to metalsmithing standards.  It is not weak and
    porous, when fired correctly. 

    I have pieces made from PMC that you would not "know it."  I wore a
    piece to a Chicago Metal Arts Guild event and two metalsmiths were
    admiring my pendant.  I told them it was PMC.  "Oh."  One of them
    said.  "But it looks...good." 

    I suggest that sometimes people only recognize PMC when it looks
    "clay like" and fail to recognize it when it's done the way I strive
    to do it, to metalsmithing standards. 

    Humbly submitted, 

Elaine
Elaine Luther
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com (TM)
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

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