Polymer Clay Art 281592533574 29

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P
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his special collection of projects culled from Quarrys most popular books about polymer clay
offers a spectrum of inspired ideas and techniques for polymer clay enthusiasts with all levels
of experience. Learn from some of the most talented artists in the field how to make every-
thing from jewelry to fun clay figures.
A complete and comprehensive section teaches the basics of working in the medium of poly-
mer clay. Artists including Georgia Sargeant, Celie Fago, Ellen Marshall, Dinko Tilov, and Livia
O
L
POLYMER CLAY ART
Projects and Techniques for Jewelry, Gifts, Figures, and Decorative Surfaces
McRee then provide step-by-step instruction for beautiful projects, special effects, patterns, tex-
tures, surface embellishments, and working with special materials, including Precious Metal Clay. Y
INCLUDED ARE :
M
Projects ranging from inspired gifts and clay Step-by-step instructions covering the basics E
figures to unique jewelry and beads of working with polymer clay, special tech-
niques for surface embellishments, and a R
Advice and insight from seasoned polymer
clay artists into their own techniques and
processes
wide range of distinctive projects for boxes,
pendants, vases, wind chimes, book covers,
jewelry, and more

C
L
A
Y

A
Also available from Quarry Books: Making Designer Mixed-Media
and Memory Jewelry
ISBN: 1-59253-314-0
R Celie Fago, Ellen Marshall, Livia McRee, Georgia Sargeant, and Dinko Tilov
Crafts
Making Designer Seed Bead, Stone,
and Crystal Jewelry
ISBN: 1-592523-245-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-357-2
ISBN-10: 1-59253-357-4
T
$25.00 US
UPC
EAN
16.99 UK
$29.95 CAN
www.quarrybooks.com
PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

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Polymer Clay Art_Folio Document_001-050.qxp 12/8/06 5:34 PM Page 1
POLYMER CLAY ART

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2007 by Quarry Books
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book
have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists
concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by the producer, publisher, or
printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the
contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that
credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any
inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing
information in a subsequent reprinting of the book.
First published in the United States of America by

Quarry Books, a member of
Quayside Publishing Group
33 Commercial Street
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930-5089
Telephone: (978) 282-9590
Fax: (978) 283-2742
www.rockpub.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-357-2
ISBN-10: 1-59253-357-4
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Design: Bobs Your Uncle

Susan Raymond Art & Design
tabula rasa graphic design
Cover Design: Dania Davey
Illustrations by: Lorraine Dey
Grateful acknowledgment is given to Ellen Marshall for her work from

Polymer Clay Surface Design Recipes on pages 925, 28101, 270287,
and 300; to Georgia Sargeant, Celie Fago, and Livia McRee for their work
from Polymer Clay on pages 78, 102195 and 288-299; and Dinko Tilov
for his work from Creating Fantasy Polymer Clay Characters on pages
2627 and 196269.
Printed in China

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POLYMER CLAY ART

by Celie Fago, Ellen Marshall, Livia McRee, Georgia Sargeant, and Dinko Tilov

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Contents
7 Exploring Polymer Clay
8 Polymer Clay Basic Techniques
9 A Helpful Note to Readers
10 Chapter 1: Getting Started
28 Chapter 2: Surface Techniques and Applications
102 Chapter 3: Transforming the Clay
116 Chapter 4: Creating the Structure
134 Chapter 5: Enhancing the Surface
158 Chapter 6: Precious Metal Clay Basic Techniques
170 Chapter 7: Creating with Precious Metal Clay
196 Chapter 8: Creating Fantasy Figures
270 Gallery
301 Contributing Artists/Resources
304 About the Authors

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Exploring Polymer Clay

by Georgia Sargeant
Polymer clay is solid colorcolor you can knead, twist, pull, mold, turn, modeling and construction techniques devised for polymer
layer, and cut. You can make it look like ancient amber, glowing clay can be applied to other media, especially precious metal clay,
glass, engraved ivory, or modern steel. You can use it to make deli- producing metal objects with a fluidity and freshness seldom at-
cate miniatures or large folding screens, wrap it around an armature, tained before. In one section of this book, eleven artists will in-
or stretch it out to airy thinness. You can layer it with metal leaf, troduce you to decorative and structural techniques for polymer
blend in scented spices or delicate sparkles, transfer photocopied im- clay. In another section, master craftsman Celie Fago will show
ages on to it, or tint the surface with paint and colored pencil. It is you how to work in PMC and how to combine it with polymer
wonderfully convenient because it will harden in twenty minutes in a clay. In yet another, Dinkov Tilov will show you how to create
home oven, so expensive studio space and fiery kilns are not strange and fantastical creatures. In the Gallery section, many
needed. A corner of a table in a small apartment will do just fine. artists will show you examples of how some of these techniques
In recent years, polymer clay has been transformed from a have been used in creating marvelous and evocative objects to
childs toy to a mature art medium, yet its delightful playfulness delight the senses and entice the imagination.
has not been lost. It can be bright or dull, large or small, realistic or The projects in this book are intended to explore the wide-
abstract, down to earth or fantastical. It has been used to make ranging possibilities of this versatile medium. There is something
jewelry, dolls, sculptures, accessories, wearable art, lamps, books, for everyonefrom those just starting to discover polymer clay
boxes, and bowls; it has been turned into mosaics, plaques, wall to those who have been creating with it for a while and are ready
hangings, furniture, and decorations. to experiment with new techniques. Keep in mind that the most
Polymer clay is a modern material that combines well with beautiful and ingenious polymer clay techniques were developed
other media, allowing you to borrow techniques and tools from by fellow enthusiastswe hope that this book inspires you to
other arts and industries and use them in your own creations. In develop a few of your own.

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Polymer Clay
Basic Techniques
Polymer clay is a brilliantly colored modern modeling
material that bakes hard in a home oven. Its star feature
is its compatibility with other art and craft materials,
from acrylic paints to glues to glitter to metal leafing to
rubber-stamping supplies. With polymer clay, sturdy and
colorful three-dimensional art is within everyones reach.
Its widely available in art and craft stores.
The basic ingredient of polymer clay is polyvinyl

chloride (PVC), the same sturdy stuff that water pipes
are made of. The other ingredients are inert fillers to
give it bulk (and sometimes texture), dyes and pig-
ments to give it color, and a plasticizeran oily chemical that allows the microscopic
chains of PVC molecules to slide over each other at room temperature but lock onto each
other when the clay is heated.
This clay, also known to its fans as polyclay and PC, comes in many of the colors
you find on the artists paint racknot only in standard colors like red, white, and brown,
but also in flesh tones (developed for doll making) and in translucent clays that are milky
when raw but almost clear when baked properly (and in a thin enough layer, theyre ab-
solutely transparent). With many brands, you can mix the package colors and get attractive
intermediate shades.
Manufacturers also make some wonderful specialty clays. There are pearlescent and
metallic colors incorporating tiny mica flakes that give a shimmery luster. There are fluores-
cent colors using brilliant pigments; a dab added to a dull color will perk it up. There are
glow-in-the-dark colors that shine at night. There are glitter claystinted translucent clays
with heat-resistant microfine glitter mixed in. There are clays that contain short colored
fibers that make them look like stone. You can even make your own stone clays by mixing
embossing powder from the rubber-stamp counter into translucent clay. Or you can mix in
other grains or powders, from coffee grounds to aromatic herbs to iridescent pigments to
childrens tinted play sand.

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A Helpful Note to Readers

This book presents a wide array of techniques and inspirations for creating unique
surface designs in polymer clay. We have made an attempt to tell you very specifi-
cally what materials we have used to get a particular effect, so that if desired, you
can try to duplicate a result exactly. If a product has a certain property or charac-
teristic that makes it especially suitable for a particular effect, we have made a
point to tell you. In many cases, another brand may work just as well, but we still
tell you exactly what we used, in case you want to match a particular color or
design.
Please note: None of this specificity should discourage you from substituting sim-
ilar products that are easier to find or that you may already have. You may discov-
er that your results are exactly the same, or you may find completely unexpected
results that make you just as happy. We have tried to design this book so that the
information provided, based on the authors extensive experience and testing, is
as detailed and as helpful as we can make it, but we also encourage you to con-
duct your own experimentation and to not feel limited by the suggested products
in any way.
A majority of the materials used in this book are available internationally or can be
easily ordered on the Internet. A resources section is included for your reference
on page 301.

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Chapter 1
Getting Started
A Guide to Using This Book
I hope you find this book inspiring and informative whether you are familiar with polymer clay or not.
If you are already acquainted with surface design from the paper or textile arts, I hope you will see
surface techniques in a new light. One goal of this book is to illustrate how anyone interested in sur-
face design, regardless of their experience, can develop or expand their repertoire of surface treat-
ments by using artist media in different ways and by combining surface and polymer clay techniques.
Stamps can be used to apply images or texture. Paints and inks can be used in silk-screening, mono-
printing, or masking. Acrylic media can be used to create faux suede, raku, or paste paper surfaces.
The other goal of this book is to spark ideas for using surface design. There are a number of creative
designs in the project and gallery sections of this book. From a simple card (page 84) to an elaborate
necklace with beaded fringe (page 88), youll find a variety of ways to use decorated clay in creating
mixed-media pieces of art.
Polymer clay is our foundation material, so we begin this chapter with an overview of the material
and methods for working with it. To create successful surface designs, it is important to become
familiar with the properties of different media and how they interact with clay. Information about
how particular materials, such as paints, inks, and acrylic media, work on clay is given in the technique
and project instructions.
10 P O LY M E R C L AY A R T

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It is difficult to provide blanket rules about how artist materials work on clay. For example, acrylic
paints and inks generally dry on raw or unbaked clay and bond permanently to clay when baked. But
not all acrylic paints and inks dry completely on raw clay; some remain a little tacky. There is a varia-
tion in how products perform because manufacturers use different formulations. This is actually a
welcome fact. It is precisely because of the differences in how materials work with clay that result in
not only the surface techniques youll find in this book, but also the techniques you may discover as
you try various ideas. Note, too, that new products are being introduced to the market constantly,
which offer the opportunity to create new techniques or apply current ones in different ways.
In my favorite section, Surface Technique Intensives (page 60), I invite you to use your surface-design
knowledge and work with abandon. Mix materials! Mix techniques! Do the unthinkablecut up that
breathtaking decorated sheet youve just made! Youll appreciate how working in this way can fuel
your creativity.
11

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About Polymer Clay

Polymer clay is a brilliantly colored modern when baked properly (and in a thin enough
modeling material that bakes hard in a home layer, theyre absolutely transparent). With many
oven. Its star feature is its compatibility with brands, you can mix the package colors and get
other art and craft materials, from acrylic paints attractive intermediate shades.
to glues to glitter to metal leafing to rubber-
stamping supplies. With polymer clay widely Manufacturers also make some wonderful spe-
available in art and craft stores, sturdy and cialty clays. There are pearlescent and metallic
colorful three-dimensional art is within colors that incorporate tiny mica flakes to pro-
everyones reach. vide a shimmery luster. There are clays that

remain flexible and rubbery and act like a pencil
The basic ingredient of polymer clay is polyvinyl eraser when baked. There are glow-in-the-dark
chloride (PVC), the same sturdy stuff that water colors that shine at night. You can even make
pipes are made of. It also contains inert fillers to your own stone clays by mixing embossing
give it bulk (and sometimes texture), dyes and powder from the rubber-stamp counter into
pigments to give it color, and a plasticizeran translucent clay. Or you can mix in other grains
oily chemical that allows the microscopic chains or powders, from coffee grounds to aromatic
of PVC molecules to slide over each other at herbs to iridescent pigments to childrens tinted
room temperature but lock onto each other play sand.
when the clay is heated.
With this book youll learn many techniques for
This clay, also known to its fans as polyclay and decorating the surface of opaque, translucent,
PC, comes in many of the colors you find on and metallic clays. But feel free to experiment
the artists paint racknot only standard colors with other custom-color and specialty clays.
like red, white, and brown, but also flesh tones The only rule in working with polymer clay is to
(developed for doll making) and translucents create joyously!
which are milky when raw but almost clear

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Polymer Clay Basics

Which Clay Should You Use? out of the package. However, it can accidentally
Polymer clay is colorful, adaptable, and compati- toast, or turn brown, if the oven temperature is
ble with many other art and craft materials. Its too high. Even when properly baked, its relative-
heat sensitive, which means its stiff when cold ly chalky and brittle and breaks easily if dropped.
and more malleable when warm. As you knead Sculpey Super Flex is a very soft, sticky clay
and condition it, especially by hand, it gets when uncured that remains highly flexible even
warmer, softer, and stickier, but it does firm up after its baked. When making a mold from an
again when it cools. existing object, ensure the clay wont stick to the
object by first coating the clay with a release
The different brands on the market are similar
agent, such as cornstarch, baby powder, talcum
enough to be blended successfully, but they do
powder, water, or glycerin.
have different characteristics. When you
Super Sculpey is a very strong, hard clay
become familiar with the various properties of
designed for doll making. Its sold only in large
each, it will be easy to choose the right clay for
packages.
the job. Manufacturers do change clay formulas
from time to time, and theyre always releasing Fimo Classic is a firm clay, valued by cane
new products, so test clays yourself to discover makers for its ability to hold fine patterns and by
your favorites. sculptors for its ability to take sharp details and
hold its shape.
Sculpey is an inexpensive, soft, brittle, white
clay that is popular with railroad and dollhouse Fimo Soft is firm in the package, but it is
modelers for making buildings and landscape pressure-sensitive, so it softens readily under a
figures that will not receive wear and tear. It roller. The transparent colors are brilliant, like
takes paint well. stained glass. The glitter colors are made from
tinted transparent clay blended with fine, heat-
Premo Sculpey is a fine, all-purpose clay that
tolerant glitter.
is strong and slightly flexible when properly
baked. Many of the colors are the same as artists Cernit is formulated for doll making. Its soft
paint colors, making paint-mixing savvy useful. to handle, but its the hardest of the polymer
Its a good caning clay. Some sculptors and doll clays when cured. Most colors are slightly
makers find it too soft and sticky. translucent, like porcelain.
Sculpey III bakes to an attractive matte finish, Creall-Therm is excellent for making minia-
and its translucent clay becomes the clearest of tures because it can safely be rolled out into tiny
all. Its often given to children because its soft threads without breaking, and it isnt overly sticky.
G E T T I N G S TA R T E D 13

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Kato Clay is the newest clay on the market. acrylic inks, and oil-based artist paint can be
This clay conditions easily and is strong and mixed into TLS and applied on clay as a paint or
durable when cured. The clay is also good for glaze. Mix oil-based paint in liquid clay for con-
caning, and it requires less sanding and buffing
sistent results. You can get bubbling or crackle
to achieve a polished finish.
effects when baking liquid clay mixed with
Fimo, Kato, and Sculpey all make a translucent acrylic paint depending of the grade and chem-
liquid clay. Kato liquid clay (also known as Kato istry of the paint. Liquid clay can also be used to
Sauce) and Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) fill in small crevices or to assure adhesion
are products used in this book primarily as a fin- between baked and unbaked clay. See the sec-
ish to seal powders or crayon on the surface of tion about sanding and buffing liquid clay to a
clay. Liquid translucent clay has a variety of dec- glasslike shine (see page 26).
orative and utilitarian uses. Powders, alcohol,
Polymer Clay Equipment and Supplies

Experiment and youll soon discover which tools either because clay will stick in the pores. If you
work best for you. Below are the essential items use paper for your work area, youll need a sepa-
youll need to begin, including some household rate cutting surface made from Lucite, glass, or a
items adaptable for use with polymer clay. self-healing craft cutting board.
Rolling tools (B) An acrylic pipe or rod, a

Safety Tip: Polymer clay is certified nontoxic, so
brayer, a heavyweight straight-sided drinking
its safe for adults and supervised children to use.
glass or jar, a thick wooden dowel, or a marble
However, once you use a kitchen tool with poly-
rolling pin will all work. To make large, even, thin
mer clay, dont use it for preparing food again, and
sheets, a pasta machine is extremely helpful.
dont place foods on polymer clay surfaces.
Cutting tools (C) Sharp scissors with smooth
blades, craft knives with pointed and rounded
Basic Kit (shown on right)
blades, and long, thin tissue blades specially
Work surface (A) Youll need a large, smooth,
made for polymer clay are all useful.
and solvent-proof work area as your base. It can
be made of Lucite, tempered glass, marble, tile, Needle tools (D) These are available from
Formica, (or similar kitchen counter material); a ceramics suppliers and can also be found in the
flexible polypropylene plastic cutting board, or sculpting section of art supply stores. You can
even heavy paper or cardboard will work. Dont also make your own by placing a large darning
use a varnished tabletop; as raw clay will damage needle in a polymer clay ball, baking it, then
varnish and acrylic plastics such as those used for pulling out the needle, washing off any oil, and
inexpensive picture frames. Bare wood isnt ideal gluing it back in place with cyanoacrylate glue.

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Oven When youre first getting to know poly- Latex or plastic gloves Polymer clay is certi-
mer clay, a home oven may be used, then wiped fied nontoxic, but like all art materials, it should be
out and washed down carefully afterward. Once used with care. Some people find that it irritates
hooked, most cautious clay lovers obtain a small their skin, so protect your hands with latex or plas-
portable toaster oven or convection oven and tic gloves or an artists or mechanics cream.
use it only for art.
Safety Tip: Tissue blades are extremely sharp,
Oven thermometer To properly cure poly-
and the dull and cutting edges look similar. Paint
mer clay, youll need a thermometer to check
the dull side with nail polish, or bake a strip of
and calibrate your ovens temperature.
polymer clay onto it, remove the clay, then glue
Rubbing alcohol Tools and surfaces can be this new handle into place on the tissue blade.
cleaned easily with rubbing alcohol.
Finishing materials Sanding with wet/dry Intermediate Kit
sandpaper followed by buffing with a cotton Shown on page 19 are some of the things that
wheel gives polymer clay a polished, glasslike can also be used with polymer clay. Many of
finish. Youll need sandpaper grits ranging from the items pictured are called for in the tech-
320 to 600, which you can buy from home- niques and projects that follow. Once youve
improvement stores. For an even shinier finish, assembled a basic kit, start experimenting with
extrafine grades from 800 to 2,000 are available other materials to assemble a more sophisticated,
at auto-supply stores. personalized kit.
Working With Polymer Clay

Conditioning such as a baby-bottle warmer or a barely warm
Polymer clay can be used right out of the pack- heating pad, or seal them in a resealable plastic
age, but conditioning the clay makes it more pli- bag and submerge the bag in lukewarm water.
able. (Some artists say that conditioning also

Remove the wrapper and lay about 1 oz (28 gm)
makes it stronger.) During conditioning, the
of clay (half a block) on your work surface. Roll
plasticizer is distributed more evenly, bubbles
over it heavily with a strong roller: an acrylic rod
are driven out, and the clay warms up and soft- or pipe, a brayer, a thick wooden dowel, or a
ens. When it cools, it will firm up again, but the rolling pin. (An acrylic rod is preferable because
other improvements will remain. clay will not stick to it with repeated use.) Fold it,
squash it flat, and roll again. When its a bit soft-
To condition clay by hand, its best to start with er, form it into a log, and roll it out into a snake.
the clay at body temperature. To get it there, Fold it over, twist it, and ball it up. Repeat until
you can put the packages in your clothing for a the clay has the texture and elasticity you
while, place them in a gentle warming device wantapproximately fifteen to twenty times.

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L
K
E
J
B
G
A
A metallic leaf E texturing tools, such as beads, H inclusions, such as ultrafine glitters
B cookie and hors douevres cutters charms, and found objects and tiny beads
C pasta machine (durable Italian F molds, handmade and commercial I plastic-coated craft wire
model) G powders and pigments, such as J rubber and leather cording
D deep-cut rubber stamps metallic, mica, and embossing K wavy blade
powders L ball-end stylus

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To condition clay with a pasta machine, lay half First, chop up the hard clay, place it in a reseal-
a block of clay on your work surface and flatten able plastic bag, add a few drops of softener,
it to make it thin enough to feed into the pasta and leave it to soak overnight. The next day,
machines rollers. Crank it through. Fold the compress the bag to adhere the clay scraps
resulting sheet in half and feed it through again, together. Take them out and place them on a
fold side first. Repeat about twenty times. sheet of fresh clay, fold the sheet around the
scraps, and condition the whole sandwich.
It takes the same amount and kind of work to
mix colors uniformly as is does to condition clay. Storing Opened Packages
If you want to mix colors, begin when you start Dont leave raw clay on a painted or varnished
conditioning. surface, because the plasticizer will mar the sur-
face. Instead, store the clay in the original pack-
Leaching age, a resealable plastic bag, or a polyethylene
Clay that is fresh from the factory may be too shoebox, which protects the clay from dust.
soft and sticky to work with. To harden it a bit,
roll it into sheets (using the middle setting on a
Baking
pasta machine). Place the sheets on clean office
Each manufacturer provides specifications for
paper, then sandwich them between absorbent
baking, or curing, their brand of polymer clay
newspapers, and weigh them down with books
properly so that it hardens and fuses through-
for at least 24 hours. Some of the oily plasticizer
out without burning. These specifications are
will leach into the papers. In some cases, you
printed on the packages, and they vary from
may have to do this more than once before the
brand to brand. If the directions are missing, a
clay is firm enough.
good rule of thumb is to bake your clay project
for thirty minutes per W" (6 mm) of thickness at
Softening
265F to 275F (129C to 135C). Some of the
All clay becomes firmer over time, as polymeriza-
translucent clays may brown at this tempera-
tion slowly advances. Some clays are inherently
ture, so first bake a test tile the same thickness
stiffer than others. Two proprietary softeners
as your project.
Sculpey Diluent or Clay Softener and Fimo Mix
Quickcan be used to soften clay that is too Most ovens cycle, first heating above the desig-
hard. Artists have also used vegetable oil or min- nated temperature, then turning off the heat
eral oil. The translucent liquid clays can also be and cooling down, then heating again, so most
used for this purpose. You can mix any brand oven thermometers are inaccurate. To control
of liquid clay with any brand of solid clay, but the temperature, preheat the oven and use
you may develop a preference for a particular a separate oven thermometer to calibrate it:
combination. Adjust the dial on the oven until the oven
thermometer reads 265F (129C), and dont
worry about what the dial says.

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If your oven has an overhead heating element, Cleaning Up

you may want to protect your project from Your work surface and pasta machine should be
scorching with an aluminum foil tent. The clay kept clean to avoid having one color of clay
shouldnt go above 300F (149C), because it contaminate the next one. Many clayers wipe
will begin to scorch and emit unpleasant fumes. down their machines with baby wipes or rub-
bing alcohol on a paper towel.
During baking, the clay goes through a soft
stage when it can sag or slump under gravity The warmer your hands, the more likely they are
and conform to the surface supporting it. To to acquire a sticky film of clay as you work.
prevent this, thin strands or sheets should be Massaging in a bit of hand lotion and wiping it
supported with a curl of paper, and to avoid off with a paper towel, then washing with cool
getting glassy spots where the clay piece water and dish detergent that cuts grease
touched a polished glass or metal baking sur- should do the trick.
face, its a good idea to lay the clay on a piece of

Choosing Glue
plain paper or cardboard for baking.
PVA-Based White Craft Glues
Beads can be set on pleated paper or cardstock, Use this basic glue to help raw clay bond to
which will yield while supporting them; or they baked clay or stick to paper. PVA stands for
can be held up on a bamboo skewer, a stiff wire, polyvinyl acetate, a close chemical cousin to the
or 00 aluminum knitting needles. Large rounded PVC (polyvinyl chloride) that is the basis of poly-
objects can be supported during baking by a mer clay. Coat the cured surface with the glue
nest of quilt stuffing, which wont melt or stick and allow it to dry, then affix the raw clay.
to the clay.
Cyanoacrylate Glue
Ceramic tiles make an excellent, inexpensive,
This glue, commonly called SuperGlue or Krazy
portable baking surface, and theyre available in
Glue, can be used to bond baked clay to metal,
both glossy and matte finishes. Many clayers
glass, or other pieces of baked clay. The cyano-
bake on metal or tempered glass pans or sheets
acrylate glue bond fails at high temperatures,
of cardboard. Dont bake on Teflon, which can
however, there is now an exception to this: Poly
fuse with polymer clay.
Bonder by Lisa Pavelka, Heart in Hand Studio, is
After baking, most projects should be allowed effective up to 300F (149C).
to cool slowly to room temperature. But translu-

E6000 Silicon Glue
cent clay benefits from being dropped into ice
water while still hot; if you do this, the final proj- This heavy-duty glue is extremely effective, but
ect will appear more translucent. it contains harsh solvents. Use it outdoors.
Safety Tip: Bake polymer clay with the best venti-

Two-Part Epoxy Glues
lation you can manage. Turn on a fan and open
These are the best glues for bonding baked clay
the windows.
to metal, such as jewelry findings.

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Basic Techniques
Making Sheets Settings for Rolling Sheets
All the surface techniques in this book require

This chart, devised by Dottie McMillan, lists the
that you make polymer clay sheets. The easiest
corresponding thickness for each pasta machine
way to control this is to pinch and pull your
setting. (Some machines have more than seven
conditioned clay into a rough rectangle about
settings.) It is a useful guide when you need to
the thickness of a dinner plate, then roll it
prepare relatively thick or thin sheets.
through a pasta machine, which is designed to
Setting Inches Millimeters
roll out even, consistent layers of dough. Pasta
1
machines take so much of the labor out of clay 1 8 " 3.2 mm
work that theyre well worth the investment 2 7 " 2.8 mm

64
and they can often be found at secondhand 3 3

32 " 2.4 mm
stores and yard sales. 5
4 64
" 2.0 mm
5 1 " 1.6 mm
But even if you dont have a pasta machine, you 16
can still make thin, even sheets by using bakers 6 1 " 0.8 mm
32
techniques and treating your clay like piecrust 1
7 40 " 0.6 mm
dough. With your hands, roll a lump of condi-
tioned clay into a fat cylinder, dust it with corn-
Millefiori (Canework)
starch or talc, and flatten it with a thick roller.
One of the most popular polymer clay tech-
You can pull on the edges with your hands to
niques comes from the clays ability to stretch
help the process.
evenly and smoothly. It shares this quality, tech-
To roll the clay out to an even thickness, tape nically known as thixotropicity, with hot glass
down two long rods, skewers, or chopsticks and hard candy. This stretchiness makes it possi-
beside the clay in a parallel orientation. (Many ble to layer several colors together in a pattern,
hobby shops sell foot-long sections of squared- consolidate the layers into a multicolored loaf,
off brass and aluminum tubing in different then stretch out the loaf without changing the
diameters that would be ideal for this.) Place the proportions of the colors.
roller on top of the rod and roll out the clay that
Long pieces of different-colored polymer clay
is positioned between them. You can get clay
can be assembled into many-colored canes
sheets that vary in thickness by varying the
that keep the same pattern throughout the
thickness of the rods. Then roll your clay out
length, even after you compress the sides and
even with the rods.
stretch the cane out long and narrow. This is

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called reducing the canereally youre reduc- Skinnerstart by rolling out two colors of clay
ing the diameter but increasing the length. The sheets about the same size. (The clay doesnt
great thing is that with clay, you can do it all at have to be conditioned in advance, because it
room temperature! And once you have made a will be conditioned by the blending process.)
cane, you can make many thin slices with the Trim them into rectangles. Slice one sheet diag-
same pattern, just as slicing a jellyroll dessert onally, and stack the two triangles; repeat with
yields the same spiral pattern in every slice. In the other sheet. Butt the two double triangles
fact, one of the most common canes is called together so they make a rectangle, one color on
a jellyroll cane. each side; overlap the edge a bit, and press
them so they stick together. Feed the double-
Cane patterns can be as simple as stripes, checks, thick rectangle through the rollers of a pasta
bulls-eyes, and swirls. And because you can stack machine. This will stretch out the rectangle
and pack simple canes together, they can also twice as long but a single thickness. Fold it in
add up to complex canes of flowers, faces, and half again at the waist, and roll it through
even landscapes. A combination of simple and again, fold side first. Repeat about fifteen times,
complex canes are displayed in Clay as Surface always folding at the waist and sending it
Media, page 54. through fold side first. By the time you have fin-
ished, youll have a smooth color blend with one
Color Mixing, Marbling, and Blends color down one vertical edge and the other
color down the other vertical edge; the upper
You can mix two or more colors during the con-
and lower edges will show the blend. If you stop
ditioning process simply by flattening each
earlyafter about ten timesyoull have an
color and stacking the layers at the start; by the
incomplete blend with a cross-section that looks
time you have finished conditioning, the colors
streaky, like ikat cloth.
will be mixed.
One of the simplest decorative techniques is to For a complex blend, start by rolling out a clay
marble clay. Start by making small snakes of dif- sheet at least 6" (15 cm) long in each color you
ferent colors of conditioned clay. Bundle them, want to use. From each sheet, cut out two long
pack them, and twist them together. Roll the triangles about 2" (5 cm) wide at the base.
bundle on your work surface to lengthen it, Assemble them together, head to foot, into a
then fold it and twist again. Stop when you like rectangle the width of your pasta machine;
the marbled effect; if you go too far, the clay will overlap the edges of the pieces, and pinch them
start to look blended rather than marbled. together. Send the whole piece through the
pasta machine. Fold the long rectangle at the
For a simple blendoften called Skinner blend waist, and send it through the pasta machine,
in reference to the techniques developer, Judith fold side first. Repeat as above. Youll have a

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blended sheet with one color down one side, Artists discovered this effect and figured out
another down the other side; the top and bot- many ways to use it. Most rely on making sheets
tom edges will show the blend. The ikat tech- of brightened clay, cutting them into uniform
nique and complex color blending are shown in pieces, stacking them, and then manipulating
the final surface treatment on page 74. the stack in various ways to take advantage of
the contrast between the brightened surface
and the darkened edges.
Metallic Effects
Some of the Premo Sculpey clays contain so

much mica that they look like mother-of-pearl Mokum Gan
or metal. Mica is formed of flat plates, and An ancient Japanese metalworking technique
remarkably, when you run the metallic or pearl inspired the artists who developed these meth-
clays through the pasta machine, the pressure ods. The original involved soldering and com-
seems to make the plates line up and face the pressing layers of several colored metals into
surface of the sheet. Because the little plates one fused piece, punching into them from both
reflect light, the surface looks brighter and sides to make bumps and hollows, then sanding
Acrylic floor finish and brighter the more you send it through the pasta off the bumps to reveal the layers beneath.
metallic powders are
machine. Conversely, the edges of the sheet
used to create a crack-
look darker because youre looking between the In clay, of course, its easy to get different layers
led effect on the handle
of this ice cream scoop. little plates. to stick together, and clay artists have a rainbow
of colors, translucents, pearly clays, paints, inclu-
sions, and metal leaf to work with. Many artists
have developed special variations on this
theme. Layer work shows how different artists
can take a basic idea, play with it, and come up
with utterly different results.
The core mokum gan technique is to stack

different colored sheets of unbaked clay, rumple
them like a bed after a restless night or punch
into them, then take thin slices from the top.
Because the layers are no longer flat, each cut
will slice through several layers, revealing stria-
tions the way a road cut reveals underlying lay-
ers of earth and stone or a wood carver reveals
the grain of a block of wood. Often these irregu-
lar slices are flipped over, laid on another sheet
of clay, and rolled down to create a variegated
Artist: Mona Kissel

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sheet. This can be used as is or made into a Covering Forms

veneer to cover an object. Depending on which
When a sheet of clay is wrapped or draped over
clays are originally selected and whether other
a glass, metal, wood, or cardboard form and
materials such as glitter or metal leaf are
then baked, the clay takes on that shape. You
included, the effects can be very different.
can use found objects such as bottles, bowls,
boxes, lighting fixtures, switch plates, or tins as

Using Armatures, Inside and Out
forms, or you can build your own with tape and
Polymer clay is malleable until cured, and it
cardboard. Keep in mind that manipulating
becomes even softer for a short time during
decorated sheets of clay over a form can distort
baking. Small objects usually arent heavy
or destroy the surface treatment. Minimize this
enough to go out of shape during baking, but
by applying decorated clay to simple forms or
heat and gravity will make sheets and large
items sag unless theyre supported. apply decorated clay as individual tiles. You may
bake between each tiles application to ensure

Heavy paper and cardboard can be used exter- that the decoration is preserved.
nallyfor example, a stiff paper cone can be
wrapped in a floppy sheet of clay, which will be If you dont want the clay and the form to stick
sturdy once it has been baked. Heat-resistant together after baking, use a release agent
materials can be used internally as armatures.
between them. Pull the clay and form apart
Glass and most metals are suitable. Crushed alu-
while theyre still hot from baking; clay expands
minum foil makes a good core for sculptures
very little when hot, but that little can be helpful
and beads. Metal screening can be used to rein-
in separating tightly fitted pieces. If youre will-
force thin sheets.
ing to leave the form in place, simple enclosure
With successive bakings, clay itself can become will hold them together. If you dont want to
a kind of armature. After the foundation layer is leave it in, you can cut the clay (preferably an
baked, it becomes stiff and easy to handle; later angled cut), pull out the form, and then use
layers can be added and baked, permitting the glue or translucent liquid clay to reunite the
construction of elaborate objects. A tiny dab of cuts. Dont use varnished or painted metal as a
translucent liquid clay on points that may be form without a lot of release agent; the clay will
stressed later will help ensure a solid bond. stick to the varnish. Conversely, painted tins can
easily be permanently covered with clay
because it sticks to the paint.

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Finishing Touches
Carving, Drilling, and Filing Polishing
Once fully baked, polymer clay can be easily Polishing translucent clay is especially effective,
carved, incised, filed, sawed, or drilled. because the transparency is greatly enhanced.
Underbaked clay is usually too brittle to with- When transparent liquid clay is applied over a
stand this treatment. Experiment with wood- surface treatment, the resulting baked surface
carving tools, sculpting tools, and any other kind may be sanded and buffed to a polished finish.
of implement you can find at art- and craft-sup- But consider this step carefully, as the coating of
ply stores. Once carved, try rubbing paint into liquid clay is thin and you dont want to sand
the grooves to accentuate them. away any of your decorative finish. You can apply
more liquid clay to the piece and bake it again.
To drill a thin or small piece of polymer clay,
mark the area first, and use a needle tool to If you choose to sand and buff your piece, here
gently dent the area. Then, simply hand-twist are the general directions for doing so. When
a drill bit into the dent to enlarge it. For thicker working with wet/dry sandpaper, always use it in
or larger pieces of clay, use a small hobby drill. water (a full bowl will do it) to keep the clay cool
and the dust in the water, so you dont inhale it.
Artists Tip: Incised or cut areas will likely If you want to remove a lot of clay, start at 180
appear white, but this residue can be removed grit (fairly coarse), then progress to 320, 400, and
by rebaking the piece. Alternately, the incised 600 grit; if you want a real shine, get superfine
areas could be back-filled with clay or tube paper (800 grit and higher) at an auto-supply
acrylic paint. You should rebake after back-filling shop. Finally, buff it on your jeans or other cotton
with either clay or paint. cloth until glossy. Aficionados may want to use
Artist: Gwen Gibson

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a bench grinder with an unstitched cotton Artists Tip: Keep the clay object moving at all
wheel or even a variable speed buffer made for times. If you let it linger too long in one spot on the
jewelers. Buffing attachments are available for buffing wheel, the friction could damage the clay.
hobby drills.
Artist: Gwen Gibson
The decorated clay on this pin (left) and wearable box

pendant (above) was created with handmade silk screens
and acrylic paint.

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BASICS FOR FIGURE CREATION What Is Polymer Clay?

