Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2 Polymer Clay Book
2 Polymer Clay Book
Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................... 5 What is Polymer Clay?.................................................................................................... 6 How Polymer Clay Can Be Used..................................................................................... 7 More Than Just Clay Blocks............................................................................................ 8 Liquid Polymer Clay ................................................................................................... 8 Eraser Clay.................................................................................................................. 8 Tools to Use With Polymer Clay ..................................................................................... 9 Advanced Tools ........................................................................................................ 10 Household Items As Tools......................................................................................... 11 Working The Clay......................................................................................................... 12 Work Surface ............................................................................................................ 12 Conditioning ............................................................................................................. 12 Hard and Old Clay..................................................................................................... 12 Polymer Clay Safety Precautions................................................................................... 13 Mixing Colors ............................................................................................................... 14 Blending New Colors ................................................................................................ 14 Marble Effect ............................................................................................................ 14 Shading ..................................................................................................................... 15 For a Long Shaded Ribbon ........................................................................................ 15 For a Shaded Polymer Sheet...................................................................................... 16 Mixing Different Brand Polymer Clays ..................................................................... 16 How to Keep Polymer Clay From Sticking.................................................................... 17 Avoiding Fingerprints ................................................................................................... 17 Baking Polymer Clay .................................................................................................... 18 Temperature is Key!.................................................................................................. 18 Is It Done?................................................................................................................. 18 Special Curing Instructions ........................................................................................... 19 Beads ........................................................................................................................ 19 3-D And Fragile Pieces ............................................................................................. 20 Flat Pieces................................................................................................................. 20 Large Items ............................................................................................................... 20 Finishing Touches ......................................................................................................... 21 Sanding ..................................................................................................................... 21 Buffing...................................................................................................................... 21 Carving ..................................................................................................................... 21 Painting..................................................................................................................... 22 Glazing...................................................................................................................... 22 Additional Polymer Clay Tips ....................................................................................... 23 Attaching Clay Pieces Together................................................................................. 23 Attaching Pieces of Wet Clay.................................................................................... 23 Attaching Pieces of Cured Clay................................................................................. 23 Transferring Photos to Polymer Clay......................................................................... 23 Dolls ............................................................................................................................. 24
Making a Doll Head .................................................................................................. 24 Making a Partial Doll ................................................................................................ 25 Making a Whole Doll ................................................................................................ 25 Making Teeth ............................................................................................................ 26 Making Eyes ............................................................................................................. 26 Hair........................................................................................................................... 27 Finishing Touches ..................................................................................................... 28 Beads ............................................................................................................................ 29 Making Beads with Bead Rollers............................................................................... 29 Making Beads by Hand ............................................................................................. 30 Making the Holes ...................................................................................................... 30 Finishing the Beads ................................................................................................... 30 How to Make a Graduated Bead Necklace................................................................. 31 Hollow Beads............................................................................................................ 32 Cane Bead Basics.......................................................................................................... 33 Cane Bead Making Notes .......................................................................................... 33 The Size Will Change................................................................................................ 33 Cutting Even Beads................................................................................................... 33 Avoiding Deformation While Cutting........................................................................ 33 Intentionally Deforming Cane Beads......................................................................... 34 Fixing Flaws in Cane Beads ...................................................................................... 34 Spiral Cane Beads ......................................................................................................... 35 Flower Cane Beads ....................................................................................................... 36 Leaf Cane Beads ........................................................................................................... 38 Making Heart or Animal Print Cane Beads.................................................................... 40 Cookie Cutter Gift Tags ................................................................................................ 42 Easy Polymer Ornaments .............................................................................................. 43 Easy Polymer Magnets.................................................................................................. 44 Making Pendants........................................................................................................... 45 Making Mushrooms ...................................................................................................... 46 Awareness Ribbons ....................................................................................................... 48 Flowers in Bloom.......................................................................................................... 49 Polymer Clay Pen Covers.............................................................................................. 51 Making Roses ............................................................................................................... 53 Making Ribbon Candy .................................................................................................. 56 Making Polymer Clay Cakes ......................................................................................... 58 Making Snakes.............................................................................................................. 61 Making Teddy Bears Carrying Flowers ......................................................................... 64 Embellishments in Polymer Clay................................................................................... 67 Chrysanthemum Bath Salt Jar........................................................................................ 68 Family Flower Frame.................................................................................................... 70 Make A Family Flower Tree ......................................................................................... 71 What to do With Scrap Clay.......................................................................................... 74 Blend New Colors ..................................................................................................... 74 Paintable Projects ...................................................................................................... 74 Objects that are to be Covered ................................................................................... 74
Making Money off of Polymer Projects......................................................................... 75 Your Own Site .......................................................................................................... 75 EBay.com.................................................................................................................. 75 Etsy.com ................................................................................................................... 75 Flea Markets.............................................................................................................. 76 Craft Shows............................................................................................................... 76 Custom Beads ........................................................................................................... 77 Custom Work ............................................................................................................ 77
Introduction
If you are a crafty person you may have found yourself time and time again walking past the polymer clay section in the craft store and wondering 'I wonder what I could do with that?' But, chances are you kept on walking because you just weren't sure you were ready to get into something new, or just didnt know where to start in getting into this type of art form. The other possibility is that you have dabbled with polymer clay a little bit, but never learned the techniques necessary to take it to the next level. You may have liked the idea of making decorative beads or unique items but didn't know how, so instead, you decided to just put that clay away and give up on it. We have heard hundreds of questions about how to use polymer clay, what it is, how to bake it and how to make all types of crafts. This book is the result of those questions, as we try to help you take your clay time to the next level, or finally decide to give it a try. Clay Happy!
