How to Make Glass Clay

Glass clay set in sterling silver. Copyright GeltDesigns. All rights reserved.

Pate de verre means "paste of glass." Glass clay is a modern way of creating pate de verre jewelry and small sculptures. This tutorial will explain how to make your own glass clay.

Things You'll Need

• CMC or liquid stringer medium
• glass frit
• Ferro Flux 3269 (optional)
• plasticizers (such as Polyox, Veegum or Glycerine)

Instructions

1. Mix the CMC solution or purchase some Liquid Stringer Medium. To mix the CMC, fill a pint jar with very hot water. Add 4 tablespoons of CMC powder . Mix. Place the jar in the microwave a minute or two, but make sure the CMC solution does not boil over. Remove the CMC mixture and allow it to sit loosely covered for 24 to 72 hours or until your CMC is very viscous and has few lumps.

2. Create the base of the clay. Mix 50 grams (or 5 parts) glass powder frit, 10 grams (1 part) Ferro Flux 3269 with 30 grams CMC.

3. Add .5 grams glycerine and a small drop of any other plasticizers of your choice. Mix thoroughly until the glass clay reaches a texture you like. Adding plasticizers is optional, but adding a plasticizer will create a glass clay that is easier to use and feels like modeling clay.

4. Test the mixture. Remove enough glass clay to create a one inch ball of glass clay. Roll the glass clay ball in your hand. If the glass clay crumbles or seems dry, then add more CMC until the glass clay is a more pleasing texture. If the glass clay does not seem to hold its shape, then add more glass powder frit to the glass clay.

Resources

• GeltDesigns
• Tutorials by GeltDesigns
• More eHow tutorials