Polymer clay is a synthetic modeling material that you can
bake, or cure, in an oven. It comes in different brands and
colors and can be sculpted, carved, textured, sanded,
and painted. Polymer clay does not create a mess and
does not require any special setup or equipment. These
properties make this versatile medium very accessible to
beginners, as well as a first choice for sculpting small char-
acters. Polymer clay is easy to work with and allows you to
concentrate on the process of creation rather than on strug-
gling with the material.
Finding Polymer Clay Tools and Supplies

You can find polymer clay tools and supplies in arts and crafts stores, or you can order them online.
Please see the Resources section at the back of this book for more information.
The Wrong Tool for the Right Job

The philosophy of this book is that you shouldnt let a shortage of the right polymer clay or the right tools
stop you. To illustrate this point, I have used polymer clays ranging from Fimo Soft to Super Sculpey and
everything from a safety pin to a clay shaper as tools for the projects in this book. You should feel free to
improvise. Personally, I prefer, and recommend, the Premo Sculpey brand of clay for its nice finish and stur-
diness after baking. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid clays that are too soft or sticky for your taste. The brand
of clay, its color, and its quantity should not be obstacles to sculpting success. The color schemes in the proj-
ects are only a suggestion, and it is up to you whether a Little Red Riding Hood will wear a bright yellow
hat or not.
The quantities of clay needed, which are stated in the beginning of each project, are a rough estimate and
always give you the maximum amount you would need. This method avoids impractical measurement units,
such as 1/231 block of clay, and helps you develop a sense of proportion.
As for tools, I recommend the use of clay shapers, because their rubbery tips are excellent for manipulating
the clay. The tapered-point and the cup-round clay shapers in particular are used for most of the projects in
this book. Alternatively, you can use a cuticle pusher, a common manicure tool, instead of a clay shaper.
This tool is also the best choice for hard clays (or older clays), for which the soft tip of the shaper does not
work well. Do not hesitate to experiment with other tools that seem to fulfill the same function as a clay
shaper or a cuticle pusher; there is no tool that cannot be switched for something elseexcept for your
hands, of course.
All the previously mentioned standard tools and supplies can be found online or in arts and crafts stores. For
more information, see the Resources section in the back of this book.
How to Read the Instructions

The project instructions in this book are designed to first and foremost give you a visual idea of how a critter
is made. While working, keep in mind that each step is not an isolated move, but comes in the continuity of
what has already been done in the previous step and what will be done in the next one. To make the most
out of the visual instructions for each step, try to take a quick look at the one before it and the one after it.
That way you do not run risks such as making an excessively large earlobe that blocks a sideburn that
needs to make its way onto the cheek of an Elvis impersonator.
How to Hold a Critter

Many of the pictures in this book do not show how you should hold a critter while working on it. A goofy
head sitting by itself in the middle of a light blue desert with a clay shaper stuck in its ear will not be an

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Chapter 2
Surface Techniques and Applications
If youre one to dive into new projects, then youve come to the right place. This chapter will guide
you through familiar surface techniques that are created with some innovative twists, such as using a
kitchen scrubbing sponge to stipple layers of oil pastel (below left) or monoprinting with facial tissue
(below right).
Stamping, a popular technique in general, is especially versatile when combined with polymer clay
because not only color, but also texture come into play. Monoprinting, brayering, and masking
are among the techniques for achieving different looks with paint or ink applications. Spraying,
splattering, and sponging takes paint or ink in still another direction. Techniques involving pow-
ders, pastel crayons, and pens are also featured in conjunction with paint and ink methods as well
as independently.
Note: White clay is the base for all tile swatches except where indicated. All clay is conditioned and rolled
out to a medium thickness.
28

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Surface techniques involving acrylic media can yield dramatic results. The techniques presented here
introduce you to several acrylic products and faux surfaces that can be created with them. Imagine
making faux suede or paste-paper ornaments! Clay as Surface Media (page 54) demonstrates that sur-
face design on clay isnt only about applying other substances on clay.
The collection of Surface Technique Intensives (pages 60-81) gives you an opportunity to design sur-
faces using a combination of techniques. You can create either complex or subtle designs working
this way. The choice is yours.
Whether you try the techniques in succession or work with them randomly, youll gain a greater
appreciation for the art of surface design.
29

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Basic Surface Recipes

Stamping to Add Images and Designs
Combining and applying stamps with various media allows for a wide array of effects.
Stamp credit: Stampendous
1. To prepare the background, use a piece of crumpled aluminum foil to stipple

Materials on a layer of bronze metallic paint. Let the paint dry. Repeat this step to apply
beige or ecru clay another layer of copper metallic paint, and let it dry again.
opaque bronze metallic acrylic paint 2. Create a foam ink pad by applying black acrylic gesso to a section of foam pad.
(shown: Lumiere)
3. Press the rubber stamp against the custom-made ink pad.
opaque copper metallic acrylic paint
(shown: Lumiere) 4. Stamp your design onto the stippled background of the polymer clay.
black acrylic gesso (shown: Golden) Be sure to clean the stamp immediately.
aluminum foil Note: A fine-textured sponge is used predominately throughout this book
rubber stamp except where indicated. You can use a sponge with different texture, but your
piece of a foam pad or a fine-textured results may vary.
cosmetic sponge

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Variations
1
Apply acrylic craft paint to plastic grids (found in the
embroidery section of craft stores), coarse-weave
embroidery-type cloth, and the prongs of a furniture
coaster to create this collage of abstract images.
Stamp credit: Judikins
2
For extra contrast, use opaque metallic acrylic paints,
such as any of the Stewart Gill lines or Jacquards
Lumiere, to stamp onto a background of black clay.
3
Smooth a light layer of mica powder onto the clay.
Sponge an acrylic media, such as acrylic gel media
or silk-screen media, onto a rubber stamp. After
stamping, spray water on the stamp to keep the
acrylic media from drying until the stamp can be
cleaned. Smooth mica over the clay again to reveal
the invisible images. Sponge Kato liquid translucent
clay over the clay to seal the mica powder.

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Shadow and Bold Image Stamps
A dramatic overall image can be created with shadow and bold image stamps.
Stamp credits: Hero Arts; Hot Potatoes
1. Lightly ink the shadow stamps (the squares) and a bold image stamp (the
Materials
leaf) with colors from pigment ink palette set.
pigment ink palette set (shown: Clearsnaps
ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink pad because of its 2. Stamp onto the clay, then gently blot the image with paper or a paper towel
ability to dry on polymer clay; Tsukinekos to remove excess ink and hasten the inks drying. If you blot with a textured
Brilliance is another pigment ink that similarly paper towel, a bit of the towels texture will transfer.
dries on clay)
assortment of shadow and bold image Tip: The stamp may not adhere evenly on the clay and, as a result, the image
stamps may come out splotchy. You may like the look. If not, simply touch your finger
to the ink pad and dab on more ink to fill in the splotches as desired.
scrap of plain paper or paper towel

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Stamp credit: Hot Potatoes

Variations
1
Ink a bold image stamp with various colors of metal-
lic acrylic paint, then stamp on the clay and smooth
on mica powder. Create the border pattern by
sponging on metallic paint. Use liquid translucent
clay to seal the powder.
Stamp credit: Hero Arts
2
Here, preserve the detail of an intricate stamp by
using Clearsnaps ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink pad.
Stamp credits: Hero Arts, Magenta, Hampton Art, Judikins
3
Stamp this tile using acrylic ink (shown Dr. Ph.
Martins iridescent ink). Inks of this type cover
the stamp and adhere to the clay differently than
pigment inks or acrylic paints. As a result, this
medium leaves lacelike images.

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Stamps and Texture Tools
Stamps and texture tools provide dimensional interest to clay surfaces.
Stamp Credit: Judikins
1. Spritz the stamp with Armorall (car protectant finish) or water. This keeps the
Materials
clay from sticking to the stamp.
assortment of metallic and nonmetallic
acrylic paints (shown: Jacquards Textile Color) 2. Press the stamp into the clay to make an even impression.
background or overall-pattern rubber stamp
3. Use the foam pad to lightly dab on one color of paint over the clay. Let the
Armorall or spray bottle with water paint dry.
piece of a foam pad or a cosmetic sponge
4. Apply additional layers of paint in a similar manner letting the paint dry after
each layer.

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Variations
1
Impress a texture sheet (shown: Shade-Tex) into
brown clay to create a design. Sponge beige acrylic
craft paint over the clay. Apply green, violet, and
magenta metallic acrylic paint with a paintbrush and
apply the magenta paint with small round sponge
daubers.
Stamp Credit: Embossing Arts
2
Impress a daisy-patterned rubber stamp into a cus-
tom color of green clay. Sponge assorted acrylic
paints onto the textured clay.
Stamp credit: Just for Fun
3
Sponge one color of acrylic paint over clay textur-
ized with a rubber stamp.

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Monoprinting
Monoprinting emphasizes the interplay among paint or ink colors. Apply a minimum of colors to avoid
creating a muddy mixture of paint or ink.
1. Cut open a plastic sheet protector so it opens like a book.

Materials
metallic acrylic paint (shown: Stewart Gills 2. Place a few dollops of metallic acrylic paint between the plastic pages. If you
Pearlise and Byzantia) are using multiple colors, space each color widely because as the paints spread,
plastic sheet protector (found in craft and some colors can be obscured.
office supply stores)
3. Close the sheet protector and smooth your fingers over the plastic to spread
the paint between the sheets.
4. Open the sheet protector and lay a sheet of clay over one or both sides of the
protector.
5. Press your fingers over the clay to ensure the paint is picked up by the clay.

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Variations
1
Spread dots of tube acrylic paint between the
pages of a sheet protector. Lay the clay over the
paint to apply.
Tip: Spray a light mist of water over any

acrylic paint or ink that starts drying on the
sheet protector as you are working.
2
Place facial tissue between the pages of a sheet pro-
tector, then dot liquid acrylic paint or ink onto the
tissue. (This is done so that if the liquid acrylic beads
up on plastic, it would be absorbed by the tissue
paper instead.) Lightly spray water over the tissue to
help spread the liquid acrylic. Note how the folds in
the tissue transfer as impressions in the color.
3
Dot Magic Color liquid acrylic directly onto the
pages of a sheet protector. Fold the sheet protector
and spread the liquid acrylic inside it. (This liquid
acrylic does not bead up on the plastic.) Sprinkle
a metallic powder (shown: Angelwings Polished
Pigments) over the spread of liquid acrylic, then
layer the clay over the combination of media. The
powder that adheres to the liquid acrylic will also
adhere to the polymer clay.

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Masking
Masking on clay can be done with a variety of materials: paper, plastic film, metal wire, and low-tack or Post-it
tape. If the masking material is impressed in the clay, you can create the look of dry embossing similar to paper
with impressed images.
1. Cut a piece of plastic into small sections. Place the plastic sections over the
Materials
clay, leaving space between each section.
assortment of acrylic craft paint (shown:
Anitas) 2. Sponge one of the colors all over the clay. You do not need to cover the clay
stencil plastic, acetate, or overhead projector entirely.
sheet (shown: E-Z Cut plastic stencil)
3. Let the paint layer dry.
piece of a foam pad or cosmetic sponge
jewelry tweezer 4. Carefully pick up and reposition the plastic sections. Sponge another paint
color over the clay. Let it dry.
scissors, regular or decorative cutting edge
5. Reposition the plastic sections and sponge on another layer of paint. Let it dry.

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Variations
1
Make a mask of any shape out of artist vellum paper
cut with decorative-edge scissors and apply Duva
ChromaCoal Sticks with the back of a section of
foam. Duva pastels can be slightly sticky on raw clay,
but they fix permanently after the clay is baked.
2
Apply acrylic gloss gel media on black clay and let it
dry. Place artist vellum paper masks cut with scissors
and a spiral punch on the clay, and smooth the
masks over the clay to secure them. Apply mica or
pigment powders (shown: Angelwings Polished
Pigments, which are a combination of mica and pig-
ment powders). Remove the stencils and bake the
tile. Apply liquid clay to seal the powders and bake
the tile again.
3
Layer Post-it tape onto the clay. Apply Crayola
Portfolio water-soluble oil pastels with the abrasive
side of a kitchen scrubbing sponge. Apply translu-
cent liquid clay and bake.
Tip: Avoid leaving small clumps of the oil pastels

on the clay. These might not get sealed under the
liquid clay and will rub off.

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Brayering
Ink or paint can be applied with brayers to a smooth or textured finish.
1. Place a few drops of the acrylic paints on the clay. Be careful not to use too
Materials
many colors. They may become muddy when mixed.
assortment of liquid acrylic paints (shown:
Golden) 2. Roll the brayer over part of the tile. Lift the brayer and roll it over another
rubber brayer section of the tile.
3. Repeat this process to create a look you like.

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Variations
1
Smooth a metallic powder onto clay. Roll a tex-
tured brayer in acrylic paint, then roll the brayer
over the tile.
2
Apply Dye Na Flow fabric inks to a foam pad. Roll a
rubber brayer over the pad, then roll it once over
clay. Turn the clay 90 degrees, and roll the brayer
once again.
Stamp credit: Stamps Happen, Inc.
3
Press a rubber stamp into clay. Roll a rubber brayer
over a foam pad inked with Dye Na Flow fabric ink.
Roll the brayer over the stamped clay several times
to smooth the ink onto the clay. If you are using a
rainbow of colors, be sure to keep the brayer aligned
with the color stripes.

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Paste Paper
There are several acrylic gels and liquids available to try on polymer clay. Use acrylic media to create designs
reminiscent of classic paste papers.
1. Place lines of paint across the clay. The paint lines can touch or not.
Materials
assortment of liquid acrylic paints 2. Run a medium-tooth comb across the painted clay to spread the paint and
metal wood-graining combs to create classic paste-paper design.
small artist palette 3. Turn the clay diagonally and run a thin-tooth comb across it.

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Variations
1
Mix drops of silk dye into a fluid acrylic medium.
The amount varies according to how much mixture
you need and how much color you want (shown:
Colorhue dyes and Golden silk-screen medium).
Smooth the mixture over clay. Comb a decorative
pattern through the layer with a Coit multiline
calligraphy pen.
2
Layer a mixture of liquid acrylic paint and acrylic gel
medium over clay. Comb a decorative pattern
through the layer with a wood-graining comb.
3
Smooth various colors of Duva ChromaCoal pastel
on clay. Layer on a mixture of liquid acrylic paint and
acrylic gel medium, and comb through with two
sizes of wood-graining combs.

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Acrylic Media
In Paste Paper acrylic gel effectively substitutes for the starch paste traditionally used to comb on paper.
Here, two other acrylic compounds are used to affect the distribution of color.
1. Smooth the medium onto the clay with a knife and let it dry.
Materials
Golden Micaceous Iron Oxide acrylic medium 2. Brush metallic powders over the layer.
(Linda Twohill coined the term raku sauce
for this product.) 3. Rub oil pastels selectively over the surface. Smooth and blend the oil pastels
as you apply them to complete the raku look.
oil pastels (used here: Crayola Portfolio)
metallic powders
palette knife or dinner knife
small brush

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Variations
1
Apply acrylic modeling paste on clay and let it dry.
(shown: US ArtQuest 101 Light Artists Medium. You
could also use Golden modeling paste.) Sponge on
various colors of acrylic craft paint.
2
For a different look, apply an opaque acrylic medium,
such as US ArtQuest 101 Light Artists Medium, leav-
ing less texture, then let it dry. Paint all over with
one color of craft paint and apply additional colors
sparingly.
3
Apply US ArtQuest 101 Heavy Artists Medium (or
Golden white gesso) on clay and let it dry. Dab on
alcohol-based inks with cotton swabs or cosmetic
applicators. Alcohol-based inks are fast-drying, yield
dramatic blending effects, and have vibrant color
(we used Ranger Crafts Adirondack alcohol inks).
Spritz on Adirondack alcohol blender solution, and
while the surface is wet, sprinkle on metallic pow-
ders or dab with a metallic marker, such as Krylon,
Sharpie, or Posh Impression markers.

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Silk-screening
Silk-screening is another way to transfer imagesespecially fine-lined or intricate onesonto clay. Silk-screening
results in a brocadelike finish on clay.
Materials
1. Use a spoon to mix a few drops of the dye with a small amount
fabric dye (shown: Colorhue) of medium on a foam plate. Apply this mixture to the clay with a
carrier medium (shown: Golden silk-screen medium, but palette knife. Let it dry. Make a second color mixture.
a heavy hair gel containing alcohol can also be used)
2. Lay the stencil, shiny side down, onto the clay. Squeegee a small
silk-screen stencil (used here: a stencil from the African
amount of the color mixture over the stencil. Lift the stencil and
series from Gwen Gibson)
place it in the pan until you are ready to clean it.
squeegee tool (used here: a wide Colour Shaper, but an
old credit card or small rubber spatula can also be used)
palette knife or a dinner knife
foam plate or tray
small spoon
pan of cool water

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Variations
1
Stencil metallic paint onto black clay (shown:
Stewart Gills Byzantia, which doesnt dry fully on
the clay, but dries sufficiently for this application).
When the first layer is dry, place a second stencil on
the decorated clay. Spread tube acrylic paint across
the second stencil. The opaque tube paint contrasts
nicely with the more transparent metallic paint.
Stencil credit: Gwen Gibson
2
Spoon out small amounts of silk-screen medium
on the plate. (Make a dollop for each color you are
using; we used four colors.) Mix drops of the dye
into the silk-screen medium, making individual
color mixtures. Lay the stencil, shiny side down,
onto the clay. Pick up a bit of one color mixture
with a spoon and place bits of it on the stencil.
Repeat with the remaining colors. Run the
squeegee along the stencil, smoothing all the
colors along the way. If there were sections of the
clay left without color, clean off the squeegee and
pick up color from the plate to correct this. This
will keep your colors from getting muddy.
3
Sponge alcohol-based inks onto the clay with a cos-
metic sponge. Lay the stencil over the clay, and
squeegee tube acrylic paint across the stencil.

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Alcohol Inks
Alcohol inks blend like watercolors on polymer clay.
1. Place the fabric on wax paper and spritz it lightly with alcohol.
Materials
alcohol-based inks, such as Ranger Crafts 2. Drop various colors of ink onto the fabric, allowing the colors to bleed into
Adirondack alcohol inks and Jacquard Piata one another.
Colors
3. Pick up the fabric and wax paper together and place the fabric side on clay.
swatch of fabric with a texture
wax paper 4. Roll the brayer over the wax paper, applying pressure to transfer both the ink
spray bottle containing rubbing alcohol and the fabric texture.
brayer
Note: In this example, some colors were applied by rubbing the bottle tip on
the fabric. This translated as scribble lines in the design. You might exploit this
to create a look of writing. Also, the thin lines across the tile were the result of
a happy accident. Some fabric threads were caught between the clay and fab-
ric. The threads were colored and impressed in the clay.

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Variations
1
Moisten a swatch of fabric with rubbing alcohol
and drop colors of alcohol ink on it. Brayer the
inked fabric on clay.
2
Drop alcohol ink all over clay. Follow with a spritz of
rubbing alcohol.
3
Moisten a small piece of felt that is attached to a
die or miniature building block with the hook-side
of a piece of Velcro tape. Ink the felt with a light
color, and stamp the felt on clay in an all over pat-
tern. Fill in any spaces with other ink colors, chang-
ing the felt pads between each new color.

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Acrylic Floor Finish
Acrylic floor finish can be used to create a glossy paint or veneer for polymer clay. This technique was
contributed by Mona Kissel.
1. Mix metallic powder with acrylic floor finish and use a soft craft brush to
Materials
paint this mixture onto clay.
acrylic floor finish, such as Future
metallic powder, such as Pearl Ex 2. When the surface is dry, roll the decorated clay carefully through a pasta
machine to craze or crackle the acrylic finish.
acrylic paint
soft craft brush
pasta machine

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Polymer Clay Art_Folio Document_051-100_.qxp 12/8/06 6:19 PM Page 51
Variations
1
Mix both metallic and embossing powders with
acrylic floor finish, and apply to clay. When the clay
is dry, crackle the finish by rolling through a pasta
machine.
2
Use a soft craft brush to brush on acrylic floor finish
over acrylic paint to minimize finger marks or to
intensify the color.
3
Brush on acrylic floor finish with a soft craft brush
over silk-screened patterns for a glossy shine.

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Stenciling
Stenciling is the opposite of masking. In masking, color is applied around a barrier; in stenciling, color is applied
through selected openings of a barrier. You can purchase craft stencils or make your own using punch cutters or a craft
knife. Save the cut-out pieces to use as masks. Silk-screening, which can be found on page 46, is a form of stenciling.
1. Wipe a thin application of liquid translucent clay onto the stencil using a
Materials
squeegee tool. Lay this treated side on clay, then smooth over the stencil with
assorted tube acrylic paints your fingers to ensure that it is completely in contact with the clay.
liquid translucent clay
2. Using a squeegee tool, apply paint over the stencil. Put the decorated clay
purchased craft stencil
aside to let the paint dry. Use the pan to wash paint off of the stencil and
squeegee tool squeegee. Dry the stencil and tool.
pan of water
3. Stencil on three additional paint layers, letting each layer of paint dry before
another is added. Applying liquid clay to the stencil helps keep the stencil from
pulling up previous layers of paint.

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Variations
1
Use stencil plastic and a craft punch to make a
custom stencil. Lay the stencil on clay, and apply
Crayola Portfolio oil pastels on the stencil around
the design. Use a soft, dense sponge to wipe the
oil pastel over the stencil and create a design.
2
Use your finger to press embossing powder through
the designs of a purchased or custom-made stencil.
Keep a wide, soft-bristle brush handy to sweep away
excess powder.
3
Apply acrylic gel media to clay with a palette knife
and let it dry. Brush on an acrylic ink, then let it dry
(shown: Dr. Ph. Martins Spectralite with Spectralite
extender added). The ink brushes on smoothly over
the gel, but beads up when applied to clay directly.
Note the beading where the end of the violet stripe
is applied directly onto clay. Lay the stencil on clay.
Apply some gel media over the open design. Apply
metallic powder over the gel. Let the clay surface
dry, then go over it with liquid translucent clay.

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Clay as Surface Media
The applications shown are with unbaked clay only, but baked clay can be added to raw clay to create mosaics. Raw or
baked pieces can be applied to baked clay to add ornamentation. Adhere raw or baked pieces to baked clay using liquid
translucent clay or Poly Bonder and bake again.
1. Assemble the airbrush attachment, air source, and a marker.

Materials
white polymer clay (for the base layer) 2. Spray ink from an assortment of markers onto the white clay.
small pieces of four colors of polymer clay (shown:
3. Run each of the four colored clay pieces through the pasta
violet, magenta, yellow-green, and yellow)
machine on a thin setting.
small black-and-white spiral cane of polymer clay
assortment of alcohol markers and their airbrush 4. Cut and apply thin strips of the colored clays.
attachment (shown: Letraset Promakers)
5. Cut and apply thin slices of the spiral cane.
air compressor or can of compressed air for airbrushing
wax paper 6. Cover the decorated layer with wax paper and smooth the
applied clay and cane slices with a roller or brayer. Be sure to
pasta machine
smooth the layer in various directions to avoid distorting the applied
clay and cane slices.

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Variations
1
Apply ink from alcohol markers on a very thin layer
of translucent clay. Cut out blocks of the inked clay
and apply them to a medium-thick base layer of
white clay. Roll the resulting sheet through the
pasta machine to a desired thinness and level of
distortion.
2
Cut thin slices from a mokum gan block of metal-
lic clay with impressions from cookie cutters and lay-
ers of acrylic paint through it. (For more on mokum
gan, see page 24; shown: Stewart Gills Byzantia
metallic paint.) Cut out small shapes from the slices
with miniature cookie or hors doeuvres cutters and
apply them to black clay. Thin out the sheet
through the pasta machine.
3
Decorate a sheet of clay with thin canes in a scat-
tered (shown here) or allover pattern.

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Writing on Clay
When the surface design is not enough, you can write, scribble, or carve on it. Several methods are described here. You
may need to practice a bit with either of these methods to get the results you like.
1. Texture a clay sheet using the rubber stamp. (Texturing clay will make writing
Materials
a little more challenging, so this step is optional.)
rubber stamp with a background design
acrylic paint (shown: Lumiere) 2. Lightly sponge on acrylic paint to reveal the stamped design. Let the paint dry.
acrylic ink (shown: Dr. Ph. Martins 3. Write on the decorated clay using any of the following methods:
Spectralite)
Add ink to the ruling or calligraphy pen. Write initially on a sheet of scrap clay
assortment of markers (shown: Sharpie oil to test the ink flow. Write on the decorated layer (as shown in the words
paint and Marvy DecoColor opaque paint
dream and play above), being careful not to scratch into the clay. Re-ink as
markers)
needed.
artist-grade tissue paper
Write directly on the clay with the oil-paint marker (as shown in the words
detail paintbrush art and color above).
ruling pen or Coit single line calligraphy pen Lay a piece of tissue paper where you want to write on the clay. Write on the
piece of foam pad or cosmetic sponge clay through the paper (as shown in the words create and beauty above).
Write on the clay with the detail brush charged with ink (as shown in the
word imagine above).

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Variations
1
The broad tips of dual-point alcohol markers make
brushlike strokes on clay. Dip the marker in a drop
of rubbing alcohol to wet its tip.
2
Sponge on various colors of dye, paint, or ink
(shown: Colorhue dye) and let it dry. Lightly carve
into the decorated clay sheet with a needle or carv-
ing tool (used here: a Kemper needle tool).
3
Writing with Ranger Crafts Adirondack acrylic paints
doesnt require any additional tools because these
paints come in fine-tipped bottles.

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Spray, Splatter, and Sponge
You can create spray effects on clay through both direct (spray bottle, airbrushing, toothbrush) or indirect (sponge,
sprinkled powder) means. The design possibilities are endless.
1. Add a few drops of dye to the spray bottle and dilute it with about twice that
Materials
amount of airbrush medium.
fabric dye (shown: Colorhue)
airbrush medium (shown: Golden) Tip: Colorhue can be diluted with water, but a watery liquid would run off the
clay. We diluted the dye with acrylic airbrush medium because it adheres to
chalk pastel sticks
clay. You can also dilute the dye with denatured alcohol, which will also
translucent liquid clay adhere.
small spray bottle
2. Spray across a clay sheet, creating a pattern you like.
tissue blade or craft knife
craft sponge brush 3. While the dye is wet, use a tissue blade or craft knife to scrape a fine powder
of various colors of pastel sticks over the inked clay sheet. Let it dry.
4. Sponge on the liquid clay before or after baking to seal the pastel. Be sure
to apply liquid clay with careful dabbing motions to minimize disruption of
the pastel.

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Variations
1
With a sponge with a very open mesh, lightly apply
various colors of craft acrylic paint. You can achieve
a similar look by applying paint with a piece of
crumpled aluminum foil.
2
Splatter acrylic ink or dye (shown: Rangers Posh
Impressions metallics) onto clay by scraping a tooth-
brush with a palette knife. Mask the clay sheet with
palette or wax paper to create a pattern of colors.
Let it dry. Use alphabet cookie cutters dipped in
acrylic paint to stamp a design of letters on the
painted sheet.
3
Airbrush a base color of acrylic airbrush paint on
clay, then let it dry (shown: Golden opaque airbrush
color). Use a craft punch to make masks out of
palette paper, and apply the masks to the painted
clay. Airbrush other colors over the clay. Remove
the masks. Note: Golden airbrush color will remain
slightly tacky on clay, especially if it is applied heavily;
however, it dries completely on clay when baked.

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Surface Technique Intensives

Once you are familiar with polymer clay, understand how various materials work on it, and are comfortable
with some basic surface techniques, you may want to try more elaborate combinations. Here are ten
intensives to guide and encourage you.
Airbrushing
With airbrushing, fine droplets of paint are applied to clay. In this example, the underlying design in orange
paint isnt disturbed by the layer of blue paint airbrushed over it.
Materials
yellow, orange, and blue airbrush paint (shown: Golden; you may
need to thin other brands with airbrush medium if you are using a
compressor with a maximum pressure of 40 PSI or less.)
airbrushing kit that includes a can of compressed air
bubble wrap

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1. Condition the clay and roll out a medium thin

layer.
2. Spray a thin layer of yellow paint evenly over

the clay.
3. Spray orange paint randomly over the painted

clay. Let the paints dry slightly.
4. Press bubble wrap over the painted clay to create

impressions in the orange paint (a).
5. Spray blue all over the decorated clay. The bubble

wrap impressions will be revealed as the blue and
orange paint mix (b).
Notes on airbrushing: The paint can mist a bit in

the air while brushing, so airbrush in a well-venti-
lated room. You may also want to use a painting
box or hood made out of a cardboard box. One of
the best ways to keep your airbrush in good work- (a)
ing condition is to run airbrush cleaning fluid
through the brush at the end of every painting
session.
(b)
S U R F A C E T E C H N I Q U E S A N D A P P L I C AT I O N S 61

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Brocade
Paint and a stamped design combine to create either a course or a fine brocade, depending on whether the
decorated clay sheet is rolled through the pasta machine or not. Note the variation swatch to compare the
results of this approach when using a thin layer of the original blue paint.
Stamp credit: US ArtQuest
Materials
pearl metallic polymer clay (shown: Kato)
metallic acrylic paint (shown: Lumiere)
texture stamp
pasta machine

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1. To make this tile look somewhat aged, we used

pearl, rather than white clay, and change the main
paint color. We added a small amount of metallic
orange Jacquard Textile Color to blue pearl
Lumiere (a).
2. Press the texture stamp into the clay sheet.
3. Sponge or brayer the new color of blue paint

over the textured clay sheet (b).
4. Sponge gold paint on sections of the decorated

clay sheet. Let all the paint dry (c).
5. Roll the sheet through the pasta machine to thin (a)

it. Be sure to rotate the sheet 90 degrees and roll
through again to minimize distortion of the texture
pattern.
Variation
Here is a sheet done with a lighter application of
unaltered blue paint.
(b)
(c)

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A Hint of Pearl
Metallic clay alone or in combination with nonmetallic clay offers an array of design options.
Materials
pearl metallic and black polymer clay background stamp or texture sheet
assortment of opaque and metallic acrylic cookie cutters
paints pasta machine

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1. Make a metallic mokum gan loaf of pearl clay,

and place thin slices of it on a layer of black clay (a).
(For more on mokum gan, see page 24.)
2. Stretch the resulting layer by rolling it through a

pasta machine (b).
3. Impress the stamp or texture sheet into the

stretched clay sheet (c).
(a)
4. Lightly sponge on various colors of paint. Be sure
to leave areas of the pearl clay showing (d).
(b)
(c)
(d)

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Masking with Wire
When masking with wire in clay, or any even paper, you have the option of retaining or removing the
impressions made by the mask. Visual interest was created on this tile by varying the gauges of the wire
and size of the wire masks.
Materials
black polymer clay ball stylus
acrylic craft paint round- and flat-nose pliers
opaque fine-tipped marker wire cutter
various gauges of craft wire pasta machine
square paper clips acrylic brayer
cardstock

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1. Use the pliers to bend and shape the wire pieces

as you desire.
2. Lay the wire pieces and paper clips on a sheet

of black clay.
3. Cover the sheet with cardstock, and roll over

it with brayer to impress the wire and clips into
the clay.
4. Remove the cardstock, wire, and clips, and

impress the ball stylus over the sheet to add a dot
pattern.
5. Sponge or brayer on craft paint (a). Let dry. (a)
6. Dab on a second paint color (b). Let dry
7. Add other colored dots with an opaque marker (c).
8. Stretch the decorated sheet using the pasta

machine.
(b)
(c)

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Impressions with Paint and Texture
When working with coarsely textured clay, expect that some of the clay will show through the surface
application at least minimally. Here the texture pattern and brush strokes complement each other.
Materials
acrylic craft and metallic paint
texture sheet (shown: a Shade-Tex texture sheet)
fan brush

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1. Impress the texture sheet into a layer of clay.

Paint the resulting clay layer with metallic paint (a).
2. Apply additional metallic and opaque paint

colors. We applied blue metallic paint with a fan
brush and the gold and periwinkle paints with the
straight edge of a sponge (b and c).
(a)
(b)
(c)

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Pastel Collage
Sometimes mixtures of clay colors look interesting before they are fully combined. Adding surface design
judiciously, so as not to obscure the marbled clay layer, results in a decorated sheet with a bit of mystery
and depth.
Stamp credit: Embossing Arts (background); Hero Arts (design stamps)
Materials
brown, red, magenta, gold, and black poly- background rubber stamp and an
mer clay assortment of design stamps
opaque acrylic paint in pastel colors (shown: spray bottle with water
Sherrills Sorbets paints by Jacquard) pasta machine

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1. Mix small amounts of red, magenta, gold, and

black clay with a larger quantity of brown clay.
2. Run the mixture of clay through the pasta machine

to achieve a marbled look. See top image (a).
3. Sponge or brayer pastel paint on a background

stamp, then press the stamp into the clay. Be sure
to press the stamp evenly to achieve good cover-
age, but try not to impress the stamp in the clay.
See image at right (b). Clean the stamp immedi-
ately or spritz it with water to prevent paint from
drying.
4. When the paint dries, add another stamped (a)

image to create a layered design (c).
(b)
(c)

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Gossamer Color
It can be difficult to control the intensity of alcohol inks when applied directly to clay. You can avoid this
frustration by applying the ink to translucent clay first and then layering this ink on to opaque clay. When
inked translucent clay is left to leach a bit, a nice crackling may result when the translucent and opaque
clays are rolled out together. You can combine sections of one inked layer with different compatible colors
of opaque clay.
Materials
beige or ecru and translucent polymer clay stencils (shown: Createx fingernail
(shown: Premo) stencils, animal prints set)
assortment of alcohol-based inks (shown: tube acrylic paint
Ranger Crafts Adirondack alcohol inks) pasta machine

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1. Roll out ecru clay on the thickest setting of your

pasta machine, then set the clay sheet aside (a).
2. Roll out translucent clay on the thinnest pasta

machine setting.
3. Apply alcohol inks to the translucent clay. Let the

ink dry (b).
4. Place the inked translucent clay (with the inked (a)

side down) on the ecru clay (c).
5. Roll the two clay layers through the pasta

machine until the ink is thinned to your liking (d).
6. Stencil designs using tube acrylic paint on the

resulting clay sheet.
(b)
(c)
(d)

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Ikat Color Blend
Ikat, a form of textile weaving, was mentioned in Polymer Clay Basics (page 15). Here are techniques for
creating and using this design. The resulting ikat sheet is embellished with a silk-screened graphic.
Materials
8 oz (227 gm) each of white, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, violet,
magenta, ultramarine blue, and scrap polymer clay (shown: Premo)
metallic acrylic paint
silk-screen stencil (The stencil used here was designed with Photo-EZ.)

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1. Set the scrap clay aside.
2. Partially mix magenta and violet clay in a two-to-

one ratio.
3. Roll the combined clay and each of the individual

colors out on the thickest setting of the pasta
machine.
4. Prepare a sheet for blending using the Skinner (a)

blend method (see page 23 for more on Skinner
blends), with each of the triangles two layers thick.
5. Arrange the colors in this order: yellow, blue,

violet, white, magenta-violet, red, yellow (a).
6. Roll the colored layers through the pasta machine

according to the Skinner blend method until the
colors partially blend (b).
7. Cut the resulting layer across the colors into three

equal sections.
8. Stack the sections, staggering the color blend as

seen on the cross-section. Cut the resulting loaf in
half and restack (c). (b)
9. Roll out scrap clay on a thin but workable setting.

