|
"Betty"
I had some luscious brown clay that was begging to be used, so Betty is black. She is named for one of my favorite Avon Ladies here in San Diego. I didn't scan the steps as I went because of puter problems, but I will tell you what I learned while Making Betty. One thing that has bothered me about face canes is how the corners of the eyes drooped, making the faces look sad. I figured it was because they were dragged down during the reducing process, so, in an attempt to correct this, I turned the corners up and put an extra log under the corners. That worked for flat images, but when I put the cane slice over a cabochon, the eyes drooped again.
|
 Here,
I made a cabochon just slightly smaller than the cane slice and smoothed
the slice over it. I took a piece of leftover face color and made a neck,
then attached it to the chin.
I had made one of Elissa Powell's Chrysanthemum canes and thought they would make a cool sweater, and had some green from that cane to make the shirt out of. First I put a flat piece of green over the neck and extended it out as wide as I wanted the shirt to be and laid it over the neck. Removing it, I then cut a v-shape for the neckline, took slices from the chrysanthemum cane and covered all but what I wanted to show. I replaced it over the neck and trimmed it so that she had round shoulders. I wanted the lapel to show over the pattern, and couldn't figure out the right angle. I had to look through some magazines to find an example of it. It took two tries to cut it right, and even then, I did some trimming and shaping once I had it on the sweater. Top picture is uncured because I wasn't sure what I wanted to make of her. lol I decided to put her into a frame with a mat. She is 2 1/4" tall by 1 5/8" wide and I thought that was too big for a pin. But I don't wear big jewelry. |
 This was originally
a heart that I decided to surround with leaves. I don't like it, so it
hasn't been cured yet. If I decide what it is that I don't like, I will
finish it and make it a pin. |
 This began as a heart
with random slices on it. It just didn't send me, so I edged it with slices
from a leaf cane. This is uncured. I'm still not crazy about it, but you
have to learn while you earn. |
 Probably my favorite
of the 4. Again I used the chrysanthemum cane, starting with a square,
then adding the slice from the face cane. I used a brayer to smooth it
out then my fingertips. This piece laid on the counter all day while I
decided what to do with it. I knew the square wouldn't work, but it was
a starting point. While cleaning up, I noticed an agate slice and thought
it would lend itself to the design, so I put it over the face and played
with the angle until I had the face inside where I wanted it. Then I scored
around the agate with a needle too and removed it. I cut and smoothed the
edge and realized it needed something else, so I took some dark olive green
and rolled it into a snake to use as a bezel. It was too flat, so I took
my needle tool and pressed down around the face. I liked that much better.
As of 1-6-00 it is still uncured. I'd like to embellish it with a few stones,
but not sure how or where or what to use. |
 What I learned Before you put the top of the lips on, make the bottom lip into a U shape so she will look like she's smiling. |