I'm still experimenting with my Adirondack inks and metal leaf.  Too bad I was a dummy and didn't keep notes this time around.  I do remember that the black pendant was black base clay, then I used torn sheets of clay that I had lined with gold foil and various inks and rolled them into the clay.  Very thin coat of liquid clay to protect the surface.  As for the other, well, I love its uniqueness but can't even begin to remember what order I used inks  and liquid clay and metal leaf.  Sigh.  Back to experimenting but just wanted to share and show how differently very similar techniques could look.

 Oh, and I saw Linelle's comment about Pinata inks being more concentrated...maybe I need to give those a whirl, being the clay-item-buying-addict that I can sometimes to be!

VERY cool pieces, denise. The one on the right looks like something I have seen somewhere, but can't for the life of me remember exactly where. Looks sorta like a batik cloth. The colors are great! Nice work.

Beautiful, Denise! The one on the right is really unique, spidery. I know what you mean about the ink-stained fingers, I'm always in too much of a hurry to put on a glove. If you're in a buying mood, try the Pinata Exciter Pack. I've taken a vow of poverty for two months, so I'll spend vicariously through the rest of you. 

I totally LOVE the purple tie-dyed pendant. it looks a little like Jeanne Rhea's work with Tria inks. I would love to know how you got the look, but I certainly understand if you can't remember how you did it!!

Yes, it's tie-dye! I remember trying to figure out how to do that and I don't think we ever came up with anything. Hopefully Denise's memory will return.  

These both came out great!

On the tie dye one it almost looks like there is a base layer of inks and leaf, covered with trans, and then another layer with the blue ink splash (no leaf), then another layer of trans to seal the whole thing. 

okay ladies, I'm really straining my brain here trying to remember if I used any trans. clay on this piece.  don't think that i did but don't hold me to that.  Base clay is black obviously.  I had some silver leaf on white clay that had been rolled and stretched out so the leaf is very crackled and sparse.  I may have even torn that sheet before I put it on the clay. now the hard part, still don't remember if it used trans clay but I'm guessing not. I think I put a really thin layer of liquid polyclay over the silver leaf and then dropped the big blue dot right from the bottle.  then did a couple little dots with a paint brush with the plum color, hence small dots. Now, this is the part that I'm REALLY unsure about but I think I let it set for a while then carefully added a thicker layer of liquid polyclay and immediately used a brush to add the star patterned plum spots.  That star pattern was a complete surprise to me, must have something to do with the thickness and tackiness level of the liquid clay.  Obviously I need to do some experimenting to see if I can ever replicate this style.  Woe be me if I can't 'cuz I'm really like these inks!

 Thanks for the feedback!  I'll let you know if I get a chance to experiment...and keep notes this time!

VERRRRY interesting!

Another reason to keep a permanent log at your worktable and jot down steps you took, materials used. Both for things you love and hate. It amazes me how little time will elapse and I go, how in the world did I do that? Or...that? NEVER do that again! 

 so I think you are saying you had a base of white with leaf, added some liquid and dropped ink directly onto the liquid. they used more liquid on top. I may try playing with this now because I have some time and am bored with my usual schtick.

 I'm back. made a bunch of ugly stuff. nothing as cool like what Denise managed to create. Maybe they will look better when baked, probably not much...

aw 'bee.  I am kicking myself for not remembering!!  Try coating the white clay/leaf with a thick layer of liquid clay.  Drop big drops (like my blue) while the liquid clay is still fresh.  Then maybe try 2 ways:  1) immediately follow with small drops (like my cranberry) in the middle of the big drops and 2) also try letting the liquid clay get a little tacky before doing the smaller drops.  Short of that, I'm clueless as to any other variations that I may have done.  

Recently I tried the technique that looks like glazed tile, really easy with good results. Anyway, you mix alcohol ink into liquid clay for the glaze. The tute suggests putting the ink on the liquid clay and letting it sit awhile so the alcohol can evaporate and just leave pigment behind. It definitely looks cool, all intense color with some nice stuff along the edges. But it is much deeper in color than Denise's. You could always dilute with Extender or just plain alcohol. Pinata's blue is very intense.

It may be that the spider effect happened as the liquid clay was semi-setup, because I think a wet surface lets the ink spread in a more circular fashion. 

Denise, do you let the ink dry completely before doing anything else? How about the liquid clay?

Umm...nope, didn't let things totally dry.  No patience for that, beadme! 

Okay, did some experimenting based on my description above, which is what I thought that I did the first time around to get the tye-dye.......total flop!  As you can see, I have gold leaf instead of silver, and it covers the entire piece. Still, very unhappy result.  I don't even think they are worth finishing except for maybe the smaller earring beads.  BUMMER.  I'm starting to think my tye-dye is a one time only fluke "masterpiece"! 

 I tried some other variations last night but ran out of time to bake...NOT a good thing for one piece.  I'll post those when I bake them and explain the minor disaster.........

I like the one at the lower-right. It's like cool algae or lichen. 

 I like the algae one too. I tried a few more times but could not get the good spidery effect. what I made is not bad, just nothing great, and not what I hoped for. maybe I'll post after baking. I like to have a whole load before I cure.

I think the algae one is very cool, too.

Linelle, I've started trying to remember to keep my camera handy while experimenting so I can take pics of the steps as I go.  Much better than my sketches and easier to recall with visuals than with words. 

I like the top one. I think they are definitely worth finishing.

Freda