Customer Reviews

Metal Clay Beads: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration (Lark Jewelry Book)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's nice to have more books for PMC fans coming out. The focus, as indicated by the title, is mainly beads. Even if you use PMC for other things, this book has a ton a valuable tips for working with, texturizing, and structuring metal clay. It's a beautiful book. Five stars.

This book has some of the most innovative and beautiful projects I have seen in books about Precious Metal Clay. I believe I have the majority of books which have been published on the subject and this one had an amazing variety of techniques and treatments.

Excellent advanced book in metal clay. A must have for the library of a metal clay artist.
Easy to follow directions. Great usable projects.

Crafters seeking to work with metal clay beads will find a fine survey with over 20 projects for using gemstones, glass and other objects in METAL CLAY BEADS. These are diverse projects packed with step-by-step color photos and easy instructions perfect for all levels of jewelry-maker. A top pick for any crafts library.

For those not able to take classes with Barbara ,this is the next best thing! Her writing is clear and concise and she conveys a level of love and understanding of the clay akin to a mother who gently pushes her child to be the best he or she can be. She is truly an innovator who gets a lump and a half of fine art out of every lump of clay she touches.

Barbara Simon is a true artist and has the ability to demonstrate metal clay techniques for the beginner or experienced. I have numerous books on the subject and find this to be the best one out there.

Great book, lots of good information. A book I will be rereading for a while. Definitely worth the price!

I have to agree wholeheartedly with all the other 5-star ratings here! This book is not just about creating beads; it's got lots of info on many aspects of working with metal clay, from tools, to forming and texturing, as well as combining metal clay with other materials. There is extensive information on how to create your own original texture plates using a variety of methods and media. I've never been fortunate enough to take a class with Barbara Becker Simon, but the fact that she is not only an artist but a teacher comes through loud and clear in this book. Techniques and processes are described --both verbally and visually--in such a way that they make perfect sense. (I'm a teacher and I know what it takes to write clear, step-by-step instructions on a specific process; Simon does it extremely well!) Well written with lots of beautiful photos!

I'm an advanced metalsmith and glass beadmaker, but I have no metal clay experience. I purchased this book wanting to know enough metal clay basics to be able to get started on my own, but also hoping for sufficient technical information about fabricating more complex forms.

This book is the very best of what an instructional book should be. It is well organized, well written and superbly illustrated. There are many variations on the central bead theme, and an abundance of photo examples of other artists' work, not just the author's. The bead designs are such that any reader could easily find a jumping-off place for ones own ideas. There is sufficient information to allow a metal clay beginner to get started, but enough problem solving information that would also be of benefit to the more advanced artist. The steps are presented in a way that's easy to understand, with adequate photos and illustrations. There are none of the "gaps" of the kind that leave you scratching your head. There is a wealth of information about creating texture plates, and even though photoetching is my specialty I still learned new things. The design of the book is sumptuous, beautiful, and inspirational.

The author has managed to create an instructional book using a very limited jewelry form - the bead - and yet she still offers a wealth of information about metal clay fabrication in general. In this sense it is useful in a very broad way. Kudos! This is exactly what I was looking for. Very highly recommended.

Oh my goodness...I cannot fully express how fantastic this book is! The information that Barbara Becker Simon provides is thorough, clearly stated, and fun to read. This book is perfect for the beginner as well as people who have a lot of experience with metal clay. The first half of the book is dedicated to the core information everyone needs in order to properly work with metal clay. I have read many books on the subject and I have to say that this is literally the best book I have ever read about the basics of metal clay. And then you get to the projects! Far too often the projects in books like this are "throw aways"...not interesting or challenging in any way. Finally, there is a book with fantastic projects!!! I am excited to make every single one of them and I can see how I will be able to mix the techniques and incorporate the things I am learning into my work. If you want to work with metal clay (and of course if you want to make metal clay beads) BUY THIS BOOK!