One of the first questions many people ask is 'What is Polymer Clay?' They wonder if it's like pottery clay, play-dough or some completely different animal. It is a completely different thing. Unlike natural clays that are made of earth, polymer clay is made of plastic that has a soft consistency, called Polymer Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC. Dyes are added to the plastic base to make color. In order to make the clay that you are working become solid, you will have to cook it. The cooking process 'burns off' the liquid chemical part of the clay, leaving a hard piece behind. When you are at the store you may notice there are a number of options when it comes to choosing Polymer Clay Sculpey, Premo, KatoClay and Fimo. For the most part they are all the same. Where they differ is in strength. Sculpey is considered the beginner's clay. It is more affordable than the other brands, but with that lower price comes some flaws. Once hardened, it is more brittle than other polymer clay options. The other three brands are commonly used by artists as they hold up much more effectively after curing.
Eraser Clay
A newer style of polymer clay that is becoming more and more popular is eraser clay. This is solid clay that looks just like your regular polymer clay, but instead has a unique quality. Once you have baked your creation not only is it fun to look at, but can also be functional, as it doubles as a pencil eraser.
When it comes to creating masterpieces, large and small, from polymer clay, there are a number of tools on the market, and in your home, that you can use. Here's a quick list of some of the tools you may want to have:
A Mat You always want to use a mat to work with your clay. Many work area mats are for sale in craft stores or may come with a basic clay working tool kit. You can also use parchment paper or another surface that will allow you to be able to remove the clay without it getting stuck. If you like the idea of being able to switch back and forth between creations, you may want to consider using index cards on top of your mat. This way you can work on a creation on the index card and move it aside when you want to work on something else. Cutting Blade A long cutting blade will help you to cut and separate the clay with smooth lines. This will be a tool you will use constantly so you may want to have a few extras around. Molds For three-dimensional creations out of polymer clay, there are a number of molds on the market that will create anything from doll parts to racing cars or jewelry pendants. Some of these are solid and others are made of a flexible material that will make your pressed-clay creation easier to remove. Rolling Pin When you are beginning to work with polymer clay, you will want to enlist the help of a rolling pin to make the clay flat and smooth. Look for rolling pins that are made specifically for polymer clay, such as Plexiglas, as they are less likely to have the clay stick to them.
Pasta Machine If you are going to be doing a lot of polymer clay work, precision work or just don't want to waste time with a rolling pin, you may want to invest in a pasta machine. A hand-crank machine is relatively affordable and will make beautiful sheets of polymer clay to use in your creations. It is also a great way to blend clays and create lovely effects. Texture Sheets Most craft stores sell texture sheets. These are flat sheets, usually of plastic, that have textures and designs on them, When you press the designs into the clay, it will transfer the texture and create a textured finish to your piece. Bead Roller While many people roll beads in polymer clay by hand, others want beads that are uniform in size. This is where a bead roller can come in. This device will allow you to put a small amount of clay inside, roll it back and forth and get matching beads each time. Hole Maker If you are making jewelry, ornaments or anything else that needs a hole in it, you will want a bead hole maker to get the job done. Clay Shapers These look like a paintbrush but with rubber tips and are used to shape and carve the clay as you sculpt. There are a variety of sizes and shapes of these and many sculptors like to have a selection of them to work with. Sandpaper Once you have baked your polymer clay, you are going to want to have sandpaper to smooth the edges down and make it feel like a finished piece. Baby Wipes From cleaning your tools to cleaning your working surface, you will always want to have a package of baby wipes nearby. The alcohol in the wipes makes clean up a breeze and will help you avoid the colors of your clay getting mixed together while you are working. You should also keep these on hand to clean your fingers. If you are working with bright colors, some of the tinting will come off on your fingers and you will need to wipe it off or you may get upset when that tint transfers to other colors of clay that you are working.