Cut slices of the loaf along the cross-section and
layer them on the scrap clay (d).
10. Smooth the resulting sheet with a roller, and roll

the sheet carefully through the pasta machine, if you
choose.
11. Stencil over the smoothed clay sheet.
(c)
(d)

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Ghost Printing and Batik Effect
With this technique you will be effectively mixing paint colors, so keep color mixing principles in mind.
Lascaux Aquarcyl paint is especially suitable for the technique demonstrated here. Other liquid acrylic
paints may yield different results.
Materials
liquid acrylic paint (shown: Lascaux rubber stamps (shown: our own hand-
Aquarcryl permanent blue, yellow, carved stamps)
magenta, and orange transoxide) needle tool
rubber brayer spray bottle of water

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1. Brayer on blue paint, leaving subtle gradations

as shown. Let it dry. Clean the brayer. See image
top right (a).
2. Sponge magenta paint along a section of the

painted clay. Be careful not to lift too much of
the blue paint.
3. While the magenta paint is wet, place a stamp

in it. Press lightly to ensure full contact, but do
not impress the clay. Lift the stamp. Spritz the
stamp with water to keep the paint moist until
you are ready to clean the stamp (b).
4. Repeat step three using the yellow and orange

(a)
paints (c).
5. Write into the clay with the needle tool,

tracing around the stamp images.
(b)
(c)

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Putting It All Together
Manipulating the surface of polymer clay is one of the many ways to transform the material. With a variety
of surface techniques at your disposal, you can transform your clay by applying techniques individually or by
combining them as demonstrated here. Whichever you choose, dont be afraid to go further by cutting your
finely decorated clay sheet and reforming it or adding pieces of it to pieces from other sheets.
Stamp credit: Earthtone Stamps
Materials
translucent liquid clay wire tool
assortment of acrylic paints flea comb
and inks rubber stamps
chalk pastel

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Polymer Clay Art_Folio Document_051-100_.qxp 12/9/06 7:40 AM Page 79
1. This decorated sheet was inspired by trying out

some initial techniques with a scrap of clay.
It became a way to start the tile (a).
2. Texture neutral-colored clay with a flea comb (b).
3. Start applying horizontal lines of acrylic paint

and/or ink. Think about adding a combination
of dark, medium-light, and light colors. In other
words, vary the color (hue) and value (lightness
and darkness). Note that there was no attempt to
keep distinct lines of color or prevent colors from
blending. Also, note that the sheet may not look
particularly interesting at this point (c).
(a)
(b)
(c)

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4. Start adding decoration to each of the

paint/ink lines. Add pastel shaved from a pastel
stick to moist paint. Add other decoration when
the paint/ink lines are dry (d).
(d)
5. Completed sheets such as this one could be

used as a small wall decoration, on the cover of a
book, as part of an altered book page, or as deco-
ration on a box. The sheet (as a whole or cut into
sections) could also be used as embellishment
for a quilt (e).
(e)
6. You can present a decorated sheet in another

way entirely by cutting it and reforming the sec-
tions. We cut the sheet into strips, but you might
try other variations (f).
(f)

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In time, as you explore surface design on clay, you may amass a collection of decorated clay sheets.
You can create new work with tiles made by reassembling strips from previously decorated sheets.
Tip: Store your decorated sheets between sheets of waxed paper. This helps keep the clay from
drying too quickly.
P O LY M E R C L AY A R T 81

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Projects
This book is primarily about technique and design. While it is great fun to make sumptuously deco-
rated clay sheets, what would you do with them all? The projects in this chapter begin to answer
that question.
Offered here are a variety of projects that can be successfully executed by either a dedicated crafter
or an occasional one. All of them are very functional and they make terrific gifts (to yourself as well).
If youre interested in paper or fiber arts, then you might make the Mosaic Card, Painted and
Stamped Photo Journal Cover, or the Arts and Crafts Notepad. If you like to cook or entertain, try the
Creative Utensil Handle. You may want to cover other utensils as well. Imagine place settings with
decorated flatware! Last, if you like to wear your art, then the Faux Paper Bead Necklace and Tile
Bracelet are for you. Both projects are distinctive designs that are almost certain to win you notice.
82

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The projects are useful as learning opportunities because they employ a variety of skills and methods.
The utensil handle and necklace projects illustrate how decorated clay can be manipulated to make
dimensional objects. The photo journal and card projects highlight decorated clay as ornaments.
The jewelry projects are as much about jewelry design and construction as they are about surface
treatments on clay.
We hope making these items will fuel your creative energy. For further inspiration, see the gallery
section, containing other exemplary uses of surface design on polymer clay.
83

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Project: Mosaic Card

Cut unique shapes from decorated clay sheets and use them to embellish
items such as note cards and book covers.
Artist: Ellen Marshall

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Preparing the Card

Materials
1. Cut a strip of the linen cardstock to 8 V" 5 W" (21.5 13 cm).
2 oz (56.5 gm) of white
polymer clay 2. Score the center of the strip with a bone folder, then fold the cardstock in half using the bone folder
to make the fold crisp.
assortment of acrylic
paints (shown: Anitas 3. Using a ruler and a paper trimmer, trim the dark olive green cardstock to measure 3 W" 4 W" (8
in lily pad, olive green, 11 cm). Trim the light brown piece of cardstock to measure 3 V" 4 V" (9 11.5 cm). Trim the light
kelly green, rust red, olive vellum paper to measure 3 X" 4 1/8" (9.5 10.5 cm).
and moccasin brown
and Lumiere pearl 4. Set all paper aside.
blue and metallic
gold)
Preparing the Polymer Clay Tiles
section of embroidery
or coarsely woven 1. Condition the polymer clay and roll out a thin sheet of clay
fabric (number five setting on the pasta machine or 1/16" [1.5 mm]).
archival craft glue 2. Decorate the clay by sponging on some paint colors, smoothing
(used here: Crafters paint on the cloth, then pressing the sections of the cloth onto the
Pic Memory Mount) clay (a).
(a)
one 8 V" 11" (21.5
28 cm) sheet of white 3. Add more layers of paint colors with the brush. Let each layer of
or cream linen card- paint dry fully (b).
stock, dark olive green 4. Choose three distinctly different sizes of the cutters and use
cardstock with metal- them to cut an assortment of tiles out of the decorated clay sheet (c).
lic veneer, light brown
cardstock with brown
marbling, and light Constructing the Card
(b)
olive green vellum
1. Use the rubber craft tool to add a thin layer of glue to the back
glue stick of the clay tiles as you apply them to the dark olive rectangle. First
flat craft or artists apply a few of the largest ovals in an allover pattern on the card-
brush stock. Next, fill in the spaces with the medium, and then the
piece of a foam pad smallest ovals.
or cosmetic sponge 2. Bake the decorated cardstock for 20 minutes at 275F (135C).
rubber-tipped craft When the baking is done, let this cardstock and clay cool. (c)
tool, such as a Colour
Shaper 3. Try out arrangements of the green-gold and light brown
cardstock and light olive vellum on the front of the folded card until
ruler
you like the positioning.
paper trimmer
4. When youve chosen a pleasing design, glue the layers, starting
bone folder
with the vellum, to the front of the card.
micro cutters
(used here: Kemper
Ovals set)
pasta machine
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Project: Creative Utensil Handle

Use decorated sheets of clay, either one piece or several spliced together in a pleasing way, to easily
cover utensil handles. Cylindrical handles are the easiest to cover with a rectangular sheet trimmed
to fit. A total sheet thickness equal to the thickest setting on the pasta machine works best for most
applications.
Artist: Mona Kissel

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1. Prepare decorated sheets of clay.

Materials
2. Make a template by cutting a piece of wax paper to the
decorated polymer length of the handle. Wrap the wax paper around the
clay sheets cylindrical handle, and use a pen or pencil to mark where
ice cream scoop the paper meets. Extend the line across the paper. This will
be the template for the size of the clay sheet needed to
wax paper
wrap the handle (a).
pencil or pen
3. Using a tissue blade, trim the decorated sheet to size
tissue blade (a)
using the template. Note: Using this method will result in a
large knitting needle clay sheet that seems a bit short at the seam, which is
cardboard baking intentional. The tight fit is the most important part of wrap-
surface ping the handle (b).
pasta machine 4. Lay the decorated, trimmed clay sheet upside-down on
wax paper, and bevel all the (inside) edges with the tissue
blade. Beveling ensures an almost invisible seam at the
joint and allows for smooth edges (c).
Note: Use only solid
5. Place the clay sheet (decorated side out, beveled side in) (b)
metal utensils with no
plastic components. If on the handle, centering it on the front. This will position
there is doubt about the seam at the back of the handle. Place the wax paper
whether a tool is solid between your hand and the clay sheet, and wrap the sheet
metal, or whether any around the handle, gently shaping the clay sheet to fit.
plastic plugs were used
6. Remove the wax paper, and use a large knitting needle
inside the tool you can
to roll the clay sheet toward the seam so that the two
test it by baking the tool
edges meet. Gently persuade the clay sheet to wrap more
at 275F (135C) for ten
tightly around the handle. If you are covering an ice-cream
to fifteen minutes. The (c)
scoop handle, as in this example, you can firmly hold the
utensil must be carefully
scoop with one hand as you finesse the wrap with the
watched as the oven
other hand. Smooth the seam by rolling the knitting needle
gets warm. If plastic was
along it.
used in the assembly
of the tool, the heated 7. At the ends, use your fingers to taper the ends and press
plastic will swell and the clay into shape. Gently roll the knitting needle over the
become very visible. This edge of the clay to finish shaping the ends and smooth out
will ruin the utensil, so it any finger marks.
is best to work with solid
metal utensils. 8. Finally, examine the clay covering. If the covering is uneven
or irregular, very gently roll the entire handle between your
flattened hand and a smooth work surface, applying only very
light pressure. Pressing too hard will stretch the clay covering
and cause air pockets to form during baking. A tight fit is
essential.
9. Place the tool on the cardboard with the seam-side down

and bake for one hour at 275F (135C) in a convection
oven. Let the utensil cool thoroughly before handling. To
clean the clay-covered utensil, hand wash it with dish soap
and towel dry.
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Project: Faux Paper-Bead Necklace

These jewel-toned beads with their glass seed beads and metal wire embellishment are opulent and
fun to wear. They are reminiscent of the paper beads we made in summer camp, but with a sophisti-
cated twist.

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1. Condition the clay and roll it out to be 1/16" (1.5 mm) thin (or use
Materials setting five on the pasta machine). Place the sheet on wax paper.
6 oz (170 gm) of white, 2. Trim the sheet lengthwise. Cut the clay sheet width-wise into
pearl, or light neutral- long, narrow, equilateral triangles. The longer the base, or shortest
colored polymer clay side of the triangle, the longer the resulting bead. You can create
assorted colors of beads of varying length for this necklace. Set the cut sheet of clay
fabric dye (shown: aside (a).
Colorhue silk dyes)
3. Roll the clay triangles, starting at the base of the triangle, on the
metallic acrylic paint, steel mandrel. Roll all the clay triangles, leaving the resulting beads
such as Lumiere or on the mandrel, and lay them aside on wax paper. The beads stay on
(a)
Stewart Gills Byzantia the mandrel until after they are baked.
22-gauge craft wire
4. Turn the foam plate over so the underside is up and smooth on it
(shown: Artistic Wire)
a V" (1 cm) layer of shaving cream. It will be easier to dip the beads
seed beads, size 8/0 this way.
2 1/2" (1 m) silver-
toned chain 5. Using the eyedropper, deposit a few drops of the dye all around
the shaving cream. Start with the lightest color. Repeat with other
silver-toned clasp and colors of the dye, rinsing the eyedropper between each color. Drizzle
jump rings metallic paint over the shaving cream and dye.
1 16"
steel mandrels, 1 / (b)
(3 cm), or other thin 6. Roll a clay bead in the shaving cream mixture. Stick the mandrel in
metal rod the craft foam with the dyed bead sticking up. Repeat with all the
beads.
wax paper
shaving cream 7. Arrange the mandrels in the aluminum pan so the beads do not
touch each other. Bake the beads for 45 minutes at 275F (135C).
small container of
water 8. Cut lengths of wire that are about two-and-a-half times the length
eyedropper of your beads. String on three seed beads and pull up and twist the
wire to secure the beads as a loop at the end (b).
foam plate, any size
(c)
paper towels 9. Cut the chain to the length you desire, adding in the length of the
block of flower foam, clasp.
about the size of a Note: The shaving cream
10. Lay out the clay beads and choose the clay bead you want to be
building brick method was adapted for poly-
in the center of your necklace. String it on to a piece of the wire you
mer clay by Gwen Gibson.
disposable aluminum prepared. Add a seed bead at the top of the clay bead.
The author chose to apply the
baking pan
11. Find the center of your chain and attach your first full bead to method to the faux paper beads.
cutting mat
the center link of your chain. Attach your first bead by using the
tissue blade round-nose pliers to make a wire loop at the top of the bead. Leave
wire cutter a 1/16" to 1/8" (1.5 to 3.5 mm) space at the base of the loop for wrap-
ping wire later. Dont close the loopleave the wire extended.
needle-nose pliers
Thread the extended wire through the chain link until the chain link
narrow flat-nose or rests in the wire loop. Wrap the wire closing the loop around the
curved flat pliers base of the wire at the top of the bead using the flat pliers. Attach all
pasta machine other beads in this manner (c).
12. Construct the necklace by adding the wired beads, one at a time,
alternating from one side of the center bead to the other. This way
you will see how your necklace is forming.
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Project: Painted and Stamped Photo-Album Cover

This is a great low-cost project in which polymer clay tiles are added to the cover or spine of an inex-
pensive photo album to achieve a sophisticated design. The amount of fabric required is quite small,
so you can splurge on silk and still stay within budget.
Artist: Andi McDowell

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Materials
approximately 8 oz (227 gm) of polymer clay measurement of the front, back, and spine
in a color that coordinates with the painted of the album)
fabric colors (shown: a mix of blue, yellow, two sheets of paper for the interior of the
and white Kato Polyclay to create a soft green album covers, such as cardstock, predecorated
shade) scrapbook papers, or your own decorated
various fabric and acrylic paints, dyes, pens, paper
and markers for use on fabric and clay (shown: 2" (5 cm) tassel with a cord that measures 2"
Jacquard Textile Color, Jacquard Lumiere, and (5 cm) longer than the spine of the album
Daler Rowneys Pearlescent Liquid Acrylic) (optional)
three-ring-binder photo album, any size (the rubber stamps, if desired
album shown is 8" 10" [20 25.5 cm] with
a 1" [2.5 cm] spine)
1" (2.5 cm)-wide foam paintbrush
fabric suitable for painting, such as 100%

tissue blade
tight-weave cotton, silk, or rayon (shown: spray adhesive (used here: Super 77)
dupioni silk; the fabric should be at least 2" hot-glue gun or craft glue
[5 cm] wider on all sides than the combined
pasta machine
1. Prewash the fabric. Decorate your fabric by painting, stamping,

and embellishing it. In the finished project shown, various shades
of diluted blue, green, and yellow fabric paints were painted in 2 "
(5 cm) freeform waves. Pearlescent paint was added last in arcs of
blue. Add any beadwork or embroidery you wish at this stage (a).
2. Heat-set the fabric dye according to the manufacturers instruc-

tions, usually by ironing at the highest tolerated setting, first on the
back, then on the front.
3. Lay the fabric, decorated side down, on your work surface. Lay
the album faceup and open on the painted fabric. Trim the fabric to
create a 1" (2.5 cm) border all around. Miter the corners on an angle,
leaving V" (1 cm) of fabric extending at each corner. (a)
4. If you plan to use a decorative tassel as a bookmark, insert 2 " The undecorated album
(5 cm) of the tassel cord between the spine and the fabric.
5. Remove the album, and apply two fine coats of spray adhesive to
the unfinished side of the painted fabric, following manufacturer
instructions. Allow the adhesive to air dry a bit until it is tacky.
Carefully reposition the open album on the sticky fabric, smoothing
away any air bubbles from the center out. Fold over the long sides
to adhere them to the inside of the cover, trimming at the spine
where necessary. Tuck in the corners and fold over the short sides
6. Trim your sheets of interior paper so they will cover all of the raw
fabric edges on the inside of the front and back covers, generally
leaving W" (6 mm) around all exterior edges.
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7. Condition and mix polymer clay in colors to coordinate with

painted fabric. Here, we created a medium green by combining
white, yellow, and blue clays. Roll out an approximately 5 " 10"
(13 25.5 cm) sheet of clay using the number three setting on the
pasta machine. Fold this in half and smooth out any air bubbles. Roll
a second sheet of the same color approximately 5 " 5" (13 13 cm)
using the number five setting. Paint, stamp, and embellish this sheet
of polymer clay to coordinate with the painted fabric (c).
8. Adhere the thin, painted polymer clay sheet to the other folded
sheet of clay, smoothing out any air bubbles that may be trapped. Use
your craft knife, tissue blade, or shape templates to cut out decorative
tiles from this decorated sheet of clay. Bake the tiles according to the
manufacturers instructions.
9. The polymer clay tiles can be used as is, or a coordinating border

can be applied to the tiles, as shown. A simple striped pattern was cut (c)
into strips and applied around the edge of each tile, using liquid poly-
mer clay as an adhesive. Edges were trimmed neatly with a tissue
blade before a second baking.
10. Adhere the tiles to the front cover of the album. We used hot
glue, but white craft glue also works well (d).
(d)
Stamp credit: Artist-designed stamps produced by Ready Stamp

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Variation
This is another example of this album, using yellows,
oranges, and reds. An old credit card was dipped
in paint and then dragged over the fabric to create
the lines.
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Project: Arts and Crafts Notepad

You can make a collection of these notepads for gifts or various purposes of your own. But do keep
one handy to jot down project ideas and inspirations, and your list of must-have craft supplies.
Artist: Valerie Wright

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1. Use the pliers to straighten the bent wire end on

Materials one side of the spiral notepad. Remove the wire by
twisting it out of the holes. Set the wire aside (a).
3" 5" (7.5 13 cm)
spiral notepad 2. Condition the entire block of white pearl clay.
one block of pearl Roll the clay to a thickness of 1/16" (1.5 mm), using
white polymer clay the pasta machine or acrylic roller. The clay should
be roughly the size of the notepad. Place the sheet
liquid polymer clay
of clay onto the piece of glass (b).
(we used Kato brand)
alcohol-based inks (we 3. Apply release agent to the clay sheet. Place the
used Jacquards Piata texture sheet on top of the clay and press firmly to
Colors in sunbright impress the pattern onto the clay. (The best texture
yellow, lime green, sheet is one that has a very deep design.) Remove
(a)
rainforest green, and the texture sheet (c).
Havana brown)
Polymer-compatible
gloss varnish
acrylic roller or pasta
machine
pliers
tissue blade
small cutter or hollow
plastic coffee stirrer
release agent (corn-
starch can be applied
with a soft-bristle (b)
brush, such as a
cosmetic brush, or a
mixture of water and
Amorall can be
applied with a spray
bottle to prevent clay
from sticking to the
texture sheet)
V" (1 cm)-wide flat
paintbrush
5" 7" (13 18 cm)
piece of glass
texture sheet
(c)
nonporous flat sur-
face, such as a glass
dish or wax paper
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4. Lay the cardboard backing from the notepad

onto the area of the clay with the desired pattern.
Use the coffee stirrer to punch out the holes along
the top of the cardboard (d). (Trim off the end of
the coffee stirrer as it fills with clay.) Use the tissue
blade to trim the clay around the cardboard, leaving
a 1/16" (1.5 mm)-wide margin around the sides and
the bottom of the cardboard. Trim the top of the
clay sheet flush with the cardboard. Remove the
cardboard from the clay.
5. Place four quarter-size drops of liquid clay onto

the nonporous surface, arranged in a circle. Place
three drops of sunbright yellow ink onto one circle,
then mix the ink into the liquid clay. Place three
drops of lime green ink onto the next circle and mix.
Place three drops of rainforest green onto the next
circle, then mix. Place three drops of Havana brown
onto the fourth circle, and mix it into the liquid clay.
6. For this design, begin by painting the outside of (d)

the design with the brown liquid clay. Apply a fairly
heavy coat so the impressions made by the texture
sheet will fill with the liquid but wont overflow.
7. Use the remaining three colors of liquid clay to fill

in the rest of the design. The three colors can be
placed on the sheet of clay and blended together
to mimic the style of glazing found in Arts and
Crafts ceramic tiles (e).
8. Keep the sheet of clay on the glass, and place it in

the oven to bake. Bake for thirty minutes at the man-
ufacturers recommended temperature. Remove it,
and allow it to cool.
9. Once cooled, apply three thin coats of gloss var-

nish, allowing the piece to dry between coats.
10. See image below right. Remove the clay from

the glass, and place it on top of the notepad pages
and backing cardboard. Carefully twist the wire back
onto the notepad by twisting it through the holes of
the paper and the clay. Bend the end of the wire so
it will not twist out of the notepad. (e)

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Note: The cover is reusable. When all the notepad pages are full, simply untwist the wire, place the clay
cover onto a new pad, and twist the wire back on.
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Project: Triangle Bracelet

This bracelet could easily become one of your favorites. You may have to
remind yourself to glance at it less often. The basic design could be adapt-
ed to numerous color palettes.
Artist: Sue Springer

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1. Condition black clay by running it through the

Materials pasta machine on the number one setting, six to
eight times, folding in half each time. Insert the
one block each of
crease first to avoid air pockets. Roll on setting
black, copper metal-
number two, then cut two pieces approximately
lic, red, and yellow
2" 7" (5 18 cm) and set aside on wax paper.
polymer clay
Condition half of the copper clay, roll on number
two blocks of translu- two, cut into 1/2" (1 cm) strips, and set aside on wax
cent polymer clay (we paper.
used Fimo Soft)
2. Combine the following by conditioning until
black elastic cord
uniform:
cardstock
1/4 block of translucent to 1/8 block of red
black-and-white copy (a)
1/4 block of translucent to 1/16 block of red and
of template (page 120) 1/16 block of yellow to make orange
cyanoacrylate glue, 1/4 block of translucent to 1/8 block of yellow
such as SuperGlue or 1/4 block of translucent to 1/2 block of copper
Krazy Glue metallic

tissue blade
wax paper 3. Roll red, orange, and yellow mixes to form three
brayer or acrylic rod 5" (13 cm) snakes, then set them aside. Roll copper
needle tool mix through the pasta machine on setting number
one to form a sheet. Roll translucent clay on setting
ruler
number one to form a sheet. Cut each sheet to
bamboo skewer create 4" 3" (10 7.5 cm) sections. Stack the
stenciling brush copper and translucent sheets together and roll
them through the pasta machine. Insert the 4" (b)
400, 600, 800, and
(10 cm) side into the pasta machine, first on setting
1,000 grit wet sand
number one, then number three, and then number
paper
four. Wrap each snake in a single combination
polishing wheel or translucent/copper sheet (translucent side touch-
soft cloth ing the snake). Trim to fit, then form the canes (a).
pasta machine
4. Place one sheet of black clay on wax paper, then
put thin, diagonal slices of canes in a random
design on it. Feel free to layer them or form a pat-
tern. You may cover all or part of this sheet. Use the
brayer to roll and secure them as you place them
on the sheet. When you are satisfied with your
design, roll it through the pasta machine on set-
tings number one and number three. Place this
sheet face up on cardstock (b).
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5. Cut around the paper template (page 120)

and place the template on top of the sheet. Mark
all the points by poking a needle tool directly
into the clay at each point. Remove the pattern
and cut the clay with a blade by connecting the
dots and mimicking the pattern lines. Remove
the scrap clay, and bake the triangles at 265F
(129 C) for 10 minutes, then cool (c).
6. Place the second sheet of black clay on wax

paper. On the sheet of black, run the three strips
of copper clay in parallel horizontal lines to form
channels for the elastic cording. On this arrange-
ment, place the triangle tiles vertically in oppos-
ing directions. Press the tiles firmly to the copper
strips without distorting them. Carefully trim
around each of them (d).
(c)
(d)

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7. Peel the three layer tiles from the wax paper and
place them facedown on cardstock with the black
side up. Place the needle tool in each channel for
support, while using the stencil brush to texture the
black side of the tiles (e). Bake the tiles for 30
minutes at 265F (129C), then cool.
8. Make a snake of black clay approximately W"

(6 mm) in diameter and 5" (13 cm) long. Measure at
W" (6 mm) intervals and cut the clay at each mark.
Roll the clay pieces into tiny balls by hand and push
a bamboo skewer through the center to form 20
small beads (f). Reshape by lightly rolling the beads
again. Enlarge holes in two of the beads to later hide
knots tied in the elastic. Bake the beads on cardstock
for 20 minutes at 265F (129C), then cool.
9. Wet sand the front and sides of the tile with

consecutive 320, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 grit sand
paper. Buff with a polishing wheel or soft cloth. (e)
10. Put cyanoacrylate glue on the first 1" (2.5 cm) or

so of elastic, and let it dry thoroughly. Then trim the
end so it isnt frayed. This forms a needle. In two
parallel lines, alternately string tiles (inverting every
other one) and round beads, making sure the large-
holed beads are at the end. Keeping a little tension,
knot the string and place a drop of glue on each
knot to permanently secure it. When the glue is dry,
trim the stray ends close to the knot and tuck it into
the bead.
Tips: Make an extra tile for a matching pendant.

If the backs of your tiles dont bake
securely to the fronts, glue the layers
together with cyanoacrylate glue prior
to sanding.
(f)
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Chapter 3
Transforming the Clay
Polymer clay can be combined with many other
materials, but there are so many special clays
glittery, pearly, opaque, transparentthat it can also
be completely transformed without using anything
other than the clay! In this chapter, well explore how
to manipulate this medium with astounding effects.
One satisfying basic way to transform polymer

clay is to stack many thin layers of contrasting colors
and roll it into beautiful canes. The resulting jelly-roll
canes can be further shaped, then sliced to create gor-
geous veneers and beads. This technique can be varied
in so many waysand each one is sure to be original. Its a great introduction to caning.
Youll also discover the fascinating attributes of metallic clay, which contains particles
of a shimmery mineral called mica. By simply rolling mica-rich clay repeatedly, you can
actually change the alignment of the particles. Well show you how to use this technique
to create a stunning holographic ghost image.
Another basic technique is to blend clay colors. Clays can be blended to make smooth
gradations from one hue to another, then stacked and recombined to create stripes, plaids,
and other patterns. Well teach you how to elaborate and expand on this technique to create
visually intricate patterns using a pasta machine attachment and contrasting clay colors.
With the array of available colors, and more specialty clays arriving on the market all
the time, theres no end to the effects you can create using only clay. Experimentyoure
sure to get results no one else has ever seen.
102

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103

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Chrysanthemum Cane Heart Pendants
These heart-shaped pendants are covered with

chrysanthemum-shaped slices of a beautiful,
simple, and versatile translucent polymer clay
cane. Transform a basic jelly-roll cane using a
simple distortion technique, then use thin slices
to decorate polymer clay heart pendants. Once
you have mastered this technique, you can
move on to cover other thingsframes, light
switch plates, sculptures, glassware, pottery.
Dont worry about cutting the cane into perfectly
even slices. Slight variations in thickness result
in a more interesting, variegated effect. Slicing
the cane diagonally helps to create an even
greater illusion of depth.
Artist: Elissa Powell
Materials Getting Started

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies screw eye Choose the base color of the pendant carefully.When
(see page 15) varnish, if desired slices from the same cane are applied over different
12 block of white clay colors, the final results can vary greatly.
pasta machine
1 block of pearl clay credit card or similar stiff, thin object
1 block of translucent clay cellophane or plastic wrap
scrap clay for the core of the pendants small piece of cardstock or a matchbook cover
14 block of brightly colored base clay to cover the soft cloth
core of the pendants

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1 Make the cane.

Roll the white clay through the pasta machine on the next-to-
thinnest setting. Trim the clay so that the sheet is about 10" (25 cm) long
and 4" to 5" (10 cm to 13 cm) wide. Roll the pearl clay through the pasta
machine on the thickest setting, then do the same with the translucent
clay. Trim both sheets so that theyre the same size as the white sheet.
Lay the pearl clay on top of the white clay, then lay the translucent clay on
top of the pearl clay. Smooth the stack with a roller to get rid of any air
bubbles. Trim one of the shorter edges to make it straight. Run the roller
across the edge to bevel the layers, then roll the sheets up tightly. This
creates a basic jelly roll cane.
Cover one edge of the credit card or similar stiff, thin object with
cellophane or plastic wrap. Gently and evenly press the covered edge of
the credit card into the cane lengthwise. Roll the cane a quarter turn, then
press the credit card into the clay again. Repeat twice more so that the
cane has four evenly spaced indentations. Repeat the process four more
times, pressing the credit card into the clay between each of the four
original indentations. The cane should have eight deep, evenly spaced
indentations. Allow the clay to rest at least 30 minutes to firm up, then
trim off the rough edges at a slight angle.
TIP
Distort the cane immediately after making the jelly roll while the clay is still
soft, warm, and pliable.
2 Prepare the heart cores.

Form the scrap clay into two balls, each about 1" (3 cm) in diameter.
The scrap clay should be well blended so that no lumps remain. Roll the
brightly colored base clay through the pasta machine on a thin setting, then
wrap it around the cores to create an attractive, uniform color. Remove any
excess clay, and smooth the surface of the covered cores.
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3 Decorate the cores.

Slice the end of the chrysanthemum cane at a slight angle, then cut
several slices as thin as possible; however, dont worry about cutting the
cane into perfectly even slices: Slight variations in thickness result in a more
interesting, variegated effect. Roll a few slices through the pasta machine
on medium-thin setting, then place them on the balls of clay, overlapping
the edges. (This step enhances the visual depth created when translucent
and opaque clays are used together.) When the balls are completely
covered, roll them gently to smooth and round them out.
4 Shape and finish the hearts.

Examine the balls of cane-covered clay to choose the fronts and tops
of the hearts. Form the point at the bottom of the heart by rolling an area
of the clay ball tightly between your fingers. The clay should resemble
an upside-down tear drop. Form the upper lobes of a heart by making an
indentation in the middle of the rounded part of the tear drop. To deepen
and accentuate the cleft, press a folded piece of cardstock, such as a business
card, between the lobes, and rock it back and forth. Smooth and refine the
shape as desired.
Now youre ready to insert the screw eye so you can hang the heart.
Make a pilot hole about 1 2" (1 cm) deep exactly between the two lobes
with a needle tool, then enlarge the hole slightly using a tiny circular
motion. Insert the needle into the hole about 1 4" (6 mm) deep, and press
sideways with the end of the needle on each side of the pilot hole to create
slits to accommodate the sides of the screw eye. (Creating side slits will pre-
vent any distortion caused by pressing the screw eye downward.) Carefully
insert the screw eye, making sure that its perfectly parallel with the plane of
the heart, and pinch closed the open spaces around it. If its at all crooked,
gently twist it into proper alignment with some tweezers or needle nose
pliers. Bake following the clay manufacturers directions.
To achieve the ultimate transparent effect, there are no shortcuts. Sand
the baked hearts, first with 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper, then with 800-grit
(or finer) sandpaper. Buff with a soft cloth until shiny. Finally, apply a coat of
varnish, if desired.

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Variations
Adding inclusionssuch as glitter, sand, embossing powders, and dried
herbsinto polymer clay is a simple and satisfying way to embellish a
project. The technique produces especially striking effects when applied to
translucent clay. You can use Fimo glitter clay for one of your layers, or you
can make your own glitter clay: First pour some glitter into a bowl. Next,
flatten conditioned clay into a pancake, and press it into the glitter. Then,
fold the pancake in half, with the glitter on the inside; pinch the sides shut
to keep the glitter from flying out, flatten the clay, and roll it into a log.
Twist, flatten, fold, and roll the clay again. Repeat these steps until the glit-
ter is evenly mixed throughout the clay. This technique can be used to mix
other inclusions into clay, but make sure that all materials are completely
dry. You can also use metal leaf as one of the layers in creating the cane,
sprinkle multicolored shreds of clay on one of the layers to give a confetti
look, or substitute a multicolored blend for the white layer.
Instead of distorting the spiral into the chrysanthemum form, use it as is
or square it off. Try covering your cores with other decorative clay, such as
mokum gan (see page 118) or metallic ghost image clay (see page 108).

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Textured Ikebana Vase
Ikebana, the elegant Japanese art of flower

arranging, calls for an equally elegant vase.
The beautiful finish on this one is created by
imprinting a pearly or metallic clay slab with a
textured surface, slicing off the top layer of the
texture, rolling it smooth, and then polishing
the baked piece to a high shine. This technique
produces an almost holographic effect some-
times called a ghost imagethat is, a pattern
you can see but cant feel. One to three flowers
can be displayed in this vase. Use it with a pin
frog, which will support the flowers easily. Sim-
ply add water every other day, and the flowers
can be enjoyed for up to two weeks. Pin frogs
Artist: Mona Kissel
are available at craft and floral supply stores.

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies Shade Tex brand textured plastic sheets for Many kinds of textured sheets, found objects, and
(see page 15) imprinting, cut to 4" x 5" (10 cm x 13 cm) tools, including mounted or unmounted rubber
1 block of black clay, Premo spray bottle stamps, can be used to imprint the clay for this proj-
ect. Shade Tex sheets with a hexagonal pattern were
3 blocks of gold clay, Premo bowl with warm soapy water
used to make this vase.
1 18 " (about 3 cm) round floral pin frog buffer or bench grinder with unstitched cotton
1 4 " (3 cm) round biscuit or cookie cutter
1 polishing wheel
small square Plexiglas sheet small dab of candle adhesive or floral clay
pasta machine

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1 Make the base of the vase.

(Indented Ball) Roll a ball of black clay
slightly larger than the diameter of the pin frog.
and the holes diameter is bigger than the 1 14"
(3 cm) round cutter; if necessary, stretch it a bit.
Press a round-ended object such as a brayer Remove the pin frog. Then place waxed paper
handle about three-quarters of the way down on top of and underneath the base. Use a
into the ball, leaving the bottom of the base at square Plexiglas sheet to flatten the clay and
least 14" (5 mm) thick. ensure that the vase will be level. Bake the base
(Vase) Next, form the walls around the at 275 F (135 C) for 30 minutes, then allow it
depression by stretching the clay upward. The to cool and harden.
walls should be about 14" (5 mm) thick and (Vase with clay log on top) Roll a 14" (6 mm)
slightly higher than the pin frog. Press the pin thick log of soft, tacky black clay thats long
frog into the bottom of the base so the pin frog enough to make a ring around the top edge of
will fit securely once baked. Make sure the the base. Press the log gently into place and set
bottom of the base is at least 18" (3 mm) thick the base aside.
TIP
Always use clean waxed paper for different stages of the project to prevents nicks, fingerprints, and other damage
to the clay. This will reduce the amount of sanding time necessary to achieve the high-gloss finish.

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2 Make the top of the vase.

Fold the gold clay, then roll it through the
pasta machine on the thickest setting 15 to 20
Using a flexible tissue blade, slice away long,
paper-thin strips of the textured clay until all
times, to align the reflective mica particles and raised surfaces have been skimmed off. These
bring them to the surface. Then divide the gold pieces can be flipped over and recycled for use
sheet of clay into 5 even parts. in another project.
To imprint the ghost image on the clay, roll Then roll another piece of gold clay through
1 of the 5 parts through the pasta machine on the pasta machine on a fairly thin setting. Place
the thickest setting. Trim the sheet so its about this sheet under the imprinted one, and roll gen-
4" x 5" (10 cm x 13 cm), and lay it on a paper tly over the surface with a brayer. Roll the com-
towel. Use a spray bottle to moisten the surface bined sheets through the pasta machine on the
with water, which will keep the clay from stick- thickest setting. Repeat this procedure with
ing to your texture sheet. Place a texture sheet another piece of gold clay to completely flatten
on the clay, and roll both through the pasta the imprinted surface.
machine on the thickest setting. Next, gently re- Stack the remaining two pieces of clay, and
move the texture sheet, and place the imprinted roll them through the pasta machine on the
clay on a piece of waxed paper. Blot the clay dry thickest setting. Lay this sheet on waxed paper,
with paper towel, and trim any rough edges. then place the imprinted sheet on top of it. Roll
Also dry the pasta machine. Allow the clay to firmly and evenly over the surface of the clay
stand for one hour, then remove it from the with a brayer. The multilayered clay sheet should
waxed paper, and press it gently on a plastic be about 14" (6 mm) thick. Trim the edges with
cutting board or a sheet of poster board, mak- a tissue blade to create a four-sided shape,
ing sure it sticks to the board. although not necessarily a rectangle. Then cut a
hole in the center using a 1 14" (3 cm) round
biscuit or cookie cutter.

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3 Assemble and finish the vase.

Lay the vase top face-down on a new piece of waxed paper. Turn the
base upside down, and position it over the hole in the vase top. If the log
on the top of the vase has stiffened, condition it again until tacky. Use the
Plexiglas square to gently press the base to the vase top. Turn the vase over
so that its facing up, then set it on a piece of clean waxed paper. Remove
the protective waxed paper from the vase top, and apply it again. Use the
Plexiglas square again to gently press the top to the base. Smooth the
corners of the vase top down through the waxed paper so they touch the
work surface. This will ensure a steady, stable vase. Bake at 275 F (135 C)
for 60 minutes.
To bring out the chatoyant, three-dimensional ghost image effect of the
imprinted texture, sand the vase top in a bowl of warm, soapy water with
successively finer grits of wet/dry sandpaper (400-, 600-, 800-, 1,500-, and
then 2,000-grit). Wash the vase in clean, warm, soapy water, then dry it.
Use a cotton-polishing wheel to buff the piece, then wash and dry it again.
Finally, apply a small dab of candle adhesive or floral clay to bottom of pin
frog to secure it in the bottom of the vase.
Variations
The graceful, simple form of these vases is the perfect canvas for experi-
menting with texture and color. Try simulating nature: wood, water, stones,
foliagethese patterns will complement any flower. Specialty texturing
tools are commercially available, but experimenting with found metal or
plastic objects like screens or grids can lead to great discoveries. Also try
creating a texture that can be felt as well as seenuse rubber stamps,
carving gouges, or custom-made clay tools.
Ghost image clay can be used for many other projects, from bracelets
to pins to picture frames.

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Faux-Fabric Poof Box
Artist: Susan Hyde

Shows and conferences often inspire clay lovers to create novel techniques. Materials
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies
One theme at the second Ravensdale conferenceheld near Seattle (see page 15)
cardstock or large index card
roughly every three yearswas Reinventing the Box. Inspired by this Transparent Liquid Sculpey (TLS)
the equivalent of 2 to 3 blocks of Premo clay in metallic
theme, artist Susan Hyde created this poof box, which features a faux-fab- blue,cadmium red,ecru,turquoise,fuschia,and gold
embossing powder or superfine glitter in a
ric technique. She combined the streaky blend technique invented by contrasting color
handkerchief-size piece of fine cotton fabric
Judith Skinner and Kathleen Amt and added her own special touch: the
pasta machine with linguini attachment
linguini effect. Use contrasting shreds of clay and embossing powder for ruler
small straw, such as a coffee stirrer
further effect, make it into a cane or loaf, fold a sheet into a curvy box, and
Getting Started
get sealed-in air to support the baking form. For this project, the clay doesnt need to be condi-
tioned in advanceit will be conditioned by the
process of making the blend.

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1 Make a six-color streaky blend.

Make a cardstock triangle template about 6" (15 cm)
long and a bit less than 2" (5 cm) wide. Set your pasta
machine on the thickest setting, and roll out a sheet of each
color. Fold the sheets on the diagonal to make a double
thickness of clay. With the craft knife, cut triangles from the
double layers. Arrange the double-layer triangles head-to-
foot to form a rectangle. Use half-triangles on the sides. Roll
with the brayer, and press together with your fingers. Run
this clay sheet through the pasta machine five times on the
thickest setting, folding it in half across the grain each time
and sending it through the machine fold first. Never fold it
lengthwise before running it through the pasta machine or
the blend will become muddy.
2 Add inclusions to the blend.

