Bengal Tiger Bangle

Tigers are an instant eye catcher. With their bright orange coupled with deep black, and those eyes that stare out in a haunting manner. They make for great photos and great jewelry, so today I decided to make a tiger bangle for the summer. This could be worn casually or when dressed up.

1. Clay in orange (I am using cold porcelain clay)
2. A printed photo of a tiger (could be from a magazine or printed from the computer)
3. Clay knife
4. Piece of yarn or paper to measure your wrist
5. Scissors to cut the tiger picture out
6. Mod podge or another quick drying craft glue to adhere the tiger to the clay
7. Rhinestones in orange
8. Black acrylic paint and paint brush
9. Shaving Razor or any other item with an interesting texture to add to the bangle
10. Pencil or clay tool for piercing the clay for jump rings
11. Wet paper towel
12. Gold chain
13. Gold jump rings (at least 6)
14. Lobster claw clasp
15. Pliers to open jump rings
16. Gloss varnish to add a protective coating
17. Orange glitter for extra bling

I am measuring my wrist with a piece of string. This will give me a general idea on how long to make my clay base.

With a clay roller or other tool, I roll out my clay in a thin strip, not worrying if it is even. I trim it with a knife tool to make an even, long, rectangle shape.

With the printed tiger picture, try to line it up on the clay to know how much you need to cut off. That way it is even with the clay.

Instead of cutting the side edges with scissors, I tore the paper to give it a more organic look. Then I mod podged the photo down on the clay strip.

At this time, I also got my little rhinestones ready. I did not apply them yet, though.

With my finger, I spread a plain black acrylic paint all over the orange clay base. Now it is time to add some interest to our bangle by adding a cool texture. I decided to go with the strange lines on the back of this disposable shaving razor, but you could do whatever you wanted. I went with lines because a tiger has stripes, which are essentially lines, not anything like polka dots or squares, etc.

On one side I painted first and then pressed the razor back in, but I think it worked a lot better on the second side where I pressed the razor back FIRST and then painted black on top of that.

Another thing, I should have only waited a few seconds and then brushed off a bunch of the black paint. Instead I took my clay tool and punched by holes for my jump rings and let the paint dry more than I should have.

I am making two holes on either end of the base (for the jump ring and clasp), and then I made two holes on either side of the tiger along the bottom of the clay band. These are also for jump rings.

Then I wiped off excess black paint, leaving just some to give it a sketchy, scrubby look that highlighted the stripe texture. As I said, I should have not waited so long to do this. It was much harder than it should have been because I waited too long.

Now it is time to add the rhinestones.

I put three on either side of the tiger photo in a diagonal. I added one last rhinestone to the tiger's face. I used a little plastic spoon to help press the rhinestones into the clay.

Now for the gold chain.

I fetched six gold jump rings and inserted them into all the previously made holes. Then, beginning at the end of the chain and the end of the bangle, I hooked the chain links onto the jump rings. I did both ends first so that I could try to make the excess chain loops equal.

Then I draped the chain and hooked it to the other four jump rings in a looping manner. The photos better illustrate what I mean.

Add the lobster claw to one of the end jump rings. Then close all the jump rings with the pliers, trapping the chain links inside.

You may have to add more jump rings to one of the ends depending on how well your bracelet fits. I had to add a few more to get a good fit that wasn't too tight.

Before I added glitter, I gave the whole bangle one coat of Duraclear Gloss Varnish. Then I added bits of orange glitter here and there for some extra pizzazz. After that, coat the bangle with another layer of varnish to secure the glitter.

Your bracelet is now finished! It is an eye catching statement piece, I hope you enjoyed making it and will enjoy wearing it for time to come!

Go Clay Today!