Working with Chameleon Pens and Silkscreens
A cool black and white tribal pendant with pops of color from Chameleon pens!
I have really enjoyed exploring with Tonja's silkscreens in the studio lately! I thought I would show you are very simple and eye catching way to create a "coloring book" style pendant. I used Chameleon Pens (which are pricey) but I really like the way I can apply control in tiny spaces and still get that great translucence of alcohol inks!
- Create a white pendant of your choice and use a silkscreen from Tonja's Treasures using black paint.
- Bake your pendant on the clay's recommended setting and allow to cool.
- The Chameleon pens are alcohol ink based pens with a small nib and a large nib on each pen.
- Use the small nib for coloring in little details and the large nib for the larger spaces.
- You can color in as much as you like- or leave a bit of white to give some great contrast.
Learn how I used Tonja's silkscreens and some alcohol inks to make this beautiful Window Pendant!
SUPPLY LIST
- Small amount of black clay for the little bail and some white clay for the rest of the pendant- I use Premo
- Alcohol inks in your choice of colors- no more than 4 so it doesn't get muddy
- Silkscreen from Tonja's Treasures ( https://www.etsy.com/shop/tonjastreasures )
- Ink Pads and Ink Stamper tool made by Tim Holtz- you can use others if you like
- Black Acrylic Paint
- Clay cutter in your choice of shape. I used a large oval.
***I am making a different color than the one pictured above***
- Condition white clay and run through your pasta machine to remove bubbles. Thin it down to level four.
- Place ink pads on stamper and carefully dab colors onto the pad in a random fashion.
- Apply this all over your white clay sheet until covered as you desire.
- Allow at least one or two hours to dry.
- Once dry place your silkscreen over the inked clay sheet- be sure to smooth out any air bubbles
- Apply a small amount of acrylic paints- smooth the paint over the entire silkscreen. I use my fingers but you may also an old credit card.
- Clear off all excess paint on silkscreen and then remove the silkscreen.
- Allow to dry.
- Use your cutter to punch out your pendant shape and then mount onto a thicker sheet of clay.
- Attach your little black or white bail and voila!
A Glimpse of How I Create My Designs!
One of the many things I love about what I do is that I get to inspire others to create as well. It's not often that artists share how they come up with their exclusive designs but I hope to give you a look into my brain......warning- this could get scary! Most of my designs come to me in a dream, yes I know this sounds weirdly prophetic, but it's true! I don't always sketch before I begin the actual creation process, many times I sketch as I go and the design just begins to appear!
So it usually begins with an idea and some simple sketches (very simple). Right now I'm working on a geometric design neck piece. I decide on varying sized triangles. This particular design I am dreaming up as I go....
Here you see the clay in the beginning of "bone building" I call it! These little slabs will be the back of my finished piece.
At this point I'm adding some long tube beads and I'm deciding to go with a soft color pallete and a pottery like finish- definitely need to add some earrings too!
A little closer view of the texturing on the back.
So here it's starting to look like a real necklace. Added some cool geometric earrings and proper measurements for my finished piece. Hmmmm.... still not sure about the clasp.
Here are the fired and bathed pieces- I decided to make some textured beads as well. I think I'm going to need them for the overall length. I went with a stone gray, a periwinkle blue, some soft peach and white. I hand blended to achieve my colors.
I thought a little carving on the tube beads would add some interest! Then I went over them with gilders paste to really showcase the texture.
Woohoo! Now we are getting somewhere! I gave these a pop of creamy white to showcase the textures. I also added some interest with little pearls on each bead- you can see the earrings now too!
So here is the finished set. Complete with silver spacer beads and the earrings are hung on sterling plated silver hoops! I went with a silver toggle clasp to complete it.
An up close of the little textured beads and the hand carved tube beads. Such a fun wearable art set. I hope you enjoyed watching me build the bones of my design! Perhaps it sparked a new passion in you!
