I find myself using micashifting techniques often. I'm not always happy with them, I slice off important parts of the design, and I lose more detail when sanding. This technique will not replace mica shifting, but it may be an option for less fussy work, with a very similar look when using stamps.

So, why cheat?

• Not all clayers have a pasta machine.
  
• This is a good way to use up your scrap clays!
  
• Captures all the tiny detail of your stamp.
  
• And well cause it's EASY and I'm lazy, no fussy slicing involved *grin*
  

List of materials:

• Some kind of rubber stamp, or you could even draw into the raw clay.
  
• Something to roll out your clay.
  
• Something to cut your shape out with.
  
• Pearl ex powders, not interference.
  
• TranslucentLiquid clay, I've used the Kato here, but you could experiment with other brands, Kato has the shine I wanted!
  
• Loads of scrap clay!!
  

Step 1: Collect your scraps and combine these into that horrid mud color we're all so familiar with! At this point, you can add some black to darken it, but this is up to you, very little of the clay will show through.

Step 2: Now, you can roll out your clay to whatever thickness you need, if I was doing a notebook cover I would go for about 1/8th inch. A pendant which will have a base, go for half that, 1/16th.

Step 3: Choose your stamps, use ONLY water as a release, you don't want powders or grease preventing the pearlex from sticking. Either lightly mist your clay sheet with water or just dampen it with your fingers. Now press in your stamp and pull away, if the image didn't turn out as well as your wanted let it dry, roll it out again, and start over, too easy! You want the detail of the stamp, but you don't want it too deep, you'll see why later! Don't worry about little lines leftover from the edges of the stamp, we can smooth these out when applying the powders. Make sure the water has dried up before you begin the next step.

Step 4: I've now cut the sheet into manageable pieces. Next! The powders!! Oooh, choose your colours. One is fine, two is better, more would be amazing! The interference don't cover enough, the golds/silvers/copper cover the very best. I don't see why these wouldn't work with other powders/pulvers, just experiment. Using a big soft brush I've really coated the impressions, making sure to work the powder into all the details, we don't want to highlight, we want to fill it in...I've blended the colors as I go for more interest.

Step 5: Now I cut out my final shape and bevel the edges with my fingers, then dust the cut edges with more pearlex to finish it off.

Step 6: Cure your pieces. Clay varies, but I cure mine for about 20 minutes at 275, as I'll be curing more later.

Step 7: After removing pieces from your oven let cool REALLY well, don't be tempted to icewater dunk these babies, we don't want to lose any of that powder. Now that the pieces are fully cooled we can carefully tap them to remove excess powder, we don't want anything preventing our liquid clay from sticking!

Step 8: Liquid clay time! I drizzle some on, start small, you can add more. Using a soft paintbrush I smooth it over the entire surface, in both directions, we don't want brush marks, we don't want drips and drizzles!. Make sure to fill in your impressed images, this is most important, we can add another layer after it's cured and cooled if you feel the impressions aren't level with the clay surface. Let the pieces sit for 15 minutes or so, the liquid will level itself.

Step 9: Cure according to the manufacturers directions. If you'd prefer, you can also coat the back of your piece once it's cooled, this will prevent any peeling that might occur with the clay not sticking to the powders, but it's up to you, I haven't had much trouble either way.

Enjoy your easy (was that easy??) faux ghostimaging !