Mica Shift Technique Tutorial
May 30, 2009 | By
Mica Shift is a technique that allows you to achieve the look of a 3D image, while achieving a surface that is completely flat and smooth.
1) Start by conditioning mica polymer clay in your preferred color. Mica clay is sometimes called pearl metallic. If you can’t buy the color you want, you can make your own by adding pearl clay to clay of the color you want. Some colors seem to work better for this technique than others. The more mica you have the better it seems to work.
2) Run the clay through a pasta machine 20 times or there about. When you fold it in half make sure you do it the same way each time, and that you run the clay through the pasta machine the same way each time. What you are doing is making all the mica lie in one direction. You will know you have done it enough if there aren’t lines running through the clay. Once you have done this, cut the clay into three even parts and lay them on top of each other, being careful to take note of the direction it ran through the pasta machine.
3)Next, trim it into an even shape and gently roll in the same direction it went through the pasta machine to push the layers together and remove any air bubbles. Don't roll back and forth or you will disturb the mica and have to start at the beginning again.
4) Now spray a texture sheet or stamp with a little water or sprinkle it with corn powder, to keep it from sticking to the clay. Press it in to the top of your prepared clay. Gently remove, and you should be left with an impression on the surface. At this point it is a good idea to let the clay rest a bit so it firms up, or put it in the fridge for a few minutes.
5) Next, take your tissue blade and very carefully remove the very top of the clay. You are trying to remove the ridges left by the texture plate to return it to a flat surface. Take your time and be careful. But don’t worry if you mess up, you can smoosh the clay back together and start again.
6) When you have removed the top layer, what you should see is an image of the impression still on the clay. If you’ve cut too deep you will probably have removed this. It does take some practice. You may also find some areas have worked better than others.
7) Use a cutter to cut out the shape you want. If you want to use it as a pendant you can carefully put a hole in it. Bake it, according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging of the clay, to cure it.
8) After curing, sand with wet/dry sandpaper. I use 5 different grits; 400, 800, 1200, 2000 and 3000. Then I buff with a muslin head on my dremel, but you can buff on old denim.
And there you have it, a brilliant 3D effect with a super smooth surface. Try it out for yourself!
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Mercer
Jennifer is a self taught jewellery designer and maker whose creations can be see in her studios HaffinaCreations and BeadsByHaffina on ArtFire. She also has a website HaffinaCreations
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