Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: Questions on PMC
Ok, I saw this on Create and Craft this morn and want to have a go (oh dear lol). Anyways, they had their starter kit on there for something like £50. Is this as cheap as they get? I'd love to have a go but being a student, learning to drive (pull out the violins lol) I have next to no cash available to live, let alone spend on MORE craft stuff.
Also, what would you suggest getting to get started? What are the absolute essentials?
I was hoping someone else would answer this I bought my beginner kit from Argentice but
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does a beginners kit as well - I've tried both PMC and Art Clay but have to say I actually prefer slow dry Art Clay - I am a slow worker and like to get things right but it doesn't always turn out that way
I'm definately still learning but its great fun if you pretend its clay not silver
Oh and our Emma Ralph does Art Clay and I think she does kits at around £30 (without a torch though) and if you have a tumbler its even better as you don't need the polishing kit
Does that help???
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I was hoping someone else would answer this I bought my beginner kit from Argentice but
Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!
does a beginners kit as well - I've tried both PMC and Art Clay but have to say I actually prefer slow dry Art Clay - I am a slow worker and like to get things right but it doesn't always turn out that way
I'm definately still learning but its great fun if you pretend its clay not silver
Oh and our Emma Ralph does Art Clay and I think she does kits at around £30 (without a torch though) and if you have a tumbler its even better as you don't need the polishing kit
Does that help???
Ye, I found a kit for £29.99 and I'm guessing that's gunna be the cheapest (ha i'm such a cheap skate lol). I guess I'll have to wait a bit for the funds to go up before I can go grabbing it. Maybe a summer holiday project
PMC and art clay are really great but be warned, very addictive! If you just want to have a go you can get away without buying too much stuff. You may even have some stuff already. A roller is essential, but very cheap to buy and you can use playing cards as spacers to make sure that the clay is the same thickness - oh and use the playing card as a non stick surface for the clay.
If you've got a craft knife you can use that to cut shapes out freehand - I think the arty term is organic! If you want to texture the clay, you can use lace, leaves, little metallic confetti pieces, stamps (card making), buttons (I could go on and on!!).
You will need a blowtorch but a cook's blowtorch can be quite cheap - someone I know has just bought one in their local Aldi store for £10 and that included a can of gas!
I teach metal clay courses and have been using it for a couple of years now, if you decide to have a go and get stuck let me know and I'll try and help! Obviously, there are plenty of things you can buy to make your life easier if you decide it's for you, but you definitely don't want to buy too much stuff and then hate it!
Hope this helps.
Rebecca
Oh I forgot!! You will also need to sand the piece and once it's fired you'll need a brass brush to give the piece a satin effect - if you like this effect then again you don't need to polish any more than that!
PMC and art clay are really great but be warned, very addictive! If you just want to have a go you can get away without buying too much stuff. You may even have some stuff already. A roller is essential, but very cheap to buy and you can use playing cards as spacers to make sure that the clay is the same thickness - oh and use the playing card as a non stick surface for the clay.
If you've got a craft knife you can use that to cut shapes out freehand - I think the arty term is organic! If you want to texture the clay, you can use lace, leaves, little metallic confetti pieces, stamps (card making), buttons (I could go on and on!!).
You will need a blowtorch but a cook's blowtorch can be quite cheap - someone I know has just bought one in their local Aldi store for £10 and that included a can of gas!
I teach metal clay courses and have been using it for a couple of years now, if you decide to have a go and get stuck let me know and I'll try and help! Obviously, there are plenty of things you can buy to make your life easier if you decide it's for you, but you definitely don't want to buy too much stuff and then hate it!
Hope this helps.
Rebecca
Oh I forgot!! You will also need to sand the piece and once it's fired you'll need a brass brush to give the piece a satin effect - if you like this effect then again you don't need to polish any more than that!
Blimey! Dream reply lol. Thanks a lot for the info. Like I said above, I'll see about doing it in the summer when I have some money and I'll keep you in mind for help
Thanks xxx
You will need a blowtorch but a cook's blowtorch can be quite cheap - someone I know has just bought one in their local Aldi store for £10 and that included a can of gas!
I've got a kit but have been looking for a torch to do some firing. Does it have to have any special qualities? Minimum temp for example?
That depends on the minimum temp needed for your clay. For Art Clay 650 (Slow Dry or normal) this is 650C. Most kitchen torches (all that I have tried) will give you that temp and higher.
Try to get one with a nice bushy flame, rather than one of the micro torches you can find. It is important to heat the whole piece evenly.
Keep the flame moving to avoind melting the piece.
Start timing from when you see a nice peachy glow.
Have fun!
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Art Clay UK Senior Instructor and Distributor
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I bought my beginner kit from Argentice but 
