Capricious Collar
Friday 9 - 4:30 $145
Student Level: Beginner
Type of Workshop: Project
Prerequisite: None
Have you ever formed a shape with wire? If you haven’t, it is so much fun. How about trying a playful layered flower you form by hand? This is a really fun workshop, to explore what you can do with plain, malleable wire, how you can shape it to make forms, and then attach to a soldered, or textured base. Maybe you will choose to wind wire looping it, to resemble a vine of some sort? After playing and experimenting with shapes, you will work on your lovely collar base. You may choose to flood your collar form with solder, stamp a few words on the texture, or texture the plain metal and add a wire center. I’ll show you how to work with wire, forming as much whimsical playfulness into it as you like! You could make a centerpiece bezel and add an antique button or beads, resembling eggs. Or make a large shape and give it a rhinestone center. If you choose to flood your collar base with luscious solder, it will give it a rustic and gorgeous uneven look. Choose to go bold and wild, or delicate and petite, that is completely your choice. Then age your creation with patina, and hand finish. Wire the collar together with pieces of vintage objects, crystals, chain and beads of your choice. This is a workshop full of whimsy, discovery and beauty.
Some wonderful skills you will learn in this workshop:
Some basics of wiring found objects and beads together
Wiring three beads together for a vine look
How to use a micro butane torch to solder
The art of flooding base metal with solder
A great method of forming shapes and designing with wire
The art of soldering a wire object to your collar
Tools to use to texture the collar
Some tricks to using patina and hand finishing your work
How to sign your collar to personalize it
The art of making a hand made hook claspMaterials fee of $15 payable to Instructor at class time includes:
brass-collar piece copper wire soldering chemicals polishing pad handouts
and the use of:extra soldering supplies soldering brick heat safe surface drill sealer paper towels flux and brushes quench cups flux cups patina sand papers paint brushes tooth brushes soap adhesives engraver texture hammers
Students should bring:micro butane torch ½ lb. lead free solder (Worthington from Lowe’s is great) two pair of cheap long nose pliers (Harbor Freight) butane fuel various jewelry tools such as needle nose pliers small flat nose pliers (Harbor Freight) round nose pliers flush wire cutters rawhide or plastic hammer small steel block paper pencil ruler Bring chain of your choice (open link preferred) a few 16ga jump rings 3 ft. 20-ga sterling wire if you want to use sterling. (I will have 20ga copper and brass available if you would like to use that for wiring) gems/pearls/crystals to fit 20-ga wire Bring some found objects to wire on your necklace like old tags, mop buttons, pearls (drilled larger) and beads a rhinestone button for the center if you like, about ½”-3/4” or so a rag
* Please do not fly with butane fuel, I will have extra there for your use. Your torch must be empty when you fly.
Optional:
Ott light and extension cord, or battery Ott light Optivisors apron
Place an advance order for your supplies & tools and pick it up when you arrive at AU:
Mixed Media: The Occasional Artist - Email your order to: theoccasionalartist@cox.net or call 623-847-2215
Jewelry: The Urban Beader - Order at theurbanbeader.com, then send email to sales@theurbanbeader.com stating that this is a pre-order for Art Unraveled. Once the email is received the shipping will be reimbursed.
Questions? Email Riki at Rikis1@mac.com
Website: RikiJewelry.blogspot.com
