![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3p2E9uCfd5xgpEec3NmiI6ehqrBTkJE18rHakSg0pd1rHjSFyOZfl3oSwGxHeCNxYqBzHzrmu816PW3nvcn2MRDDdiUOSeGfX1RPerLrPsnF6O-bPthyVenVX4De1bgQkCW3qM83marI/s400/orangeflower1a.jpg)
The drawing, done in Adobe Illustrator
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgx0k8f88clCpfKzTaXyW-yPcFrXXuH8QRVteyawRenxK2pSWb1dSERmsvOETkNwP2m4ZRFmCjEBrZ2GIDkVRRSMX_2BNE3otUt3nYNlGwEKNg7GN963ViudJ_Y_C3zDiO-O7NSfC3-E/s400/orangeflower1.jpg)
Building the flower out of PMC. This gray thing is going to become .999 silver after firing in my kiln.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpXj-XjXDEkdne4vOOnUpsvwevSImdp2Gz1qHlW0LXWny3BRkdDwnqvINsRUhdtrlVVCASB1krFflbHFlUQHaiZiUPLcmsqt_uhTiHEkcZ_paB7YzjP8kP1lftvfpkr0O4MD70oZPNHI/s400/orangeflower2.jpg)
Just out of the kiln, where the organic binder has burned off and the silver particles have fused, created a pure silver flower. It's like magic, I tell you!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6b8NOGJFXYKPXMuLT7qWoKh8ZGg3kEzFpoNQ56DqTgaeBv7nlCgRIVeqN6fTDuauImbdKNdq739W2vxa7pAQYnX8ov3celq_Ssr03aCS7jnmBssXhWOv5ycCbBPgf1Lfnc8-wx_AFgfI/s400/orangeflower3.jpg)
The finished piece, inlaid with tinted concrete
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PMkiJ-ikDZDCJeNTFTcVxtDerc5PmkpSmctWGe9iCxtfv6c_MQiKn45FNStTo5eeZbiICuOXG2p_5-clBoTnWCYJL_G0gfOIUcNnpw4CF-5b0M7x-ghGMkUZlxKP3z6pIDv2uCoLE_M/s400/orangeflower4.jpg)
Here's a large custom piece I just finished which I photographed along the way to show the different stages of working with precious metal clay (PMC). I like to do my initial sketches on paper with a pen, but always take them in to Adobe Illustrator for my final template. Since PMC shrinks around 13%, it's very helpful to scale my drawings in Illustrator so I can get the finished size I want. The shrinkage does vary sometimes, but I can get very close to the final size I want this way. This piece is much larger than I usually work, 1 3/4" in diameter (45mm) I may have to make one for myself!