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Thread: How do you do fingerprints?

  1. #11
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    Jan 2010
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    My tutor said using a photopolymer plate would give a really clear impression, haven't tried this one yet but didn't find the 2 part moulds gave a good impression, and alot of the fingerprint jewellery on the market is using 2 part moulds. If you wanted to do itfor people by post, I'd do photopolymer.

    HTH

  2. #12
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    thank you, I really appreciate your suggestions

  3. #13
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    I currently use a 2 part mould and I'm quite pleased with the results...however I'm always looking for ways to improve of course!

    I also use photopolymer plates for hand/footprints etc which picks up really fine details on hands and feet but I'm wondering how you would take the actual fingerprint for this method. Fingerprints using inkless wipes seem to end up a bit undefined and smudgey! Has anybody tried?

    Lou x

  4. #14
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    Southampton, UK
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    When I made 3 pairs of cufflinks for my God-daughter's mum to give as Christmas presents I didn't want to try and press a 12 month old's finger into the clay that many times - definitely would have caused a tantrum!
    I pressed her finger into the two part moulding material and then made rolled a "finger" from polymer clay. I made sure that the end of the polymer clay was completely smooth and then pressed this into the mould of her finger, baked it and then used that to make the impressions into the silver art clay. It worked perfectly!
    Jo
    Daisychain Jewellery - Handcrafted sterling silver jewellery and jewellery tuition
    www.daisychainjewellery.co.uk
    www.daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com

  5. #15
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    that sounds an excellent way of doing things why didn't u think of that?

  6. #16
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    ok well, I had a go at the weekend and did two direct impression fingerprints. All went well with the carving, firing etc until I went to solder on a jump ring and the back of the print exploded! Is this normal??!?!?! The initial finring was fine- no problem at all. Should I not have pickled it afterwards? Did it soak some up maybe? Or do you think it was an air bubble that wasnt released until I heated the piece up to soldering temperature? I want to have another go but do NOT want to make the same mistake again- it really hurt!

  7. #17
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    At what point did you pickle it? Before or after the soldering heat up?
    If before then it was probably moisture in the fired silver (general warming of the piece before a good blast will generally solve that)
    Alternatively an air pocket in the clay stage + fast heating for soldering may've resulted in the air inside trying to escape (blasting it's way out).

    I've found lots of ways of describing the structure of metal clay to my students but the easiest way I've found is to think if it as snow...
    Unfired metal clay is a bit like fresh snow, malleable but not very strong (the binder is holding the fine silver particles together)
    Fired Metal Clay is a lot stronger as the scintering process creates the equivalent of making snowballs (stronger but still porus - if you've ever had a Mr Frosty slushie maker you'll get where I'm going)
    Normal Fine Silver, that you buy from a metals company, is explained as the equivalent of melting the snow and re-forming it as ice....

    Sorry if it's a bit simplistic as a description but it does help a lot of folks understand the strength/handling considerations of metal clays
    Nic xx
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
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  8. #18
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    Aug 2009
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    Not the best photo in the world because it's the wrong lens but I think it shows up ok

    Click image for larger version. 

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  9. #19
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    Hmmm doesn't look like silver clay to me Geti.....looks more like your new Laser machine
    nic x
    Monthly FREE entry giveaways on Blogs!
    Shop Blog: http://muranosilver.blogspot.com/
    Silver Clay Blog: http://pmctips.blogspot.com/
    View images of my work on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muranosilver

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuranoSilver View Post
    Hmmm doesn't look like silver clay to me Geti.....looks more like your new Laser machine
    nic x
    Technology may have played a small part :-)

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