Sprinkle about a tablespoonful of embossing pow-
der or superfine glitter on half of the clay sheet, fold it
3 Add contrasting linguini shreds to the blend.
Sprinkle a little baby powder on the surface of three 2" (5 cm) strips of uncondi-
tioned clay in bright colors that contrast, or even clash, with the streaky blended sheet.
over, and pinch the sides to keep the slippery embossing Spread the powder all over. Make worms from the bright clay by running through the
powder from scattering; press down gently to join the linguini attachment of the pasta machine. If you dont have a linguini attachment, use a
halves. Run the clay through the pasta machine fold first; ruler and a sharp craft knife to produce plenty of linguini-size shreds. Place them on one
fold again, and repeat 10 times. You now have a streaky end of the blended clay sheet; theyll become colorful speckles in the final piece. Fold the
color blend. Trim it into a long rectangle. slab across the middle, run it through the pasta machine again, and repeat.

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(1)
A B
4 Make striped and plaid clay stacks.

Cut the clay sheet in half across the middle. Take one part, cut it in
half in the direction of the streaks, and flip the halves together, fronts fac-
ing. This is stack one. Repeat with the other part, and place one half on top
A A of the other without turning or flipping it so that the bottom of one side
rests on the top of the other side. This is stack two. When you have fin-
ished, stack one will make a striped pattern and stack two a plaid pattern.
For stripes, slice stack one in half, across the streaks, and stack again.
(See diagram 1.) Repeat twice so you have a little loaf with horizontal layers,
like a club sandwich or layer cake. (See diagram 2.) Slice down the side to
A B produce a striped piece.
STACK ONE A STACK TWO

A For plaids, slice stack two in half, across the streaks, and stack again.
Repeat twice, as you did for the striped stack. Then, tip the loaf over on its
side so the layers are standing up and running straight toward you. Mark it
(2) FOR STRIPES: in regular increments about 14" (6 mm) apart, and slice it, cutting downward
perpendicular to the layers. Separate the slices a little, and turn every other
one around so the blends dont match. (See diagram 3a.) Pack and trim the
stack into a neat loaf. The top will have a plaid pattern. (See diagram 3b).
When your fabric loaves are finished, cut several thin slices of each,
giving you stripes and plaid. Roll out a thin sheet of any conditioned clay
(it wont show once the project is complete). Patch the fabric slices together
on this backing sheet in a pleasing pattern. Run each patchwork sheet
through the pasta machine repeatedly, starting at the thickest setting and
stepping down to setting #4 or #5. Before each rolling, rotate the sheet one
FOR PLAIDS: turn so it doesnt stretch too far in one direction. The cloth will become
quite thin and the pattern will expand. (See diagram 3c.)
(3a) (3b)
(3c)
5 Make and laminate the poof box.

Roll scrap clay through the pasta machine on the thickest setting to
make about a 6" (15 cm) square. Place a layer of your patchwork faux fabric
over it. Cover it with waxed paper, and roll it down firmly with the brayer to
fuse the layers. Cut out a circle of your faux fabric about 4" (10 cm) across.
Turn the square over, place the circle in the center, and roll it down. This be-
comes the inside of the box and will be beautiful when you look inside.
Place the square between two pieces of cloth and roll hard again with
your brayer to fuse the clay layers and give the box a nice cloth texture. Trim
the square with a ruler and sharp craft knife to bevel the edges toward the
inside of the box.

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7 Make the poof box lid.

Remove the box from the oven, and let it cool just until you can han-
dle it. Take your sharp craft knife and, holding it at an angle as if you were
cutting the lid of a jack olantern, cut a square top from the box. You can
follow the fabric patterns in the clay if you like. Cut on an angle that slopes
in toward the center of the box. If you cut straight down, there wont be a
ledge for the lid to sit on and it will fall straight down into the box. If you
like, cover the bottom of the lid with a patch of faux fabric, because its
usually pretty messy from all the pinching and not symmetrical. Trim the
patch even with the slope of the lid, and bake for 10 minutes, just to
harden the clay. For the handle on top that will never come off, use a cane
slice or any attractive piece of clay. Add it to a disk of unbaked clay (to
make the surface smoother), dab on some TLS, press it onto the top, and
bake for 20 minutes.
6 Inflate the poof box.

With the circle facing up, lift up two adjacent corners of the
square, put the corners together, and gently squeeze the edges to-
gether. Bring up another corner and finally the fourth. It can be tricky
to get the edges stuck together neatly. Alternatively, you can pinch
them upward like a ruffled pie crust edge. When all the edges are
stuck together, poke the straw into the little hole in the top where the
points meet, and blow so the box inflates. Remove the straw, pinch
the hole closed, and quickly get the box into the oven. The air inside
will keep the box inflated. Bake 30 to 45 minutes at 275 F (135 C).
Variations
Faux fabric can be used anywhere patterned or decorated clay is wanted,
from an ikebana vase top (see page 108) to a fitted box (see page 126).
Experiment with different kinds of shreds using a clay extruder with vari-
ous attachments. Imagine making faux-fabric accents for clay figures, dolls,
or other sculptures! Be sure to see page 122 for tips and inspiration.

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Chapter 4
Creating the Structure
One of the most satisfying things you can make with
polymer clay is a three-dimensional piece. As with all
modeling media, sound structural techniques are inte-
gral to using polymer clay effectively, especially when
making functional piecesyou dont want your cre-
ations to fall apart! In this chapter, youll discover some
of the many ways to create lovely, durable artwork.
One simple technique is to cover a form with thin

veneers of clay. Glass, plain metal, and papier mch
are good candidates. If a rounded form is enclosed, no
glue is needed. If the object has straight sides, you can coat it with white PVA glue and let
that dry. Then add the clay, which will stick to the dry glue. This makes it possible to create
vessels of nearly any shape. Use veneers with at least some translucent clay for candlehold-
ers that diffuse light beautifully. Also try encasing cardboard pieces, like the matchbox
used for the Storyteller Doll on page 122.
Youll also discover the secret to making a perfect round box using an ordinary mail-
ing tube. By layering sheets of clay around a cardboard cylinder, youll be able to make a
box with a top that fits so well, it will make a popping sound when you open it! Another
technique youll learn is how to make extraordinarily thin but strong polymer clay leaves
that can be wired and used to build a lush centerpiece like the one on page 48. Made with
a special clay mixture and reinforced with flexible varnish, the leaves can be handled and
manipulated with ease.
Remember, the methods we explore in this chapter can be used to create new proj-
ects with just a little modification. Just follow the basic technique, and add your own
special touch.
116

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117

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Leafy Mokum Gan Vessel
Mokum gan is a traditional Japanese metal-

working technique used to create gorgeous,
intricate patterns. Because the technique
involves stacking thin layers, it can be easily
adapted to polymer clay. Unlimited patterns
of mokum gan are possible, so experiment
with different clay colors, tools, and materials,
such as metal leaf or inclusions. A ripple blade
is used in this project to create the dotted
pattern. Use Premo-brand clay to reproduce
the brilliant pearlescent sheen of this vessel.
To make a lovely and functional candleholder,
use tinted translucent clays or a mix of opaque
and translucent clays.
Artist: Jody Bishel

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies glossy polymer-clay-compatible varnish, such as Ripple blades tend to catch more debris along the
(see page 15) Flecto Varathane Elite Diamond ISP edge than straight blades, so clean as needed by wip-
1 38 blocks of gold clay, Premo Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) or Sculpey Diluent ing carefully with isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel.
Painting the unsharpened edge of the ripple blade
8 block of copper clay, Premo
1
copper-colored mica powder, such as Pearl Ex
with bright nail polish will make it easier to avoid
18 block of burnt umber clay, Premo pasta machine picking up the wrong side and cutting yourself.
8 block of black clay, Premo
3
ripple blade
14 block of silver clay, Premo flat brush
squared-up lump of scrap clay small round paintbrush
4" (10 cm) round glass vessel

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1 Make the mokum gan veneer.

Begin by rolling two separate sheets of mar-
bled clay through a pasta machine on the thick-
pasta machine at the thickest setting, just
enough to flatten them. Mix up the order of the
sheets, then stack them again. The edges should
be aligned so that two sides are wavy and the
est setting. For sheet A, marble together 38 block
other two are straight. Again, roll gently over the
of gold clay, the copper clay, and the burnt
surface. Next, press one of the straight edges of
umber clay. For sheet B, marble together the
the loaf to the scrap clay. Using the ripple blade,
black and silver clay.
cut 18" (3 mm) thick slices. The slices should re-
Cut both sheets into 1 12" (4 cm) squares, and
veal a dot pattern. If there are no dots, give the
stack them to form a loaf. Alternate between
loaf a quarter turn, then cut again. Roll the slices
sheets A and B. Then, roll gently over the surface
through the pasta machine on the thickest set-
to eliminate air bubbles and adhere the layers to
ting, then roll the slices through again, one set-
each other. Press an edge of the loaf into the
ting above the thickest. Continue rolling the
lump of scrap clay so the layers are vertical.
slices through on successively thinner settings,
Using the ripple blade, cut 18" (3 mm) thick
stopping at setting #4. Give the slices a quarter
slices. Try to make each slice of the same thick-
turn between each rolling to keep the dots
ness. The scrap clay will hold the loaf steady
round and to avoid stretching out the pattern
while cutting. Then, roll the slices through the
too much in one direction.
C R E AT I N G T H E S T R U C T U R E 119

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2 Cover the glass vessel.

Place the slices over the outside of the glass votive. Piece
them together so that the edges meet; dont overlap them,
which will create raised seams. Roll gently over the edges to
smooth and fuse the seams. Bake the votive for 20 minutes
at 275 F (135 C). Once the vessel has cooled, wet-sand the
clay with 400-grit sandpaper, then 600-grit sandpaper to
refine the surface and remove any imperfections. Use a flat
brush to apply two coats of glossy polymer clay-compatible
varnish, such as Flecto Varathane Elite Diamond ISP, then
allow the vessel to dry completely.
3 Make and attach the leaves to

the vessel.
Roll the remaining block of gold clay through the
pasta machine on setting #4. Fold the sheet in half,
and roll it though again. Keep repeating the process
to brighten and intensify the metallic sheen. Be sure
to make the sheet as wide as the pasta machine will
allow. Then, cut five 2" (5 cm) wide strips from the
sheet. Fold the strips lengthwise, and press gently,
then open the strips. This will create a groove down
the center of the strips. Next, cut out leaf shapes
with the groove in the center. Flatten and smooth
the edges of the leaves for a more realistic look. Use
a clean scrap of paper over the clay to avoid leaving
fingerprints. The edges of the leaves can be ruffled
by gently stretching the area. Curl the point of the
leaves gently, if desired.
To attach the leaves to the votive, first use a craft
knife to scratch the areas on the vessel where the
leaves will be attachedunderneath the vessel and
at the lip. Dab the scratched areas with TLS or
Sculpey Diluent. Then, press the base of each leaf
onto the moistened clay underneath the vessel, then
attach the top to the corresponding area at the lip
of the vessel. The leaves will look especially graceful
if they arch away from the sides of the vessel, as
shown on facing page. Bake the vessel again for
30 minutes at 275 F (135 C).

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4 Finish the leafy vessel.

Wipe the leaves with an isopropyl alcohol-
soaked paper towel to remove any oils. Then,
mix the copper-colored mica powder into a
small amount of varnish. Use a small round
brush to paint an accent stripe down the groove
in the center of each leaf. Let dry. Use a flat
brush to apply one or two coats of varnish to
the leaves.
Variations
Try varying the shapes of the leaves, using more of them, and arranging
them less regularly. Also try using other glass forms, from vases to hurri-
cane lantern chimneys.
Mokum gan is an intriguing technique with infinite variations. To make a
simple, versatile block, layer alternating sheets of clay and metal leaf. Try
using heat-treated leaf, which has beautiful color variegations. And be sure
to use at least some translucent clay, which will create visual depth and
allow the metal leaf in the block to show through the layers. Then experi-
ment with translucent slices over a base of contrasting color. Sand, then
buff to a high shine for the most stunning effects.

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Storyteller Doll
This storyteller contains a hidden compartment,

which opens to reveal an accordion-folded book.
An ordinary matchbox serves as the structure for
the compartment,demonstrating how everyday
materials can be readily integrated with polymer
clay. The book pages can be decorated with any
number of thingsa favorite quote written in
calligraphy, rubber stamping, drawings that
tell a tale, or a collage of inspiring images. The
simple structural techniques described here can
be easily adapted to create a doll with personal
or cultural significance.
Artist: Dayle Doroshow

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies small cardboard matchbox The face of this doll was sculpted by hand. Push
(see page 15) decorative paper molds can also be used; they can be handmade or
12 block of clay for head purchased and are available in various styles and
elastic cord
expressions.
acrylic paint wire and beads for headdress
1 block of clay for body 2" (5 cm) eye pin
slices of millefiore cane slices, mokum gan slices,
or other surface embellishments

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1 Make the dolls head and body.

The dolls head can be sculpted from an elon-
gated ball of clay, using a thumbnail to create the
To form the body, roll a large ball of clay into a
fat log. Taper the log into a cone shape, then flat-
eyes, a needle tool to create the mouth, and a ten it with a brayer until its about 12" (1 cm) thick.
small snake of clay to create the nose. Once the The body can be decorated with millefiore cane
face is formed, coat 1" (3 cm) of a 2" (5 cm) eye slices, mokum gan slices, or any other surface
pin with glue, starting at the looped end. Insert the embellishments. To add millefiore inlays, place thin
eye pin, loop first, 1" (3 cm) into the head. Bake cane slices on the log before tapering it, then roll
following the manufacturers directions. Once cool, the log to adhere the slices.
rub acrylic paint over the face, then wipe away the
excess so the features are highlighted.
2 Make the book holder

and pages.
Place the outside sleeve of a cardboard
matchbox on the dolls body, aligning the
top edges of each, and mark where the bot-
tom edge of the matchbox meets the clay.
Then, flatten this area of the clay until its
about 18" (3 mm) thick, first with your hand
and then with a brayer. Make sure the clay
extends past the sides of the body to create
flaps. Next, press the matchbox sleeve into
the flattened area of the body, and fold the
side flaps of clay up the sides of the match-
box. Trim the excess clay.
To make the book, accordion-fold a piece
of paper that has been cut to the height of
the matchbox. Decorate the pages as de-
sired. Then, cut the matchbox open on the
right side, along the creased edge. Glue the
first page of the folded paper to the back
of the matchbox. Decorate the front of the
matchbox with paper, or paint it. To make a
closure for the book, poke a hole through
the cover and right side of the box. Thread a
looped elastic cord through the side hole,
and knot it. Then, wire a bead through the
cover hole. To close the book, slip the elastic
loop over the bead.

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3 Assemble the doll.

Coat the remaining 1" (3 cm) of the eye pin
that extends from the baked head with glue. Then
insert the head into 18" (3 mm) of clay behind the
matchbox. Bake following the clay manufacturers
directions.

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4 Add accents.
Use beads, wire, charms, and any other desired materials to embellish
the storyteller. The coiled headdress here was made by wrapping delicate
wire around a knitting needle.
Variations
The basic technique of enclosing a box within polymer clay has limitless ap-
plications. Try enclosing a wooden container, perhaps with a sliding top, to
create a treasure keeper. Or build a figurine and give it a small glass bottle
to hold; then, fill the bottle with scented oil or a fragrant herbal sprig.
Another option is to custom-make a box. Sketch out a template, using a
real box as a guide if desired, then use cardstock or cardboard to construct
it. (See the Laminated Boxes project on page 152 for more information on
constructing oven-safe paper containers.)

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Fitted Jewelry Box
Over the past several years, Ive made various

wearable vessels and small boxes with precisely
fitted lids that often pop when you open them. I
developed my own techniques for building
these containers, and though Ive made them in
all sorts of shapes and sizes, they all rely on the
same principleusing paper as a release to
prevent two layers of clay from sticking. A form
provides the initial shape, but each layer of clay
becomes the form for the layer that follows.
This jewelry box will teach you the basic steps,
and when youre done, youll have a place to
keep some of your wearable polymer clay
jewelry creations.
Artist: Dan Cormier

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies 4 blocks of clay, any brand and color, for the base Before baking, some clays adhere to rag paper
(see page 15) of box (and baked clay) better than others. If you have
several sheets of standard copy paper cellophane tape trouble, take some scrap clay and rub it over the
disappearing-color glue stick (colored when wet, 2 blocks of clay, any brand and color, for decorative surface youre trying to adhere to, just enough
dries clear) veneer to create a glue. This should help the next
layer stick.
2 pieces of 100% cotton rag paper or tracing paper, pasta machine
4" x 12" (10 cm x 30 cm) and 2" x 12" (5 cm x 30 cm) flat-topped plastic bead vials in various heights
cardboard postal tube, 2 12" (6 cm) diameter, 6" Plexiglas rod
(15 cm) length

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2 Make the base of the box.

Using your Plexiglas rod and pasta ma-
chine, prepare a sheet of clay about 3" x
10" (8 cm x 25 cm) (rough edges are okay at this
point). Use the third-thickest setting. For exam-
ple, if #1 is your thickest, use setting #3. Place
your clay sheet on a sheet of office paper; work-
ing on paper will allow you to move and lift the
clay easily. With your ruler and craft knife, cut a
clean edge along one of the short ends of the
clay sheet. Reposition your clay sheet so the cut
edge is about 14" (6 mm) away from and parallel
to the edge of your paper; turn it so the cut
edge is closest to you. Place the paper-covered
tube on the clay sheet.
Use the work-surface paper to lift the clay
sheet and gently press it against the tube. Apply
only as much pressure as you need to release the
clay from your work-surface paper and adhere it
to the rag paper on the tube. Try not to distort or
1
flatten the clean edge of the clay sheet. Start in
Wrap the tube with paper.
the center and work out toward the ends until
Lay a piece of copy paper on the work
the clay sheet is attached to the rag paper. Con- Now, trim the top and bottom of the clay. For
surface. Then, using the glue stick, apply
tinue rolling the sheet around the tube. this jewelry box, youll need a cylinder 2 12" (6
glue along one of the shorter edges of the
To preserve the clays uniform thickness, dont cm) long. Using a ruler and the end of your
4" x 12" (10 cm x 30 cm) piece of rag paper.
let the ends overlap. Use the first cut edge as a blade, mark the places where you want to make
The coat of glue should be 12" (1 cm) wide
guide to trim the clay sheet. When the clay sheet your cuts. Stand the tube up on the factory-cut
and should completely cover the area. Next,
has almost wrapped the tube, gently roll the cut end. Trimming the cylinder evenly is a bit tricky,
lay the cardboard tube over the unglued
edge onto the sheet to mark it, making sure to so youll use a plastic bead vial to create a plat-
short edge of the paper, and begin rolling it
extend the lines past the edges of the clay; this form supporting and steadying your blade.
around the tube until the paper attaches to
will be your trim line. Unroll the cut edge of the Stand a vial next to the tube, and lay your blade
itself. Be careful not to adhere the paper to
clay, then roll the rough edge over the marked flat on the lid of the vial, with the cutting edge
the tube. Make sure the paper fits snugly
area and trim. Set the excess trimmed clay aside. toward the tube. Slide the covering paper up or
around the tube, but still slides freely.
The clay sheet is now exactly the right size to fit down the tube until one of your marks is in line
the tube. with the blade. Hold the blade in place on the
To seal the seam, gently support your clay- vial with one hand, and slide the tube over to the
covered tube in one hand, and push one cut blade with the other. When the blade has cut
edge toward the other with your thumb so they into the clay sheet, rotate the tube to cut around
stick together. Again, start in the center and the full circumference of the cylinder. To cut the
work out to each end until the cut edges are other end of your box cylinder, remove the tape,
sealed. By starting in the middle, you will get a reposition the clay and paper wrap along the
clean seal and a snug wrap, and you will avoid tube, and repeat the rotating cut. Use a taller vial
trapping air between the clay and the rag paper. if necessary. Peel the excess clay off the tube,
To smooth the outer surface of the clay and fully leaving a cleanly trimmed 2 12" (6 cm) cylinder.
adhere it to the rag paper, wrap the clay-covered Stand the tube on a baking tray, and bake ac-
tube snugly in a sheet of copy paper, and roll it cording to the manufacturers directions. Let the
on your work surface. Tack the paper together cylinder cool on the tube before continuing.
with a little tape.

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3 Make the lid of the box.

To make the lid, you will use the 2" x 12" (5 cm x 30 cm) piece of rag
paper. Your clay sheet should be about 2" x 10" (5 cm x 25 cm). I used a
different color. Repeat the first two steps, but over the baked clay now sur-
rounding your tube. First, prepare the rag paper with glue and wrap it
around the tube-and-clay form, making sure the rag paper is snug but
moves freely over the baked layer. Then, wrap the rag paper with the new
clay sheet, making sure the new clay layer is centered on the rag paper
wrap and snug and the seam is sealed; the new clay shouldnt overlap or
touch the baked clay beneath. Remember to smooth and adhere the clay
fully by rolling it within a copy paper wrap. Trim the new clay cylinder to 1"
(3 cm) long. Bake, and cool.
Now, release the clay cylinders by gently twisting and sliding them off
the postal tube. The rag paper will enable them to separate easily. Remove
the paper from both layers. The second, shorter layer will be larger in diam-
eter than the other, and the first clay layer will nest snugly within it.
4 Make the top and bottom of the box.

Using the same setting on the pasta machine, prepare two small
sheets of clay.
To make the top for the lid of the box, place one of the clay sheets on a
piece of paper. Place the box lid on the clay sheet, and gently press it in
place, without pushing it into the clay. With your blade, trim around the
contour of the lid until all excess clay is removed. Carefully lift the lid from
the work surface, and gently press the fresh clay with your fingers to secure
it to the baked clay edge. This will ensure it adheres during baking. Repeat
these steps to make the bottom for your base. Stand the lid and base, open
ends facing up, on your baking tray. Bake and cool. You have completed a
basic box.

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5 Create a flush lid.

At this point, the box lid overlaps the base, like an ice cream carton.
But in the finished jewelry box, the lid will be flush with the base. To create
this we must add another layer of clay to most of the base.
First, prepare a sheet of clay about 3" x 10" (8 cm x 25 cm). You will
use this clay sheet to wrap the base as in step 3, but because you want
these clay layers to adhere, theres no rag paper buffer. Wrap the new clay
around the base, and trim it top and bottom using the baked clay edges
beneath to guide your blade. Now, using a vial to steady and support your
blade, trim away about 12" (1 cm) of clay from the top (open) edge of the
base. Stand the base on a tray, open end up, and bake. You now have a
box with a lid that slips over the lining of the base and rests on the edge
of the layer you have just added, creating a uniform outer layer.
6 Decorate the box.

The specific processes and techniques used to finish your boxes will
depend on how you want to decorate them. You could use cane slices,
mokum gan, imitative materials such as faux ivory or stone, surface
texturing, transfers, colored pencils, stencils, paintwhatever you like.
The choice is yours. Clay veneers were used here.
For added strength and a clean finish, the box decoration is done in two
baking stages: lid top and base body, then lid body and base bottom. First,
make a sheet of veneer, and decorate it. Cover the top of the lid and the
body of the base with the veneer, and bake, open ends up.
When the lid and base have cooled, finish your decoration by covering
the body of the lid and the bottom of the base. Note that the wrap covering
the lid body conceals the exposed edges of both the structural and decora-
tive tops of the lid, and the base bottom covers the concentric wraps of the
bottoms body.
Finally, stand the fully veneered lid and base on your baking tray with
open ends up and bake. Once theyve cooled, you can finish your decora-
tion with any additional finishing techniques (see page 24).
Variations
Different diameter tubes, and even different shaped forms, can be used
to create all sorts of containers with snug lids. For example, I have used
smaller wood dowels and metal tubes to make wearable vesselshollow
pendants with space to hold a lucky charm, inspiring message, mad
money, or aspirin.

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Everlasting Leaves Centerpiece
This project uses polymer clay to preserve the

natural beauty of Mother Natures treasures
its as easy as impressing fresh leaves and flower
petals into the clay.The secret to creating flexible,
paper-thin leaves and flowers is to mix Sculpey
Super Flex with Premo. Sculpey Super Flex
tends to be sticky, which can interfere with the
impression process. Mixing it with Premo, and
leaching if necessary, will reduce this tendency,
making the clay easier to roll and handle.
Rolling the clay paper-thin may take some
practice. Try cooling it off between rollings by
laying it in the refrigerator for five minutes, or
holding it in front of an air conditioning vent.
Artist: Leigh S. Ross

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies straw wreath To prepare leaves, first clean them with dish deter-
(see page 15) E6000 glue gent and water, then lay them on a paper towel to
white clay (conditioned and leached), Sculpey dry. Store them in a phone book to keep them flat
Kemper Pro Needle Tool
Super Flex until youre ready to use them. To prepare flowers,
round tapered Clay Shaper carefully separate the petals, then keep them in
clay in leafy and floral colors, Premo
pliers water until youre ready to use them. Lay them on
freshly picked flowers and leaves a paper towel, and blot gently to dry them before
floral stem wire
Pearl Ex pigment powder decorating them with pigment powder.
pasta machine
22-gauge craft wire
wire cutters
spray varnish, such as Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal
glass candle chimney and pillar candle
Clear Glaze Spray
floral tape

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1 Decorate and position leaves and

flowers on the clay sheet.
To make leaves and flowers, mix equal parts of Sculpey Super Flex and
the desired color of Premo clay. Roll out the mixture as thin as you can
without it sticking, then leach it (See Leaching on page 18). Lay the
clay sheet on a piece of waxed paper, parchment paper, or office paper.
Apply a layer of Pearl Ex to the underside of the leaves or petals.
Spring green, pearl white, and brilliant gold were used here. Gently
shake off the excess Pearl Ex and turn the leaves or petals over, placing
the powdered sides down on the piece of clay. Press them down gently
with your fingertips, but try not to move them around. Do this with as
many leaves or petals as you can fit on the sheet of clay, or as many of
that variety as you want. It takes 15 to 25 carnation petals to make
one flower.
To make leafy accents to cover the base of the flowers, cut a small
sheet of the leaf-colored clay, roll it as thin as you can, then apply a
layer of green Pearl Ex. Set aside this sheet for baking.
TIP
To make a frilly carnation, the clay should be as thin as possible. Also, leach
the clay sheet until it doesnt feel sticky anymore.
2 Impress and cut out the

clay leaves and flower petals.
Lay piece of waxed paper over the leaves and
petals, again being careful not to move them.
Carefully holding the waxed paper in place, roll
over the leaves with a brayer, using enough pres-
sure to transfer the texture onto the clay. When
this is done correctly, the clay picks up an incred-
ible amount of detail from the leaves and flow-
ers. Gently remove the waxed paper. Using an
extra-fine needle tool or a fine needle in a pin
vise (the thinner the needle, the easier it cuts the
clay), trace around the outline of the leaf, cut-
ting through the clay. Remove the excess clay.
Grab the stem, or the edge of the leaf, and
pull it back from the clay. After removing all the
real leaves, use the fine needle to clean up the
edges of the clay leaves. Gently peel the clay
leaves from the waxed paper, and turn them
over on the paper, Pearl Ex side down.

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3 Shape and make stems for the clay leaves.

Cut 6" to 10" (15 cm to 25 cm) lengths of 22-gauge craft wire, and
fold them tightly in half, with the ends meeting (the size will depend on
how long the spine of the leaf is and how much of the leaf you want to
have wired). These will be the stems of the leaves.
Lay a folded craft wire on the back of a clay leaf with the fold of the
wire about three-quarters of the way up the leaf. Cover the wire with a
strip of clay, and trim the excess off at the base of the leaf. Using the back
end the Kemper Pro Needle Tool, a clay shaper, or some rounded tool,
smooth the edges of the strip into the clay of the leaf. Dont press too hard
or youll smooth out the texture on the other side of the leaf. Then hold
the leaf by the wire and cover the back with Pearl Ex.
Depending on the kind of leaf youre using, youll want to give it a
three-dimensional look before its baked. You can use a rounded tool to
carefully stretch the edges a little, which automatically gives you a curly ef-
fect on the leaves. You can also use a needle tool to deepen the leaf im-
pressions. Fold the leaf gently along the vein lines that you want to show
the most. When you have the look to the leaf that you want, place it down
on a piece of paper on your baking pan. Bake at 265 F (129 C) for 40
minutes. Let cool, then seal with a spray varnish that is compatible with
polymer clay, such as Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze Spray.
4 Shape and make the clay flowers.

Shape petals as directed for the leaves, but use a smaller tool such as
a round tapered clay shaper. Then, along with the green clay sheet that will
be used to cover the base of the flowers, bake at 265 F (129 C) for 40
minutes. Let cool, then seal with spray varnish, such as Krylon Triple-Thick
Crystal Clear Glaze Spray.
To make the wire stems, first cut 6" to 10" (15 cm to 25 cm) lengths of
22-gauge craft wire. Use pliers to bend down about 1" (3 cm) of the stem
wire, making an elongated loop on one end of the wire; this helps to give
you a better base on which to lay the petals while youre assembling the
flower. Next, cut about a 2' (61 cm) length of floral tape. Wrap it around
the loop of the wire, stretching the tape carefully, yet not too hard. Keep
twisting the wire while you hold the tape taut, and run the tape down the
wire about three-quarters of the way down.
Now attach the floral tape to the top of the wire again. Grab a couple of break it off. Then start at the top again, attaching the tape to the wire, and
petals, preferably petals with tight curly edges. I like to put the tighter curls add more petals. Keep adding petals evenly around the flower. When your
in the middle and the looser curls on the outside of the flower. Put the base flower is the size you want it, run the floral tape all the way down the wire,
of the petal up against the elongated loop at the top of the wire. Wrap the and break it off.
floral tape over the base of the petal, pulling the tape slightly. Slip in an- Cut a piece from the green clay with scissors. Cut one edge in a zigzag
other petal, and wrap the floral tape around the wire a couple times. Add pattern for a decorative finish. Wrap the piece around the base of the
three or four more petals, then twist the tape halfway down the wire, and flower, and trim off any excess. Using floral tape, secure it to the flower.

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5 Assemble the wreath.

Plan the arrangement of the wreath. Po-
sition the focal flowers or leaves first. Then, re-
move them one at a time, coat the bottom of
the stems with E6000 glue, and replace them
in the same hole. Fill in the rest of the space
by using a needle tool to make a hole in the
wreath and then inserting a glue-coated wire
into the hole. If youre using a straw wreath to
assemble your centerpiece, the wires dont
need to be any more than 1" (3 cm) long.
Continue until all the leaves and flowers are
glued in place. Trim the wires as necessary.
Set the pillar candle in the center, and
voila! Enjoy your centerpiece. If you plan to
burn the candle, place it in a glass sleeve or
chimney so the wreath cant catch fire.
Variations
The technique described here is perfect for creating realistic whole flowers;
simply wrap the entire stem and add a few wired leaves. Whole flowers, or
individual leaves, can be used to make and decorate so many thingstry
using them to fill a vase, make a wall wreath, decorate a curtain swag, or cre-
ate custom jewelry. Or build simple polymer clay circles, then attach smaller
leaves and flowers to make napkin rings that coordinate with your centerpiece.

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Chapter 5
Enhancing the Surface
You have luscious-colored clay to work with; you can
make intriguing, useful, sturdy structures. So what
goes on top? How can you frost this cake?
In about a million ways.
The range of possibilities for surface decoration is

one of the most delightful attributes of polymer clay. It
works with a host of other art, craft, and commercial
materials. You can stamp it, mold it, paint it, emboss
it, carve it, antique it, gild it, and transfer words and
pictures onto it. It can be used to create anything from
a cameolike pendant to an enameled wind chime to a Roman-style mosaic. This easy
adaptability inspires artistic experimentation thats bound to lead to exciting discoveries.
Other arts become a banquet of inspiration for polymer clay crafters hungry to play
with the clays surface and create special effects. Paper arts such as rubber stamping, print-
making, and bookbinding contribute pigments, paints, inks, glues, colored pencils, irides-
cent powders and metallic leaf, photocopies, glitters, and embossing powder. Jewelry
contributes carving, inlaying, enameling, texturing, mosaic making, molding, and an-
tiquing. Even the kitchen can be raided for cookie cutters, candy molds, and sugarcraft
tools for making fancy cake icing.
The interplay between texture, dimension, and surface decoration is another in-
triguing aspect of polymer clay crafting. Keep in mind how these elements will interact
when planning a project. Because clay can be easily molded, manipulated by hand, or
textured with various materials ranging from sandpaper to leaves, there are unlimited
combinations to explore.
134

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135

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Molded Pine Pendant
Simple elements can be combined to produce

elegant work. These pendants have the rich
look of antique lacquerware from Japan.Youll
make a simple but precise push mold and use it
to cast a delicate pine sprig. By building this
many-layered piece in stages and baking each
one just enough to harden it, youll keep the all-
important surface layer perfectno need to
sand and polish it at the end.
Artist: Jacqueline Lee
Materials
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies 2 gold eye pins 12 " (1 cm) long tracing paper
(see page 15) flat black acrylic paint graph paper
1 yard (.9 m) of black pendant cord 10" (25 cm) length of black crochet thread,cut in half 2 small pairs of pliers
2 ounces (57 grams) of Elasticlay 1 black hairpipe bead 1 14" (3 cm) long small brush
1 tiny pinecone 1 round black accent bead
1 pine or yew frond 1 small black bead for necklace closure (hole should
cardstock be just large enough accommodate a double thick-
1 block of metallic copper clay, Premo ness of the pendant cord) Getting Started
gold bronzing powder or Pearl Ex powder toothpick Coat 1" (3 cm) of each end of the pendant cord with
pasta machine cyanoacrylate glue (unless youre using leather), and
Transparent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) hang to dry.
1 block of black clay, either Fimo or Premo dust mask

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2 Mold and gild the pine parts.

Make a small ball from metallic copper
clay. Fill the pinecone mold half full of water, and
then press the ball of clay firmly into the mold.
(The water will act as a release agent and keep
the clay from sticking to the mold.) Expect some
water to spill over the sides. Use the tissue blade
to trim the clay until its flush with the mold. It
works best to trim from the center toward one
end and then turn the mold and repeat. Press a
1 Make the molds.

Lightly condition the Elasticlay. Shape a
small amount into a rectangle thats longer
small lump of excess clay gently against the
edges of the clay in the mold, and pull back. The
lump of clay will stick slightly to the clay in the
and thicker than your pinecone, and place it mold and allow you to pull it out. You may have
on a piece of cardstock. Coat the top of the to repeat the press-and-pull maneuver around
rectangle with cornstarch, and press down the whole outside edge. Repeat to make two
on it lightly with the tile to flatten the sur- molded clay pinecones.
Roll a sheet of copper clay through the pasta
face. Center the pinecone on the clay rec- Now youre ready to gild the pinecones. machine on setting #3. Wet the pine frond sheet
tangle, and press gently until its half Wearing a dust mask, get a small amount of mold well, and lay the #3 layer of clay on top of
submerged. Carefully lift the pinecone gold-colored bronzing or Pearl Ex powder on it. Run them through the pasta machine to-
straight up out of the clay, which will be your finger by rubbing your finger around on the gether on setting #1. Lay the sheet with the
your pinecone mold. inside of the lid. Rub your finger gently over the molded copper pine frond on the ceramic tile.
Roll some Elasticlay through the pasta mold-contoured surface (not the back) of the Use a sharp craft knife to trim away the excess
machine on setting #1. Place the clay on a clay until the raised areas are nicely coated. Bake clay. (Although this step isnt difficult, it does
piece of cardstock. Gently press the pine the pinecones at 275 F (135 C) for 10 minutes. require patience.)
frond into the surface of the clay to create
an impression.
TIP
You may find it helpful to press the pine needles
down with a small piece of clear glass borrowed
from a frame. Carefully lift the frond away. Bake
3 Make the pendant body and add the pine parts.
Roll a sheet of copper clay through the
pasta machine on setting #1. Lay sandpaper on
as if youre shaving the surface of the tile. Lift the
freed end gently with your other hand so that it
both molds according to manufacturers instruc- the clay, grit side down, and run it through the doesnt adhere back down. When the pine frond
tions, and cool completely. pasta machine on setting #1 again. Gently lift is free, lay it on the textured rectangle and gently
the sandpaper off the clay. The textured surface smooth your finger over it to ensure that all the
will be the top layer of your pendant. Lay the individual needles are in contact with the clay. Gild
clay, textured side up, on a piece of tracing the pine frond following step 2.
paper, and trim to about 3" (8 cm) square. Place After the baked pinecones have cooled, turn
the tracing paper with the textured clay over a them over and make scratch marks in several di-
piece of graph paper, and use the grid lines to rections on the backs to help them adhere to the
cut out a rectangle of clay large enough to ac- next layer. Coat the backs lightly with white glue
commodate the pine frond. Round off the cor- or TLS, staying away from the edges. Press the
ners with your craft knife if desired. baked pinecones onto the pine piece. If this dis-
Slowly and carefully lift the pine frond from the torts the rectangle, simply place it back over the
tile by running the tissue blade beneath it with graph paper, and trim it back into shape. Bake at
(not against) the direction of the needle growth, 275 F (135 C) for 10 minutes.
E N H A N C I N G T H E S U R FA C E 137

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4 Finish the pendant.

