Customer Reviews

Pure Silver Metal Clay Beads (Jewelry Arts Workshop)

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

 

 

I am so glad that I purchased this book. Yes, I'll admit I'm addicted to getting books that tell me more about what I work with. I have lots of them. This book is a welcome addition to my library. Linda has put together a fine collection of 15 projects that I've never even thought to do before - Ribbon beads with stones twirling around inside? Winged hollow beads? Lantern beads? WOW. I'm impressed. Yes, this book is a great coffee table book, and yet it will challenge even the most experienced metal clay artist. Beginners - no worry, she covers the basics for you as well. The photographs are very well done. Step-By-Step instructions are easy to follow too. You won't be disappointed if you purchase this book.

Linda Kaye-Moses has written a great step-by-step book, that is both visually stunning and informative. It's as though you are taking a class with Linda. The many texture techniques, tips, and comments, make it timely and innovative, compared to other books on the subject. I'll be using it as a teaching tool in classes that I teach, as well as selling it to students as a great resource for both beginners and advanced students.

Pure Silver Metal Clay Beads is written by a multitalented and multimedia artist. Every metal clay artist and bead maker will find this book full of inventive information in every chapter. It is also very well written. The artist, Linda Kaye-Moses, is a multi award winning jewelry maker who has written articles for many magazines and has been featured in many one woman gallery shows.

This book is perfect for both beginner through advanced metal clayers. It has a good basic chapter on the metal clay, its properties, safety, firing the material and more. The main thing I found lacking in this chapter was it doesn't cover all the metal clay products. It only promotes one brand, PMC. There are other clays that the author could have included in the book that have specific purposes dealing with metal clay and mixed media. Her compilation of tools and supplies is one of the best in my metal clay library.

Each project is clearly written with concise instructions and excellent photos of steps to be taken to complete the work. The projects are artful, interesting and full of must-have techniques for all metal clayers to use.

What I like best about the book are the sidebar notations on tips and tricks to make each project flow into being. Just about every chapter has tips to help the reader/doer along the creative path. Also pleasing to me is each of the projects skill level is clearly stated.

The appendices and resources are very helpful, although incomplete because of just one product being promoted in the book. I agree with the artist that she should use the clay of her choice. But it bothered me that there were other times and temperatures for Art Clay Silver that could have been included to make the book complete for all beginners. There are only two brands so it would have been easy to incorporate both. Not including BRONZclay nor COPPRclay.

This is a great book. Many unique and beautiful pieces. Many hours of work to put it together. Linda is a talented artist and juror for art to show in her book.

This book is a must and a great addition in any art and pmc library. It covers both.

Also a great coffee table book. It took a long time to get it, the wait was worth every minute of it.

Michelle Roth

The book starts out with a "How to Use this book" (in order of the projects presented), a brief history of metal clay, working with metal clay (it's properties, tools to use, drying methods, etc.), firing metal clay, repairs and finishing. It is all laid out in a very useful manner and is probably most beneficial to beginners (like myself).

The thing about the info at the beginning of the book is there is very little information about safety. As I read through the book, there was lots of warnings about not cutting oneself with the tissue blade or craft knife. However, I have read in a couple places online about the concern of airborne particles while sanding clay for finishing purposes. I also didn't see anything about taking safety precautions while kiln firing the clay.

The 15 projects are laid out in order from very simple (discs with appliques) to a very long multi-stepped Vessel Bead (it's the large bead on the front cover of the book) and everything in between. There is even a project where you use colored pencils on the bead and another that she goes through the process of enameling the bead. My favorite project is the paper lantern bead. I think that is really cool. However, the ribbon bead is a very close second. She also goes into some mold making techniques.

The projects are laid out in very detailed step by step format and the photos are very clear, concise and show the steps in good detail. Tips are included in sidebars throughout. I really think that a beginner (like myself) could easily start with the first project and work their way up to the most difficult and involved bead.

The one thing that bothered me about a few of the projects was the need to add hole supports. It is never explained if they were really needed to support the holes, clean up the look of the holes or if they are purely decorative elements. Most of the time the use of the hole supports made a nice looking bead look clunky.

After the project section is the "Eye Candy" section aka-the Gallery of Artists' Metal Clay Beads. I just love the eye candy included in this book...*sigh*

Last is the information section: glossary, PMC firing charts, firing surfaces, support materials, mold making materials, patina methods, and resources.

Will I use the info from this book? Yes. Will I try some of these projects? Absolutely. Do I recommend running out to purchase this book today? Well...that depends on you. I do like this book, but it's not my favorite book on the topic. If you aren't sure whether you would like it or not, I would try getting it from your local library to peruse first. However, if you love to collect books about this topic, it's a good addition to your library.

In her new book, Linda has brought together clear instruction, fabulous instructional photographs, terrific tips and beautiful images of the work of many leaders in the field of metal clay.
The book begins with an extensive section centered on the techniques used in metal clay bead making including the most complete tool section I have ever seen outside of a catalog.
The project section includes beads of varying forms and thankfully, pushes the concept of what a bead might be wayyyyyy past the idea of a sphere with a hole in it.
Linda has peppered the book with tips and sidebars that alone are worth purchasing the book to see.
The gallery section has pieces that illustrates much of what is in the body of the book and how the same techniques are employed by masterful metal clay artists to make truly inspired and inspiring work.
The appendices are chock full of information from firing charts to suppliers to organizations germane to the field and is again almost reason enough to buy the book.
Linda has made a significant contribution to metal clay beads with this book and it is a must have for any complete library on metal clay.

I anxiously awaited my copy and was pleased to see a 28 page review of basics, it was also a terrific compilation of resources (6 pages) and appendices with handy information (5 pages). The 5 page Gallery contained some of the fine eye candy by so many of the "names" in metal clay. The majority of the projects were for intermediate to advanced artists but I don't think we had the opportunity to see enough of Ms. Kaye-Moses' award winning works. The process shots were more than close enough to see the wealth of spirit in her exhuberant pieces.
I think there was a certain lack of focus in an effort to be all things rather than skipping all of the basics and appealing to the more experienced or skipping the more advanced projects and filling the needs of the beginner, both risk disappintment. The reader should also understand it is easier to criticize than it is to WRITE a book.