Searching for the Perfect Color of Turquoise

I have been conducting color tests all week, looking for just the right color of opaque turquoise for my mermaid jewelry. I want a turquoise that is not too blue, nor too green. I want a luminous turquoise that is saturated and bright, not too light, not too dark. The right color of turquoise, is the one that makes me smile, and reminds me of the sunny Caribbean. The perfect color of turquoise, makes your skin glow, even without a summer tan.

I mix up small 4 gram batches of resin and combine different pigments, and pour the resin into my small starfish molds. I take careful notes of what and how much of each colorant I mix. Once the resin has set up, I transfer my notes to a white index card and glue the starfish next to the notes. This makes it easier for me to compare the color of all of my test samples. These index cards are then filed away in a recipe box for future reference. I also transfer these notes to each of the mixing cups, with a permanent marker, and keep them in stacked by color family, in my casting room. As I type this, I am thinking how anal this all sounds.

The decision of color all comes down to placing each small starfish on my wrist, and judging how the color looks against my skin. I am still looking for that perfect color of turquoise. Maybe, if I add just a dab of ......

Dragon Bracelet, Black Winged Dragon Jewelry

About a year ago, I had a customer ask me if I could design a dragon bracelet, similar to the vintage HAR dragon bracelet. I had never seen a HAR dragon, so I did some Google searching and was immediately overcome with jewelry lust. But, at the prices these bracelets were going for, I knew I would have to make my own. Except my dragon bracelet version has horns and wings.
I sculpted this 3-D dragon, with all the same details as my large dragon wristband, but at a much smaller scale. I had to wear my magnifying head piece, over the top of my reading glasses, to sculpt this little dragon. I knew he would be top heavy, so I designed the bracelet in an oval shape, to stay put on the wrist. My Dragon has a long tail, that connects to the body, with a spring loaded hinge. This bypass, clapper style bracelet is nice for easy on and off. I wanted vintage stones, but finding a reliable supply is almost impossible. So, I used the ones I found, to mold my own stones. This makes it possible to cast the stones is any color I want. The Swarvoski rhinestones, interspersed throughout the dragon bracelet, gives the bracelet just the right amount of sparkle.
Here is the all black dragon bracelet.




Available in size small and medium. You can read more about my Dragon Bracelet and purchase one here: Dragon Jewelry by In Art studio on Etsy

Designing a Dragon Wristband – Dragon Wings

All summer my poor dragon sat, wingless.

The summers here in Colorado provide wonderful weather for working outdoors. So I take the opportunity to sculpt outside of my studio. These sculptures are mostly 3 foot and larger, that will not fit through the door and are too messy to work on inside. I sculpt with a modified concrete mix and wire. Totally different material and scale from my jewelry. I have found that switching mediums gives my creativity a boost.

One day, the answer to my dragon wings problem dawned on me. Duh! I was stuck in a rut! I had gotten so used to designing for my standard material, urethane resin, that I could not find a solution for my wings. The wings were not the problem. The problem was my material.

And so my hunt for the perfect new resin began.

Monarch Butterfly Ring

Celebrate the return of the monarch butterflies. Perched on your finger, with his little wings uplifted, he looks so real, even his little body is 3-dimensional. This is not a real Monarch Butterfly, but a perfect imitation of natures fluttering jewel, captured inside water-clear resin. Monarch Butterfly rings, are perfect casual jewelry for summer.

Find them in my Etsy Store, available in size 7 or size 8"

Coral and Pearls Resin Bracelet

I had been thinking about adding pearls to one of my coral resin bracelet designs for a while. I wanted a better attachment method than glue, and I wanted a more organic look than the standard round pearls. Since no solution readily came to mind, I put the design on the back burner.

On a recent shopping expedition, I came across a strand of gorgeous baroque pearls. I bought them, not knowing why I needed them (pure impulse buying) It wasn't until I got home, that I realized they were the perfect solution for my coral bracelet design. I love these pearls. They are soft and glowing, with such a wonderful, lustrous nacre, and delightful character. I fiddled with a way to attach them, till I realized, I could just string them on. Duh!