Roll a sheet of black clay at the thickest setting, and place it on a
piece of cardstock. This is the back layer. Trim one edge of the clay with a
tissue blade; this will be the top edge. Holding an eye pin by the eye with
a small pair of pliers, use a second pair of pliers to bend the pin section at
a sharp angle. Repeat with the second eye pin. Press the eye pins into the
trimmed side of the final layer with the eyes placed 12" to 34" (1 cm to 2 cm)
apart, protruding beyond the edge. Score the back of pine assemblage with
a needle tool or craft knife, then press it firmly onto the back layer so that
the eye pins are centered at the top and about 116" (1.5 mm) of the bottom
layer is visible as a border. Trim the edge of the bottom layer all around to
leave a 116" (1.5 mm) border. Bake at 275 F (135 C) for 20 minutes.
When the pendant has cooled, antique it by applying flat black acrylic
paint with a small brush between the pine needles and in the crevices of
the pinecone.
5 Assemble the necklace.

Fold a 5" (13 cm) length of black crochet thread in half, andholding
the ends togetherthread them through one eye from the side, and draw
the thread through until youre left with a dime-size loop of thread on the
outside and two long ends in the middle. Lay the pendant face down, and
separate the threads. Lay one thread up (perpendicular to the top edge of
the pendant) and the other down (perpendicular to the bottom edge). Take
care not to pull your loop through the eye.
Place one end of the hairpipe bead into the loop, and lay the bead, cen-
tered, across the top edge of the pendant. Grasp the ends of the thread
(one in each hand), and pull the loop snugly against the bead. Then tie the
thread into a knot against the back of the bead to hold it tightly in place.
(You may want to make a double knot to be safe.) Put a tiny dot of cyano-
acrylate glue on the knot to secure it. When its dry, trim away the excess
thread. Repeat this process for the other side.
Fold the necklace cord in half. Holding it at the loop end, thread it loop-
first (going in at the front out at the back) between the eye pins, beneath
the hairpipe bead, until you have a 112" (4 cm) loop at the back. Fold the
loop up, and thread both cord ends through it. Pull snug to form a larks- Thread one end of the pendant cord through the closure bead, then
head knot around the bead. thread the other end through the bead in the opposite direction. The cord
Clip the dry, stiffened ends of the pendant cord at an angle with clippers should fit snugly in the bead so that when the ends of the cord are pulled
or sharp scissors. Thread both pieces of the pendant cord through an ac- to adjust the length it will be held securely in place.
cent bead (it may be easier to do one at a time), and slide the bead into Tie a knot in each cord end. Place a tiny dot of cyanoacrylate glue on the
place just above the larks-head knot. knot to secure it. When the glue is dry, trim the excess.

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Variations
This necklace is constructed much like the main project, but instead of
using a mold for the design, its made using two Asian-themed rubber
stamps. The main design is the Kanji character for Happiness.
For the top layerlayer oneroll a sheet of black clay through the pasta
machine on setting #4. Place the sheet of clay on a piece of tracing paper.
Rub gold-colored bronzing powder over just the top surface of the Kanji
stamp with your finger, and then stamp an impression into the clay.
Trim the clay neatly around the image and bake at 275 F (135 C) for
10 minutes.
For layer two, roll a sheet of black clay through the pasta machine on
setting #5, then lay it on a piece of cardstock. Coat the surface of the ori-
ental text stamp with gold powder as before, and press it onto the sheet of
clay. When the baked Kanji piece has cooled, score the back, coat it lightly
with white glue or TLS, and lay it over the middle layer. Lay a skewer gently
against each side of the Kanji layer and use it as a guide to trim a narrow
border from the unbaked layer. Bake at 275 F (135 C) for 10 minutes.
For layer three, roll out a small sheet of metallic copper clay on setting
#3, then trim it to about a 2" (5 cm) square. Lay it on a corner of a sheet
of gold leaf or composite leaf, and trim off excess leaf sheet with a sharp
blade. Run the leafed clay through the pasta machine on setting #3 to
ensure the leaf adheres well. Run it through again on setting #4. The gold
leaf will show tiny cracks. Rotate the leafed clay a quarter turn, and run it
through again on setting #5.
When the baked Kanji layers (layers one and two) have cooled, turn the
baked piece over, repeat the scoring and gluing process as before, and
press the piece firmly onto the leafed layer. Trim the left and right sides of
layer three flush with layer two. For the top and bottom borders, lay the
bamboo skewer gently against layer two as a guide, but trim the leafed
layer about 116" (1.5 mm) wider than the skewer. Bake at 275 F (135 C)
for 10 minutes.
Make the fourth and final layer following step 4 from the Molded Pine
Pendant (you wont need to do any antiquing), and assemble the necklace
following step 5.
TIP: MAKE A FAUX HAIRPIPE BEAD

Roll a clay snake about the diameter of a pencil, and use a tissue blade to cut a segment
about 34" (2 cm) long. Pierce it lengthwise with a toothpick that has been dusted with
cornstarch. Lay the pierced segment on a flat surface. Use two fingers to roll the bead and
gradually spread your fingers apart. Roll until the bead lengthens to 14" (6 mm) from
each toothpick end. To bake, suspend the bead above the surface by resting each end of
the toothpick on a small piece of excess clay. Bake at 275 F (135 C) for 20 minutes. Trim
the bead to size while its still warm. When its cool enough to handle, hold the bead in one
hand, and use pliers to pull out the toothpick; it may help to twist the toothpick first and
then pull. Use the tissue blade to trim off the rough ends of the bead so that its about the
same width as the pendant.

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Mosaic Plaque
Artist: Margaret Reid
Creating a polymer clay mosaic can be thrilling, because theres no limit Materials
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies
to the colors that can be used, as there is with other mosaic materials. (see page 15)
picture for reference and tracing
The waterin this mosaic was created by blending blue and translucent 1 block of white clay, Fimo or Premo
1 block of translucent clay, Fimo or Premo
clay with embossing powder in various amounts to create an array of
dark blue embossing powder
shades. The final result is a beautiful water scene with shimmery depth 1 block of blue clay, Fimo or Premo
1 block of black clay, Fimo or Premo
and sophistication. This ungrouted mosaic was created by placing 1 block of yellow clay, Fimo or Premo
imitation gold leaf
uncured tiles on an uncured background, eliminating the need for tracing paper
matte varnish, Fimo or Sculpey
adhesive. The resulting classic look is reminiscent of the intricate, pasta machine
tapestry needle
expressive works created by the ancient Romans.
penny or penny-size circular cutter
paint brush

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Getting Started
Be sure to include the most important details
when tracing an image for a mosaic, such as the
1 Transfer the mosaic pattern to the clay.
First, trace the selected image in pencil.
Next, use a pasta machine to roll out a piece of
Then lay the tracing face up on the rectangle
of clay, and smooth it out. Run a tapestry needle
eye, fins, and gills of this fish. clay about 3 12" x 2 34" (9 cm x 7 cm) on setting over the lines of the pattern to create slight but
#1. Make the rectangle as even as possible, but visible indentations in the clay. Remove the paper
dont trim the edges. Place the clay on a bake- after tracing all the lines.
able work surface.

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2 Fill in the traced

pattern with tiles.
Roll out the clay to be used for the tiles on
setting #5, and place the slabs on baking
parchment or waxed paper. From these
slabs, cut several short strips 18" to 316"
(3 mm to 4 mm) wide. Using a craft knife
with a curved or angled blade, cut small
squares from the strips, and begin placing
the tiles along the image outline.
To create the shades of blue for the water,
first roll out a sheet of translucent clay using
a pasta machine on setting #1 (the thickest
setting). Then, cut out a 112" x 112" (4 cm x
4 cm) from this sheet. Mix in about 14 to 12
teaspoon of embossing powder, a little bit at
a time, until the clay is denim blue. Cut the
clay into four equal pieces. Set one aside to
be used as is. Then cut out six penny-size
pieces of clay from the remainder of the
translucent sheet, using a craft knife and a
penny or a circle cutter as a guide. Mix one
piece of translucent clay with one denim
blue piece; two pieces of translucent clay
with another denim blue piece; and the re-
maining three translucent pieces with the
last denim blue piece. Finally, create a blue-
gray color by mixing 2 parts white, 12 part
blue, 12 part black clay. For the gold accent
tiles, roll translucent clay through the pasta
machine on setting #6 (very thin). Then,
carefully lay the metal leaf on top and
smooth it out.
TIP
To make an eye like the one seen here, press a
small ball of clay into place with a ball stylus tool
or ball-headed pin.

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TIP
To enable you to hang the
plaque, adhere a looped
string to the back using
permanent glue, or drill
two holes at the top for a
knotted cord. A smaller
piece would make a strik-
ing brooch or pendant.
3 Fill in the remaining parts of the image.

For guidance and inspiration, refer to the image used to create the
traced pattern. Fill in the major features, such as the fishs stripes and
and creates movement in the piece. To create the illusion of water, alter-
nate between shades of blue, and lay the tiles in wavy lines as seen here.
spots, then continue with the background. Place the tiles in rows to keep Once the mosaic is complete, put a piece of blank tracing paper over the
the mosaic neat. Pay attention to the flow of the lines that the rows cre- tiles and use a smooth roller, such as a brayer or jar, to gently embed them
ate. The tiles in the body of the fish here have been laid in diagonal rows, into the slab of clay. Then remove the tracing paper, and bake according to
but the tail is made up of horizontal rows; this helps to define the image the manufacturers directions. Once the piece is cool, finish with two coats
of matte varnish.
Variations
Like all surface techniques, this one could be used to ornament many
different objects. Glue your plaque to a plain journal cover, clock case, or
vase. Want to wear it as a brooch? Add a pinback (first clean the metal
with alcohol, roughen it with a nail file, then glue it to the plaque with
cyanoacrylate glue). Make a mosaic disk to fit commercial bezels for a
pendant, earrings, ring, or brooch.
I work wet-on-wet, but that isnt the only way to make polymer clay
mosaics. Some artists place prebaked tiles ranging from tiny threads to
substantial pieces on top of unbaked clay. And some artists make canes
that look like mosaics.

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Wind Play Wind Chime
Make this unique wind chime using polymer

clay and color-plated aluminum tooling foil.
The basic form is easily made using an
ordinary jar as a support. Transparent Liquid
Sculpey mixed with powdered pigments was
used to glaze and reinforce the delicate
embossed foil elements. The clay elements were
carved using a V-shaped linoleum cutting tool;
try using wood-carving tools of various shapes
as well. Be sure to hang the finished wind
chime where it will receive some protection
from the sun and weather, such as a window
or a porch.
Artist: Linda Goff
Materials
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies acrylic and oil paints bone folder
(see page 15) E-6000 glue or other two-part adhesive stylus tools for embossing the foil
4 conditioned blocks of gold polymer clay water-based satin varnish, such as Flecto Varathane stack of newspapers at least 14" (6 mm) thick
chime tubes Diamond Elite (black and silver can) scissors
2 conditioned blocks of polymer clay nylon or heavy cotton thread paint palette
in assorted colors 20-gauge wire round-nosed jewelry pliers
cotton swabs metal ring for hanging the chime
tracing paper pasta machine
tooling foil
Getting Started
cylindrical glass jar about 13" (33 cm)
Design shapes for the foil accents that will be applied
Transparent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) in circumference
to the body of the wind chime by sketching ideas on
Sculpey Diluent rubber stamp tracing paper. Then cut them out to make flexible
metallic pigment powders linoleum cutter with V-shaped blade templates that can be easily used on a curved surface.

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1 Make the body of

the wind chime.
Roll the gold clay through the pasta machine
on the thickest setting. Trim that clay so the
sheet is 3" x 14" (8 cm x 36 cm). Cut away
the top edge to create a decorative pattern
and the bottom edge to create a wave pat-
tern. Wrap the clay sheet around a cylindri-
cal glass jar so the short ends overlap, and
make sure theyre aligned. Press a rubber
stamp into the overlapped clay so it stays on
the jar. Bake following the manufacturers
directions. Dont remove the clay from the jar.
2 Carve the body of the wind chime.

With a pencil, trace the templates of the foil accents on the body of the wind
chime. Then carve decorative lines around the shapes and other areas of the body
using a linoleum cutter. Fill the carved lines with conditioned clay in a contrasting
color. Remove any excess clay using a bone folder, cotton swabs, and isopropyl alco-
hol. Bake following the manufacturers directions. Once the clay has cooled, carve
more decorative lines between the filled lines. Leave the new lines unfilled.

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3 Make foil shapes.

Using a pencil, trace the same templates used
on the body of the wind chime on the front of the
tooling foil. The traced outlines should be slightly
larger than the templates. Next, place the foil on a
stack of newspapers at least 14" (6 mm) thick, then
emboss and/or pierce the foil with a stylus tool,
paper punch, or needle tool. Embossing the front
(here, the green side) of the foil will create a re-
cessed pattern; embossing the back (here, the silver
side), a raised pattern. After embossing, neatly trim
the foil to the edges using scissors.
4 Decorate the body of the wind chime.

Fill three sections of a paint palette halfway with TLS. Thin with TLS
diluent according to manufacturers directions. Tint the TLS by mixing a
small amount of metallic pigment powder into it. (More powder will yield a
more opaque color and less powder a lighter, more translucent color.) Brush
a layer of colored TLS onto the embossed foil shapes, and let it settle into
the recessed areas. The brush can be cleaned with turpentine, paint thinner,
or isopropyl alcohol. Bake the foil, TLS side facing up, for 20 minutes follow-
ing the manufacturers directions. Once theyve cooled, decorate them with
acrylic paint. Then use E-6000 glue or similar two-part adhesive to attach
the foil accents to the body of the wind chimebut make sure you follow
the glue manufacturers directions exactly. Apply a fairly thick layer of glue
on both the foil piece and the body, wait about 10 minutes, then press
them firmly together. Remove the body of the wind chime from the jar.
TIP
Once the foil is coated with TLS, the colored surface can be easily wiped away, before
curing, to reveal the silver metal underneath. Try wiping only the raised areas of the
accents to make them stand out. Use a dry paper towel wrapped around a finger to
remove the color.

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5 Make and attach dangles to the

body of the wind chime.
Roll some clay through the pasta machine on the third thickest setting. Cut
shapes from the sheet of clay, and bake them on a flat or curved surface,
such as a jar, for 30 minutes. Once the dangles have cooled, decorate both
sides using the same techniques described in steps 2, 3, and 4 for decorat-
ing the body of the wind chime. Also make some dangles entirely of foil.
Apply water-based satin varnish, such as Flecto Varathane Diamond Elite,
to all areas of baked TLS to prevent scratches. Then drill a hole about 14"
(6 mm) from the top edge of each dangle. Also drill a hole for each dangle
or row of dangles on the bottom edge of the body of the wind chime. Next,
attach the dangles at various lengths using nylon or heavy cotton thread.
6 Attach the chime tubes.

Measure the diameter of the wind chime body, and cut a length of
20-gauge wire twice as long. Using round-nosed jewelry pliers, bend V
shapes in the wire to hold each chime tube in place. The tubes should be
positioned far enough apart to hang separately when still, but close
enough together so they chime when moved gently. Drill two holes in the
top of the body directly opposite from each other. Thread the ends of the
wire through the holes and bend the ends to secure. Clip off any excess
wire. Next, hang the chime tubes from the wire using nylon or heavy cot-
ton thread. Make a wind catcher by hanging one of your large foil dangles
through the inside of a chime tube so it is about 2" (5 cm) below the bot-
tom of the tube. To hang the wind chime, first drill four equally spaced
holes in the body of the wind chime, about 14" (6 mm) from the top edge.
Then, thread a piece of nylon through two of the holes, directly opposite
each other, and tie securely. Repeat the procedure with the other two holes
to create an X. Finally, cut another piece of nylon, and tie one end to a
large metal ring; tie the other end around the center of the X.
Variations
Try using the construction technique described here to build a mobile, such
as a suncatcher. Use translucent clay for the dangles, then carve and back-
fill to create an opaque pattern. When sunlight hits the clay, the interplay
between dark and light will be charming. Experiment with dangles of vary-
ing thickness, different shapes and sizes of carving tools, and clay inclu-
sions such as glitter. Be sure to sand and buff the baked clay for the most
translucent effect.

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Book Covers with Freehand Transfers
This freehand design, drawn with artists felt-

tipped pens on a scrap of synthetic fabric, was
transferred to raw polymer clay using ordinary
isopropyl alcohol. The result is a controlled yet
flowing design, reminiscent of watercolors. For
durable book covers, use a strong polymer clay
that has some flexibility after its baked, such
as Fimo or Premo. Sculpey III isnt suitable.
Its also a good idea to experiment with this
technique first before finalizing the design
of the book covers. Try combining different
colors, simple and detailed designs, and
various amounts of alcohol.
Artist: Meredith Arnold

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue, such as Crafters Pick Many copy centers offer paper-cutting services and
(see page 15) Ultimate Glue charge by the number of cuts, regardless of paper
2 pieces of cardstock, 2" x 5 12" (5 cm x 14 cm), masking tape quantity. This project uses a stack of 8 12" x 11"
folded lengthwise (22 cm x 28 cm) paper cut into four equally sized
thin synthetic fabric, such as coat lining material,
smaller stacks.
2 paper clamps, 1" (3 cm) size 6" x 7" (15 cm x 18 cm)
precut stack of paper, 2" x 2 34" x 12" unlined index cards
(5 cm x 7 cm x 1 cm) deep or less cotton swabs
tight-weave cheesecloth or machine-made lace, leather or Ultrasuede for binding
2" x 2" (5 cm x 5 cm)
bone folder or spoon
1 piece of kraft paper or lightweight brown paper
small paint brush
bag, 2" x 2" (5 cm x 5 cm)
scissors
1 block of white or light-colored clay
pasta machine (optional)
Berol Prismacolor felt-tipped pens

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1 Make the book block.

Crease the folds of the cardstock sharply,
using a bone folder or the back of a spoon. Place
until the glue squishes through the weave. Hold
in position for about 1 minute to allow the glue
the folded cardstock pieces on either side of the to set.
stack of paper, in the same orientation. (The Once the pages remain together tightly with-
folded edges should align with what will be the out being held, apply another light coat of glue
spine of the book.) Next, make sure the pages on top of the cheesecloth, and place the kraft
and cardstock are squared up, then attach paper paper over it. Burnish along the spine, and wipe
clamps to both bottom corners of the paper off any excess glue. You now have a book block.
block as shown. This will allow the block to Place the block between two sheets of waxed
stand freely on the work surface. paper, and weigh it down for about 10 minutes.
Fan the pages of the paper block in one direc- Once the glue has set, remove the waxed paper.
tion, then apply a light coat of white PVA glue to Trim the kraft paper and cheesecloth to no less
the spine with a small paintbrush. Fan the pages than 14" (6 mm) from the spine, on all sides.
in the opposite direction and apply another light Make a template for the book cover by trac-
coat of PVA glue. Squeeze the pages of the ing the book block on a piece of cardstock.
block together tightly, then lay the cheesecloth Make the rectangle 12" (1 cm) longer and wider
over the spine. Pull on the longer edges of the then cut it out.
cheesecloth to hold the pages together tightly

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2 Make and decorate

the book cover.
Roll out a 5" x 6" (13 cm x 15 cm) sheet of
polymer clay using a pasta machine on a
medium setting, such as #4. Place the sheet
on a piece of paper, and set aside.
Tape a piece of waxed paper to the work
surface. Tape the edges of the synthetic
fabric to the waxed paper, making sure the
fabric is taut. Using Berol Prismacolor felt-
tipped pens, decorate the fabric. The ink
will bleed, so choose colors that will blend
well, and leave some open space in the de-
sign to compensate.
Next, place the decorated fabric on the
polymer clay sheet, ink side down. Put an
index card over the fabric, and burnish with
a bone folder or the back of a spoon. Make
sure the fabric completely adheres to the
clay surface. Then, dampen a cotton swab
with isopropyl alcohol; squeeze out the ex-
cess. Gently dab the fabric with the cotton
swab, making sure the fabric stays adhered
to the clay. Some of the pigment will appear
on the cotton swab; this indicates that the
transfer process is working. If the fabric be-
comes so saturated that it buckles, stop ap-
plying the isopropyl alcohol and just burnish
it back in place; the end result will be differ-
ent from the intended design, but still at-
tractive. More moisture intensifies the
watercolor effect, but if too much is used, it
will ruin the transfer. Place an index card
over the fabric and burnish to blot up excess
liquid and pigment. Allow the fabric to dry TIP
for 3 minutes, then remove the index card.
If a pasta machine isnt available, roll the clay
Using the book cover template, carefully
cut out two pieces of the decorated clay. to the thickness of a computer diskette. Place
Place the clay on an index card on a baking diskettes to the left and right of the clay, and
sheet. Bake at 265 F (129 C) for 25 min- tape in place. Roll over the clay and diskettes
utes. If the clay pieces warp during baking,
with a rolling pin or brayer.
immediately place index cards over them,
and weigh them down while they cool.
Using the rough side of an emery board
or extra-fine sanding block, lightly sand the
undecorated sides of the clay under running
water; this will allow the glue to adhere bet-
ter. Then, sand the edges of the covers while
holding them together to ensure that they
end up the same size and shape.

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3 Assemble the book.

To avoid accidentally gluing the book shut, place a piece of
waxed paper between the glued cover and first page of the book
block. Apply glue to the front of the book block, on the cardstock.
Carefully position the book block over the undecorated side of one
clay book cover. Make sure the spine edges are aligned and the other
three sides of the cardstock are centered on the clay book cover. Press
down firmly, then wipe off any excess glue with a dampened paper
towel. Repeat the procedure to adhere the back cover of the book.
Place a weight on the book, and let it dry.
4 Cover the spine.

Cut a rectangular strip of leather slightly larger than 2" x 114" (5 cm
x 3 cm). Center the leather over the spine to check the fit. It should overlap
the book covers; trim if necessary. Spread PVA glue carefully and evenly on
the underside of the leather. Then, center it on the spine and press into
place, making sure the corners are secure. Wipe off any excess glue,
stroking away from the leather. Be careful; it can be difficult to remove
glue from leather. Let dry before using.
Variations
Use rubber stamps to make impressions on the unbaked clay covers. After
baking, apply acrylic paint with a dampened paper towel. Not all brands of
acrylic paint work well on polymer clay; a few that do include Plaid Folk Art,
Delta Ceramcoat, and Liquitex paints, available at most U.S. craft-supply out-
lets. For a slate effect, apply white paint to black clay. Wipe away excess, leav-
ing some paint in the recessed rubber stamp impressions for a patina effect.
Decorate the cover with other types of transfers.

Basic transfers are created from carbon-based toner images. Either photo-
copied or laser-printed images will work if the toner contains carbon. If the
transfer isn't successful when you use the following process, the image
doesn't contain the necessary carbon to transfer. Roll out a sheet of clay
with a nice flat surface. Burnish image onto the sheet of clay. Apply iso-
propyl alcohol to the back of the image with a cotton swab. The paper
should become translucent-like. Blot any excess rubbing alcohol using an
index card or other piece of paper. Let dry for half a minute or so and gen-
tly remove. The image should be very dark and crisp.

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Laminated Boxes
This project highlights the compatibility of

polymer clay, rubber stamping, and paper arts
supplies. The Chinese take-outbox seen here
was made using a simple one-piece paper
foundation that was laminated with decorated
clay. First the sheets of clay are textured with
sandpaper, then theyre painted with artists inks
to create vibrantly colored patterns.After the
paint is dry, the unbaked clay can be cut apart
and arranged in various ways, such as the
delightful striped pattern on this take-out
box. These miniature treasures make cherished
party favors.A bigger box could hold a gift of
candy or cookies, but make sure the treats are

well sealed in plastic wrap.

basic polymer clay equipment and supplies decorative paper cord for box handle We built the boxes for this project from scratch,
(see page 15) artists inks in assorted colors using a commercially available box template. But it
durable, heavyweight paper such as cardstock isnt necessary to build a box; any paper or card-
photocopier
board box can be decorated using this technique.
acrylic paints in assorted colors sponges and rubber stamps
Transparent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) pigments and ink pads
14 block of clay in a color to match the box, pasta machine
for a 2" (5 cm) box (larger boxes require more clay)
small paintbrushes
2 blocks of clay in a light color
chambered watercolor palette
heat-resistant double-sided mounting tape in
soft makeup brush
1
4" (6 mm) and 34" (2 cm) rolls (such as Terrifically
Tacky Tape)

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1 Prepare the templates.

Photocopy the template for the paper
foundation box (see below) onto a piece of
durable, heavyweight paper such as card-
stock. Cut along the solid lines of the tem-
plate with a craft knife. Then, cut along the
edges of the two wider sides of the box, and
remove the resulting triangles of paper. The
narrower sides of the box will now have
flaps for folding and securing the box.
Lightly score the remaining dotted lines,
then fold them in the same direction. Also,
cut a slit in the middle of the box top, oppo-
site the closing tab. If desired, make smaller
templates of the box sides for use in plan-
ning the surface design.
After folding, cut

slot in this cover
piece for tab X

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2 Decorate the foundation box and the clay.

Sponge or rubber stamp pigment ink on
the entire inside of the box and the fronts of the
(18 cm x 20 cm) sheets of clay, piecing smaller
sheets together to achieve the size, if necessary.
clay sheet from the cardboard. Remove the sand-
paper and plastic wrap. Now the clay is ready to
boxs top flaps. Paint the bottom and the folded (Boxes larger than the one shown here require decorate. Use brushes, stamps, or sponges to
edges on the outside of the box with acrylic more clay.) Dust the backs lightly with baby pow- apply inks, let dry, then apply additional ink or
paint; once dry, paint over these areas again with der, and lay the sheets on pieces of cardboard. painted accents. Use ink sparingly; if applied too
TLS, which will strengthen the paper. Bake fol- Cover the clay sheets with plastic wrap and heavily, it will collect in the recessed areas of the
lowing the manufacturers directions. then with a piece of sandpaper, and use a roller clay surface. Pearlescent and metallic colors were
Roll out sheets of clay using a pasta ma- to press the sandpaper into the clay, to create used on these boxes.
chine on a fairly thin setting. Make two 7" x 8" texture. Then, use a palette knife to loosen the
TIP
Inks can be dried more quickly with a hair dryer. Just be sure to use a cool setting.

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3 Laminate and construct the box.

To plan the laminated design, cut strips of
clay using a sharp craft knife and a metal ruler,
Next, apply one piece of double-sided mount-
ing tape to each of the four box flaps, close to,
its flush with the box. Bake following the manu-
facturers directions for the clay, and let cool.
and arrange them on the smaller templates. but not on, the areas that will be folded. Trim To make the handle, drill holes on opposite
Apply double-sided mounting tape to the any excess tape. To construct the box, remove sides of the box. Thread the ends of a pretty paper
template. Use two strips of tape for each panel the protective cover strip from one flap. Fold the cord from the outside into the holes, then knot
of the box that will face outward when its flap and the whole panel toward the inside of the ends of the cord on the inside of the box.
folded together, as seen here. Remove the pro- the box. Then fold the adjacent panel toward the
tective cover strip to reveal the adhesive. Brush inside of the box, bringing the edges of both
TLS over the box panels, making sure that the panels together. Make sure theyre aligned, then
exposed tape is covered. Then, cut strips of clay press them firmly together. Repeat with the re-
and arrange them on each panel. Bake following maining flaps.
the clay manufacturers directions. When the box Brush a little TLS into each corner edge of the
has cooled, carefully paint the edges of the clay box. Using the colored clay, roll thin snakes and
panels with acrylic paint. Let dry. fill the corner edges, smoothing the clay out so
Variations
A cohesive mosaic design can be created using unbaked sheets of clay in
various colors, all decorated with a single design in coordinating colors.
Start with sheets of unbaked clay. Apply the design by stamping, stenciling,
or silk screening it, and let the clay dry. Build the mosaic by cutting strips
or blocks from the decorated sheets and fitting them together on a thin,
unbaked foundation sheet. When youre satisfied with the arrangement,
cover the clay with tissue paper, and roll gently over the tissue with a roller
to adhere the mosaic pieces to the foundation sheet. Cut the clay as de-
Stand by Celie Fago
sired to shape it. You can use the sheet flat, draped like fabric, or wrapped
around a bead or box; bake following the manufacturers directions.

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Exploring Precious Metal Clay

by Celie Fago
Almost Alchemy:
The Story of Precious Metal Clay
When I first heard about Precious Metal Clay (PMC) I thought I had It was only after working with PMC for those first six months
misunderstood. Id been working with polymer clay, making jew- in 1998 that I discarded the idea that it was simply a shortcut to
elry for about seven years, and apprenticing to a metalsmith, metalwork. Like polymer clay, PMC is a pioneer material and a clay.
studying metalworking for seven years. A clay that turned to pre- Understanding the nature of a material thats clay then metal has
cious metal when fired? Impossible. A few months later in 1998 a caused me to move away from attempts to replicate silversmithing
colleague showed me a bead made with this same new material. and toward an understanding that an essential quality of great
The bead had a look to it, a deeper texture than you could get metal clay jewelry is the vestigial clayness found in the best PMC
with any metals technique I knew, and a resonance with its com- work. An undefinable quality, a range of textural effects that defy
panion polymer beads that I couldnt quite identify. I was trans- its recent history as clay but distinguish it forever from cast or fabri-
fixed. The rest, as they say, is history. Like most people I didnt cated silver. Whereas PMC is in its infancy, having been invented a
believe it possibleat first. Now, although its story has become as mere 7 years ago, polymer clay is in its adolescence. The skills
familiar in the telling as my own, I still marvel at the magic of a honed in working with polymer clay lend themselves splendidly to
metal whose history is as a clay; I still marvel at the magic of PMC. PMC. They are excellent companions. The pure silver adds aes-
thetic richness and, since its precious metal, actual value to the
polymer. Polymer clay, for its part, offers PMC the glory of color.
Photo: Robert Diamante
157

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Chapter 6
Precious Metal Clay
Basic Techniques
This revolutionary new material was invented by Mit-
subishi Materials Corporation of Sanda, Japan. It con-
sists of three ingredients: tiny particles of pure silver (or
pure gold), water, and an organic binder. When its
wet, or fresh, its claylike and malleable and can be
sculpted, textured, rolled, pushed into a press mold, or
draped around a kernel of cereal to create a hollow
form bead. When its s air dried or leather-hard, it can
be carved, cut, filed, drilled, and joined to make com-
plex forms. When PMC is fired in a small electric kiln,
the water evaporates, and the binder burns away.
The material shrinks as the metal particles fuse together, sharpening the surface de-
tail, leaving an object made of pure silver. PMC comes in lump form (silver and gold), paste
(or slip), and sheet. It also comes prepackaged in a syringe and can be extruded to orna-
ment a surface. Several related products are in development.
This chapter covers the basic techniques for working with PMC. I have also included
many tips and techniques that I have discovered and developed while using this unique
material. The projects that follow range from simpler beads and earrings to more elaborate
frames and pendants. I hope that they provide inspiration and a useful base of techniques
on which to build your own designs.
158

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159

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Composition Keeping PMC Moist live in a dry climate. If you discover that a pack-
age of clay seems dry when you push your fin-
Precious Metal Clay (PMC) is composed of Two discoveries I made early on made working
ger into it, take a bit of sponge or paper towel,
three ingredientsfine pure silver particles with PMC immeasurably easier. The first has to
dampen it, and put it in the package under the
so small they could be described as a flour, a do with extending the working time of fresh
tightly wrapped PMC.
proprietary binder, and water. The binder is or- PMC by rolling through plastic wrap to minimize
ganic, naturally occurring and nontoxic. Water evaporation. The second has to do with work-
accounts for 10 to 20 percent of the material. ing leather-hard. Borrowed from ceramics, the Rehydrating
The silver powder and the binder are stable, but term leather-hard simply means dry when
To rehydrate rock hard PMC, stab holes in it
the water content begins to evaporate as soon used to describe PMC. It may mean air dried,
with a needle tool, then run it under the tap (or
as the package is opened, or over time, with or force dried under a light or in an oven set
use distilled water) for 30 to 60 seconds.
improper storage. at 225 to 285 F. For all intents and purposes,
Rewrap it tightly in plastic along with a table-
PMC comes in four different forms: lump when the material is dry or leather-hard its
spoon or two of water. In several hours it will
(silver and gold), sheet, paste, and packaged in stable indefinitely.
reabsorb the water and give slightly to the pres-
a syringe. sure of your finger. Repeat the above process,
LumpSilver lump PMC comes in two Standard versus Plus but instead of running it under water, stab holes
types: standard PMC and PMC Plus. The in it, then wrap it tightly with some water in
Because of their slightly different balance of in-
former was invented about 7 years ago by with the clay. You may be able to knead the clay
gredients, PMC and PMC Plus have different at-
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation of Sanda, at this point, or you may need to repeat the first
tributes in all three stagesfresh, leather-hard,
Japan; it shrinks 28 percent when fired. A steps one or two more times. Once you have
and as metal after firing. Fresh standard PMC
few years later, that same company devel- some experience with PMC, youll be able to
takes detail beautifully. It rarely requires oil to
oped a new clay called PMC Plus. Because recognize a good working consistency, and re-
prevent sticking, and its both flexible and
of a key difference in the silver particles member that you can always turn clay into slip
strong while leather-hard. PMC Plus rebounds
that make up PMC Plus, its stronger after by adding extra water.
slightly from texture, so the impression isnt al-
firing than standard PMC, and it shrinks by ways as crisp as that of standard. Its slightly
only 12 percent. more difficult to join to itself, and when fresh, it Forming
PMC Plus sheetThe 2" x 2" (60 mm x always requires oil to prevent sticking. PMC Plus
Rolling out PMC: As a general rule, if you flip
60 mm) square sheet is a paper thin, spe- has less binder holding the metal particles to-
your PMC over every three or four rolls, it is
cially formulated material thats had its gether so when its leather-hard its not as
much less likely to stick to your work surface.
moisture content stabilized and therefore durable as standard. Its fragile and care must be
Water versus oil: What to do about crack-
isnt subject to evaporation. It resembles taken not to bump or drop a piece. Besides tak-
ing PMC?
ultra suede, is flexible like fabric, and does- ing details of impressions a bit better to begin
nt dry out. with, standard PMC sharpens detail because it When closing a joint in fresh PMC, or join-
shrinks more, whereas the 12 percent shrinkage ing one fresh piece to anotherlike an embel-
PMC Plus pasteThis form is prepack-
of Plus doesnt have much effect on detail. After lishment to a beadyoull need to add a bit
aged slip.
firing however, its denser and stronger than of water. After youve made the joint, its
PMC Plus prepackaged in a syringe
fired standard PMC, so PMC Plus is more appro- helpful to smooth it over with an oiled finger
This is specially formulated slip that doesnt
priate for rings and thinner designs. Because it or oiled brush handle. Experiment, and youll
slump when you extrude it onto a surface.
has more binder, standard PMC is remarkably soon know when you need to switch from
It can be used for decoration or for repairs.
strong in its leather-hard stage, and as a result, water to oil. Too much water will make mud.
Sheet, paste, and syringe style PMC are all it carves more easily than PMC Plus. Leather- If this happens, wait a few seconds, then
formulated from PMC Plus and should be fired hard standard PMC can be successfully cut with smooth over the wet spot with an oiled finger.
accordingly. You can unwrap a package of PMC a protected tissue blade, but this same method Balancing the moisture level simply takes
and use the entire ounce in making a small ves- may shatter leather-hard PMC Plus. Instead, use some getting used to. Keep your water and
sel, or you can stretch an ounce, economically, a jewelers saw with a 3/0 blade for PMC Plus. your oil within reach.
and make many smaller pieces. The textured Both materials can be drilled with a hand drill, a
leaf shapes shown on page 102, were two of Dremel, or a flex shaft.
seventy-two such shapes made from 1 ounce of
Tenting
standard PMC. If your PMC is cracking, roll it out through plastic
Storage or try tentingthat is, tearing off a large sheet
Store PMC tightly wrapped in plastic, in its origi- of plastic and working under it. Put a barrier up
nal package, and in airtight plastic bags with to protect your work area from any breeze. Or,
folded-up wet paper towels inside. Refresh the try rehearsing a particular design in scrap polymer
paper towels on a regular basis, especially if you clay until you can work a bit faster.
Top left: PMC Plus; top right: Standard PMC; below: PMC Sheet.

