Two different methods for creating the same brooch design

For comparison purposes, I decided to try creating my original design for Art-Brooch CF002 with polymer clay. I ended up trying two different methods, as the first one (replicating the way I had made the original brooch with Friendly Plastic) was disappointing.

The one on the left has been made by cutting out the triangular shapes and baking in layers - it has a final coat of Envirotex Lite, to help glue it together, as it feels quite flimsy with the pc being quite flexible. I was disappointed with the finished piece – it looks quite harshly angular and chunky, but I cannot make the pieces any thinner using this method or it will have no durable strength. (I could have sanded all the cut edges, to make them more rounded, but this would be very fiddly and time-consuming. I have since learnt that running my finger around the top surface of the edges, before baking the pieces, makes them smoother).

The right-hand brooch has been made in more of a ‘mosaic-style’, with each individual triangular piece being set into a solid black base layer of pc – the surface of each mosaic piece has been coated with MagicGlos. This method, although more time-consuming, shows much more promise – it has resulted in a much stronger piece with an irresistibly tactile surface.

First and last trial with MagicGlos on paper mosiacs

For my first experiment with MagicGlos, I decided to try and replicate my early brooch design CF002 using paper mosaics.

I painted some thin card in the same colours, cut them into the shapes and stuck the pieces onto some thick solid black card for the brooch base, with matt acrylic medium. I trimmed the brooch base to shape and coated the whole piece again with matt acrylic medium, to ensure that the stuck on pieces sealed well onto the base.

When dry, I used the MagicGlos to coat each of the stuck on pieces. It was easy to apply straight from the bottle, using a cocktail stick to get the resin into very tight areas. It created a great domed effect on each piece (just as I hoped), no problem with air bubbles and it cured quickly (10-15 minutes) in the sun. It looked really good but, sadly I found, as stated somewhere in the directions, the resin did not adhere to the acrylic medium because it is water-based. The cured resin pieces just slipped off, when you touched them, leaving a sticky patch underneath.

I tried spraying the piece with some spray varnish I had (which I guessed was not water-based by the smell of it) and redid the MagicGlos. This time the cured resin did stick to the surface, however, I only flexed the card base slightly and the resin pieces peeled off. This was really disappointing, as I did not feel confident that it would be durable enough.

MagicGlos was designed for use on polymer clay – perhaps I should try that?

In the end, I used Envirotex Lite resin on this trial piece. Although it stuck to the surface fine, giving a hard, glossy surface, it is not as viscous as the MagicGlos. I tried very hard to keep the resin just on the coloured pieces but it still spread and the distinction between ‘mosaic piece’ and ‘grout’ has been lost.

MagicGlos has arrived

Finally the sample of MagicGlos arrived from America. This is an epoxy resin which cures on exposure to ultra-violet light. I was excited when I discovered this product, as I thought it could be so much better than using Envirotex Lite
(a two part expoxy resin) to give a raised glossy finish to my paper mosaic pieces. It has a much longer work time (until exposed to UV light) and cures in 5-15 minutes. However, I am now hesitant after reading the instruction leaflet enclosed which recommends not using it over water-based glues/sealers. I do not remember this being mentioned on the website information, but maybe I missed it, and I was intending to use it over my pieces which would be glued/sealed with matt acrylic medium. I will have to try it and see what happens.

A Review of November 2009

Following my first public sales event on the first of this month, I have spent my creative time making butterfly brooches, which was not as easy as I thought to make purely from FP. After many attempts, which looked flat and clumbsy, my last butterfly (CF022) finally captivated the look I was trying to get and I only deemed this one good enough to be sold as an Art-Brooch.

I have also spent a lot of time thinking about combining FP with other materials in my brooches, as I am keen to get different surface textures, particularly matt surfaces to contrast with the high gloss finish of the FP when it has been coated with Envirotex Lite.

Although the design stage is still in my head at the moment, I am thinking of making some moulds from my own designs. This would enable me to cast part of the brooch base (either in resin or clay) relatively easily, so that I can concentrate my time on the inlaid designs with FP and other materials. I may also have come up with a different type of fastening pin that could fit flush into the back of the brooch, so that it would fit into the frame better (which I am also considering casting from my own design as well). Lots more to think about for December!

A Happy Accident

Today, I believe I have hit on a really unique style for my Art-Brooch designs – and it was all a ‘happy accident’. This morning, I was really excited about making my first ‘Art-Brooch’. I had drawn out the design, made up of overlapping triangular shapes of different sizes, and chosen some of my favourite colours of FP, as I thought I would keep the very first Art-Brooch for myself.