10
11
Work Surfac e
When it comes to your work surface, most any surface will do. But remember, you want to make sure you create a space that you can remove your clay from easily. You also will be using cutting tools on the clay, so you want to make sure that you have chosen a work surface that you don't mind if there are cuts in. The best advice is to get a craft mat to work on that will allow you to use your tools without damaging the surface underneath. If you want to make things even easier you may want to additionally put waxed paper, index cards or other flexible and smooth items under your project to make it easier to remove it from the surface for working and curing.
Condi tioni ng
Before you start making beautiful creations out of polymer clay, you have to get it into the right condition and consistency to start working with it. All clay needs to be conditioned. This means you need to take it out of its original packaging and work it around in your hands for a bit. If you have ever baked bread in the past, think of this as kneading dough. You need to make the clay pliable and easy to mold into whatever shape you are going to create.
Hard a nd Ol d Clay
If you have hard or old clay that you need to soften up and kneading it isn't enough, you should try adding a few drops of Liquid Polymer clay medium. Work it in and it should help to soften the clay up for you to use. If you dont have any liquid polymer clay medium, you can try a couple of drops of a hand lotion. Sometimes that will offer just enough liquid to make the clay workable for your next project.
12
13
Mixing Colors
If you have seen polymer clay pieces with colors you can't find in the store, great marble designs or colors that fade from one shade to another, you may have wondered how to do this. It's easier than you think.
Blending Ne w Colors
If you want a color that isn't quite one of the colors you have on hand, you may want to blend a new color in your polymer clay. This is just as easy as it was to blend paints in elementary school to make a new color. Choose the colors that you want to blend and work the pieces together until they meld into one another. You can either do this by hand, or if you have a pasta machine, folding and running the pieces through together through the machine until your new color has been achieved.
Marble Effec t
The marble effect of clay is easy to create. Take two or more colors of clay and push them together. You may want to work them together a bit and twist the colors around one another to make more attractive designs. If you have a pasta machine, run the pieces through the machine. Otherwise, roll them out with your rolling pin. You will notice the pressure melds the colors in a unique design. You can fold, twist and bend the piece together and run it through again and again until you get the color combination you want. An important thing to remember is not to over blend the colors. Too much and you will just create a new solid color, not a marble design.
14
Sha di ng
If you want to have the color of your design fade from one color to another over time, you can use what is known as the Skinner Method, which is named after Judith Skinner who invented it. This method is simple. Choose your two colors and roll them out in the pasta maker individually. Now cut them into triangles from one end to the other.
Put the two pieces together and use your finger to mold the line of the center so they stay combined.
From this point on, the instructions will differ depending on the results you want from your polymer clay.
15
Run through the pasta machine lengthwise. Fold lengthwise and roll through the machine again. You will repeat this process a number of times until the colors are blended from light to dark.
16
Avoiding Fingerprints
While some people like seeing a few fingerprints in polymer clay creations to show they were in fact hand made, not everyone is of this same opinion. To avoid fingerprints in the clay as you work it, you may want to wear latex gloves. If you don't like the idea of wearing full gloves, there are also latex fingertips available that will just cover the area you are using to work the clay.
17
Is It Do ne?
This is the question all polymer clay artists will always ask, is it done? Here is a rule of thumb. You can always cook polymer clay a few minutes longer if you are not sure.
18
Make sure you have set the oven at the right temperature (and that your oven is reliable for cooking at the proper temperature), do the math on what it should take to cook the piece (most need to be heated for 15 minutes per inch of clay). Before you judge whether or not the piece is completely cured, let it cool. Then check. If it's not, you can always put it back in the oven, as long as you keep cooking it at the same temperature.
Beads
If you have created a number of beads, you don't want them to sit on a flat surface in the oven or the heat may cause them to flatten on that side, giving you lopsided beads at the end of the curing cycle. Instead there are three options for curing beads:
Polyfil
If you have any Polyfil (quilt batting) around the house, you can take a small piece of that and set the beads on it to cushion them and keep them from marking.
Folded Paper
The final option is to take a piece of paper and fold it into a fan-like shape. Set the beads in the folds, to support them off of the hot cooking surface.
19
Flat Piece s
If you have created a flat pendant or other piece that you want to keep flat, you may want to take a few precautions to make sure the clay does not warp during curing. Place the piece on parchment paper, put another piece of parchment on top of it and then set a piece of ceramic tile on top to keep it flat during cooking. Because of the tile on top, you should add a little more on to the curing time.
Large Ite ms
If you are cooking larger items that will not fit in the oven, you will have to instead find a way to cook them outside the oven. The most common solution is to use a heat gun and manually cure the piece. In this case you will need to read and follow the instructions on the heat gun.
20
Finishing Touches
Once you have completed curing a piece, it is ready for anything from painting to wearing and will be able to hold up to use, water and almost anything else you have in mind for it. Many people go through a series of finishing steps before they call a piece complete. Which of these you use will depend a lot on what you want your finished project to look like.