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161

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F
P K C
E I
H B
L O
N
G
D M
Q R
J A
T
Setup and Tools dard PMC is more of a buff or tan color. and recommend only glassnot window glass,
Remember to label your containers. which is dangerously thin, but a 10" x 15" (25
Although your PMC will ultimately be trans-
I use and recommend two brushes (D): a cm x 38 cm) sheet of 14" (6.5 mm) plate glass
formed into metal, youll do most of your work
small, pointed watercolor brush for apply- (G), with smoothed edges. Its inexpensive, and
in PMC while its clay. Both philosophically and
ing slip or water and a square-tipped one, its available from auto glass stores. It makes an
in the matter of tools, this is an important
kept clean, to remove excess slip. excellent surface because PMC doesnt readily
consideration. Here are a few essential tools.
stick to it, and it isnt scratched by cutting
Generally the tools you use for polymer clay will Use foam rubber scraps (14" to 12" [5 mm
blades. Whats more, a lump of PMC set on the
work with PMC. to 1 cm] thick) from a fabric store (E), ac-
glass and covered with plastic will remain viable
For rolling polymer clay, I use a 1 12" (4 cm) cordion folded, and stuffed into a cup for
for 24 to 48 hours. If you wont be working for
diameter PVC pipe, available at a hardware drying delicate assemblies. Laid flat on
more than a day, invert a dish over the plastic on
store. For PMC, I use a 12" (about 1 cm) your work surface, foam pieces give you a
top of the PMC to seal it on the work surface.
diameter PVC pipe (A), 6" to 7" (about 15 place to dry rounded PMC objects so they
For a shorter duration, dip your finger in water
cm) long (both cut with a tube cutter). wont develop a flat side.
and run it around the PMC on the work surface,
For cutting fresh PMC, use a tissue blade, Teflon sheet (F) is sold as nonstick baking and press the plastic wrap to seal it.
a Nu-Blade, or a craft knife (B). On leather- sheets in kitchen stores and as Teflon
hard standard PMC, use a protected tissue Pressing Sheets in fabric stores. They can
be cut up into convenient palette sizes, or Other tools
blade. (Glue two Popsicle sticks with 5-
minute Epoxy onto either side of the dull you can roll directly on them. If you dont A small container (H) with a section of
edge.) A hard blade may shatter leather- have access to Teflon, plastic report covers, kitchen sponge pushed into it, full of
hard PMC Plus. Instead, use a jewelers sold in stationary stores, are another possi- water. You can use a paper cup trimmed
saw with a 3/O blade. bility, but I strongly recommend Teflon. to 1" (3 cm) height. Keep the water level
high enough so that you can easily get
A small airtight container (C) is another es-
some water on the end of your brush.
sential for storing slip. A plastic film canis- Work surfaces
ter will do, but small round pill containers Another small container (I), with a piece of
Many materials can be used as a work surface
with attached tops are even better. They foam rubber in it, filled with olive oil. Olive
for example, glass, marble, Plexiglas, acrylic, a
are typically sold in twos, giving you one oil is specifically recommended because its
laminated place mat, or a plastic report cover.
for PMC Plus and one for standard PMC. less likely to get sticky and rancid.
Any smooth, nonporous surface will do. I use
PMC Plus is grayish white, whereas stan-

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A pin tool (J) of your rolling tool, or wrapping masking tape Repairing Leather-Hard PMC
A small spray bottle full of water (K) around the ends of your rolling tools to corre-
When making repairs, use the thickest version
spond to the card system.
Plastic wrap (L). I recommend Saran be- of PMC you can handle in the situation. If you
cause its heavy, and it doesnt stretch or can, use PMC right out of the package (after
cling; avoid waxed paper of any sort. Making Slip brushing water on the spot). If the repair is in
too tight a spot, or if something else makes the
Rolling rectangle (M)that is, a 2 12" x 7" Think of slip as glue. Its what youll use to as-
thickness of PMC out of the package difficult to
(6 cm x 18 cm) piece of plate glass or semble leather-hard parts and fill small cracks.
use, then repair it with thick slip.
rigid plastic to use for rolling ropes of clay You can also apply it as a surface texture. Slip
or wire needs to be thick. To test it, use the slip to at-
Scrap polymer clay, for rehearsing ideas and tach one leather-hard piece to another, count Adding Texture and
for securing a texture to a work surface to 10, and turn the piece upside down. Slip Embellishments
thats a good working consistency will hold the
Palette knife (N) in plastic or metal for Most peoples first foray into PMC involves tex-
pieces together.
making slip turing. The simple process and beautiful results
Pinch a piece of fresh PMC clay off, and put it make it a good place to begin.
Good pair of fine tweezers (O)
on your work surface. Spritz it or pour a few drops
Brass tube sections (P) are useful for cut- of water on it, and smear it with your palette For a rigid texture
ting out circles of PMC. knife against the glass repeatedly. The material re-
Oil the texture. Roll out PMC to a height of 3
Use drinking straws (Q) for cutting out cir- sists for a while, but then the two mix. The consis-
cards (or 4 cards for a deep relief), through plastic
cles of clay. tency youre aiming for is much thicker than paint
wrap. Lift the PMC with the plastic in place onto
Stacks of playing cards (R) help you roll and could be likened to frostingthat is, it holds
the oiled texture and secure it to your work sur-
consistent thicknesses of PMC. peaks. Using distilled water will help eliminate
face with a small lump of polymer clay at each
mold in the PMC. If mold forms, just scrape it off.
Foam rubber (S), accordion-folded and corner or with tape. Roll across the PMC a few
Save small scraps and shards to add to a slip jar.
pushed into a cup, affords a good place times, then lift up a corner to see if it has taken a
for drying delicate PMC assemblies. good impression. Transfer the clay to a teflon
A brass sliding millimeter gauge (T) Joining palette, texture side up, cover with plastic, and
Joining fresh PMC to fresh PMC requires a few proceed with your design.
Fine sandpaper (320, 400, 600, and
1,000 grit) drops of water and then a bit of smoothing
over the joint until you can no longer see it. If For a flexible texture
Micron-graded polishing paper (1,200 grit,
the clay is too wet, its beginning to crack, or If youre using something like the plastic netting
from a jewelry supplier)
you arent making progress, put it aside to dry. that onions come in, roll out the PMC to a
Salon boardsdouble sided, medium fine When its completely dry and easier to handle, height of 3 cards, transfer it to Teflon, lay the
(from a pharmacy) you can add clay, fill cracks, and smooth oiled netting onto the PMC, cover with plastic
Round needle file (from a jewelry supplier) rough areas. wrap and roll over it.
Note: Although you may use tools that contain

aluminum (such as circle cutters), avoid pro-
longed contact between the aluminum tool and
fresh PMC because the aluminum will cause
contamination.
Universal measuring system

Decks of cards have become the universal tool
for rolling even slabs of PMC to specific thick-
nesses. Tape together the following sets of
cards: 2 sets of 2 each, 2 sets of 3 each, 2 sets
of 4 each, 2 sets of 5 each, and 2 sets of 6 each.
For a deep relief, a two-sided texture, or a piece
you intend to carve, you can combine the card
stacks: 4 and 3 to get 7 or 5 and 3 to get 8. The
main drawback of using cards is that theyre
plastic coated and therefore slippery. Other
ideas for rolling PMC to a consistent height
include using strips of cardboard, using rubber Top left: carved polymer clay plates and bottom left: clay paper, and polymer clay plate from Tear-
gaskets, in a range of sizes, slipped on the ends Away technique (by Celie Fago). Right: assorted found textures. Center: drywall sanding screen.
P R E C I O U S M E TA L C L AY B A S I C T E C H N I Q U E S 163

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Shown above: paper punches (A), shaped cutters for polymer clay (B), custom cutters made from carved polymer clay and brass (by Celie Fago) (C).
For a double-sided texture Embellishments usually straighten pieces that develop a curve.
This takes a bit of practice, but its worth it. Be- Make the following embellishments in fresh Weight the leather-hard pieces under a book or
cause youll be impressing both sides, start by clay, let them dry to leather-hard. Store the store them in cocktail straws to help keep them
rolling the clay out to a height of 4 cards, and if twisted wires in drinking straws and the straight. To make larger sizes of twisted wires,
it seems too thin, go higher. Its also a good idea spheres and bails sorted into plastic pill minders simply roll out a thicker slab and cut bigger
to choose textures with low relief. Secure the for later use. square lengths of clay.
first texture to your work surface with a small
lump of polymer clay (or tape) at each corner, Spheres
Twisted wire
and oil the texture well. Transfer the clay, with
To make small twisted wires, roll out 14 ounce of Although there are several ways to make
the plastic wrap in place, onto the first texture,
PMC, under plastic wrap, to the height of 4 spheres, this one is the most efficient. Roll PMC
and roll once or twice firmly across it. Place the
cards. It should form a rectangle at least 214" out to a height of four cards, and with the plas-
second, well-oiled texture carefully on top of
(5.5 cm) long. Transfer the PMC to a Teflon tic wrap in place, transfer it to a Teflon palette.
the clay, and roll once or twice across it. Check
palette. Using a well-oiled tissue blade, cut a Lightly oil a tube section (or a drinking straw),
the impression. Two-sided texturing is much
strip as wide as the PMC is thick so that its and press out several circles of clay. Pick one
easier if the top texture is flexible. Then, its an
square. Then, take an end in each hand, and upbeing careful to re-cover the others with
easy matter to check the progress of the impres-
gently twist the strip. To prevent it from untwist- the plastic wrapand place it on your palm.
sion by lifting up an edge.
ing, firmly push both ends onto an oil-free glass Now roll vigorously with a finger, against your
If you dont like the way a texture looks or you palm until you have a perfect, round sphere.
surface, or another surface to which the PMC
change your mind and want to start over, ball up Trial and error will tell you whether to add a bit
will stick, like marble or stone. Continue making
the clay youve used and spritz it lightly with of water or oil as you roll. Experiment, and try
twisted wires until you have enough for the
water. Knead it for a few seconds through plastic, both until you can successfully roll spheres with-
project youre working on, plus a few extras in
then add it back to the original ounce. Take a out cracks. Dry the spheres on a scrap of foam
case some break. Dont worry about sizing. Just
fresh piece from another part of the ounce to so they dont develop flat areas.
add in a little extra length, and plan on trim-
start again. Kneading the clay like this, or wedg-
ming the wires with a protected tissue blade
ing, is a good general strategy for getting bits of
once theyre leather-hard. When dry, theyll
clay with different moisture levels homogenized.
detach from the glass on their own. You can

CD1206-32 / 4239
Spherical bails spinning it against your palm. The instant you with a hand drill, Dremel, or flex shaft. For ei-
After youve become proficient at rolling encounter resistance, re-oil the needle. Just as ther material, clean up the hole in the sphere
spheres, try the following technique for making you reach the other side, take it out and re-oil it, when its leather-hard with a round needle file.
a spherical bail. The word bail refers to that part and start back through from the other side, re-
of a piece of jewelry that connects a pendant to oiling as necessary. Now, pick up your pencil or
Ring Sizing
a chain. For the following technique to be suc- bigger tapered tool; slather the tip with oil, and
start through the hole using a turning and push- In the Ring Project, a simple technique is de-
cessful, you must use copious amounts of oil.
ing motion, re-oiling at the first sign of resist- scribed for sizing a ring for a particular finger.
Have ready the following: a needle tool, a large
ance. Once you get the basic tool through, you Ring sizing is an inexact science. Ring sizes refer
wooden knitting needle (or a sharpened pencil
can start expanding the hole diameter by rolling to several competing systems, and your finger
or other large tapered tool), olive oil container,
the ball back and forth against your palm. The size fluctuates over time. The following num-
and a scrap of foam. Follow the preceding in-
key is oil. When youre satisfied with the bail, bers assume a ring of average thickness116"
structions for making a sphere, but start with
set it aside on foam to dry. Attach it with slip for small sizes and 18" for larger (1.5 mm for
more clay and make a larger ball. Cut a circle of
when its leather-hard. small sizes and 2 mm for larger) and a width of
clay, and roll it swiftly into a smooth ball. Place
about 14" (5 mm). If your ring will be very wide,
it in your palm while you oil your needle tool. Though its possible to do this with PMC Plus,
add a half a size to your calculations.
Make a hole through the center of the ball its more difficult. For PMC Plus, I recommend
using a turning and pushing motion, while forming the sphere, letting it dry, and drilling it There are two ways to use the ring chart. If
you have a ring sizer, find the size you want,
match it to the ring sizes in the left hand column
RING CHART and follow it across to the type of clay youre
Ring Size Metal (mm) PMC Plus (mm) PMC (mm) using. If you dont have a sizer, wrap a piece of
2 44.6 50.7 61.9 paper around the middle knuckle of the finger
for which youre making a ring. That millimeter
2 21
45.8 52.0 63.6
measurement is the size your ring should be after
3 47.1 53.5 65.4
firing. Match that number to the numbers in the
3 21
48.4 55.0 67.2 second from the left column (metal). Now follow
4 49.6 56.4 68.8 across to the number in the column for PMC or
4 21
50.9 57.8 70.7 PMC Plus, and cut a strip that length in fresh clay.
5 52.1 59.2 72.4 Generally, PMC Plus is the better choice for rings.
5 21
53.4 60.7 74.2
6 54.6 62.0 75.8 Mandrels
6 21
55.9 63.5 77.6 A ring mandrel is a long, tapered steel tool. If
7 57.1 64.8 79.3 your PMC ring has become misshapen during
firing or its tight on your finger, slip it onto the
7 21
58.4 66.4 81.1
mandrel and tap it with a rawhide mallet.
8 59.7 67.8 82.9
8 21
60.9 69.2 84.6
9 62.2 70.7 86.4
Warpage
9 1 2 63.4 72.0 88.0 Once PMC is in the kiln, gravity will flatten most
warps. Any additional flattening can be done
10 64.7 73.5 89.9
after firing by placing the piece on a bench
10 2 1
65.9 74.8 91.5
block or other flat surface and using the heel of
11 67.2 76.4 93.3 your hand or, failing that, tapping with a
11 2 1
68.5 77.8 95.1 rawhide or plastic mallet.
12 69.7 79.2 96.8
12 2 1
71.0 80.7 98.6 Firing
13 72.2 82.0 100.3 When the PMC is dry, place it on a shelf in an
electric kiln. During the firing, any remaining
water evaporates, the binder ignites and burns
FIRING CHART temperature time up, then the metal particles fuse together in a
Standard PMC silver 1650 F 900 C two hours process called sintering. My electric kilnde-
signed for use with (silver) PMCtakes about
Standard PMC gold 1830 F 1000 C two hours
40 minutes to ramp up to the set temperature.
PMC Plus silver 1650 F 900 C 10 minutes
This can vary depending on individual electrical
or 1560 F 860 C 20 minutes
supply. Set the temperature according to the
or 1470 F 800 C 30 minutes
chart shown at left.

CD1206-32 / 4239
Other Kiln Furniture

Firing volumetric pieces require a little extra ef-
fort to prevent slumping. A terra-cotta dish, the
kind youd put under a potted plant, will work.
Fortunately they arent expensive because they
survive only a few firings. An alternative is carv-
ing a depression in soft firebrick or molding a
dish from paper clay and letting it air dry. Paper
clay is a premixed paper product containing
paper pulp, binder, and volcanic ash. The latter
keeps it from burning up in the kiln, so paper
clay shrinks very little (unlike papier mch),
making it a good choice for a noncombustible
support form or for a saggar dish in which to fire
volumetric forms. Fill the saggar dish with any of
the following materials and nestle your beads or
volumetric pieces so that about two-thirds of the
bead or piece is buried (see picture).
Bedding materials
Alumina hydratea fine gray-white pow-
der used in ceramic studios (It discolors
slightly with use.)
Vermiculitea soil additive that is a form
of mica
Pieces ready for the kiln on a kiln shelf: top left, spherical PMC bead in a bed of vermiculite; top right, Plaster of Parisplaster that can be used
flat pieces directly on the kiln shelf; bottom right, ring on a layer of alumina hydrate; bottom left, flat straight from the bag (Dont add water. If
piece directly on kiln shelf. it sticks together during firing, just break
it apart.)
The lower temperature offers exciting possi- soldering pads (depicted)Available from Investmenta material similar to plaster
bilities that have yet to be fully explored; glass jewelry supply companies, these pads are that is used in jewelry casting
and enamel powders that will discolor at the fragile but when handled carefully will last
Loose woolceramic fiber material avail-
higher temperatures will be more stable at 1470 a long time.
able by the pound from ceramic suppliers
F (799 C) and can be combined with PMC Plus. soft firebrickAvailable from ceramic sup-
Safety note: Wear a mask when using these
Although the two clays can be mixed, stan- ply companies, this brick can be cut with a
products, and clean up spills with a damp-
dard PMC needs to be fired for the full 2 hours hack saw or jewelers saw into 1" (3 cm)
ened paper towel, not a vacuum cleaner.
to attain maximum strength. If you mistakenly slabs (thinner will break). This brick is also
use standard slip to close a joint in a PMC Plus good for making noncombustible support These bedding materials can be piled directly on
object, and fire it for 10 minutes; the joint will forms. to your kiln shelves, but they tend to spill off.
be weak. To rectify this, re-fire for a full 2 hours When firing rings, sprinkle alumina directly onto
CordieriteThis ceramic tile, available
at 1650 F (899 C). the kiln shelf and place the ring on the layer of
from ceramic suppliers, is a good choice
alumina. Contain beads and other volumetric
Any kiln that will reliably maintain the set for firing PMC; however, its weight limits
forms in a terra-cotta dish or carved out firebrick.
temperature for the above duration can be its use to the bottom shelf.
used, but the ideal choice is a small kiln with Once the binder has burned away (in the first
If youre firing several pieces, you may want
a programmable thermostat and a tempera-
1
2 hour), but before the metal particles have
to stack your shelves. Stacking is safe up to 1"
ture controller designed for use with PMC. fused together, the PMC pieces are susceptible
(3 cm) from the ceiling of the kiln. Cut up sol-
Kilns designed for enameling and glass will to gravity. Place your pieces in the dish with the
dering pads or firebrick to make 1" (3 cm)
also work. heaviest part at the bottom. For example, the
pieces to put at each corner for stacking the
point of a cone should be buried in the bedding
shelves. Pre-made kiln posts are available from
material; the open end should be up.
Firing Materials ceramic suppliers.
A little while into the kiln cycle the binder
Kiln shelves Leave about 1" (3 cm) of space between the
will burn up, briefly producing an odor similar
edge of the shelf and the walls of the kiln, and
Shelves make it easier to load and empty the kiln. to that of a spill in a hot oven. It generally last
make sure the pyrometer (heat sensor) isnt
They also protect the floor of the kiln from melt- 3 to 4 minutes and is no cause for alarm. There are
pressed against one of the shelves.
down accidents. Suggested materials include: products, such as wax or snack food armatures

CD1206-32 / 4239
Steps in finishing PMC: from left to right, fresh from the kiln; brass brushed; blackened; highlighted by polishing.
with a high-fat content that will cause smok- Polishing detergent on your brush, scrub vigorously,
ing during the first part of the cycle. Theyll rinsing the piece periodically so you can check
Polishing choices occur along a continuum, with
burn off harmlessly within a few minutes, but progress. Continue until no trace of white is left.
matte (right out of the kiln) at one end and
its important to leave the kiln door closed. A scratch brush is efficient at getting into the
shiny (or highly polished) at the other. If you
(Check with the PMC Guild for information on deep relief of a design. You can use a steel
looked at matte white silver under a magnifier,
firing services.) burnishing tool on surfaces with no texture,
youd see the top surface is made of countless
but it isnt a good tool for getting into the relief
peaks and valleys that trap light, creating what
of a design.
Cooling versus Quenching we know as a matte surface. Polishing
smoothes out these peaks and valleys, causing Use steel wool (0000), synthetic steel wool
When the kiln cycle is finished, unplug the
light to bounce backwhat we know as shine. (000 or 0000), or a fine satin finish wheel on a
kiln, and choose one of the following options:
The degree of shine and the type of finish are bench grinder or polishing lathe (available from
(1) Let the kiln sit with the door closed for
personal choices, but its recommended that jewelry suppliers). Like burnishing tools, these
several hours, or overnight. When completely
freshly fired pieces be polished or burnished tools may not reach into all recessed areas;
cool, open the door and unload. (2) Wait 5
until they no longer appear white. Fine or pure however, they do produce a satin finish. A rock
minutes; wearing fireproof gloves, carefully
silver doesnt tarnish, but if its left it its white tumbler with stainless steel shot and specially
crack the door open 1" to 2" (3 cm to 5 cm).
state, it will trap dirt and dust and appear dingy formulated detergent is another option.
When the red glow has subsided, in 10 min-
over time.
utes, unload the kiln. Wear fireproof gloves
and use barbecue tongs or extra-long tweez- Antiquing
ers, and either drop pieces carefully into a Antiquing involves two steps: blackening and
metal container full of water (that is, quench highlighting. Use the following products with
them) or transfer the pieces to a heat-proof adequate ventilation, and wear rubber gloves.
surface and allow them to cool completely. Liver of Sulfur, a traditional jewelers patinating
Either technique is fine for PMC, but if your agent, is sold as a dry, yellow gravel and also as
silver pieces contain synthetic gems or enam- a premixed liquid. To use the gravel, mix a small
els or other materials that may be subject to piece with very hot water. Make a hook with
thermal shock, let them air cool. brass or silver wire to immerse the piece for a
few seconds. Rinse the piece in cold water, and
Finishing repeat until youve achieved the desired color
then wash piece in soapy water. The gravel must
Fresh from the kiln, all PMC pieces appear to
be stored in an airtight container, in the dark.
be a matte white color. This color isnt a coat- Other polishing tools
ing or residue, its simply the color of the un- Silver Black and Black Max are acid-based
Pieces fresh from the kiln may be scrubbed with
polished metal. The highly reflective shine proprietary solutions sold ready mixed by jew-
brass or soft stainless steel bristle brush (avail-
usually associated with silver is the result of elry suppliers and, occasionally, bead stores. Dip
able from jewelry suppliers). When scratch
polishing; the color of silver is the reflection the piece according to the directions above, or
brushing, work at a sink, with the piece cradled
of light. apply the solution with a brush. After rinsing,
in one hand and the brush in the other. Put dish
wash pieces well in soapy water and dry.

CD1206-32 / 4239
Shown here on a pine pillow: a leather-hard PMC piece partially carved, and a fired and finished carved PMC piece. Below, a leather thimble, linoleum carv-
ing tool with custom polymer clay handle (by Celie Fago), and two wood carving tools.
Highlighting Carving PMC and Polymer Clay The best tools for carving polymer clay and
The objective of this step is to remove the PMC are wood gouges. Both V- and U-gouges
Polymer clay must be entirely cured to carve
black from the raised areas while leaving the work well (1.5 and 2 mm). Gouges are made
well. To test for doneness, try carving a spiral. If
black in the recessed areas to achieve a con- for linoleum and wood carving and are sold
the spiral breaks as youre carving, the polymer
trast in the final, polished piece. Soft or bushy through art stores, wood-carving and print-
clay may need more time or a higher tempera-
tools, like a polishing cloth or steel wool, wont making supply catalogs, and some polymer clay
ture in the oven.
achieve this effectively. suppliers. Place the piece to be carved on to a
The polymer clay texture plates pictured on
small pine pillow or folded face towel to prevent
A 1,200-grit micron graded (blue) polishing page 81 are made from conditioned Premo poly-
it from sliding around.
paper, wrapped tightly around a stick or salon mer clay. (I prefer the metallics and pearlescents
board, will travel across the surface of the object for carving.) Roll the clay out to the thickest set-
but wont get into the recessed areas. The pol- ting on the pasta machine. Put the clay between Carving PMC
ish achieved by using this blue paper is shinier two pieces of wax paper, and put it on a small Pushing a tool through polymer clay doesnt re-
than steel wool, but its still within the definition piece of plate glass. Put another piece of plate quire much effort. But because PMC has metal
of a satin finish. For more shine, wrap a rouge glass on top, and put it in a preheated oven at in it, it offers resistance to the carving tool and
or other polishing cloth tightly around a rigid about 275 F (135 C). After 25 minutes, increase requires a bit more force. To protect your hold-
stick or salon board and, after youve finished the temperature to 285F (141 C) for 10 min- ing hand from the force of the carving tool, use
using the polishing paper, use the same tech- utes. The glass keeps it perfectly flat, and the a leather thimble (from a quilters supply) like a
nique with a rouge cloth. Wash and dry. wax paper keeps it from developing shiny spots catchers mitt on one of the fingers of the hand
against the glass.

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holding the piece. Drive the tool across the sur- 2. Roll PMC out to a height of 3 cards, and lay cylindrical forms. Working in polymer clay offers
face of the PMC into the finger thats wearing it onto the polymer clay. Gently and firmly roll many opportunities to use silver cylindrical
the thimble. once across the surface. If you arent happy with forms. You can use them as ornaments on
Standard PMC, because it has more binder in the impression, ball up the clay and try again. bracelets (see gallery), as a starting point for
it, carves cleanly, without chipping. PMC Plus, There are numerous ways to combine PMC necklace terminations such as cord ends, and
because of its higher silver content, is a bit more and polymer clay. You can work thinly and eco- as a base for polymer clay inlay. Youll discover
challenging to carve. nomically in the metal clay with the intention of your own possibilities for invention in this ma-
adding a decorative backing in polymer clay. Sil- terial once you master a few basics.
ver bezels or frames around polymer clay are a Although its possible to duplicate many con-
Combining PMC and Polymer Clay
lovely and traditional way to complement both ventional metal-fabrication techniques using
There are many ways to combine the two materials, as are polymer clay buttons that con- PMC, the vestigial clay character in finished PMC
materials featured in this book. Scrap polymer tain PMC as a decorative or structural addition. works accounts for a great deal of its charm.
clay can be used as a rehearsal material. Prac- Mastering rings in PMC teaches you to make
tice making a form in polymer clay and when
you like it, re-create it in PMC. When youre
pleased with a particular form in polymer clay,
bake it, then put it on a copier or scanner bed,
TEAR-AWAY TECHNIQUE FOR POLYMER CLAY
and reduce it 28% or 12% (depending on Polymer Clay using a circular motion, first with your
whether youre using standard PMC or PMC fist and then with the bone folder, for
Originally developed for polymer clay by
Plus) to get an idea of the after firing size. about a minute.
Gwen Gibson and adapted here by Celie
These 3-dimensional sketches are a great de-
Fago,* the tear-away technique offers a 3. Position the piece 6" to 8" (15 cm to
sign tool that will help you visualize the end
unique way to texture PMC or polymer clay 20 cm) under a lamp, and let it rest for
result. You can use a lump of scrap polymer
by creating etched plates and clay papers about 7 minutes. Burnish it for 1
clay pressed onto a corner of your work sur-
from photocopies of your collages, designs, minute, and then let it rest again under
face to anchor a wooden stake for drying a
or copyright-free artwork. The process con- the lamp for another 7 minutes.
PMC bead on the other end. Aesthetically, the
sists of burnishing a photocopy onto polymer Tip: Experiment with the variables: heat,
two materials make a unique and lovely com-
clay, resting it, and then tearing it away. Be- time, friction, different clay brands (Ive had
bination. Fired and finished, PMC offers an
cause the photocopy toner bonds with the good luck with Sculpey III) and photocopies.
aesthetic counterpoint to the resonant color
clay, the paper brings a layer of clay with it Too little heat, or friction, and nothing hap-
of polymer clay.
when its torn away. Once baked, this clay pens; too much heat, and the photocopy
paper becomes a lovely, delicate texturing image transfers to the clay.
Using Tear-Away Clay Papers tool. The clay the paper has been torn from is
4. Holding the surface steady with one
to Texture PMC impressed with a delicate relief of the image
hand, grasp the paper tab, and tear the
from the photocopy. When its baked, it be-
1. Roll out PMC to a height of 3 cards, and paper off the clay. For best results, tear
comes a durable texturing plate.
place it on a Teflon palette. Lay well-oiled clay low and quickly, in one smooth motion.
papers onto PMC, and roll it into the PMC Bake the etched clay plate and the
through plastic wrap. STEPS paper portion, which will be rolled up,
2. Gently peel off the paper. Dont be sur- 1. Roll out conditioned polymer clay to a according to manufacturers instruc-
prised if some of the polymer clay remains on number 1 or 2 on your pasta machine tions. Wait until after baking to unroll
the surface of the PMC. Tear-away clay paper is (use thickest or next-to-the-thickest set- the clay paper.
fragile and will yield only a few impressions, but ting). Cut a piece a bit larger than your The clay paper can be unrolled and flat-
while it lasts, it creates a lovely surface texture. intended image, and place it on a tened out and used as a collage element or
portable surface that can go into the as a picture in itself, or it can be used as a
ovenfor example, plate glass, an oven texturing tool for PMC or polymer clay. The
Using a Tear-Away Etched
tray, or wax paper. etched clay plate can be used for texturing as
Polymer Clay Plate to Texture PMC
2. Place the photocopy face down on the well. You can also rub acrylic or oil paint into
The polymer clay portion of the Tear-Away is a
clay, and fold a corner up to use as a the etched surface for a scrimshaw-like ef-
bit more durable. Youll get many good impres-
tab. Burnish the copy onto the clay fect, buff it up when the paint is dry, and use
sions from one plate.
it as a picture or a pin.
1. Secure the polymer clay plate to your work
surface using masking tape or balls of scrap * For further study, see Gwens video Ancient Images. See the resources section for
polymer clay, and oil the plate well. more information.

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Chapter 7
Creating with
Precious Metal Clay
The following projects are designed to demonstrate
the range of possibilities of Precious Metal Clay (PMC),
an array of different techniques, and how to success-
fully combine polymer clay and PMC. Each project also
provides general skills and specific tips with the idea
that youll ultimately transform this information to suit
your own working style.
The maple leaf earrings (on page 184) not only

illustrate the use of texture but the concept of using
shrinkage as part of composition. The ring project (on
page 176) provides an easy method of sizing rings and
closing joints and introduces simple, elegant ways to use PMC Sheet. Beauty and function
combine in the toggle clasp project (on page 172), which can add a personal touch to an
old necklace or complement and complete one of your own creations. The frame project
(on page 188) is a wonderful example of the marriage between polymer clay and Precious
Metal Clay; it uses polymer as a texture, as an image to frame, and as a decorative support
for the frame itself. The celestial spheres project (on page 180) shows you how to create a
hollow form bead using a combustible core and then applique small embellishments onto
the bead. The box pendant (on page 192) is a more challenging project. It teaches preci-
sion, the use of noncombustible support forms, and the challenges of working with
leather-hard PMC.
These projects are meant as a starting point: Experiment as you work, and dont be
discouraged by mistakes, because youll make discoveries, as well. Remember, PMC is a
new materialand the possibilities are truly limitless.
170

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171

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Carved Circle and Bar Toggle
PMC allows you the freedom to design a unique

toggle any scale or size to fit a particular
designfrom a delicate bracelet toggle to
a bold design for a large bead necklace. The
toggle seen here is a carved bar and circle
made from PMC Plus. In a complex design, just
as in a simple one, youll need to consider how
a toggle functions: The bar piece needs to be
long enough to be securely captured by the
circle piece.You can study the proportions of
commercial toggle clasps in a jewelry catalog or
you can make a working model from polymer
clay to better understand how a particular
design will work in a specific setting.A beautiful
Artist: Celie Fago
toggle can also be the centerpiece for a necklace.

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies chain nose pliers When drying rounded shapes, place them on foam
(see page 162) carving tool (2 mm V-gouge Micro Carving Tool rubber and turn them over every 10 to 15 minutes
1 sheet copy paper or your choice) so that they dont develop a flat side.
1 package of PMC Plus hand towel or small pine sachet pillow
2 large jump rings hand drill with a 116" (1.5 mm) drill bit
photocopier (or a Dremel or flex shaft)
foam rubber scraps round needle file

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1 Determine the size you want

your toggle to be.
Make a simple rendition of a circle and a bar
that size, on paper. If three-dimensional
sketching works better for you, make and
bake a bar and circle in polymer clay the size
you want your toggle to be. Copy the paper
or the polymer clay sketch at 115 percent.
This is the size you need to make the toggle
using fresh PMC Plus to compensate for 12
percent shrinkage that occurs during firing.
2
1
Form the toggle.
To make the featured toggle, first roll
2 package of PMC Plus into a rope about
1
4" (6 mm) in diameter with a rolling rec-
tangle. Dont use oil, but if the clay begins
to dry out, tent it with plastic wrap as you
roll. (See Tools and Rolling Techniques on
pages 160162.)
Next, cut a section about 2 34" (70 mm)
long, and cut a bevel on each end. Brush
water on each end, and form it into a circle
so the beveled ends match up, smoothing
the joint well with an oiled finger or a brush.
Remember that you can add clay to the joint
once its leather-hard or sand any excess clay
away, so concentrate on getting the beveled
ends attached so the circle so it will hold its
shape while drying. Lay the circle on a piece
of foam rubber to dry.
To make the bar, cut another section of
the rope about 114" (30 mm) long and set it
on foam rubber to dry.
C R E AT I N G W I T H P R E C I O U S M E TA L C L AY 173

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3 Make the decorative spheres for the toggle.

Cut four more segments from the PMC Plus rope, each about 4 mm
long, and roll them into balls. (For other methods, see Embellishments on
page 164.) Set the balls on foam rubber, and allow them to completely dry.
Then, holding the balls flat on a table and firmly in the jaws of chain nose
pliers, drill holes through two of the balls with a 116" (1.5 mm) drill bit, a
Dremel or a flex shaft, to accommodate the jump rings that will be used to
attach the toggle to a chain. (Image shown features a larger bead; actual
sphere for this project is smaller.) Clean up the holes with a round needle
file. Refine the circle and bar with nail boards and/or sandpaper (320, 400,
then 600 grit), and fill any cracks with slip. If there are large cracks, brush
them with water, and then push PMC Plus right out of the package into
the cracks.

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4 Carve the toggle pieces.

The featured toggle was carved using a V-gouge Micro-Carving
tool, which was designed for carving wood. Its helpful to nestle the
piece to be carved onto a folded hand towel or a small pine or sachet
pillow. This will keep it from sliding around and also cushion it to pre-
vent breakage. (See Carving on page 168.)
5 Attach the leather-hard pieces.

See Making Slip on page 163. Affix the two undrilled balls to the
ends of the carved bar. Attach one of the balls with a hole to the middle of
the bar as seen here, and set it aside to dry. Then, attach the other drilled
ball to the outer edge of the carved circle, as seen here, and set it aside to
dry. These attachments need to be well secured with thick slip, checked for
gaps when dry, and refilled where necessary to ensure a structurally sound
toggle. Fire flat on a bed of alumina hydrate or vermiculite. (See Firing on
page 165.) Scrub with a brass brush, and finish as desired. Finally, attach
the toggle to a necklace or bracelet using jump rings.
Variations
The toggle on the left was carved using the method described above. The
wiggling snake functions as the bar in this variation. The snake with its tail
in its mouth, an age-old symbol of infinity, serves the function of the circle.
The heart and arrow toggle is made from clay that has been textured on
both sides and cut out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. The arrow shape
was cut by hand with an oiled tissue blade.

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PMC Appliqu Ring
PMC Sheet opens up a whole new realm of

design possibilities. Paper-cutting tools, such
as punches and edgers, create stylish designs
simply and easily. There is a vast array of
patterns and motifs available in these craft
cutters.You can make your design unique by
cutting freehand details such as triangles or
arrows to add to your ring, using a craft knife,
a protected tissue blade, or a wavy blade. Try
a design by cutting shapes from copy paper
first. When youre satisfied, proceed to the
PMC Sheet.
Artist: Celie Fago

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies paper punches in assorted shapes, such as a star, If you have trouble with the PMC Plus sticking to
(see page 162) moon, or spiral your work surface, try rolling directly on a piece of
copy paper ripple or wavy blade Teflon taped to your work surface. Remember to flip
the clay over every three or four rolls, which will help
clear tape ring mandrel
minimize sticking.
1 package PMC Plus rawhide or plastic mallet
1 PMC Sheet brass brush
paper scissors

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1 Make the ring form.

Cut a piece of copy paper into a rectan-
gle about 3 12" x 1 34" (9 cm x 5 cm). Wrap
the paper around the middle knuckle of the
finger for which you want to make a ring,
then use clear tape to close it. This is the size
you want your ring to be after firing. Since
PMC Plus shrinks 12 percent during firing,
its necessary to add a millimeter of thickness
to the ring form. To do this, cut two or three
strips of paper and wrap them around the
ring form while its on your finger. It will take
seven revolutions of copy paper to add the
needed thickness. Next, wrap the whole
thing with a piece of Teflon paper, then use
clear tape to close it. If youre have trouble
getting the paper strips tight, try wrapping
the paper form with masking tape instead
of paper. (See Ring Sizing on page 165 for
alternative methods.)
2 Form the ring.

Wrap a small scrap of paper around your ring form to
measure the circumference, then lay the paper flat on your
work surface to use as a length guide. Lightly oil the work
surface, and roll out 12 a package of PMC Plus, through plas-
tic wrap, to a height of three cards. Using a well-oiled tissue
blade, cut the PMC Plus into a strip slightly wider than you
want your finished ring to be and approximately 14" (6 mm)
longer than the paper guide. The featured ring was rolled out
to a height of three cards, and cut to a width of 58" (16 mm).
Next, cut one end of the PMC strip at a blunt right angle.
Next, wrap the PMC strip around the Teflon-covered
paper form, and overlap the ends. Try not to stretch the
clay. Using an oiled tissue blade, cut through the two layers
of PMC at an angle in one smooth motion so that both
ends are beveled. Gently lift the top layer of PMC, and re-
move the excess clay from the bottom layer. Abut the two
beveled ends, and seal the joint with a few drops of water.
Smooth the joint to seal it well using an oiled finger, a
brush, or similar tool.

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3 Dry the ring.