By drilling numerous, .032" diameter holes, and using clear nylon line, I wove the pearls in and out of the resin coral branches, in a natural, hap-hazard looking pattern. I added 4mm Swarovski bi-cone beads, in a soft turquoise color, interspersed among the pearls. The clear, nylon line is strong and invisible. The final design, appears as if the pearls and tiny turquoise beads, have been captured in the coral branches by the motion of the sea. Perfect.

Now, If I could just get some more jewelry designs off the back burner.

Mermaid and Dolphin Pearl Necklace

Imagine a bride wearing this Mermaid Necklace for a spring or summer wedding. Fabulous!

This beautiful Mermaid and Sea Life Necklace combines silky, pearl colored resin and real freshwater pearls. The Mermaid, her dolphin and sea life friends are a 3-dimensional and highly detailed, down to tiny scales on both the mermaid's tail and the fish bodies. I sculpted and cast two little starfish in pearl resin, to grasp the ends of each of the 3 strands of glowing freshwater pearls. A new mermaid necklace design, from my Iridescent Sea Series. Imagine this Saltwater Siren swimming around your neck. Stunning!

Turquoise Seahorse Resin Bracelet

The color combinations of these bracelets is endless. I just had to try one in my favorite color, turquoise.

Like an ice cold drink, these colors are cool and refreshing. Clear iridescent blue coral colored resin sea fans, accented with a large seahorse in vibrant blue turquoise resin with flakes of 22K gold and a Golden Swarovski rhinestone eye. Seashells and starfish in 22K gold and turquoise adorn this light weight, comfortable and fun to wear bracelet. Light as a summer breeze, this is a hinged spring, clapper style bracelet made for easy on and easy off.

Find it here in my etsy store: In Art Studio

Painting a Multi-Color Mermaid Resin Bracelet

I have been working on a process for "painting" my resin jewelry castings. This is my first large scale test of applying multiple colors of powered pigment right onto the mold surface before casting. Using a small artist brush, I applied each color separately to the silicone mold. Powdered pigments are hard to control, as the powder tends to fly around and stick where ever it lands. So I painted the rougher surfaces first, carefully wiping away any stray pigment with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. Then I painted the smooth surfaces. The final step was filling the mold with clear resin mixed with gold pigment.

There was no way of knowing how the end result would look, until the next day when the bracelet could be removed from the mold. I was surprised at how well this worked. And how much fun it was to do. I took photos and listed her in my etsy store, and she sold the next morning. Thank you, Melissa.

Whoo-hoo! I get to make another one!

Variations on a Theme - Seahorse Clapper Resin Bracelet

When creating a new mold, it makes economic sense if the mold can be used for more than one design. The molds I make are expensive to produce, because I use industrial strength silicones. But, they last a long time and can be used over and over, without deterioration. Here is an example of another bracelet made from my fan coral bracelet mold. I combined this mold with an existing mold, to create this new bracelet.









I have had requests for a seahorse bracelet, and now I can make him in any color combination. And at a reasonable price.

Something Different - Vintage Black Lace Resin Bracelet

I was rummaging through an old box of fabrics when I came across some lace I had bought years ago. This beautiful old lace gave me an idea. I started with 2 pieces of the vintage black Venetian lace, cut to 7 inches long and joined them with a row of jet black crystal beads. Next I cut and bent sheet brass to cover the raw edges. The sheet brass was too garish, so I covered it in black grosgrain ribbon. Then, I saturated the whole thing in resin. Next I drilled 4 tiny holes through the ribbon/sheet brass edging to attach the Swarovski crystal beads, extender chains and lobster claw clasps. Finally, I attached a Swarovski Crystal Pendant to each of the 7 bottom points of the lace. I used a special resin on the lace that stays soft and flexible, but still makes the lace water-proof and gives the lace enough body to stand on it's own. The challenge was determining how much resin was needed to keep the lace pliable enough to wrap easily around the arm, yet, strong and resilient without looking like shiny plastic. I think it turned out very sexy.

My first spring loaded, clapper style resin bracelet

This bracelet has been on my design list for a while now. I wanted a resin bracelet that was easy on and off, comfortable to wear, and oval shaped. The biggest hurdle was finding the spring loaded jewelry hinges. The next problem was finding a heat-proof bracelet mandrel for post curing the urethane resin (see previous post) Once these design challenges were solved, I created the master and molds. The final problem was finding the right glue that would bind the metal hinge to the urethane resin. The glue needed to be heat resistant and give a strong bond, capable of withstanding the torquing stress of opening the bracelet, without failure. After multiple tests, E-6000 turned out to be the winner.

