Sakura Website

Basic Technique Instructions

*Gather all your supplies (listed above before beginning).
Pre-heat your oven about 15 minutes before you are ready to
bake the clay tiles. Work diectly on ceramic tiles or the backside
of flat cooking pans. You do not want to bake clay where food
will touch the pan afterwards.


EASY WATERCOLOR TECHNIQUES
1. Squeeze a small amount of the paint colors you plan to use or mix
together, separately, onto a plastic lid or palette. Add water to
a clean area of palette by squeezing the WaterBrush. Dip clean brush
into a paint color and mix with water on palette. Clean
brush by squeezing the brush cpen center and dabbing on a
folded paper towel until clean water clomes out. It's normal for
the brush to color stain somewhat. Dip in second color and
mix with the first watered color.

2. Spritz the watercolor paper surface with water. Cover the
area so its glistening but not dripping wet. Paint a simple flower
shape and wait to see the color bleed out past your design lines.

SALT TECHNIQUE: While still somewhat wet, sprinkle salt (table, sea
salt, kosher salt or rock salt) over areas that you'd like to
add texture to. Allow the paint to dry full, then brush away salt.




WATER SPATTER TECHNIQUE: When the design is almost dry, load
a large WaterBush with water and hit it against your opposite
pointer finger to allow tiny drops of water to fall onto the designs.

3. Add flower leaves or stems at this point (if desired) and
let dry fully. Use a very fine Micron marker to add the
details such as outlining. The smalller the picture
the finer the marker I use. If the paper is warpped when dry,
place between paper and under a stack
of books of heavy object.

4. Scan the picture and reduce it on a computer to the pendant, magnet
etc. desired size. My pendants are usually 1.35" squares or
1.75 x .75" rectangles. Magents are larger (2"wide) as they
usually have text usually.

5. Insert images in a row onto a new window in program at the
printing size. Print the image on an inkjet printer at the "best"
printing setting. Cut out the image either on the colorful line
or leave a white border if you'd like framed art. You may use
a small corner rounder punch tool to round the corners if you'd like.


6. Press the image face up onto the clay. Burnish with finger to
smooth and secure it to the clay. Cut away and remove excess clay.
Apply a thin layer of TLS to the image surface and cut edges to
seal it. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes then add a second thin coat.
Bake for the full, recommended time for the clay brand you
are using.

7. Roll a 1/16" thick (third thickest pasta machine setting) of
white clay. Apply a thin layer of TLS on the sheet (shown), spread
it out into a smooth even layer and press a tile in place. This
creates a thicker tile and allows for a jump ring to be added.
Place pendant tiles with space between. Cut around
the shapes with craft blade and remove excess clay.

8. For pendants or charms that will hang, close an oval jump
ring and grasp the side opposite the ends. Add a drop of
superglue to the ends and press half way into the top center
edge, just below the baked tile layer. Bake the tiles once
again at the same brand temperature for 15 minutes.

9. When completely cool, you can sand any rough SIDE edges but do
NOT sand the paper edges or top surface or you will sand
off your image. Wipe away clay dust with damp cloth.



10. Test the flow of the Daimond Glaze on a piece of cardstock,
then apply a puddle of the glaze to the center of the image,
allowing about 1/4" clay free of glazeaound the top surface edge.
Using the tip, pull the glaze out towards the surface edges, but
not allow it to spill over the top. Allow the glaze to dry
4-5 hours, or overnight to be sure it cures completley. the thickness
of the glaze will determine how fast it will dry. I usually add
no more then 1/16" of glaze.

11. Earrings are easy to create. Follow the instructions
above but use just the first layer of clay and pierce a hole for
the hook finding and a dangle bead if desired. Re-poke hole
right after adding glaze to re-open the hole. If it closes up,
use a tiny drill bit to re-open it. See photo below.

Zipper Pulls or Charms

Below are some photos for inspiration of additional projects
you can make using this same transfer technique. You can use
short ball chain keychains, lanyard hooks or keyrings that have
a latch openning.