Precious Metal Clay
Precious Metal Clay (also known as PMC) is exciting clay like medium you can use to make jewellery, beads and small sculptures. It consists of very small particles of fine silver or gold metals mixed with an organic binder and water. Metal clay can be shaped just like any soft clay, by hand or using moulds. After drying, it can be fired in a variety of ways including in a kiln, with a handheld gas torch, or using a Hot Pot®. The binder burns away, leaving the pure, sintered metal.
With Silver metal clay you can create objects containing .999 pure silver - FINE SILVER. Gold metal clay is also available and the colour and richness is phenomenal. It can be used to make stunning solid gold objects or used sparingly to make beautiful accents on silver pieces.
Lump metal clay is sold in sealed packets to keep it moist and workable. The silver versions are also available as a softer paste in a pre-filled syringe which can be used to produce extruded forms, in small jars of slip and as paper-like sheets, from which most of the moisture has been removed.
Precious Metal Clay or PMC was developed in the early 1990s in Japan. The material consists of microscopic particles of pure silver or fine gold powder and a water-soluble, non-toxic, organic binder which burns off during firing. The original formula of PMC, now called "Standard", must be fired in a kiln at 900°C for 2 hours and has a shrinkage rate of 30%. Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi, later developed two additional versions of silver called PMC+ which can be fired as low as 810°C for 30 minutes, and PMC3 which can be fired as low as 600°C for 45 minutes. Both PMC+ and PMC3 have a shrinkage rate of 12-15% and may also be fired with a handheld torch for 4-7 minutes. A 22k gold gilding material - Aura 22, and lump 22k yellow gold clay (an alloy of fine silver and gold) are also available.
"Getting Started with PMC" is a free eight-page booklet that you can download and print out for yourself. It will give all the information you need get started, including forming, firing, and basic finishing techniques.
"Getting Started with PMC" pdf brochure
- Introductory and One day seminars:
These are designed by the PMC Instructor to introduce customers to PMC and give them a basic understanding of the products and their uses.
- Certification Level I : 2 day program
This workshop is open to anyone interested in gaining a further knowledge and use of PMC. It is particularly helpful if you are planning to teach PMC classes and for artists who wish to incorporate PMC products in their artwork.
- Certification Level II : 2 day program
This workshop is open to those who have completed the Level I Certification.
- Certification Level III : 2 day program
The Level 3 Certification is an advanced two day class. It presents advanced techniques using the 3 types of PMC3 (clay type, paste and syringe). The workshop is open to those who have completed Level 2 Certification. The class takes the student beyond the projects of Levels 1 and 2 to even more complex projects.
To be eligible for the title of Certified Teacher the artist needs to have successfully completed Certification I, II and III then be able show that they can and are successfully teaching PMC in a class situation.
Senior Teachers are very experienced in all areas of working and teaching Precious Metal Clay. Senior Teachers are self employed and have a "hands-on" understanding of running a business.
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