Sandi ng
When sanding polymer clay you should use a wet-sanding technique. That means you will literally put the piece of clay and your sandpaper in the water and sand it in the water. Begin with more coarse sandpaper (400 grit), and as you begin to get rid of any irregularities you can move to more fine grits (600, 800 or even 1200) to get the smooth finish you want for your piece.
Buffi ng
Many people choose to buff their polymer creations to make them shine. You can either do this by hand, with a soft cloth or buffing pad or using a buffing attachment on a rotary tool. You will know when your buffing is done by the fact that it will cause the clay to take on a slight shine.
Carving
After you pull your clay creations out of the oven, you have the option of carving them. This is often done to add a drawing, tribal design or even letters or words to a piece. This is best done when the piece is still warm. You should start by drawing the design with a pencil, and once you like it, using a carving tool and carefully carve into the piece following your drawn lines.
21
Painting
If you want to paint details on your creations, or are using scrap clay and want to paint the entire piece, you should use acrylic paints for the job. These can be found in the paint section of a craft store. Other types of paint, like enamel, will not dry properly on polymer clay.
Glazing
Adding a layer of glaze can protect your creation as well as make it look more finished. There are two kinds of glaze finish you can put on your polymer clay matte and gloss. Which one you choose will depend on whether you want your finished creation to shine or just have a layer of protection. Glaze will be applied with a paintbrush. Make sure you give it ample time to dry before touching it or you could ruin all of your hard work with a fresh fingerprint.
22
23
Dolls
One thing many people want to dabble in when working with polymer clay is making a doll or two. Some want to create a traditional baby doll. Others want to create unique characters with human features. Still others want to create fairies, elves or other mythical creatures. No matter which kind of doll you want to end up with the basics are the same. The first thing you will need to do is decide how much of your doll is going to be made of polymer clay. Most people select either to make the doll head out of polymer, a partial doll (the head, hands and feet) or the whole doll. If you are considering making the full doll of polymer, understand that after it has been cured, polymer will no longer be flexible so it will essentially be a solid figurine. Here are the basics for each of these plans.
Molds
If you are not as skilled of a sculptor, you are going to need a little help making a doll head. In this case, you are going to need to purchase a mold that depicts the doll head you want. Many of today's molds are flexible molds, which make them easy to use.
1. Push the clay into the mold. Make sure that you push it enough to completely fill the mold and not leave any open spaces or the face will come out incomplete.
24
2. Fold the mold so it will release the piece of clay. 3. If you are going to attach this head to anything, you may want insert a wire or rod into the base of the head to have something coming out that you can attach to your creation. 4. Smooth the edges until the face looks like you want it. If you are going to add features (long ears, a longer nose, etc, this would be the time to do it). 5. Cure the piece.
Maki ng Tee th
One of the problems that plague people making polymer clay dolls is making teeth for the faces. The careful detailed markings of teeth require a lot of attention and detailed work. While some people can sculpt this way without a problem. Others have a tougher time of it and find that when they try to carve these while inside the head of a still-wet clay doll, they may well make a mess of the rest of the face and have to start over. So, how do they do it? One way to be able to create the carved teeth that you want in your doll's mouth is to carve them separately. Essentially what you are going to want to do is create a set of dentures and then build your doll face around them. Start by taking a small flat piece of clay that is the right size for your teeth and curving it. The best way to do this is to use a pencil, thick nail or other round shaped item and wrap a small amount of clay around it.
Place the teeth material on the curved surface and carve the teeth. Make sure to make these the appropriate size and curvature for your face. Once you have cured the teeth you can put them in the wet clay of your doll head and then carve the area around them into the kind of mouth you have in mind.
Maki ng Eyes
In many cases, the eyes have it. This is especially true if you want your clay doll creation to seem to come to life. So, how to you make convincing eyes? You need to start with an eyeball. Roll a small piece of clay into a ball, the right size of the eyeball you want for your creation.
26
Now you need to cut this in half to make a pair of flat-backed eyeballs. Cutting perfect circles is not easy as the ball of clay tends to like to change its form as you cut. One trick that helps is to make sure your clay is cold before you cut, as it is more prone to hold it's shape that way. Putting it in a plastic bag and into the freezer for 10-15 minutes will make this easier to do. Bake both pieces so they will be solid and you will have no problem creating the rest of the eye around them. Once your eyeballs are ready, you can create an eye around them. Put the balls in place (either on the doll or your worktable before they are transferred to the doll). You should start with a piece of clay that you make a hole in that is just the size of the eyeball. Push the eyeball into the clay as deep as you would like it. If you are going for a large eye effect you may want to push them in less.
From here, it's a matter of preference to create the type of look you want from the eye you are creating. From a fluttering eyelid to eyelashes or even a pupil in the eye, you can choose whatever additions you think will create the most attractive look for your doll.