Here is the first of my new hinged resin bracelets. It's a fan coral design. I love the way the fan coral fingers interlace in the front, to give an almost invisible closure. When you pull the bracelet open, and let go, it gives a nice snapping sound. Or should that be a clapping sound?

This is the perfect style bracelet for me. I have small wrists and large hands. I wear a size 7 bracelet, but to get a bangle over my hands, can be painful. This resin bracelet is comfortable, easy to put on, stays in place without rotating, and light weight at just 38.6 grams. Did I mention it's my favorite colors for summer?

Sometimes you just have to make your own jewelry tools

I have a new bracelet design that requires an oval shaped bracelet mandrel for final heat treating. I bought a cast steel mandrel years ago (very expensive) but the steps are just not long enough for my current needs. The steps are 1 3/4" long and I need one 2 1/4" in length. I scoured the Internet for an oval bracelet mandrel, but the only ones I could find were tapered (won't work) or stepped, just like mine. Hummm.... what to do.

I was thinking, if I had access to a lathe, I could make one out of oak or steel. We have an ancient metal lathe down in the shop, but, it hasn't been used for years and I doubt it still runs. Still, I could spend a week moving the junk piled up in front of, and on top of it, cleaning the lathe and checking to see if it still runs.

Then, the perfect solution came to me. As usual, my ideas always seem to come in the early hours of the morning. I needed to find a plastic bottle, the right diameter. My oval design is 2.48" wide x 2.29"for an average diameter of 2.39". I buy plastic squeeze bottles from Wal-Mart for dispensing my assorted resins, and these turned out to be the perfect diameter. I ran a quick test for heat resistance. Yep, the plastic squeeze bottle can handle the 180 deg heat treatment temperature with no melting or distortion. I cut off the top of one of the bottles, squeezed it into the right shape with an existing metal cuff bracelet, filled the bottle with plaster of paris, and let it cure overnight.

Voila! Here it is! And, I spent maybe 2 dollars making it. My mandrel turned out a whopping 5 inches tall. That means, I can heat treat 2 bracelets at a time.

Mermaid Bracelet Gold Resin Jewelry 17- "Treasure"

Today, I tried casting my new mermaid bracelet design in gold pigmented resin. I then gave it an antiquing wash of black acrylic paint to bring out the details. I think the gold looks fantastic, and the details really pop! This medium can be frustrating to learn, but so much fun.

To read all the details, see more pictures or to purchase this bracelet, go to my etsy store Night Sky Jewelry by In Art Studio

Mermaid Bracelet Clear Resin Jewelry 17- "Treasure"

It's finally done! The first cast of my new mermaid bracelet design -"Treasure", and I am very pleased with the results. I think she turned out fabulous! The mold was a real bear to make, and required a whole day of post finishing, but it picked up all the fine details. My fiancé remarked that the octopus almost steals the show. So, I am thinking about making "Glamor-Pus" into a pendant. Today, I will try casting this bracelet design in gold pigmented resin.

I am already planning the next mermaid bracelet design. I'm thinking of a mermaid floating in a bed of kelp, sunbathing with her friends.

To read all the details, see more pictures or to purchase this bracelet, go to my etsy store Night Sky Jewelry by In Art Studio

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - The Logo

I want to incorporate my logo tag into my new bracelet design, but, where to put it? I plan to cast this bracelet mainly in clear resin, but the metal tag I use, will show through the front. The first bracelet has the logo tag hidden behind a sea shell. But, this new design has no good place to hide the tag. So I have decided to just sculpt the initials NSJ into the right hand side of the octopus. Hopefully it's not too obvious, but it's there. I am just about ready for the final bake of the master.

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - a Dolphin and Fish

Now for the final cast of characters. The design calls for a school of tiny fish, between the mermaid and her hand mirror. These fish are crowding each other, trying to get a look into the mirror, so only part of their bodies show. I try sculpting the fish individually, intending to stack them. I then realize there is a better and easier way. I take a small amount of clay the approximate size and thickness of the school and place it into position. I outline each fish, then start to carve and define each small head. Here is the result. They still need some refining and detail work, but, I like the look.