I am still learning and my first attempt at fusing the different layers did not work perfectly, as some of the triangular shapes sagged when I built up the layers. Thinking about how I could overcome this problem, I came up with an idea. So I made another one, using exactly the same coloured pieces. It still was not perfect (although the idea was simple, it was actually not so simple to construct) but it was technically better than the first one.

Just for fun, I thought I would put the first piece on the griddle pan and swirl it about when molten with the needle tool. This I did and it ended up looking fantastic. It was so satisfying creating the piece, as it was similar to ‘marbling’ (which I find fascinating and love doing) but more ‘free-form’. The flow of the swirling lines and colours really brought it to life, it looked so much more interesting than the stilted ‘angular’ design I had originally planned. It is also totally unique – I could never create another one exactly the same, even if I used the same coloured shapes to start with.

I then made a third piece (using exactly the same coloured pieces again) and worked it even more. By chance, the original triangular shapes, which I had randomly drawn, ended up looking almost flower-like. The photograph below shows the three pieces and the transition from angular to freeform design. They have all been sealed with a coat of Envirotex Lite.



It would take some thought, trial and error to work out what a finished piece might look like, depending on the starting shapes and the swirl lines made with the needle tool but I suddenly feel inspired to create pieces reminiscent of flowers, leaves, waves, landscapes, in fact anything natural - as there are ‘no straight lines in nature’. Due to the free-form nature, the end result may not be that predictable but I can always add some embellishments or paint in some additional detail, if required, to enhance the design.

So, I think this ‘happy accident’ has transformed my design ideas for the Art-Brooches, resulting in a technique that is so enjoyable to do and will create totally unique pieces – I just cannot wait to do more.

A Review of August 2009

This month has been a bit frustrating, as I have been unable to finish anything. I have now got plenty of FP sticks and other bits and pieces to experiment with and have made a few trial pieces. Unfortunately, I have had to wait over two weeks (due to incompetant couriers) to get the Envirotex Lite for the finishing coat, which I did yesterday. I checked it tonight and it has all set nice and hard and smooth. It really does make the Friendly Plastic look like glass.

SORRY, NO PHOTOS (I forgot to photograph them before they were sold). The pendants are fine but the small pictures will need another coat. I have found that if you make larger pieces of FP, they tend to curl up at the edges and even the E6000 glue will not hold it down - consequently some bits are protruding through the layer of Envirotex Lite. We will be away next weekend, which is why I am writing this now, so it will be two weeks before they get a second coat and are complete (I need to do it on a weekend in daylight, as the lighting here is too poor in the evenings).

In fact, even the small 'mosaic' pieces I made have curved slightly at the edges. They were fine when I first made them but have been waiting around for a month or so to be glued. When I start the big round mirror, I must glue the pieces on to the frame within a few days of making them.

Despite the frustrations of the month, I have also had inspiration - I now know what I want to concentrate on making with FP for the immediate future. It was on 13th August that I first had the idea of 'Art-Brooches' - a small, one-off piece of art that can be worn as a brooch, but when not being worn, fits into a frame so it can be hung on the wall or displayed on a stand. I have been busy planning and starting some designs but do not want to say anymore at the moment until I have actually made some trial pieces. Hopefully, in September I can concentrate on the idea more - as well as finding time to create my entry for the 'Surf and Sand Design Challenge'.

My order has arrived

When I got home from work yesterday, my second order from Rarebird Ltd was waiting for me - I just could not wait to play!

Now, I have so many different coloured sticks of FP, I am 'hyper' with excitement and have no excuse for not making anything. I tried the 'Heat Buddy' heat gun that I had ordered - it worked really well and was so quiet. I was able to soften the Friendly Plastic without causing bubbles, which is what happened with my old heat gun (it seemed to get too hot even though I kept moving it about). I am pleased about this because I was not sure if I was just duplicating something I already had.

I ended up working all evening (and thoroughly enjoying myself), creating four pendants, to use the different shaped pendant bases that I had. In particular, I practiced making inlays with cutters. I am curious to see how they turn out when they receive a final coat of Envirotex Lite and will then post a photo.

I managed to find two companies in New Zealand that stock Envirotex Lite and ordered some from one, last week, but I am still waiting for it to arrive. I hope it comes in time for the weekend, so I can finish the pendants and also coat the pieces in my small 'mosaic' design.