Hair
Hair is always a tough point for those who want to make dolls out of clay. While there are a number of ways that are recommended to do this, one of the easiest is as follows. Start by coloring the area where the hair is to be (either using a different color clay or painting it after it has been cured. If you are painting remember to use acrylic paints)
27
Next, using a good glue start adding small clumps of hair to the figure. Start at the bottom, back of the head and slowly add the hair up over the scalp a small bit at a time. Take your time with this. You should let the hair dry between clumps to avoid an extremely gooey mess.
28
Beads
When it comes to jewelry and polymer clay, beads are a very popular number. There are generally two ways to make polymer beads out of clay by hand or with bead rollers.
Start by placing a small ball of clay in the bead roller (after you experiment a few times, you will get the right amount).
Roll the roller back and forth 3-5 times. Remove the top and pop out the perfectly shaped bead.
There are a few different types of bead rollers out there including ones that create round beads, ovals, diamond shaped beads and others.
29
Maki ng Bea ds by Ha nd
Not everyone wants to create the same looking beads that can be made out of the bead rollers. For these people, there are an endless number of options for how to create polymer clay beads. Pretty much if you can think of it, you can do it. You could roll the beads by hand, create small geometric designs with your cutting tool or come up with your bead shapes any way you would like, then follow the instructions that follow to complete the beads.
30
31
Hollow Bea ds
If you like the idea of making large polymer clay beads, but don't want to have thick and heavy beads hanging around your neck and pulling you down, you may wonder how you can create the beads you want without all the weight. It's going to take a little extra work, but you can do it. First you need to decide on the design you are going to use for your hollow beads. And come up with a mold for that shape. If you want to make a large round bead you may be able to use any of a number of candy molds or other items that you can form half a circle around. You will need to make two of these pieces. Remember to put your bead holes in them. You may want to do this at the center of the middle on each side. Remember, you need these holes to match up down the road so that you can string the bead. Cure the pieces. Once they are cured, start the process of sanding the pieces down until they can be put together and make the round shape you are hoping for. At this time you can use glue or liquid polymer clay to attach the two pieces together. If you use liquid polymer clay you will have to fire them again.
32
33
you are ready to cut, you should let it cool. You have been working that clay for a while and it may be a little warm and too flexible. Putting the roll in the freezer for 10-15 minutes in a plastic bag will harden it up a bit and make it much easier to cut.
Lightly slide your cutting tool across the area that has smeared. You just need to shave a very thin layer off of the top, so make sure not to cut too deep.
If you have done it correctly, you should be now looking at a clean crisp cut of cane.
34
Now it's time to roll this down into a smaller log. Place one hand on top and roll the log back and forth applying pressure, while pulling on one edge with your other hand. Gradually you will see the log start to stretch. Allow the stretching to continue until you get the log down to the size that you want for your beads. Cool. Cut. Add holes and cure.
35
Begin by deciding what kind of design you want to end up with. Traditionally flower cane beads have a center color, a petal color and the outside bead color. Additionally, you should have some black clay on hand (or another color that can be used as your outline color). Cut the petal color clay into 6 equal sizes and roll them into logs. Next, roll the color for the center of the flower into a log that is similar in size to the petals. Make rods of some of the outside bead color and you will want to chop these pieces to make them like triangles The best way to do this is to create a log and push it flat on your work surface then cut it in half to create two pieces. Next you will need to make flattened sheets of your outer color as well as the color that will be wrapped around the petals and center. This is easiest done with a pasta machine as it will make consistently smooth and flat pieces, but you can also get the same effect with a rolling pin. Wrap each of the petal logs with the flat outline clay to make completely wrapped tubes of clay. 36
Begin assembling your large log. Start with the center log and stack the petal pieces around it. Add a little pressure to hold them together and create a flower design. Next you need to take the split outer logs and stack them around the design. Also apply pressure to hold these in place.
Finally wrap the whole creation with flat piece of the outer color. This is now your large flower log.
Now it's time to roll this down into a smaller log. Place one hand on top and roll the log back and forth applying pressure, while pulling on one edge with your other hand. Gradually you will see the log start to stretch. Allow the stretching to continue until you get the log down to the size that you want for your beads. Cool. Cut. Add holes and cure.
37
If you are going to make flower beads, you likely want to make leaf beads as well so you can have the full matched set. Here are a few tips on how to do just that. You will need: Leaf Color Clay Leaf Outline Color Clay Begin by using your pasta maker or rolling pin to flatten your leaf outline color into one long strip.
Work the leaf color clay for a while and then roll into an oval shape. Push it flat on your counter
Now take a look at it from the side and see where you would have logical 'veins' in a leaf if this were half of a leaf. Make those cuts.
Fill each of the 'veins' with strips of the outline color of clay.