As the clay dries to leather-hard, it will lose moisture and shrink
slightly. Sometimes this is just enough shrinkage to force open a weak joint.
Monitor the drying, and after 15 minutes or so, carefully slide the ring off
the form and place it upright, in a safe spot to dry. The easiest way to do
this is to slide the teflon off with the ring in place. Then use tweezers to
grasp the Teflon strip inside the ring and, with a half turn inward, pull the
Teflon out. Now, place the upright ring in a safe place to dry. If the joint
opens or your ring develops other cracks, fill them with thick slip. Make
sure all parts of the ring are completely dry before repairing anything.
4 Sand and level the ring.

When the ring is dry, sand and true up as necessary. To true up your
ring, slide it back onto the paper form after removing one or two layers of
paper so there is still a snug fit. Position the ring so that it is protruding
slightly off the end of the paper form. Sand it on a piece of medium-fine
sandpaper (400- or 320-grit) laid flat on a piece of glass or other flat sur-
face. Sand both edges in this way, then smooth any flaws in the rest of the
ring. Smooth the inside by rolling a piece of 400-grit sandpaper to a size
that moves freely in the ring. Proceed to 600-grit and then to 1000-grit if
desired. Set aside.
5 Decorate the ring.

Using hand punches, cut out spirals, hearts, or other shapes from the
PMC Sheet. Shapes can also be cut freehand using a craft knife or a pro-
6 Fire the ring.
Fire the ring upright on a kiln shelf that has been sprinkled with
alumina hydrate. The alumina will reduce friction as the ring shrinks and
tected tissue blade to make your ring design unique. Cut strips from the ensure that it doesnt end up bigger on the bottom than the top. If it does
PMC Sheet with a wavy blade to complement your design. To attach the become misshapen in the kiln, you can tap it back in to shape by slipping
cut pieces to the ring, lay the shape in the desired place, then run a bead of it onto a ring mandrel and tapping it with a rawhide or plastic mallet. (See
water around it using a paintbrush. Press gently to attach. Another way to Firing on page 165.) Scrub with a brass brush, and finish as desired.
attach the cut pieces is to dampen a spot on the ring and press the piece
onto the wet area. If the piece becomes too moist, or if you try to move it
once it has been attached with water, it will tear.

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TIP: BEVEL THE INSIDE EDGES OF THE RING.

After sanding and leveling, beveling the inside edges of the ring will allow it to slide
smoothly on and off your finger and will make it look more finished and more pro-
fessional. To do this, roll up a piece of 400-grit sandpaper so it can move freely in
and out of the inside of the ring at an acute angle. Then, sand using a gentle back
and forth motion while turning the ring. Be sure to bevel both sides of the ring.
Variations
Freehand Designs and Texturing.
Cut a strip of PMC Sheet, long enough to encircle your leather-hard ring.
Using a craft knife with a new blade, cut out a pattern of interior shapes.
The featured ring on the top shows a pattern of leaf shapes that were cut
using this method. You can practice your design on a sheet of paper. If
your rings circumference is greater than the length of the PMC Sheet, use
two or more sections to encircle the ring, making the seams a part of the
design or abutting the ends, letting it dry and carefully filling in the seams
with slip until they are invisible.
Follow the directions for making the ring described in the main project.
Then, to adhere the strip to the leather-hard ring, first quickly paint the ring
with medium-thin, lump-free slip. Let the ring dry and reinforce any gaps
as necessary with slip or water. Fire, scrub with a brass brush, and finish.
The cut-out shapes on this ring (bottom) were attached to a leather-hard
textured ring. Once fired, the cut-outs fuse to and take on the shape of the
rings surface, adding an additional element of texture and dimension.
TIP
To make thicker paper, which creates a more dramatic relief for your ring design,
spray one PMC Sheet with a fine mist of water. Wait 5 seconds then place a second
PMC Sheet on top, and press gently. Allow to dry, then use it as you would any
PMC Sheet.

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Celestial Sphere Beads
In this project youll use found core materials to

make round, hollow form beads. The smaller
bead pictured was made by using a round
piece of cereal as a core. The cereal is painted
with white glue and covered with a layer of
PMC. When its dried, the bead is embellished
with designs in fresh PMC. Round cereal, puffed
corn, or round snack foods make good core
materials for spherical beads. This project uses
a cereal core of an average diameter of 10 cm.
Adjust the numbers for other combustible cores.
Fresh or freeze-dried cranberries also work but
with any food that contains water its important
to apply a quick coat of acrylic gel medium as a
Artist: Celie Fago
moisture barrier and let it dry before you begin.

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies To sand a round shape without developing any flat-
(see page 162) tened areas, fold the sandpaper to form a curved
small combustible cores, such as round cereal trough. Then, sand using a back-and-forth motion,
and rotate the object frequently in the trough.
scrap polymer clay
1 package of PMC Plus
small brass tube or small straw
square-ended tool (small ruler)
wire cutters

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2 Covering the cores.

Lift the plastic sheet and cut a circle for
each core, about 32 mm in diameter. (You may
want to use an oiled plastic circle template laid on
the clay. If so, cut around the circle with an oiled
pin tool.) Use a tissue blade or a knife to cut a
star shape out of each circle, visualizing the size
of the ball you want to encase as you work. You
1 Prepare the bead cores.

Choose two relatively round balls for
the bead cores. Make handles for them by
may want to practice this technique once or
twice with polymer clay. Using an oiled tissue
blade or palette knife, carefully transfer one of
poking a wooden skewer into each one. the star shapes onto a glue-coated core. Be sure
Apply a light coat of white craft glue to the to cover the second circle with plastic wrap. Twist
cores, which will help adhere the PMC. In- and remove the wood skewer from the core.
sert each skewer into a ball of scrap polymer Press the clay onto the core, starting from the top Repeat the process to make a second
clay pressed onto the edge of your work sur- and working your way around. Press out air bub- sphere, and let dry. Once dry, fill any cracks
face, within easy reach. Or, set the skewers bles as you go. Smooth the seams together first with thick slip. If the cracks are large, dab with
into a glass with a piece of 12" (1 cm) foam with a little bit of water from the end of your water and use clay right from the package to
rubber accordion-folded and stuffed inside. watercolor brush, then with a lightly oiled finger. smear into the cracks. When the repaired areas
Roll out approximately 13 ounce of PMC Close all the darts and smooth the resulting are dry, refine the shape of the beads with
Plus, through plastic wrap, to the height of seams. Dont worry about covering the hole; it 400- to 600-grit sandpaper that has been
three cards. Transfer the clay, with the plastic can be reopened later. You may stretch the PMC folded into a curved trough. Then, with the
wrap in place, to a Teflon palette. slightly, trim any excess with the tissue blade, or bead resting on your work surface, position a
add more clay as needed. When all the seams hand drill with a 116" (1.5 mm) drill bit into the
are closed and the core is entirely covered, roll it existing hole, and drill straight down through
vigorously between your palms to transform it the bead to the opposite side.
from a lumpy mass into a lovely sphere. Insert the
wooden skewer again, gently poking a new hole
if the first one is covered. Roll the bead again be-
tween your palms until smooth. Set it aside, into
the ball of polymer clay, and let dry.

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3 Decorate the spheres.

Roll out an almond-size bit of PMC, through plastic wrap, to a height
of two cards. Transfer it to a Teflon palette leaving the plastic in place. Using
4 Fire and finish.
Once the beads are dry, remove the skewers. If the skewers dont
come out readily, cut off the ends with wire cutters so the ends are flush
the end of a lightly oiled small brass tube or small straw, cut out several cir- with the surface of the beads. The remaining wood left inside will burn out
cles of clay. Pick a spot on the sphere, and moisten it with a little water harmlessly during firing. Then, nestle the spheres into a bed of vermiculite
from the end of your pointed brush, then transfer a circle to the wet spot. or alumina hydrate in an unglazed ceramic dish. Leave the top third or so of
Press to attach. Now convert the circle, and subsequent circles, into other the spheres protruding above the surface of the vermiculite or alumina hy-
shapessuch as a star, plus sign, or crossby pressing a square-ended tool drate. Put the dish onto a shelf in the kiln, and fire at any of the three firing
repeatedly around the circle. To make a star, press the tool five times choices for PMC Plus. (See Firing on page 165.) Scrub with a brass brush,
around the circle, evenly spaced. To make a plus sign, press the tool four and finish as desired. (See more on finishing on page 167.)
times around the circle, evenly spaced. To make a crescent moon, press the
tube or straw into the PMC again, off-setting it slightly. To make a dough-
nut, transfer a circle to a dry spot on the sphere, and immediately press a
smaller circle into the middle of the first circle. The center should come out
readily with a slight twist of the tube. Now run a bead of water around the
outside edge of the doughnut and use gentle pressure to attach it. Continue
adding shapes until youre satisfied with your sphere beads, then let dry.

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Variations
Embellishing with shards and slip.
Try using shards left over from other projects, such as the carved toggle on
page 172, to decorate beads. Follow the directions for making beads de-
scribed above, let them dry, then refine them. Gather leftover shards onto a
piece of plastic wrap. Paint the bead with thick slip, then gently roll it in the
pile of shards, guiding it along with the skewer handle. Its easy to fill in any
bare spots later, when the bead is leather-hardjust paint the bare areas
with thick slip, and fill with more shards. Dry and fire as directed in the main
project. You can also combine shards and appliqu pieces in one design.
To learn about other types of appliqu, see the ring project on page 176.
To make slip-covered beads, follow the directions for making beads
described above, let them dry, then refine them. Then, paint thick, lumpy,
slip over the beads until you are satisfied with the surface design. The best
effects are achieved with very thick slip.

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Maple Leaf Earrings
This project demonstrates the concept of rela-

tive shrinkage. Using the same-sized cutter or
template to cut out both the PMC and the
polymer part of this project illustrates the 28%
shrinkage of standard PMC. As it happens, the
relative proportions (the polymer at full size
and the PMC shrunk by 28%) work very well
together in finished jewelry. If you are using
PMC Plus, the shrinkage is only 12%, so the
PMC will be larger relative to the polymer
piece, but still proportionately balanced. Both
the PMC and the polymer shapes in this project
were cut with a commercially available leaf-
shaped cutter.
Artist: Celie Fago

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies chain-nose pliers If you are using a rigid texture, put the PMC onto the
(see page 162) cutter or template of your choice, oiled oiled texture.With netting or other flexible texture, it
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies is easier to put the texture on top of the PMC. First,
ring mandrel or other hard, round form
(see page 15) roll the clay out and transfer it to a piece of Teflon.
rawhide mallet Then, lay the oiled flexible texture on the clay, and go
standard PMC
drinking glass or ceramic coffee mug over it with a roller.
texturing materials
soft cloth or polishing lathe for polymer clay
conditioned polymer clay in 3 or 4 colors
scrap polymer clay
pair of large loop earwires

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1 Texture the PMC.

Roll out PMC, through a sheet of plastic
wrap, to a height of three cards. With the plastic
2 Cut out the earring shapes.
Cut your chosen earring shape out with
an oiled cutter. To cut a freehand design, use
in place, lift the PMC, gently position it on the an oiled tissue blade. To use a plastic template,
oiled texture. Roll over the clay firmly once or make sure its well oiled, then lay it on the clay
twice, through the plastic, with your roller. Lift a and trace around the shape with a pin tool. Re-
corner, and if the PMC has taken a good impres- peat to make a second shape. Set the shapes
sion, transfer it to teflon paper, with the textured aside to dry.
side up. See Texturing on page 163.
3 Refine the shape of

the earrings.
Once the PMC is leather-hard, hold the two ear-
rings together and run a nail board or sandpaper,
held perpendicular to the outside edge to refine,
and to match, the two shapes. Using a hand drill
with a 116" (1.5 mm) drill bit, make a hole in both
shapes near the tops. Make sure you leave
enough distance between the hole and the edge
of the earrings so that after firing and shrinking
it will not be weak. For the featured maple leaf
shape, the hole should be 18" (3 mm) from the
top edge of the earring. Dry the shapes.

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4 Fire the earrings.

See Firing on page 165. Fire flat on the kiln shelf. Unload the kiln
following the usual procedure, and scrub with a brass brush (see Polishing
on page 167). Then, lay the earrings over a curved surface such as a ring
mandrel (available from jewelry supply companies). If you dont have a ring
mandrel, use a dowel or your PVC roller. Gently push the pieces into a curve
against the mandrel, or tap with a rawhide mallet. Repeat with second
shape. Finish as desired.
5 Make the polymer clay elements.

To make textured polymer clay elements, first use a pasta machine to
roll out half a block of conditioned polymer clay on setting #3 (medium
thick). If you arent texturing, roll out the clay on setting #4. Sprinkle baby
powder or cornstarch on both sides of the clay sheets to prevent it from
sticking to your texture or to your rolling tool. Then, lay the polymer onto
the texture, and roll over it once firmly. Lift a corner; if the texture looks
good, transfer the polymer clay to your work surface or waxed paper, and
cut out two earring shapes with the same cutter used to cut the PMC
pieces. The featured earrings were made by conditioning pearl blue, gold,
copper, and a little bit of black Premo polymer clay separately, then rolling
them out together. This multi-colored sheet was then textured with a
carved polymer clay texture plate (see page 163).
You may bake the shapes flat or, if a curve is desired, put a drinking glass
or coffee cup on its side on a baking try. Balls of scrap clay strategically posi-
tioned on either side of the glass will keep it from sliding around on the
tray. Gently press the earring shapes on to the glass. If the amount of pow-
der residue on the earring backs prevents them from sticking, put a
smidgen of hand lotion on the tip of your finger and wipe the powder off
the back of the earrings and try again. Bake according to manufacturers di-
TIP
rections. The low heat needed to bake the polymer clay wont affect the
glass. Once the pieces have cooled, sand them with 600-grit and then Put an extra piece of clay, the same brand and thickness as your earrings, in the
1,000-grit sandpaper, if desired. Buff with a cloth or on a polishing lathe set oven for the duration of the baking cycle. When its cool, try to break the extra piece.
up for polymer clay. Drill a hole with a 116" (1.5 mm) drill bit near the top of
If it breaks, you know your earrings need to bake longer or at a higher temperature.
the pieces. Finally, assemble the earrings by threading the earwires through
a PMC and a polymer clay piece. Experiment with these two variables to make durable earrings.

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Variations
These earrings were cut out with a custom-made tool. The tool was made
by bending 24-gauge brass sheet into a leaf shape and then baking it in a
polymer clay handle. The handle was then sanded and carved. Try pressing
a small metal cookie cutter into a ball of polymer clay. Bake it according to
manufacturers directions, sand, and then carve it. The leaf earrings pic-
tured were made with Premo clay and carved with a 1.5 mm V-gouge,
micro-carving tool.

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Textured Silver Frame with Inset
This delicate silver frame can be used to house

a small photo, or a beautiful polymer clay
image, as seen here. There are many ways to
texture and embellish a frame like this, and
it can easily be transformed into a pendant
or a brooch. Be sure to read Embellishments
on page 164 for ideas and inspiration when
designing your own frame. Also, try experi-
menting with different frame shapes, finishes,
and polymer clay transferring techniques
the possibilities are endless. The spiral image
Artist: Celie Fago; Photo: Robert Diamante
on the featured frame was made using a col-

lage transfer and the Tear-Away technique.

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies 3" (8 cm) length of 14- or 16-gauge brass, steel, Virtually any black-and-white line drawing can be
(see page 162) or sterling wire easily transferred to polymer clay. Repeating the
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies five-minute epoxy motifs from the picture in the frame creates a reso-
(see page 15) nance that unifies these two materials.You can do
cotton batting
this with transfer techniques and Tear-Away, by
1 ounce of standard PMC bench block or other metal surface making embellishments for the frame that match
Tear-Away etched plate, clay paper, or other hammer the image, or by carving patterns from the image
texture, oiled onto the frame when its leather-hard. For carving
use frame templates on page 298
1 block of black polymer clay (featured piece was PMC youll need to make it extra thick because
backed with Premo) youll be cutting into it with the carving tool.
image for transfer
texture, such as sanding screen, for back of frame
Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS)

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1 Make the PMC frame.

Roll out standard PMC, through plastic
wrap, to a height of three cards, nudging it
into a rectangle as you go. If youre making
a piece larger than 2" x 2" (5 cm x 5 cm) roll
the PMC to a height of four cards. Transfer
the rectangle to a Teflon palette keeping the
plastic wrap in place.
2 Texture the PMC.

First, see Using Tear-Away Plates and
Clay Papers to Texture PMC on page 169.
Then, make an etched polymer plate using
the Tear-Away technique. Secure the etched
plate to your work surface with some scrap
polymer clay at each corner. Oil the etched
plate, and lay the PMC over the top, leaving
the plastic wrap in place. Roll once firmly
across the surface to impress, then lift the
PMC to check the impression. Roll over the
PMC again if necessary. Then, remove the
plastic, and turn the PMC over onto to the
Teflon palette, texture side up.
3 Cut out the frame opening.

Using an oiled craft knife, cut an open-
ing in the center of the frame. Trim the out-
side edges of the frame and position those
pieces around the opening, or trim and posi-
tion only two of the outside edges, leaving
the other two as is. Attach the trimmed
pieces to the frame with a few drops of
water. Let the frame dry.

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4 Decorate the surface.

Once the frame is leather-hard, check for gaps in your attachments,
and reaffix with thick slip. Decorate the surface with small balls of clay and
lengths of twisted PMC strips. Attach the embellishments with thick slip.
(See Embellishments on page 164 and Step 2 in the following project.)
Once the slip has dried, refine the form with a nail board or fine-grit sand-
paper. Fill any cracks, gaps or weak joints with thick slip. Let dry.
5 Fire the frame.

Fire the piece flat on the kiln shelf (see Firing on page 165). Brass
brush, antique and polish the surface as desired. Scrub the back of the
frame well with steel wool, sandpaper, or a brass brush until glistening
clean in preparation for gluing. (See Finishing Techniques on page 167.)
6 Make the polymer clay inset.

Transfer an image that will fit in your frames window to a piece of
rolled out polymer clay. Lay the polymer clay on a baking surface with the
transfer facing up. Lower the PMC frame onto the polymer clay so the
opening frames the transferred image. Press down gently to secure. Turn
the piece over, and use a craft knife or tissue blade to trim the polymer clay
so it s 18" to 14" (3 mm to 6 mm) larger than the frame opening.
To create a finished look on the back side of the frame, first roll out some
polymer clay to about the height of the transfer inset. Texture the surface as
desired. Drywall sanding screen was used here. Using a tissue blade, cut
thin strips from the clay sheet, long enough to enclose the back of the
transfer inset. Apply TLS to the edges of the transfer inset, and abut the tex-
tured strips to make a frame. To make a spot to sign or carve your name,
cut out a 12" (1 cm) long square from the middle of the bottom strip. Flip it
over so the smooth side is facing up. Dab the edges with TLS and reposition
it in the same spot. Make sure the bottom strip extends to the bottom edge
of the PMC frame.
Next, make two 38" (10 mm) square cubes of polymer clay. Use a 3" (8 cm)
wire to poke a hole about halfway into one side of each cube. Position the
hole one-third of the way up from the bottom of the cube. Then, position
the cube along the bottom edge of the polymer clay strip, and affix with TLS.
Bake the entire frame assemblage on cotton batting, face down, according
to the polymer clay manufacturers directions. Let cool. Sand polymer if desired.
To assemble the frame, first use a craft knife or needle tool to roughen all
surfaces to be gluedthe part of the frame back and the part of the polymer
piece that will be glued to each other. Then clean all surfaces by swabbing
with alcohol. Prepare five-minute epoxy according to manufacturers instruc-
tions. Glue polymer clay assemblage to the back of the PMC frame. To make
the frame stand, bend the 3" (8 cm) wire into a U-shape loop, and poke the
ends into the holes in each cube. If the wire ends dont fit snugly, remove and
place them on a bench block or other metal surface, and tap them with a
hammer to flatten. Keep tapping and testing, until you get a snug fit.

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Variations
Turning a Frame into a Pendant.
Its easy to turn a delicate frame like this one doughnuts on the front and back. If they dont
into a pendant. The quickest way is to add holes complement your design, put them only on
for jump rings (see above, right). Before the the back.
PMC has dried, use a small straw or metal tub- To make an alternative frame support (see
ing to poke two holes into the top edge of the above, left): When the frame is completely
frame. If the clay is leather-hard, use a hand drill finished do the following: Roll a plump log of
with a 116" (1.5 mm) bit or a Dremel tool. For conditioned black clay approximately 12" (2.5
both methods, reinforce the holes with dough- cm) in diameter. Trim a sectin that is about as
nuts of fresh clay attached with slip. wide as your frame. Powder the bottom edge of
To make the doughnuts, first roll out PMC, the frame and gently push it down in to the log
through plastic wrap, to a height of two cards. of clay, stopping to repowder if it sticks. Stop
Use the same small straw or metal tubing you about two-thirds of the way through the snake.
used on the frame to cut out circles of PMC. It should stand up fairly well on its own. Make a
Then, use a smaller straw or tube to cut and re- U-shaped loop of wire and poke the ends in to
move the centers of the circles. Paint some slip the log to give it greater stability. Remove the
around the holes on the frame, and position the frame and bake the stand according to manu-
doughnuts over the holes. Press into place, and facturers directions. When its cool you can
clean up any excess slip with a clean brush. In remove the U-loop and adjust the fit by tapping
this pendant, the holes were reinforced with it with a hammer as per above directions.

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Bird Box Pendant
Combustible support forms were used in the

bead project on page 180; in this project, you
will learn how to make a noncombustible sup-
port form, which is used to keep PMC from
slumping during firing. The parts for this box
pendant are textured and cut out of fresh clay,
dried to leather-hard, then assembled with slip.
Since force drying results in warpage, air dry
the box parts to facilitate assembly.
Artist: Celie Fago

basic Precious Metal Clay equipment and supplies flat piece of polymer clay with transferred image, Use a piece of plastic wrap laid over graph paper
(see page 162) unbaked to help measure rolled-out PMC more accurately
basic polymer clay equipment and supplies five-minute epoxy when cutting it.
(see page 15) metal or plastic right angle or triangle
1 ounce of standard PMC round needle file
texture sheets photocopier
graph paper jewelers saw
foam rubber scraps tweezers
cereal box scrap polymer clay
small piece of paper clay or fire brick
copy paper

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1 Roll out and cut the box pieces.

Roll out about 18 ounce of standard PMC,
through plastic wrap, to a height of four cards.
Texture the clay then transfer it to a Teflon palette.
Cut out a rectangle measuring 1 14" x 1 18" (32 mm
x 28.5 mm), and set it aside to dry. Repeat to make
an identical rectangle, and using a craft knife, cut
an opening in the rectangle. Make sure theres a
1
4" (6.5 mm) border of clay on all four sides. Set
aside to dry. These pieces will be the front and
back of the box pendant. (See page 299 for a
template diagram.)
Next, roll out 14 ounce of clay, through plastic
wrap, to a height of four cards, nudging it into a
long rectangle as you roll. Texture it, then cut
four 14" (6.5 mm) wide strips that are just a little
longer than the sides of the rectangles. The strips
will be used for the top, the bottom, and both
sides of the box; because theyre slightly longer
than needed, you can sand them to create a per-
fect fit when theyre leather-hard. Set the strips
aside to dry.
To make the border for the frame opening, roll
out about 14 ounce of PMC, through plastic
TIP NOTE
wrap, to a height of four cards. Texture it as de-
sired, then transfer it to a Teflon palette. Cut a I used a rubber stamp to texture the frame and sand- The featured piece was made using a texture with a
rectangle from the piece thats about 18" (3 mm) ing screen to texture the border for the frame opening. deep relief and therefore rolled out at a #4 setting. If
wider all around than the frame opening. Then,
The sanding screen must be very well oiled, or it will you use a low relief, adjust accordingly.
cut out the center of the rectangle, leaving an
trap the PMC.
1
8" (3 mm) border.
2 Make the decorative details for the box pendant.

To make twisted wires, roll out 14 ounce
of PMC, under plastic wrap, to a height of four
gently straightened. You may want to put the
pieces under a book or other weight so they
cards. It should form a rectangle at least 2 14" remain straight until it comes time to use them.
(5 cm) long. Transfer the PMC to a Teflon palette. They can also be stored, straightened, in cocktail
Using a well-oiled tissue blade, cut a strip as straws. With the box seen here, the leather-hard
wide as the PMC sheet is thick so its square. wires were placed on the sides, bottom, and top
Then, gently twist the strip into a square wire. of the box.
To prevent it from untwisting, firmly push both To make tiny spheres: Cut an extra strip from
ends onto a glass surface, or other surface to the rolled out PMC, divide it into squares, and roll
which the PMC will stick, like marble or stone; four tiny spheres to decorate the corners of the
be sure to remove all traces of oil. Continue box. Set them on a scrap of foam rubber to dry.
making twisted wires until you have one for each
To make a bail: Pinch off a piece of PMC the
side, plus a few extra in case some break. Dont
size of an almond, and cut a cube measuring 14"
worry about sizing them exactly to your box
(6.5 mm) square. Put a hole in it using a large,
sides. Just make them a bit longer than the sides,
well-oiled knitting needle, and set it aside to dry.
and plan on trimming them with a protected tis-
As an alternative you may form the cube, let it
sue blade, once they are leather-hard. When
dry, then drill a hole in it. Remember that it will
they dry, they will detach from the glass surface
shrink, so use a large needle, or at least a 116"
on their own. Sometimes the pieces will develop
(1.5 mm) drill bit.
a curve, but standard PMC is flexible and can be

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3 Refine and true-up the pieces

of the box pendant.
Hold the front and back pieces together,
face to face, and rub the edges on 320-grit sand-
paper that has been laid onto a perfectly flat sur-
face, such as glass. Sand until the two pieces are
exactly the same size. Check the corners against
a right angle, and continue sanding until theyre
trued up and smooth. Sand the 14" (5 mm) wide
side pieces until theyre true and sized to fit the
rectangles. If you need to trim them first, use a
protected tissue blade, which will cut through
standard PMC without breaking it.
To sand the pendant opening and the border
for the opening, make a small sanding tool by
cutting a strip of cereal box (or equivalent) and
folding 320-grit sand paper around it. This tool
should be a bit narrower than the smallest di-
mension youre sanding. Trim and true up the
twisted wire lengths so theyre each slightly
longer than the side and the bottom pieces of
the box. Reserve the twisted length that will go
on the top until later. Refine the cube bail by
sanding it and enlarging the hole with a round
needle file as necessary
4 Make a noncombustible
support form.
The form, which will prevent the box from
slumping as it heats up in the kiln, should be
made from a nontoxic, noncombustible mate-
rial. Good choices are paper clay, which is avail-
able from craft supply stores, and fire brick, a
common and inexpensive material available
from ceramic suppliers. Paper clay is superior to
regular papier-mch because it shrinks very lit-
tle, and it can be sanded once dry, like fire brick.
Because it contains volcanic ash, it wont burn
up in the kiln.
The only part of the box vulnerable to slump-
ing is the front, where the frame window is cut
out. To support this area, make a form from
paper clay or firebrick that is slightly larger than
the window opening and 4 mm high. The easi-
est way to measure for your piece is to lay the
box front (before assembly) on to graph paper
and poke a hole at each corner. Draw a line to
connect the four pin holes and make your com- If using paper clay, sculpt it into a rectangular than the size you want, using a craft knife or a
bustible core 1 to 2 mm larger than that, all the shape slightly larger than the size you want, and jewelers saw. Then, sand the form to the size you
way around, and 4 mm high. let it dry. If using fire brick, cut it slightly larger want using 320-grit and then 400-grit sandpaper.

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5 Assemble the box pendant.

Check the fit of the pieces and sand as necessary. Then, paint a line
of thick, smooth slip on the back piece, along one side and along the top.
Paint slip on the ends of one side piece and the top piece, then position
them on the back piece, with tweezers or your fingers. If your slip is the
correct consistency, these two pieces will stand up without support. Hold
the pieces steady while you remove excess slip from the outside edges with
a clean brush. Allow the assembly to dry completely. Attach the other 14"
(6.5 mm) side piece and let dry. Reinforce the seams as necessary from the
inside, and let dry. Attach the border for the frame opening to the front
piece, and let it dry. Then, attach the front piece to the three-sided assem-
bly, and let it dry.
The bottom 14" (6.5 mm) piece, which will be fired separately, needs to
be sized now. Try the fit, and sand as necessary so that it is a little larger
than the space for it. You can easily file it down after its fired, but it is a lot
harder to add material if the box bottom is too small.
TIP
The bail hole can be oriented parallel to the pendant, as seen here, or perpendicular
to the pendant.
7 Insert the polymer clay image, and bake.

Slide the image into place, adding rolled-out strips of polymer clay
behind the insert to fill up the area and so theres more surface area for
gluing the 14" (6.5 mm) bottom piece on after baking. Bake the whole
assembly according to manufacturers directions. Remove the polymer to
sand and buff if desired, then glue it in, and the bottom piece on, using
five-minute epoxy.
6 Attach the decorative elements and fire.

Make a pencil mark at the center of the top of the box. Attach
the bail to this spot with enough thick slip so it squeezes out into a
flange around the bottom of the bail. Let it dry.
Next, miter the ends of the twisted wire pieces so they meet neatly at
each corner, trimming the top section as necessary to account for the
bail. To miter an end, hold one twisted wire length close to the end, at
an angle, and rub it gently back and forth against 320-grit sandpaper.
Attach the three twisted wire sections to the box using slip, and let dry.
Attach the last wire to the bottom 14" (6.5 mm) piece using slip, and let
dry. Reinforce as necessary. Attach a ball to each corner with slip.
Center the support form inside the box and place it, along with the
1
4" (6.5 mm) bottom piece, in a bed of alumina hydrate or vermiculite,
and fire. (See Firing on page 165.) Once cool, remove the support form,
and finish as desired.

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Chapter 8
Creating Fantasy Figures
This grinning bird, looking up, settled over his gigantic bird feet, teeth
A BIRD WITH TEETH
gleaming through his smile, is a perfect starting project, particularly if

you are completely new to working with clay. Making the bird, fun in
itself, is also useful practice in the essential skills that you will need for
the rest of the projects in this book such as: making basic shapes and
learning how to work on a specific area of a critter without ruining the
rest of it.
The color scheme should follow this one guideline: use two well-
contrasting colorsone for the fluffy parts (the body, the wigs, and the
tail) and one for the bony parts (the beak and legs).
The size of the bird doesnt matter, as long as its proportions make
sense. The bird shown here is less than 1" (2.5 cm) tall. (But dont
underestimate him!)
196

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1/4 block yellow clay
M AT E R I A L S
TOOLS
Safety pin
A BIRD WITH TEETH

(we used Sculpey Premo) Taped-point clay shaper
1/2 block green clay
1/8 block white or glow-in-the-dark clay
1/8 block orange clay
1/8 block black clay
1 A bird is built the way a house is 2 Continue with the other two toes, 3 Repeat the procedure to make a
built, from bottom to top, so we will start and stick the pointy ends firmly on top of second foot. Make sure to include the
with the feet. The foot of an average bird one another. Make sure to sufficiently same number of toes in each footit is
consists of three toes. To make a toe, roll overlap the toes, so that they will provide considered to be good taste.
a small ball of clay between your index a firm, solid base once the bird is
finger and thumb until it becomes oblong. cooked. The outside toes should form a
Make the back end slightly sharper by 90-degree (right) angle so that the bird
exerting a little bit more pressure while can stand firmly on his feet.
rolling. The pointed end will go under the
bird, and the round end will be the tip of
the toe. That way, the bird will have nice,
chubby toes instead of scary claws.
4 Next, create an egg shape, which will become the body

of the bird. Roll a ball of clay between the palms of your hands,
gently squeezing your palms toward the end, while still rolling, to
achieve an egglike shape. Stick the body firmly to the feet.
Remember that the body keeps the feet together, so if you want to
have a solid bird, youll need to apply a little pressure. Be careful
not to disfigure the oval shape of the egg while pressing.
197

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5 The birds mouth is made from a

triangular piece of clay. Make a small, flat
triangle with equal-length sides. Flatten one
point of the triangle to make it slightly
thinner. This end will be the tip of the beak.
6 Pull the other two points in opposite

directions, and curve the side between
them. This side of the beak will be fastened
to the body, so it should roughly follow the
curves of the birds body.
8 This step, where you first use the

safety pin, involves separating the upper
jaw from the lower one. Stick the pin into
the beak where the curved part starts,
and carefully pull toward the cheeks. Be
careful not to pull too hardyou want to
leave the jaws joined.
7 From this point on, working on the beak will be easier if you attach it to the body
of the bird. Stick the beak to the body horizontally. Whether you will make a highbrow or
a lowbrow bird depends on how high on the body you place the beak. Putting it in the
upper part leads to a lowbrow bird with a belly. Gently push the top of the beak down.
(This feature of the bird is probably the only one that bears resemblance to an eagle.)
9 Use the safety pin again to widen the distance between the
jaws. Try to make a hole in a sideways, teardrop shape. You will
put the teeth in this space.

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A BIRD WITH TEETH

10 Fill the holes with white polymer 11 Use the safety pin to divide the 12 Here is a birds eye view of
clay. If you want your feathered songster white polymer clay into individual teeth. Be the bird.
to have bad teeth you can, of course, use careful not to touch the beak. Repeatedly
yellowish clay. You can also put a cigar rock the tip of the pin back and forth rather
in the birds mouth instead or even make than just drawing it straight from one jaw to
him stick out his tongue. But teethteeth the other to avoid creating a wake of
are classic. clay around the pin and ultimately ruining
the shapes you previously created.
13 Roll out two small balls of white polymer clay for the
eyeballs. For the eyelids, roll out two colored balls approximately
the same size and a color darker than the beak. Squash the
colored balls flat. Dont make perfect spheres, though. You want
a slightly elliptical shape, so start with an elongated ball. Wrap
the ellipses around the eyeballs, so that they cover half of the
circumference and the rim sticks out, sort of like a baseball cap.
You can see the making of the eyes in the photo above.
C R E AT I N G F A N TA S Y F I G U R E S 199

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14 Add the eyes to the body

of the bird. Stick them to the egg and to
the beak at the same time. The beak and
the eyes form the face of the bird, so
make sure to set them close together.
15 Next, you need to make wings

for your bird. Make them by squeezing
two small balls into disks.
17 Make the tail just like you made

the feet, but use the same color clay that
you used to make the body. Then, flatten
the oblong rolls to resemble feathers. The
number of feathers, just like the number of
toes, can vary indefinitely.
16 Stick one rounded end of the
wing to the body at the height of the
beak. Slightly spread the lower, loose end
of a wing away from the body. Repeat
this procedure to attach the other wing.
18 Attach the tail to the bottom of

the bird.

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A BIRD WITH TEETH

19 Turn the bird around. Now you need to give it eyes that see, a nose to breathe
with, and a belly button. (Have you been wondering what an ordinary bird is doing in a
book of fantasy characters? Well, it is the belly button that merits his inclusion.)
Using the safety pin, poke two deep holes into the eyes, one in the belly, and two on top
of the beak. For the nostrils, pull a little bit to the sidethe holes dont need to be perfectly
round. Also, roll out two tiny strips of black clay, and put them on top of the eyelids to be
the eyebrows.
Where to put the hole on the eyeball is a very important decision. Here are a few of the
possible options:
MAKING EYES
The fact that we made a hole to create eyes and

didnt just add a tiny black speck of clay is important.
A small black spot is perceived the same way from
any angle that you look at it. Because of this, the eye
looks artificial. A hole, on the contrary, has depth and
direction. In addition, only a limited number of angles
provide the impression that your eyes and those of the
bird lock, which gives the creature more character.
Dizzy Looking left
Normal Stunned

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20 Here, the bird is looking up.

Because it is a tiny creature, looking up is
the easiest way for it to make eye contact
with whoever is looking at it. That way the
bird becomes more interactive and doesnt
just sit there.
22 Use the tapered-point clay shaper

to blend the cheeks with the rest of the beak.
Then, bake the bird following the clay

manufacturers instructions and let it cool.
For more tips see the baking section in the
beginning of this book.
21 The bird looks finished, but one

final step remainsyou can make it look
cheekier. How? Just add cheeks. Use the
same shape you made for the toes, only
shorter and sharp at both ends. Then
bend it as shown, and add it to the
finished beak.
Congratulationsyou have completed

the project. By changing the color and
the shape of the different parts, you can
create any bird, from a penguin to a
pelican. The small bits that you change
make the personality of the creature. See
the following page for more variations
you can try.

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A BIRD WITH TEETH

TIP
White or Glow-in-the-Dark?
When you make the eyes and teeth, use glow-in-the dark clay instead of plain white polymer clay.
The typical white is too white, and eyes and teeth usually have some translucency to them. Glow-in-
the-dark clay not only lacks that undesirable opaqueness, but it also gives your creatures life after
dark. For the best night results, after you have baked your bird, use a safety pin to fill the eyeholes
with raw black polymer clay. Then turn the lights off, and observe.
Variation Ideas
Bird with an Extravagant Tail Penguin Scared bird

The fellow is also sticking out his tongue.
Make the penguin following the basic
principles of the bird project. The only
innovation is the white belly, made in
the same way we made the wings and
the feet.
A tip on how to make the penguin feet:

After using the clay shaper, squeeze the
toes with your fingers to flatten them.