The last character is my baby dolphin. I imagine him to be inquisitive and playful, so he will be sporting a pearl necklace. I love adding dolphins to my designs. They are easy to sculpt, and add so much charm.


Well, the sculpture is almost finished. I still have a a lot of finishing work to do, before it will be ready for molding. The surface finish is important, as every little flaw will be picked up by the silicone molding compound. But I am very pleased with the design, and think it will look fabulous when cast.

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - Sculpting an Octopus

This mermaid bracelet master calls for a figure on the right side. I have designed the layout to include an octopus. I have Googled pictures of octopus to get an idea of their texture. I want to make this a lady octopus with eyelashes and kissy lips. She is trying on jewelry with her mermaid girlfriend. Sound like fun?
Here she is roughed in.

I decided to change the arm position, and added the suction cups to her tentacles. And here she is with most of her jewelry on.


Next - a dolphin and a school to tiny fish complete the scene

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - Sculpting a Treasure Chest

Now for the really fun stuff. The treasure chest is next. I have been thinking about this and I wanted a layered 3-D effect. But, because it sits behind the mermaid, it can not be too thick. The front and sides are twice as thick as the top, which is hard to see in the photograph. I want it to look like rough, old wood, like it's been under water for a long time. I added a lock and some strapping, for more detail. It's not finished, I want to make it look even more old, by roughening the corners and sides. But, you get the general idea. One of the benefits of having lived in the Florida Keys, was the opportunity of visiting the many treasure museums. I got to examine the items salvaged and collected from the local shipwrecks. I also had the opportunity to meet and get to know, the guys that did the salvage diving. What fun!



I've added hair to the mermaid and some jewels. The Mermaid's body is finished and soft fired, for 10 minutes at 265 degrees. She is not hard all the way through, but she is hard enough to scrape and sand, before adding her hair. She looks so much better with hair. Here, also, is her fancy little hand mirror. All the tiny pearls are glass, and will be fired and cast, right into the mold.




Next - Sculpting an Octopus

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - Sculpting the Face

Here is where the fun begins. My design is complex, with a lot going on in a 7 x 2-1/4 inch area. On the left side of my design, is a full length mermaid reclining on her right arm. Her left arm is out stretched and holding a hand mirror. Behind her tail, in the middle of the design, sits a treasure chest, filled with jewels and jewelry. On the right side of the bracelet, is the mermaid's octopus girlfriend. The mermaid and the octopus are both trying on jewelry from the treasure chest. I have incorporated a baby dolphin, who has gotten in on the fun and has a pearl necklace draped over his head. My design also, includes a large school of tiny fish, that are so curious about their reflection in the hand mirror, that they are blocking the mermaids attempt to see herself. I want the mermaid's face to convey a combination of annoyance and amusement. This might be a hard expression to pull off.

I always start with the hardest part first, the face and torso. My design calls for a 3/4 inch long, full face, 1/2 head view. Matching the approximate size to the layout, I roll an egg shaped ball of clay, approximately 3/4 inch in diameter, and cut off the 1/2 back of the head. This is placed firmly on the glass, smooshing out any air pockets. The reason for sculpting on glass is I can see what is going on underneath my sculpt, like air pockets.

Next, I add clay for the neck, and upper torso. Again placing the clay over the layout and smooshing it firmly to the glass. I start with a lot more clay than I need, so I can carve the figure. Starting with less clay, means I will have to build up clay parts here and there, to add depth and dimension. I find it easier to carve away the clay to the desired depth and dimension. Either way works. It's just my personal working style.

Sculpting a human face and torso is my biggest challenge. If the proportions are not right, the mind will perceive that something is wrong. I might not be able to place my finger on exactly what is wrong, but I can tell that there is something strange looking about the figure. Our minds judge beauty as balance of proportion. If one eye is higher than the other, or one arm is longer than the other, the figure is out of balance, and looks wrong, even ugly. Getting this balance right, is the hardest part. This is where my digital camera is my best sculpting tool.