38
Now cut the log in half, lengthwise, to create two matching leaf halves.
Add a layer of the outline color to the flat side of one of the halves and use pressure to push the pieces together.
Use the rolling method to reduce the clay to a smaller size to prepare for cutting into beads. Make them look like leaves by using your fingers to form the tip on the leaf. Cool the cane. Cut the beads. Add holes and cure.
39
Begin by using your heart colored polymer clay to create a heart shaped tube. Here's a hint. Make three logs and put them together in a triangle formation. Then use your fingers to make the bottom go to a point and fill in the sides.
Wrap with your inner shell color and ad d pressure to remove any air bubbles. Then add accents, made of thin rods of that color.
40
Wrap the entire piece in the outer shell color and roll it down to the desired size. Cool then cut.
From this point, you will treat each piece differently depending on which design you would like. If you want a heart shape, carefully flex the material to make an even heart. If you want animal prints, you can use your fingers to stretch the piece and elongate one side to create what looks more like an animal print shape.
41
Roll out a sheet of clay and use the cookie cutter to cut out the design.
Cure and then paint or use markers to write a message on the tags.
42
If you are using cookie cutters, roll out a sheet of clay and use the cookie cutter to cut out the design. If you are using candy molds, press the clay into the mold until it fills it completely.
Make a hole for attaching a ribbon, rope or hook. If you want to decorate with more clay, do this at this time.
Cure and then decorate with paint, markers, glitter or whatever else you like.
43
44
Making Pendants
If you have an idea for a great pendant, but dont want a big hole in it, you may be wondering if there is a better way to create a clay pendant that you can hang. There is. You will need: Polymer Clay Jewelry Wire First, you need to take a piece of wire that is 1 times the length of the pendant are you are going to make and fold it in half. Now twist the bottom half of the metal.
Push the metal piece into the ball of clay you are going to use to create your pendant.
Making Mushrooms
This is a fun project that won't take too long but will end with the creation of a whimsical mushroom. You will need: Polymer clay in at least 2-3 colors
Begin with a ball of clay that will make the mushroom cap, a rod that will make the base and 5 small balls that will make the spots on the mushroom cap.
With your finger, begin to form the underside of the mushroom cap.
46
Form the base out of the rod of base material. Push down from the middle to create the flattened and rounded base.
Use your finger carefully to attach the top of the base to the underside of the mushroom cap.
47
Awareness Ribbons
We are in a time when there is a heightened sense of awareness. From awareness about cancer to AIDS and foreign wars, there is a trend towards ribbons to remain aware of those situations. Using polymer clay you can create your own ribbons of awareness so you can keep others in the know while you always remember that special cause. You will need: Polymer Clay Pin Backing (optional) Begin by rolling out a piece of clay that is long enough for the whole ribbon. It should be slightly tapered off at the end.
Next, fold the piece over itself to create the beginning of a ribbon shape.
Cut off the edges on each side of the ribbon at a sharp angle to create the final ribbon look. If you want to create a pin, cure the piece and then glue a pin back to the backside of it.
48
Flowers in Bloom
Who doesn't love bright and colorful flowers? Now you too can have a beautiful bouquet looking at you every day made out of polymer clay. What you need: Polymer Clay in the Petal Color Polymer Clay in the Center Color
Begin by making a set of ovals out of the petal colored clay. 10-12 is usually a good number. Also make two round discs of clay for the center of the flower.
Using your fingers, flatten and stretch the ovals to create the petals for the flower.
Continue going around until all of the petals have been attached.
49
Place the second center color disc on top of the petals you just attached.
If you want to have a flower on a stem, push a skewer into the backside of the flower. Before curing.
Other options are to add cute features to these flowers with other pieces of left over clay.
Once your flowers are made you can use them in a number of different ways from putting them on stems and creating a display to attaching a magnet to the back and decorating your refrigerator.
50
If you are the type of person who always loves to have a unique pen to write with, you may always be looking to buy new pens. But why not make your own? Here's How What you need: A Pen to Cover (a simple pen with replaceable tip like a Bic is advised) A Variety of Polymer Clay to Cover the Pen This is a time consuming project, but a very fun one. The simple description of the project is that you are going to cover your pen with a complete layer of polymer clay and then decorate. Begin by deciding the design you want to create on the pen. One of the most colorful ways to do this is to make a number of clay canes and decorate the pen with slices of the canes. Remove the ink cartridge from the pen. Roll out a layer of your coating polymer clay that will wrap around the pen. Wrap the pen in a layer of the clay and smooth the surface.
Next take your cane pieces and assemble them around the pen.
51
Continue wrapping the shaft of the pen with your cane pieces. Make sure to keep the end where the ink cartridge must go open. As you work, clay may spread over the opening. Use your cutting tool to remove it. If you have gaps, you can cut small pieces off of a slice and fill in those spaces.
