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Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts)
 
 
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Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts) [Spiral-bound]

Tim McCreight (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)


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Book Description

August 20, 2000
Working with Precious Metal Clay is the first American book for artists and hobbyists who want to know more about this exciting new art material. Techniques are taught through 50 projects of increasing complexity, projects that range from earrings to rings to accessories like a thimble, spoon and tea strainer. A large section called Technical Tips offers practical information on working, firing and finishing PMC, and a final chapter on tools shows some studio aids you can make for yourself. "Working with PMC" features over 400 full color illustrations that lead artists systematically through the steps needed to make personal and exciting work.


Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim McCreight has been working with PMC since it was first introduced to the US in 1994. As a consultant to the manufacturer he has studied with the scientists who invented PMC and leading artists as they pioneer uses of this radical new material. McCreight's years of teaching experience and signature lighthanded touch are evident on every page. He has written 10 other books on metalworking and is a consultant to numerous organizations and periodicals.

Product Details

  • Spiral-bound: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Brynmorgen Press (August 20, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1929565003
  • ISBN-13: 978-1929565009
  • Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #311,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tim McCreight is a designer, teacher, author, and goldsmith. He received a degree in fine arts from The College of Wooster and an MFA in jewelry and silversmithing from Bowling Green State University. He taught fulltime for 25 years, first at the Worcester Center for Crafts and then at Maine College of Art. Along the way he has taught hundreds of workshops throughout the US and in Canada, Japan, Mexico, and the UK.

After writing two books for large commercial publishers, he decided to take on the challenges of illustration and layout, joining a new generation of authors who took control of all aspects of their books. In this way he has overseen all details of many of his books, most notably Complete Metalsmith, which is recognized as a standard text in the field. His books have been translated into Russian, Japanese, and Italian.

McCreight's books are characterized by a practical approach and commonsense descriptions that empower beginning artists while confirming information for advanced readers. His curiosity and the obvious pleasure he takes in sharing information makes his books not just readable but fun. Most of his books deal with metalsmithing but he has extended into design and into the genre of creative nonfiction with his very popular Syntax of Objects, re-released in a new edition in 2010. In his efforts to explore new approaches, he has also created an App for iPhone, iPod, and iPad called "Metalsmith Suite," available through the iTunes store.

 

Customer Reviews

16 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 87 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Nothing..., June 20, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts) (Spiral-bound)
This book has some very good techical info, including how to make rings that actually fit, but it also some major drawbacks:

1) The directions on some projects have omitted steps and steps out of order, making it difficult for beginners to follow.
2) The projects are not artistic, even downright amateurish, so you won't find new creative ideas here.
3) There is a tendancy toward reliance on metalsmithing skills to correct problems that could have (should have!) been resolved in the clay stage before firing. This is understandable, since the author is a skilled metalsmith, but it isn't practical for many newcomers to PMC. And it isn't necessary, since most problems can easily be corrected at either the wet clay stage, or the leather-hard stage.

Even with all its faults, it's still the best book out there on PMC at this time.

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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but..., April 26, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts) (Spiral-bound)
There are a lot ideas on how to use PMC in this book. Some innovative some down right goofy (tea strainer). I took a PMC class and bought this book to get more ideas. It is better than the other PMC book for beginners. The pages devoted to making rings are excellent. (My instructor did not want to touch on that subject in my class) I think the best part of this book is Part Two "Technical Tips." There are pages devoted to work surfaces, rehydration, using slip, extruding, carving, making holes, smoothing edges, ring sizing, mold making, shrinkage, gem setting, firing, filing and sanding, blackening the silver, and polishing. Part Three on "Tools You Can Make" is also helpful but basic.

It's great that this book is spiral bound. However, the biggest disappointment in this book is the font size. It is annoyingly small. I would venture to say it is a size 8 or 9 at best. Why make the font so small? Surely for the price of this book the publisher could have went a little larger on the font. For that reason I give this book 3 stars.

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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Start with this book, January 7, 2007
This review is from: Working with Precious Metal Clay (Jewelry Crafts) (Spiral-bound)
I confess straight up to being a McCreight fan so maybe I am biased. However I have found his book to be one of the best to give my students. It is incredibly clear and consice. It is perfect for the person starting out in silver clay. Sure the glossy photos are missing, rather hand drawn step by steps, but you can follow easily. With 50 projects, there is ample opportunity for the beginner to find something that appeals and to gain confidence with this medium. Part Two is fabulous, excellent technical tips on a host of items, rehydrating, extruding, carving, ring sizing, making bails, use of patinas, and loads more. Part Three gives you the added bonus of How to make your own tools - and therefore save a few dollars. Being spiral bound is a bonus, always stays open. I recommend three books to my clay students, this is one of them, ( the other two - CeCe Wire and Sherri Haab.)A must for your library.
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