Today I've been working on new textures for my students to use (if they like) on Saturday. Why do I leave these things until the last minute? I started ages ago and got waylaid on my mission to make tear-aways and photopolymer plates out of copyright free clip art and my original drawings.
Three easy ways to make unusual textures for use with metal clay:
- Photopolymer plates -- use either copyright-free or limited-reproduction images from sources such as Dover, or make your own quick drawings. Follow my previous directions. I made mine with 2 minute exposures in the weak afternoon sun, and they came out great.
- Tear-away papers-- low relief polymer clay transfered onto paper, or the remaining polymer for both negative and positive. Follow Celie Fago's directions in Jewelry Artist Magazine online.
- Polymer clay texture plates -- roll a sheet of polymer clay and bake, then use linoleum or wood carvers to carve original designs
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1zlN5oDzlTxejsb8tTM5UMUhfqKP_wVp99caHVnq6vCkugrS4EehYjrhOuO53mSy0U9CiGbZVEwGCOlUlwXDP94CQ1LMx5FpfVZl56Z0Y3C12CENqA0FFcH0eGkqyySjuDYj/s400/summer+bell.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9JcoGgJb7sTKEW8vIC7MtOPn28QcR2gXTaylW_CkeO-uACQtErpDgqgXFshwuWzn0qxEQSgbB7wf8iqtqbn_fRgKYSf5MPxeGarV0oH0dCGx0fgDdt0oFT4zserr3xl0L7vf/s400/spring+bell.jpg)
No excuses for using the same old textures, now! While I was at it, I dug up the textures I drew for bronze bells -- spring and summer. Here it is fall. I guess I better get going, if I'm going to have a year's worth of bells before the year is out.