Once the pen is wrapped, add any other embellishments you desire (such as a large piece of your cane on the top), then cure.
If you really want to go all out, you may want to create a base for your pen as well. In order to do this, you need to take a ball of clay and use your finger, or a tool that is a little larger than the pen and press a hole in it. Since you have already cured your pen, you will want to set it in the base and make sure that the base is strong enough to hold it up. If not add more clay to the base so it can handle the job. Now decorate this piece just as you did the pen. Before you cure it, you will want to make sure the completed pen will fit in the space. Push the pen in one more time (wiggling it around to make a little extra room for shrinkage) and cure to create a matching set.
52
Making Roses
While roses that you buy at the florist will wilt and die after a few weeks, if you learn to make your own, they will be with you for good, not to mention you can be proud of your handiwork. Here's how to make your own roses. You will need Polymer Clay in the Color of the Rose Polymer Clay for the Stem and Leaves Coffee Stirrer Begin by rolling out the clay that is to make the rose and break it into 14 pieces the size of your thumbprint.
Use your thumb to press down the first piece to make it petal like.
Wrap the first petal around the coffee stirrer to create the center circle for the rose. Note it does not have to be completely closed, just a tight circle. 53
Press the next peal piece with your thumb as you did the first and curve it around the center, giving a little space between the petals, Press the pieces together at the base of the flower.
Continue adding petals one at a time until you get to the desired size of rose.
If you are going to use the rose as dcor you can cut it off of the stirrer and cure it. If you want to make the stem for the rose, continue on.
Roll out a flat piece of the stem color and wrap around the stirrer base.
54
Use your fingers to meld these from the stem of the flower up and around the edge of the rose.
55
Next, Cut the pieces down into rectangles of the same size. You will need 8 of white, 2 of green and 2 of red.
Layer the pieces as follows white, green, white, white, red, white, white, red, white, white, green, and white. Use pressure to make sure the pieces are well pressed together and will stay that way.
56
Now turn the block on its side and cut a slice off of the block (Approx inch thick)
Flatten one end so it will fit in the pasta machine and run through the machine, upping the tightness in the settings until you have a ribbon of the length you want.
Now it's time make it look like ribbon. This is just taking the time to fold the pieces back and forth in a ribbon shape.
If you want to make these into an ornament or gift tag, you should find a tool such as a skewer to stick through the center of the ribbon to make the hole that you will later be able to thread a string through. Cure and enjoy.
57
Use your fingers to spread out the icing clay into a flat sheet .
58
Lay the icing on the top of the cake and carefully press it down around the sides.
Use your finger to smooth the top to make it look like icing that has been poured over a cake.
Break off small pieces of the sprinkle colored clay and attach them to the top of the cake in a sprinkle design.
Make two small logs out of the white and red clay and twist them together. Twist and pull the pieces until they form a thin candle-like shape.
59
Use a small piece of yellow clay to form the flame on the top of the candle.
60
Making Snakes
One of the fun things to make out of polymer clay is a cute animal. While most people dont think that snakes are cute, they can be if you give them a chance. Here's that chance. You will need: Polymer Clay for the Snake's Body Polymer Clay for the Snake's Eyes Black Polymer Clay Red Polymer Clay Begin by creating the shape of the snake. To do this, role a tube of clay, pulling one end as you roll until the tube graduates to a point.
Create an oval of clay for the head of the snake. Flatten the underside of the head and use your fingers to make a rounded triangle for the nose.
61
Holding the head and upper body, spiral the snakes body into a coil.
Push the thick part of the upper body down slightly until it can hold the head up on its own.
Add two round balls of body-colored clay to the top of the head to form the eyes.
Roll two small balls of the eye colored of clay and use your fingers to flatten the circles. Attach them to the eyes.
62
Roll two small balls of the black of clay and use your fingers to flatten the circles. Attach the Pupils to the center of the eyes.
Roll a small rod of red clay and use a tool to slice is down the center to create a forked tongue, make sure to separate the forks so they will stay apart.
Use your tool to poke nostrils into the snake and cure.
63
Begin by forming a large elongated ball for a body. Place a ball of clay on top as a head and push two smaller balls on top of the head as the ears.
Next, create two elongated balls as the legs of the teddy bear.
64
Now accent legs, arms and ears with the clay for the pads. The easiest way to do this is to roll balls of the pad color of clay and press it flat between your fingers, and then press it into place.
Roll two small balls of white clay, press them flat between your fingers and press them to the head as the whites of the eyes. Roll two small balls of black clay, press them flat between your fingers and press them on to the eyes as the pupils. Roll a small red ball as the nose and attach to the face.
Roll out the color of the bow into a tube and then pull apart leaving tapering ends.
Flatten each piece between your fingers and then overlap them in the bow formation.
