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Monday, November 24, 2014

Creative Paperclay Material® Armature wire contruction helping guide



Hi and welcome back to Creative Paperclay Material® blog page.

It is a beautiful winter day. It is kind of cold and stormy but watching the snow falling sure reminds you how strong and beautiful nature can be. Now on this cold winter day  I will show you a couple of tips to help you choose the right kind of  wire to construct the armature for your one of a kind Creative Paperclay Material® sculpting creation.  Check the detailed options listed below.
Have in mind that all metals will eventually oxidize (some just a little slower than others and some just not so visibly). This article will include some helpful information to help you choose the best one for you to use.

The wires choices are listed from softer to harder strength.

Strongest is the Steel Wire Option



Be careful with steel and iron. These can be the worst as the oxide for these is red. It is very important you choose a Stainless Steel. Stainless Steel is resistant to rust and corrosion because it is impregnated with nickel, chromium, niobium, molybdenum, or titanium. It is the best suitable for larger pieces because it is a lot harder to bend and it is a lot stronger. Steel also comes in many gauges and can be found at your local Hardware store wire section or at your favorite Craft Store in the floral or jewelry section.  Make sure it is water resistant because there is nothing worse than after you spend so much time sculpting you come back to a big rust stain on your final painted piece.



Medium Strength is Copper Wire Option




You can easily find Copper wire right at your favorite Crafts Store (check the jewelry making section). It can be also be found at your local Hardware Store in the electric wiring section . Now  they have many colors and gauges to choose from, and it will be the project that will usually determine the size you will need.  Not to worry:  I will include a very useful chart to help you choose the best wire at the end of this post.


Copper is very hardy and  rust free. It is very important that the wire is rust resistant because working with paperclay requires water and the clay is rich and moist. That can get the wire to rust and those stains will surface and damage your final sculpture. Keep in mind that copper metal is  a lot softer than the stainless steel, so for that reason I recommend copper wire for smaller armature figurines. Because copper is easy to bend, this will help you to create intricate patterns and bend it into shape.
I love this metal for sculpting small figures.




Softer Aluminum Option


Now one of my personal favorites is Aluminum.  It is my favorite because this metal is both malleable and sturdy. In fact aluminum is the 2nd most  malleable metal.  Available in wire or paper, this metal is one of the most useful in armature construction.. It is water resistant and very easy to bend. It also comes in different gauges and can be found at your favorite Craft Store in the floral or jewelry-making sections. This wire  can be also be found at your local Dollar Tree. Remember this wire is soft so if you need a stronger hold (for example a doll leg or arm) it is not recommended, But it is good for filler! Aluminum foil paper is well recommended for hollow pieces like 3D Wall Art and many other pieces that are required to be a lighter weight.

Having this information on hand, do feel free to have fun experimenting with the various qualities of all these metals. Keep in mind their unique properties before using them in your future crafting projects .

Now I will leave you with a very useful chart so you can get the right size for your next project.





Have a blessed day and remember


Stay tuned for more tips and tutorials here at your Creative Paperclay® Material blog.

Sincerely,
Gloriann Irizarry



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