After hours of sculpting tiny details, my eyes start to get tired. I see all the little details, but loose focus of the larger picture. That's where my camera comes in. I set my camera to the Macro mode setting, and take close-up pictures from every angle. I then down load these pictures into a file folder on my computer, and take a break. Now, I come back and look at the pictures. I zoom in and look at the details my eyes have missed, but the camera has picked up. Zooming out and standing back away from the monitor, I look for balance of proportion. The camera gives me an unbiased critique. I keep these pictures, so as I refine my sculpture, I can pull them up, side by side, and compare the changes I have made.

Here is a picture of the mermaid's head. She has no hair yet, and is very bald. The shape of her head is not perfect, but, her long hair will cover all but her face. I will add the hair after the first "half-bake", so the hair does not interfere with sanding and polishing of the face and torso. She has tiny bits of fuzz, stuck here and there. But they will be gone, with the first sanding.

Amusement shows mostly in the eyes and mouth. The mouth and eyes need to both be "smiling". The lower lip needs just a tiny fix on the left hand side. And the right eye, lower lid, needs smoothing, but, in general, I am happy with her face.


Next - Sculpting a Treasure Chest

Sculpting a Mermaid Bracelet Master - My Sculpting Media

All of my sculpting experience has been with polymer clay. I have sculpted everything from jewelry and dolls to my full sized animal sculls with polymer clay. So, I know the media well, and always have some on hand in my studio.

"Balancing Act" Polymer Clay Figure

Best of Show Skull Sculpture, "War Cry"

Polymer Clay Free Standing Cross Sculpture

Polymer Clay Sculpture, "The Guardian"

Detail of Polymer Clay Sculpture, "The Guardian"

First Place Skull Sculpture, "Speedy"

"Wild Horse Turquoise" Free Standing Polymer Clay Horse Sculpture

For me, polymer clay is the perfect medium for creating a jewelry master. It has all the physical properties of a good sculpting media, plus, it has a long library life. I have masters stored away in boxes, going back 10 years, that look just the same, as the day I put them into storage.

My polymer clay jewelry masters have no compatibility issues with the silicone materials I use to make my molds. No mold release is needed, and any heat generated by the mold material curing is never a problem. This is a big advantage for mold making. Mold making, in it's self, can be a real headache. No need to worry about my precious master being ruined. In fact, with proper storage, the same master can be re-used to make countless molds.

Polymer clay sticks well to glass. I always sculpt on clear glass, so I can peek underneath and check for voids. Once "cooked", the sculpture is easily pried loose from the glass.

Polymer clay is cured by heating in a home oven or toaster oven. The clay I use, is fully cured by heating for 15 minutes at 265 degrees, for every 1/4 inch of thickness. One trick is to partially "cook" the clay for say 10 minutes, then progress to the next step and partially "Cook" again. This can be repeated over and over until the sculpture is done and ready for full curing. Did I mention that raw "uncooked" polymer clay sticks well to cured clay? That is another advantage. You can keep adding layer upon layer to your design with no adhesive required between layers.

Once cured, polymer clay becomes permanent and hard, and can be drilled, sanded, polished, sawed, glued, screwed and painted, just like a piece of PVC plumbing pipe. Because it is the same material. Polymer clay is Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with liquid plasticizers added to make it malleable and clay-like.

I buy my polymer clay at the local Hobby Lobby, for $8.00 per 1 pound box. Last week, I bought a new box, and the price had gone up to $12.00 for the same 1 pound box. But, considering how many jewelry sculptures I can make from a pound of clay, that's still not a deterrent. I buy Super Sculpey in the green 1 pound box. I am not concerned about the flesh pink color, since my jewelry masters are not the finished product. I am happy with the consistency, straight from the box. And I find it easy to condition, by hand, without the use of any mechanical devices. Polymer clays must be conditioned, by kneading for several minutes to soften and to distribute the plasticizers throughout the clay.  But, I just pinch off the amount I need, and start rolling it between my hands. It's kind of a relaxing Zen thing, conditioning the clay, while my mind is wandering through the design process.

I am sure there are other advantages that I have forgotten to mention. So, feel free to leave your comments.

Next - Sculpting a Mermaid Face (Getting down to the Nitty Gritty Details)