65
Now you have to make the flowers for the bears to hold. Pinch a small piece off flower material into an oval shape and press it flat with your fingers. Now curl it to form a tube. This will be the center of the rose.
Next, add other petals around the center building out as large as you would like the flower to be.
Once you have it to the right size, squeeze the bottom of the flower to flesh out the top and seal it together.
Once you have made all the flowers you want to have in the bouquet, roll a sheet of green clay and wrap around the base of the flowers. Attach them to your bear and he's ready to go.
66
67
Next, set the main vine for your display on the jar and press down firmly.
Add auxiliary vines to create the framework for your flower vine.
68
Choose the center for one of the flowers, press one of the flower centers in place and then begin setting petals around it.
69
70
Now using the method to make a Family Flower Photo on Page 63 surround the first person with a flower.
71
Roll your Green polymer clay into a thin rod and make vines to lead to the next picture and create a flower frame around the photo.
Use your hands to make two small rounded triangle pieces of clay that become the leaves. As a finishing touch you can use brown polymer clay to create a pot to hold the family flower.
72
Begin by cutting out the basic shape of the bones. You can make as many or as few of each piece as you would like. Set these aside.
Cut out the shape for the dog head. Again, cut as many or few as you would like to put on the frame.
Embellish the dog head with black polymer clay. You can either attach the pieces to the glass of the picture frame and cure them in place or you can cure them separately and then glue them into place on the frame.
73
74
Your O wn Si te
If you do a lot of polymer clay projects and you would like to really make a business out of it, you may want to start your own business. This means you would create your own website and list your items on it for sale. Once upon a time this would mean you would need a great programmer and someone who was exceptionally computer savvy to help you create the website and shopping features, but not anymore. These days you can easily create a website with a website creation program that will let you drag your pictures in and drop them into place. When it comes to selling, you dont have to have your own merchant account, but you can enlist the help of Paypal or Google Checkout which both help you create the shopping items you need to be able to let customers purchase your items and pay you.
EBay.com
If you are not sure if you will have inventory to keep a full website going, you may want to instead go with a venue where you can sell just what you have. EBay is such a venue. EBay is a place where people shop for anything and everything these days. As long as you are careful in your writing of your description for the item you are selling and make sure to include enough detail to be found in searches, you can make a fair amount of money through this avenue. Another benefit of eBay is that it does not require your own website or any knowledge of how to run one.
Etsy.co m
75
There is another site on the market that is somewhat like eBay, but is only for hand made goods. Etsy is a great outlet for your polymer clay creations. From jewelry to characters and any other items you can make, you can showcase them on this website and sell your wares to those who appreciate the work that goes into hand crafted items. A bonus on Etsy is that it has an area where you can really embellish your profile and let people know more about you, your crafts and what drives you to be who you are and make the items you are selling. This is a great way to make fans out of your buyers. The more they know about you, the more they will become attached not only to your work, but also to you as an artist and will come back time and time again to make more purchases.
Flea Mar ke ts
Do you have a flea market in your area? This may be an unexplored avenue for you to sell the items you have created with polymer clay. Most flea markets charge reasonable rates of $20-$50 dollars for a weekend of sales and you can sell there as scarcely or as often as you would like. This is a great place to showcase your artistry and try to make a profit at the same time. While flea markets are not necessarily just a crafter's venue, they do bring a good mix of people into their buildings and can let you get an idea of how your items are perceived by the public. If you are social, you may even want to talk to prospective shoppers and see what they think about your items and if there is something they would like to see that you don't have.
Cra ft Shows
Every community has craft shows. It's time to get to know when there are craft shows in your area. If you have ever been to a craft show, you know there are artists that create some of everything and there are also plenty of buyers who want to take home unique items that have been made with love. This could be a perfect outlet for your polymer creations. It is important to keep in mind that most craft shows have a fee to enter. This can vary from $20 to $200 or more depending on the craft show and the popularity of the event. Generally this includes a 10' x 10' space for you to sell in. In most cases, you will be responsible for bringing your own tables, chairs and all display items. If it is an outdoor craft show you will also want to have a canopy or pop-up tent to help you stay out of the sun while you sell. 76
Custo m Bea ds
If you are really good at making beads, especially cane beads, there are a lot of people who will want to buy them from you. Many people love to make jewelry and want very unique beads but don't want to do the work to make them. Get your name out there on your own website, beading forums and at beading shows and get-togethers and let people see some of your work and know that you are willing to make special items for them as well.
Custo m Wor k
Its not only beads that are in high demand as custom work. There are also a number of people who like getting other artistic pieces made especially for them or someone special. Whether you make animals, flowers or any other items out of polymer clay, there is likely someone who collects those types of items. Get online and out in the crafting community and look for people who love the kinds of items you make and introduce yourself!
77