How to Make Rose Gold Color in Metal Clay

Mix copper clay and White Bronze clay at a ratio of 6 to 1, as follows:

Roll a layer of copper clay, 6 cards thick.
Roll a layer of White Bronze clay, 6 cards thick.
Pick a cutter or a straw and cut 6 identical shapes out of the copper layer and 1 shape out of the White Bronze layer.

Mix the cutouts together into a chunk. Roll the chunk into a flat layer. Roll the layer into a jelly roll and fold it in half. Roll it flat again. Repeat until the color of the clay is even.

This clay fires at the same temperature as Quick-fire copper, bronze, and Pearl Grey Steel (see the instruction manual).

Here are all the colors side by side:

Here is the “rose gold” next to copper (copper on the right):

Here it is next to bronze (bronze on the right):

And here it is in a pendant.

This piece combines Quick-fire copper, bronze, and Pearl Grey Steel. The sky is a gradation from Pearl-Grey Steel to bronze. The sun is “rose gold”.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 9th, 2011 at 9:34 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

22 Responses to “How to Make Rose Gold Color in Metal Clay”

  • Adriana Says:
    January 9th, 2011 at 11:54 pm

    Thank you again Hadar for sharing with us all your search and experiments with metal clay.

  • sharon Cahill Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 3:50 am

    Well Hadar, you have done it again – I just love all of your work and how kind you are to share it with everybody.

    I would love to do a class with you, are you ever coming over to the UK, apparently you where here a couple of years ago, but I have only been using Metal Clay for 12 months.

    You rock!!!

  • Gera Scott Chandler Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 4:59 am

    Hello Hadar–these colour effects are glorious!! Could items like the pendant be torch fired?

    Best wishes-
    gera

  • Suzanne Beavis Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 5:36 am

    I just recently purchased 2 more of your books and some of the new clays. It’s great that you work so creatively to produce new ideas for artists to try. I love your books…so clear in the instructions. I can’t wait to get started.

  • Tamara Cculp Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 7:18 am

    Cool! Hadar the subtlties you are achieving are wonderful! These techniques will help many of us bring a real depth to our work.

  • Linda Reboh Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 8:21 am

    Hadar, your amazing! Where do you find the time? So glad I found your blog, all my students are now using it too! I’ve had some really nice pieces from them, it really helps when they are not in class and encourages them to work on their own.
    Love the rose color!

  • Hadar Jacobson Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 9:01 am

    Gera,

    None of this can be torched fired. Only tiny pieces of copper can be torched fired.

  • Hadar Jacobson Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 9:02 am

    Sharon,

    I hope to come back some day!

  • Pat Roach Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 11:33 am

    Once again truly wonderful

  • Sandee Butler Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    I’m so glad that you share all the wonderful techniques you come up with. I can’t wait to see you up in Washington again. Your pendantIs glorious with all the colors. Truly remarkable!

  • Lila Diamantopoulou Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    Hadar, I think you are amazing and all this work you do and the sharing, remarkable.
    But, don’t you think that putting the word ‘gold’ where there is only base metals is just… wrong!?
    I know you refer to the color, and you used quotation mark, but others may get confused. I reckon ‘rose bronze’ sounds as attractive and is more truthful.
    Best regards,
    Lila
    PS: I also hope I’ll take another class with you soon.

  • Hadar Jacobson Says:
    January 10th, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    Lila,

    You have a point, and it’s a good idea. Maybe I’ll call it rose bronze in my book.

  • Kenji 賢治 Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 5:09 am

    Beautiful work Hadar!! Thanks for sharing this with us. I’m ready to go give it a try…

  • ann schneider Says:
    January 11th, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Brilliant and gorgeous! I am so excited about learning all of these things.
    Thank you, thank you!

  • Michelle Glaeser Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 9:03 am

    Hadar,

    What a fantastic alternative to my rose gold clay (metalclayheads.blogspot.com)! This is a great recipe for an alternate product. I do agree that Rose Bronze would be a more appropriate name.But results are lovely!

    I will see you at the Pittsburgh workshop! This mix will be a nice mix to the maku gane. Does mixing with copper give better firing results for the white bronze? My mom has done a lot of work to find the right temperature for it.

    Thanks again for the recipe!
    Michelle

  • Carol Scheftic Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 1:18 pm

    Thanks, Hadar. This looks very interesting, and I’m eager to try it!

    But I agree with Lila about the “rose bronze” name, especially since an actual 14K rose gold clay was announced just a few days before your post:

    http://metalclayheads.blogspot.com/2011/01/introducing-14k-rose-gold-clay.html

    I’m sure Michelle will have both clay and results handy to show you in person when you get to Pittsburgh in March.

  • Michelle Glaeser Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    Great spin on the latest 14k Rose Gold Clay! Definitely a cheaper alternative with a similar look.

    Does the copper help with the firing issues of the white bronze?

    I look forward to meeting you at the Pittsburgh workshop! Your pieces are amazing!! Also can’t wait to try the products with the creator!

  • Hadar Jacobson Says:
    January 12th, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Michelle,

    I went to the URL that you mentioned in your comment and read about your rose gold. Congratulations! It’s beautiful. I don’t think that rose bronze is an alternative to rose gold, just as White Bronze is not an alternative to silver. It’s not precious metal, and may appeal to a a different kind of both artists and customers.

    The copper content raises the sintering temperature. It is fired at the same temperature as copper and bronze. White Bronze is tricky. If you don’t get sintering. raise the temperature by 10F at a time. Good luck, and see you in Pittsburgh!

  • Michelle Glaeser Says:
    January 14th, 2011 at 3:02 am

    I’ll pass along the firing the firing advice. I think she is on the other end where the temperature is too high. Sounds like the rose bronze might help her out. I do think she may have run through the 100g before she got anything to sinter right. I guess that is why a test piece is a good idea!

    Thanks for the compliment of the 14k RGC! Everyone suggested I get advice from you on selling clay. Looks like research and innovation with fantastic project ideas helps!

    Thanks again!
    Michelle

  • Michelle Glaeser Says:
    September 7th, 2011 at 4:14 am

    Hadar,

    Since the rose bronze is more copper, will it work with silver the same as copper? Or is there enough bronze in it that bad things happen? I’m considering adding a silver clay tip (similar to riveting) to a rose bronze piece, but I don’t know if I should just rivet it to prevent the effects if bronze and silver in the kiln together. Thanks!

    Michelle

  • Hadar Jacobson Says:
    September 7th, 2011 at 8:14 am

    Michelle, Truthfully, I haven’t tried hot-riveting silver to rose bronze, and I wouldn’t like to speak based on theory (alas, theory and practice hardly ever go together). I really should buy me some silver. Please let me know if you get to try it.

  • Michelle Glaeser Says:
    September 7th, 2011 at 11:11 am

    Thanks Hadar! I will give it a try and let you know what happens. Based on your ring sizing tips, I am guessing the rose bronze will shrink less than the silver. I will try a small sample piece first!

    Michelle