Antique jewelry is beautiful, but expensive. Here is a clever way to make some jewelry of your own that has the look of vintage, without the price tag. To start, use the tutorial outlined here to create a pattern for the facial silhouette. Using a model with her hair in a loose bun will create a more authentic portrait, but you can use anyone you wish.
Materials
Vintage looking metal oval brooch back, available at hobby stores in the jewelry section
Polymer clay in ivory and black, light blue or rose
Clay tools, including roller and awl
X-acto knife or similar blade
Glaze, paintbrush
Silhouette pattern, as mentioned above
Glue
Using the darker colored clay, create an oval which is about ΒΌ" thick and fits inside the base of the brooch. It will be easier to make it too big and trim it back than it will be if you make it too small and have to try to make it bigger, so add slightly more clay than you think it needs to make it the right size. Round off the edges slightly, so it resembles the side of an egg, though not as sharply angled. The top part should not be very rounded, as this is where the face will be placed.
Once you have made the paper pattern for your "antique" cameo face, roll out some of the ivory clay into a rectangle about 1/8" thick. Place the paper pattern on top and use the X-acto knife to cut the clay around the edges of paper. Place the profile on top of the center of the egg shape you created with the darker clay and press it down gently. If you score the base clay with hatch marks first, it will help make the two pieces hold together.
If you like, once the basic silhouette has been added to the base, use the awl to add detail lines to the face and hair. Bake according to the directions on the clay packaging. Glue the baked clay into the "antique" brooch base and allow to dry. Carefully apply a thin coat of the glaze, doing your best to avoid the metal parts. Allow the glaze to dry and then add a second coat.
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