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The goal of this project is to teach you how to make a basic rabbit.
THE EASTER BUNNY Once you master that skill, the transition to an Easter Bunny will be
quite easyyou only have to put an Easter egg in the rabbits hands.
The Easter Bunny will be made in a somewhat different order that the
bird. We start with the body and add the arms and legs later.

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TOOLS
Needle or safety pin
THE EASTER BUNNY

M AT E R I A L S
1 block light blue clay
1/4 block yellow clay Tapered-point clay shaper
1/4 block orange clay Cup-round clay shaper
1/8 block purple clay
1/8 block glow-in-the-dark clay
1/8 block pink clay
1/4 block red clay
1 Using a piece of blue polymer clay

and the palms of your hands, roll a ball
approximately 112 " (3.8 cm) in diameter.
Dont worry about making a perfect sphere
first, it would take too much time, and
second, we dont need that level of precision.
To make a character with a lot of character,
we are counting on a combination of shapes
that are often imperfect.
2 In this step hold the ball by the

equator between your thumb and middle
finger, and, by rolling back and forth, make
it look like an apple core. Then gently
smooth all edges until the shape starts
looking more like an hourglass or an 8.
3 If you paid attention to the imperfection argument from the first step, by now one
of the two ends should be slightly bigger than the other. This bigger end will be the torso
of the rabbit, whereas the smaller end will be his head. Slightly bend the torso of the
future Easter Bunny forwardthe direction in which the belly is rounder and where the
face of the critter will be.
Note: Stick the rabbits bottom to the work surface until it flattens, and leave it there, as
shown in step two. The figure should be able to stand without any props. Do not be
alarmed if it is unstable, because we will add legs and a tail later, which will serve as
additional support. This step is necessary because the upright position will be natural for
the rabbit, which means that the 8 wont be flattened and distorted as it might be if just
leave it lying, like an .

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4 Make a canoe shape out of the instructions, as long as you give any critter
same color clay you used for the body. long ears, two prominent teeth, and a tiny
A canoe shape is flat on the surface, round tail, chances are you will end up
round on the bottom, and tapers off with a rabbit. Once you practice here,
toward the ends. The canoe will be one of you can go back and test this hypothesis
the ears. It should be about as long as the on the bird for some interesting results.
head/torso is tall.
Long ears are probably the most

characteristic element of a rabbit, along
with the small tail and the teeth. Even if
you choose to ignore most of these
5 Its time to make the soft part of

the rabbits fur. I have used a 50-50 mix
of orange and yellow clay to create the
rabbit color. (To mix colors, mush two
pieces of different-colored clay together
until they are completely blended into a
new color.) Much in the same way you
made the birds toes, roll out a long worm
of clay, with two sharp ends this time.
6 Flatten the clay worm into a 7 Gently bend the ear until the blue 8 Put your thumb on the rabbits
tapeworm. Then put it on top of the flat rim comes slightly forward, as shown. Do future face, and flatten it a bit. Then, with
surface of the canoe shape. Press firmly so the same to the other end of the ear but the help of a stick of any sort, poke two
that the yellow clay sinks in the blue one. not to the central part. The ear is done for holes into the upper part of the future
The whole ear might flatten a little bit, but now. Dont forget you need to make head, at one oclock and eleven oclock.
that is nothing to worry about. another one of these. This is where the ears will go. Make sure
the holes are deep enough to accom-
modate about a quarter of an ear.

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THE EASTER BUNNY

9 Put the ears in the holes, as
shown, and gently squeeze the
10 Fold one of the ears in two
and a little to the side, without covering
11 Use a pin to draw the rabbits
face. Lightly trace the basic features where
surrounding head to keep them firmly in the lower, inner yellow part. (Rabbit ears a more sophisticated face will soon smile.
place. You can also use a clay shaper to are quite revealingthis position implies
smooth the seam from the back of the ear. a wink.)
Bear in mind that because we are not
using any armature at this point, it is quite
natural for the ears to flap in the wind
while you work on the rest of the rabbit.
Just be careful not to rock their foundation
(where they are fastened to the head).
12 Put the tip of the tapered-point

clay shaper into the holes for eyes, and,
13 Using the cup-round clay shaper,
open the rabbits mouth, as shown here.
14 Using purple polymer clay for
the eyelids and glow-in-the-dark clay for
with a rotating motion, widen the craters the eyeballs, make the rabbits eyes. Then
to make eye sockets. put them into the eye sockets. The eyes
are made exactly like those in the bird
lesson. (See page 199 to review detailed
eye making instructions.)
15 Make a small blue dome, or a hemisphere, to put in the

center of the critters face. This new protrusion will serve as a
pedestal for the rabbits nose.

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18 Further lengthen the two upper

ends of the triangle. Make them thinner as
well because you will need to bend them.
16 Put the blue dome in the center 17 After all this preparation, were
of the rabbits face, right under his eyes. ready for the nose. Using pink polymer
Then, using the tapered-point clay shaper, clay, make a triangle with three equal
blend it into the whole. sides. You can use any other shade of
polymer clay, but the goal is to achieve
the effect that is a specialty of another
imaginary characterRudolf the Red-
Nosed Reindeer. Squeeze the triangle 19 Bend the two ends down
as shown. toward the bulk of the nose to make

the nostrils.
20 While it is still warm, stick the
nose to the rabbits face.
21 Next, we make the rabbits

cheeks. The technique is largely the same
as that used previously for the bird. Here,
however, well give more volume to the
shape in the center. Make the two
ends pointy.
TIP
Stickiness of Clay
When you work on a piece of clay, it warms up and becomes stickier, from all the kneading and the
temperature of your hands. The stickiness makes the bonds between the clay pieces stronger. Use that
property to make a critter that breaks less. Dont wait too long before you attach add-on parts to the
bulk of a critter, especially when you do not intend to blend the add-on shape with its surroundings
using a clay shaper, like you did with the little dome a couple of steps ago.

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THE EASTER BUNNY

22 Curve the shape into a 23 Pinch the rabbits cheeks 24 Using that same index-finger-
croissant, and attach it to the face. Place between your index finger and thumb. ( Just and-thumb hold, but in a perpendicular
one of the sharp ends near the lower outer like one of these uncles who always say, direction, pinch the cheeks some more,
corner of the eye and the other no further Look how much youve grown!) using the tip of your nail to create a
than where the neck startsunless, of sharper shape.
course, you want the rabbit to have
sagging cheeks.
25 Repeat the same action again, 26 Drawing in the clay with a 27 Draw the eyebrows. Make sure
further down the cheek. needle or a pin makes the critters features they are slanted like this / \ to give
stand out. It also helps to highlight shapes. the critter a good-natured look.
Stick the tip of the pin almost between the
eyes, and draw a curved line toward the
lower outer corner of the eye.
28 Use the pin to make the hair. You need to be more energetic
with the pinstick it deeper and break the clay while drawing it out to
create the effect of hair. It is more important to create the impression of
small tufts than to focus on individual hairs.

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30 Use the pin to separate the two

teeth. Start from the lower end of the teeth,
and press toward the upper lip. By using
the upper lip for resistance, you not only
create a better shape but also fasten the
teeth more firmly.
31 Make a ball out of the yellow clay, and squash it into a

disk. Stick the disk to the belly of the rabbit, and give the creature
a belly button by using a pin. Ideally, the belly button should not
be in the center of the circle but a little toward the lower part.
29 Create the teeth by sticking a 32 Now its time to create the feet.
longish piece of white polymer clay to the Round off all the sharp edges from a piece
upper lip. of blue clay, and, referring to the photo,
hold the two ends and exert some pressure
toward the middle.
35 The two feet overlap, because

this is a very modest rabbit. They are less
likely to break off, as well, once you have
baked the critter. You shouldnt always let
the fragility of materials dictate the posture
of your creations (for example, we ignored
it while making the ears), but if functional
33 This is how big the feet are in 34 Attach the feet to the bottom of limitation can be reconciled with artistic
proportion to the body. In addition to the critter. Make sure they are perpen- goals, as it can be in this case, why not?
having long ears, rabbits are supposed to dicular to the body so that the rabbit will
have big feet, because they run fast. So be well balanced.
there is no real danger of overdoing the
feetmake them as large as you want.
The proportion shown in the picture is only
a recommendation.
36 The hands are made using a
basic technique you are already familiar with
from making the birds toes. Make the fingers
from the same little shapes that have one
pointy end and one round end. Then make
the arm the same way, the only difference
being that it is longer. The majority of the
critters in this book will have four fingers,
which is a popular convention when it comes
to cartoon characters. Typically, the index
finger here should be slightly bigger than the
middle finger and the pinkie, and the thumb
should be slightly chubbier.

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THE EASTER BUNNY

37 Bend a bunny finger between
your index finger and thumb to create a
joint, as shown. Repeat for all the fingers
and the arm itself, too.
38 The arm and hands are added 39 Attach the pinkie firmly, so that
bit by bit to the body of the critter. First, the pointy end is attached to the bottom of
attach the arm on the side, where the neck the arm and the thick end is on the hand.
ends and the torso starts.
40 In the same way, proceed with 41 The base of the thumb makes a
the next finger, making sure that it is firmly right angle with the other fingers and also
attached and that it doesnt entirely cover covers the spots where they are attached
the previous one. to the arm. Use a clay shaper to smooth
the surface and make all the joints firmer.
Add the opposite arm.
44 To make the tail, stick a ball of

blue clay to the bottom of the Easter
Bunny. This appendage should also
counter any backward motion it might be
inclined to make.
42 Adding an Easter egg is the

easiest way to transform an ordinary rabbit
into an Easter Bunny. Roll out a small egg
of red polymer clay. Stick it firmly to the
body where the arm that is supposed to
hold it ends. We will put the egg first and
then add the fingers around it.
43 Using the same steps as for the
other hand, add the fingers one by one.
The only difference this time is that they
have to be firmly wrapped around the egg
without covering too much of it.

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45 The Easter Bunny is nearly

finished. To add a last touch of charm, use
the safety pin to draw stitches (long lines
crossed with shorter ones) along all the
central axis of the critter. That way the
Easter Bunny will look like a toy. This is
also a good time to draw the individual
toes on the bunnys foot. Finally, draw a
crack on the eggan egg that is about to
hatch is much more exciting.
Bake the rabbit following the clay

manufacturers instructions, and let it cool.
For more tips on baking, see page 27.
TIP
Fingerprintsor Why You Should NOT Try to Get Rid of Them
According to some people, fingerprints should be removed. However, fingerprints offer many positive things. First, most
creatures have a certain sort of texture to their surfacesunless, of course, we are talking about an alien, a frog, or a
porcelain vase. The fingerprints that you leave fulfill that function of creating a texture, which produces a more natural look.
A fantasy character does not need to look real, but it does need to look natural to a certain degree to be believable.
Second, you have to come very close to a creature to see the fingerprints. (But is this not the case with most thingsthe
closer you come, the more you see the imperfections? Its a natural phenomenon.)
Last, but not least, your fingerprint is your signature that can never be forged. By leaving your fingerprints, you give the
creatures identity in both the figurative and the literal sense.
Variation Ideas
Easter Bunny with a Basket, Easter Bunny with a Frying Pan
Easter Bunnies are, by definition, cute and must have an egg in their possession to distinguish them from
ordinary rabbits. Play with these two general truths to produce the maximum humorous effect. The Easter
Bunny with a basket pictured at right has gathered a few small eggs in his basket. The bunny in the
picture at right didnt quite get the idea and thought he could still be an Easter Bunny if he made fried
eggs. Also, if you look closely, all rules of symmetry are disobeyed, resulting in a rabbit that looks more
deranged than cute.

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1 To make a frying pan, start with a
THE EASTER BUNNY

mushroomlike shape.
2 Press in the center of the thicker

part with your thumb, while holding the
other side with your index finger. Define
the round inner edge of the frying pan
with your fingernail. Rotate the pan,
repeating the same action.
4 Add the yolktwo squished balls
of yellow clay. Yummy! Note that the
3 Add two white amoebas. bunnies legs are apart this time, so that
they can serve as a support for the pan.
The hands are, as usual, built around the
item that the rabbit is holding.
The Three Easter Bunnies

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You are about to make a fire-breathing dragon. We wont go so far as to

A FIRE-BREATHING DRAGON show you how to put the fire in it, but well use some wire to make it at least
a little formidable. This is the first project where you will learn how to use
armature to put polymer clay into whatever shape you want. Polymer clay,
usually quite spineless, is pretty adamant on one pointit will not stand
straight when you try to make a bow-legged elf with a beer belly. The mass
of the torso would invariably crush the thin legs unless you use armature.

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A F I R E - B R E AT H I N G D R A G O N
M AT E R I A L S
2 blocks red clay
TOOLS
Wire cutters
1/4 block glow-in-the-dark clay Flat-nosed pliers
1/4 block orange clay Needle or safety pin
1/8 block light brown clay Small tapered-point clay shaper
39" (1 m) 0.7 mm copper wire Small cup-round clay shaper
Tin foil Small tube
1 To make the armature, or the 2 We are using relatively soft wire 3 Leave a loop at the endbecause
skeleton, of the dragon, we will use for two reasons. First, it's easy to you have to (there is nowhere to hold the
any wire that is flexible enough to be manipulate, and second, because we wire if you want to continue), and because
manipulated with bare hands and strong can double it by twisting two halves this is where the head will be.
enough to support some clay on it. The together. Fold the long wire bit in half
This simple technique of doubling the wire
wire used here is ordinary copper wire. and, holding it as shown, start twisting
turns out to be priceless when it comes to
You will need about 39" (1 m) of wire it together.
armature. It allows you to regulate how
and a pair of wire cutters.
long or short the double-wire bit will be,
Always try to use one piece of wire for and you can also control its hardness and
the whole skeleton to avoid having to flexibility. The tighter you twist it together,
make complicated joints between several the shorter and stronger the doubled wire
short pieces of wire. The small scale we will be. Last, but not least, the clay will
are working on permits the use of a single cling better to an armature that is not as
piece of wire, because the wire does not smooth as a single wire would have been
have to be long. Using one piece of wire had we left it that way.
for the armature is a little like drawing
without lifting the pen from the sheet, so
you have to carefully plan the sequence TIP
of steps, making sure that the two ends of
the wire remain loose until you reach the
About Armature
tail of the critter.
You dont need to spend too much time perfecting an armature. Armature is
only an approximation of a critters skeleton, not a clinical reconstruction of a
skeleton. It is perfectly fine to make a rough and asymmetrical structure, as long
as the deviations are small enough to be corrected by the clay coat afterwards.

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4 Referring to the photo, make two 5 Twist the wires of the two wings 6 Cut off the single loose ends of
wings from the wire. Twist the two ends of together to make a cross shape. Leave a wire, and bend down the head loop and
the wire together below the wings. little triangle in the middle, and twist the the wings, as shown. You will also need
loose ends around each other for the to get rid of the wing loops by squeezing
last time. them tightly together, perhaps with the
help of a pair of flat-nosed pliers.
7 Wrap a piece of tin foil tightly 8 Start covering the torso with clay 9 Proceed in the same way for the
around the central part of the cross to create of the color that you plan to use for the limbs, until the whole thing starts looking
more volume for the dragons torso. Using tin surface of the character. like a bird of sorts. At this stage, the
foil for the core of the dragon allows us to critter should have a round belly and a
create volume without creating a heavy tapered tail.
mass; the finished critter will be lighter and
you will save some clay. Of course, it is
perfectly acceptable to use just clay to fill
the empty stomach of the dragon if you
wish. We are more concerned with
appearance than essencewhatever you
put inside a critter is acceptable, as long as
the faade is pleasing to the eye. (You can
leave a message to posterity on a small
sheet of paper inside the dragon for when
he finally breaks many years from now. It
would be like putting a message in a flying
opaque red bottle with scales and claws.)

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10 Cover the head loop until the neck and the head start looking like an upside- 11 Using the needle, poke two
down boot. Make sure that the heel stands out. We will next work on the headit is nostrils in the upper-front part of the head.
much more rewarding to put wings and scales on a critter that already has a face. Rotate the needle a little to make the
nostrils bigger.
12 Gently squeeze the dragons 13 Squeeze the dragons snout 14 Gently pull while squeezing on
muzzle, as shown, right under the nostrils between your index finger and thumb, as the sides of the head to make it a little
to give them a droplike shape. You should shown, to make it pointy. Then bend it wider. The underside of the head should
only exert pressure on the upper half of down a little bit. be more or less flat.
the head, almost on the very surface,
rather than squeeze on the sides.
15 Carefully push down the head while holding the neck

with your thumb. This manipulation has two goals: first, it flattens
the top side of the head a little bit, and second, it makes it easier
to look at the dragon. If the dragons head were to remain strictly
perpendicular to the body an observer would have to rotate the
critter (or their own head) to get a full impression of itthey
wouldnt be able to see all the important elements of the critter in
one glance. When the head is bent down you can see both his
head and his body at the same time.

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16 This is what the head looks like 17 Stick the tapered-point clay 18 Put your finger, as shown, to
thus far. shaper in the nostrils to make them a little flare the dragons nostrils some more.
wider and to make the outside of the
nostril stand out.
19 Use the clay shaper to put two

holes in the upper part of the head. These
holes will later serve as eye sockets.
21 Start distributing the clay evenly
until you fill up the whole space between
We will now work on the wings. Working the tip of the wing and the dragons ribs.
on different areas of a critter simultaneously Be careful not to overthin the wing because
can serve as a diversion and have a there is no additional armature support that
therapeutic effectit is not unusual to get goes into it. An average thickness of about
1/10" (3 mm) is optimal.
slightly bored when you concentrate on
one area of a critter for a long time. As
soon as you do not feel like dealing with a
critters nose anymore, feel free to turn to its
20 Attach a thick, flat piece of clay
firmly to the wings arm, as shown.
feet, for instance. Remember that the
purpose of all this is to have fun, and you
should never let critter-making turn into
another source of stress.

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22 Pinch the wing elbow to make
it pointier. This is the time to regulate the
length of the lower and upper arms of the
wing as well. Although there is armature
on the inside, the clay that covers it does
not need to follow the internal structure
closely. Take advantage of this to make
adjustments to the shape.
23 Wrap two pieces of glow-in-the- 24 We will next make the lower 25 Attach the jaw to the dragons
dark clay into orange clay, put them in jaw of the dragon. Start with a flat head and to his neck. Now that the
the eye sockets, and poke two holes in ellipse, then curve up the sides and dragons mouth is open, we should start
them with the needle to create the form prongs, creating a shape like the putting teeth in it. Stick several irregularly
dragons eyes. Next, still using the one in the picture. Squeeze the two shaped bits of glow-in-the-dark clay under
needle, draw a curved line under each prongs so that they are flat in a direction the dragons upper lip. The upper teeth
eye to accentuate it. perpendicular to the rest of the jaw. should generally point downward, but to
These prongs will help attach the jaw make them look jagged you can have
more firmly to the head. them pointing in different directions.
26 Gently push the jaws further

apart and insert teeth on the lower jaw.
This set of teeth should point outward.
We will soon give the dragon a tongue,
and if the teeth point upward now, it will
be more difficult to insert the tongue into
the mouth later.

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27 The tongue is made from a flat

piece of light orange clay. Squeeze on
the sides to curl it up a little bit. Then put
the tongue inside the mouth, and raise the
lower jaw teeth to surround it. (See the
sidebar on Adding Clay in Difficult
Access Areas, page 225.)
28 Give the dragon cheeks just 29 Squeeze the dragons torso
like the ones we gave every other critter under the armpits so that the rounded
so far. Remember that the kind of cheeks belly protrudes even more.
we use are often mouth corners, too, so
30 With the tips of your fingers, make sure to place them at the appro-
pinch the lower part of the wings to priate spot where the upper and the
create a few sharp points. A dragons lower jaws join. Here is what the dragon
wing should look more like a bats wing looks like at this stage.
than a birds wing. Two sharp points are
enough to create that effect. The
distances between these points should be
slightly arched.
31 Sharpen the tip of the wings with

your index finger and thumb, as shown.
32 This is what the tapered tail of

the dragon looks like at this stage. If it has
thinned a lot because you have been
holding the dragon by the tail while
working on the other parts of his body,
you may have to make it a little thicker by
wrapping an extra sheet of clay around
it and smoothing out the seams with the
clay shaper.

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F I R E - B R E AT H I N G D R A G O N
34 Push with your nail to define the 35 Turn the critter around. To create
part of the wing that has bones in it (what the suspension mechanism, put a loop of
we have been referring to as the wings wire in his back. To make this mechanism
arm). Slightly curve the skin surface of stronger, you should take the wire bit out
the wing. before baking the critter. After baking the
critter, fill the hole with extra strength glue
and stick the wire back in. Dont forget to
33 By now you have probably add the glue because the critters life will
realized that the dragon that we are literally hang on a thread.
making will indeed fly. In the next steps
An alternative way of tackling the
we will give him some mechanism by
suspension mechanism is to make the
which he can be suspended in the air.
hanging mechanism from part of the
There are many reasons for this choice.
armature cross. It is up to you to
First of all, flying is an essential dragon
determine which option suits you best.
characteristic. Second, a nonflying
dragon would be more of a dinosaur,
especially if you remove his wings (see
the Little Dinosaur variation). And third,
a winged dragon reduced to walking on
the ground would look like a reptile and
would have very little of the awe-inspiring
quality that we are trying to achieve.
For all of these reasons, we will try to

make the dragon look as if he is
suspended in the air between two flaps of
his powerful wings. Two concrete things
you can do to achieve thiscurve the tail
slightly forward and to the side, and 36 The next series of steps is
curve the lower arm of the wing. dedicated to giving our dragon a nice
glow-in-the-dark (or white) faade, which
will consist of several plates, gradually
increasing in size as you go down the
belly. Start with the smallest, elliptical
plate, and place it on the neck, under the
lower jaw. 37 Gradually increase the size of
every following plate, sticking them to the
body in such a way that they slightly
overlap each other.

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38 To make the legs, start with 39 The leg should look like a tree 40 Group three of the little branches
a chubby worm of clay. With your index with a thick trunk and four bare branches. together and place the last one (the thumb)
finger and thumb, extract four toes, opposite them. Slightly bend the tips of the
one at a time. branches of the tree structure inward.
43 Use the same technique to make

42 Attach the legs to the body, the arms. The only differences are that the
toward the lower part. They shouldnt be dragons hand has only two fingers, and
41 Bend the whole leg in the hanging loosely in the air, but, rather, the arm is a lot smaller than the leg. We
middle to make the joint, and do not pointing up or forward because the are exploiting the familiar theme of the
forget to make the knee pointy. Following dragon makes a physical effort to stay in disproportionately small arms of the Tyran-
the same procedures, make one more leg. the airhe is not relaxed. nosaurus Rex to produce humorous effect.
44 Attach the arms to the body at

shoulder height and, using a clay shaper,
blend them into the body. The upper part
of the arm and the elbow should be
attached to the torso.
To make the critter more expressive and to

create the impression of movement, try not
to have both arms or both legs in the
exact same position.

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45 Lets give the dragon some 46 In the same manner, proceed 47 By this time, you have probably
claws. To make a claw from orange clay, with the claws for the hands, only make noticed that it has become increasingly
roll a short clay worm, and mold one end them a little smaller. Use the needle give difficult to hold the dragon while you work
to a point. Stick the claws firmly on the the dragon a bellybutton in the center of without affecting another part of it. The
toes. They should point inward. the biggest and lowest breastplate problem is that we are not working with
a critter who is simply sitting on a large,
flat bottom.
Try using the hold in the picture, where

your thumb is on the dragons tail and your
index finger (and possibly middle finger) is
on his back, between the wings.
48 Could this be Nessie, the Loch

Ness monster?
Relaxthis is just a series of triangles (the

kind whose sides are not straight lines)
that need to go on the dragons head and
back. Make them in different sizes, and

make sure that they have one thicker
sidethe one that will be attached to the 49 Put two of the larger triangles
dragons body. on the sides of the dragons head, as
shown, until it starts looking like the tail of
an airplane. Slightly tip up the very end
of these new wings.
50 Turn to the back of the critter. 51 Place a small triangle on the tip
On his tail, apply a series of index-and- of the tail, which by now should be
thumb squeezes along the center of the pointing up. Make sure to strengthen the
back of the tail. This zigzag shape that bond by using a clay shaper and smudge
we are introducing will echo the triangles the tip of the tail into the triangle.
that we will place along the spine.

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53 There still remain a few critical

steps before we turn this creature into a
real dragon. We need to give its skin
some texturea dragon without scales is
no dragon.
To make the scales we will use any tool

that would leave a circular imprint on the
clay. We used a bit from a broken
antenna but any other small tube shape,
such as a straw, will do.
We will use only half of the tubular tool.

Push half of the tubes cross section
against the clay as shown to create a
52 Place the little triangles along the semicircle (experiment on a scrap piece
dragons back, down to where the zigzag of clay to practice). Repeat until you get a
pattern starts. Use smaller triangles toward whole line of semicircles. Make another
the head and the tail, and use gradually line of semicircles right above the first one
larger triangles toward the center. with a lag of half a semicircle. Continue
in this manner until you achieve a texture
You have just completed the last stage of
that looks like scales.
the sculpting process.
54 Apply the scale method to the 55 Cover the wings arm with 56 When putting scales on the
dragons body. Notice that you do not scales, too, but leave the central part of face, be particularly careful. If you put too
have to cover each square inch of the the wing relatively smooth, so that you much texture on the face the main facial
dragon with scales to make your point. can draw in it with the needle to create features will not be as prominent as
Irregularly spaced patches of scales can the impression that the wing has some before. A few unfinished circles here and
be enough to create the desired effect. more sophisticated anatomy. Draw a few there will do.
lines connecting the lower pointy tips with
the wings elbow.

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57 Here is your finished charming
monster. One last question remainshow
can you bake it without flattening any part
of it? You will need to make two cylinders
of tin foil, so that the dragon can lie on his
back with these cylinders going horizontally
between his wings and the triangles in the
middle of his back. These cylinders should
be big enough to prevent the triangles or
any other body part from touching the
baking tray.
Bake the dragon following the clay

TIP
Variation Idea
Adding Clay in Difficult Access Areas A Little Dinosaur
To put a piece of clay in an area where your fingers are Dragons and dinosaurs are not all that different.
too big to reach, use a clay shaper. Stick the bit of clay By using the basic principles of this lesson and
on the shapers tip, insert it, push with the clay shaper to simplifying them, you are able to make this green
fasten it, and then withdraw the tool. little wingless character whose ancestors roamed
the earth millions of years ago. It is nothing more
You can also use tools as a mediator when you are trying
than a small green wingless dragon baby.
to get a piece of clay to stay on another piece of clay, but
it stubbornly sticks to your finger instead. The fact that
the bond between a tool and a bit of clay is much weaker
than the one between two pieces of clay will work to
your advantage.
The Order of Stickiness

Type of bond: Strength of bond:
Clay to clay Strong
Finger to clay Medium
Tool to clay Weak

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One of the most popular fantasy characters is the wizard; usually an old
THE WIZARD bearded fellow with a pointy hat, a staff, and a magic crystal. Good or
evil, wizards always have a lot of personality. This is the image we will
try to capture in this lesson. The armature involved is quite simple, and
we will practice embedding foreign objects in clay characters. This is the
project in which we turn a marble into a magic crystal.
So put on your spell-

proof helmet, and lets
see what we can
conjure up with some clay,
a piece of wire, a bit from a
chandelier, and an old marble.

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TOOLS
Small tapered-point clay shaper
THE WIZARD
1/2
M AT E R I A L S
sheet flesh or beige clay
(we used Super Sculpey) Small cup-round clay shaper
1/8 block glow-in-the-dark clay Needle or safety pin
1/8 block white clay
1/8 block black clay
1 block dark blue clay
1 block light blue clay
1/2 block red clay
1/8 block light brown clay
1/8 block dark brown clay
1 marble
1 hexagonal chandelier crystal/glass bead
15 3/4" (40 cm) 0.7 mm copper wire
1 To make a shape like the one

shown in the picture, roll a ball of clay
and pull on one side of it. The oblong part
will be the wizards neck and the round
one his head.
2 Perform the ingenious index-finger-

and-thumb squeeze we have been using
all along on the upper part of the head to
generate the nose.
3 Push with your fingers, as shown, to define the length of

the nose. A big nose has become an integral part of most wizard
representations. Lets embrace this stereotype and bring it to a new
dimensionforward, that is.
(Of course, you can go the nonconformist way and give this
wizard a miniature, chipped nose. Then you can do away with
the moth-eaten pointy hat and give him a baseball cap. And then
you will have made a real wizardone who has the ability to
disappear! But what good is an invisible polymer-clay wizard?
Doesnt everyone have tons of them in their closets? As you can
see, this is getting slightly surreal, but such is our subject matter.
Making a wizard is not for the weak at heart.)

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4 Our goal is to give the wizard a characteristic profile, so 5 With the tip of the tapered-point clay shaper, make holes
from the very first steps, we should make sure that the nose does for the nostrils. These holes should yield bumps on the outside of
indeed stand out. the nose.
7 Behold the nose you have created!
6 Outline the outer nostrils with the 8 Put your fingers on the critters
other clay shaper, pushing up with your neck, and push forward and up with your
thumb as shown to give the wizard flared thumb, as shown, to separate the wizards
nostrils. Flared nostrils contribute to a more chin from his neck.
intense facial expression.
11 Repeat the above two actions

several times to make the face look more
wrinkled. Wizards have usually been
around for a long time, so it is quite
natural for them to carry the marks of their
long, interesting lives.
9 Stick the cup-round clay shaper

into the head, and drag some clay down,
as shown. The purpose of this move (and
the next few) is to make eye sockets and
create bags under the wizards eyes.
10 Stick the cup-round clay shaper

above the newly created shape and
repeat the action, only this time, try to
capture a larger quantity of clay.

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THE WIZARD
12 To make an eye, wrap a bead 13 Cover one eye with an additional 14 Cover the other eye, too, only this
of glow-in-the-dark clay in flesh or beige small piece of clay, on top of the inner part time pinch the new piece of clay as shown.
clay, and place it on top of the uppermost of the upper eyelid, to create the impression In doing this, we introduce an important
eye bag, as shown. Leave a small hollow that the wizard is scowling. asymmetry in the wizards facehe looks
between the wrinkle and the eye to add to as if he is raising an eyebrow. Raising an
the magicians old age. eyebrow is a widespread way of expressing
powerful emotion among wizards.
15 Next, we will make the mouth. Insert the needle deep into the center of the face, right under and at a
reasonable distance from the nose, leaving enough room for a big upper lip.
Using the tip of the needle as a lever, draw to one side and then the other to crack a smile on the wizards face.
16 Here we used a random metal

bit to open the mouth some more and then
a clay shaper to widen it.
17 To create the beard, mix equal quantities of black and

white clay, but do not knead until the color becomes uniform. We
will use the half-mixed color to make a
graying beard.
As for the shape of the beard, do not aim for perfection. The
triangle you will make need not be perfect. This is only hair, after
all, and as you know, hair is difficult to control and keep in order.
Note that the upper side of the beard triangle is a curve, which
makes it easier to attach the beard to the face.

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18 Attach the beard to the face, as 19 Out of the same black-and-white mixture, make a snake with pointy ends and
shown. Now is also the time to insert a attach it under the wizards nose as a moustache. Our moustache is in a bowlike shape,
double or triple piece of wire through the but you can have it in any configuration, as long as it doesnt stick out to the point that it
neck, all the way into the head of the will break off once the critter is baked.
wizard. We are planning to make a tall
Add thick eyebrows, as shown.
critter, and he will need that rod of
armature to keep him straight. We do not
make any armature for the hands, because
they will be close to the body.
20 To make an ear, start with an irregular disk of clay. Then cut into it with your nail,
as shown. Next, make a second cut vertical to the first one. Fold the clay along these cuts,
and with your fingers sharpen the upper end of the ear, as shown.
Pointy elements are quite important when it comes to fantasy characterspointy ears, pointy
hats, pointy shoes, pointy fingers, and so on. Experiment with any creature you are making
add some pointy elements and see how it somehow acquires a fairy-tale-like quality.
21 Before you finish the ear, make

a small joint, which will help us fasten it
to the wizards head. Extract this
connecting bit out of the ear, as shown.
22 Stick the ear to the side of the

head, and, using the tapered-point clay
shaper, strengthen the bond.
23 This is what the ear looks like from

the front. Note that its quite large, relative to
the nose.

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THE WIZARD
25 When you perform the wrapping procedure described
in the previous step, use the top edge of the ellipse to give the
wizard a collar. Have the back of the critters neck stick to the blue
gown (another word for burrito), but leave the whole collar
slightly spread. Squeeze the blue clay tightly around the wire at
the very end of the neck so that the flesh or beige clay and the
blue clay can form a bond. Needless to say, the beard must be
on top of the gown.
The base of the gown should be quite wide so that the wizard will
be more stable.
24 For the body of the wizard, 26 To make a pointy hat, make a

make a thick, flat, elliptical shape of dark cone of dark blue clay by rolling a piece
blue polymer clay, and place the head on of clay between your palms. Then place
top of it, as shown. To generate the the pointy hat on the wizards head. From
volume of the body, wrap the wire bit and the back, the hat should almost touch the
the neck in a dark blue burrito. collar. Try to cover as much head surface
as you can without touching the face.
Bend the hat forward a little, if necessary,
to restore the critters weight balance.
27 Use your thumb to put a dent on 28 Bend the sleeve into a 60- 29 Using flesh or beige polymer
the wizards torso. This is where you will degree angle, and sharpen the elbow with clay, make finger, like those shown in the
soon insert the pointy end of a cone, your index finger and thumb. picture; they are just rounded-end, right-
similar to the one you made for the hat, angled clay worms.
which will be the wizards sleeve. This time
youll make the cone of lighter blue.

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30 With the tip of a tapered-point 31 Insert the fingers into their nest 32 Place a small marble in the
clay shaper, dig into the base of the sleeve by sticking two-thirds of the way into the wizards hand. If you find a fancy marble,
cone to make a nest for the fingers. inside of the sleeve, as shown. Notice how your wizard can only benefit, but even the
the thumbs upper part is slightly curved most standard marbleswith the spirally
this curve, in addition to its opposing thing insidework great, because that
position and its relative thickness, spirally thing looks like a flame.
distinguishes the thumb from the other
Group the three fingers so that their
fingers. Make the tips of the other fingers
tips touch.
a little pointier to increase the distinction
between the fingers and the thumb. After baking the critter, apply a small drop
of extra-strength glue between the marble
now promoted to a magic crystaland the
sleeve to keep the marble from rotating.
The glue also makes the structure firmer.
33 Next we will make the wizards 34 Wrap a piece of light brown or

staff. A staff is as essential to a wizard as gold-colored clay around the wire, and
a sword is to a knight. stick it firmly to the crystal. Try to cover the
hole through which you ran the wire.
We used a broken-off piece of a
chandelier crystal, but if you dont have
one handy, you can use a glass bead with
a hole in it. Bend a piece of wire in two,
and twist the ends around each other. 35 Roll a thin snake of dark brown
Then run one of the ends through the hole clay, and squish it flat. Position it next to
in the crystal, as shown the double wire that forms the staffs
backbone, and wrap the clay tightly
around it.

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THE WIZARD
37 Using red clay, make a robe
for the wizard with a shape roughly
similar to that shown in the photograph.
The two upper ends are supposed to go
around the critters neck.
Make two longish, pointy loaves of red

36 Following the instructions for the clay for the critters feet. Because the
wizard is wearing a long robe, only his
wizards left hand, make a right one.
feet will be visible. Stick the wizards
Place the staff in it, and wrap the fingers
body on top of the feet. The back of the
around the staff. Attach the left sleeve
feet may need to be squished flat by the
firmly to the body. Stick the staff to the
bottom of the critter to maintain the
outer side of the collar. You can stick the
wizards balance.
lower end of the staff into the fabric of
the wizards gown. The more possible
contact points you can create between the
wizard and his magical instrument the
better, because the figure is less likely to
break if it has more support.
38 Roll out a short, thin yellow snake with sharp ends,

and stick it on the wizards hat, as shown. Flatten it a bit but be
careful not to ruin the sharp ends. Then make another tiny yellow
snake, and stick it perpendicular to the first one so that they can
form a star. Add more evenly spaced stars all over the wizards
robe and hat.
Do not make the snakes too thin because they will look green on
the blue surface. When you flatten an overly thin piece of yellow
clay on a dark blue surface, the yellow clay becomes almost
translucent and, as you may know from basic color theory,
blue + yellow = green.

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39 Wrap the two upper ends of the

cloak around the wizards neck, below his
collar. The center of the cloak should cling
to the back of the wizard. You can play
with the ends of the cloak to create the
impression that the wizard is standing in
the wind.
40 Use the needle to draw some

individual hairs on the wizards beard,
moustache, and eyebrows. Squish a small
ball of flesh clay flat, and insert it into the 42 With the needle, add some
wizards mouth using a clay shaper. Then, finishing touches to the facedraw
using the needle, inscribe a line in the 41 Pinch the wizards nose one last wrinkles around the eyes, put some marks
center of the tongue. time to make it pointier. on the nose.
43 Roll out a small snake of flesh or

beige clay, bend it into a moon shape,
and attach it as a lower lip with the help of
a tapered-point clay shaper. The lower lip
makes the tongue appear more realistic.

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THE WIZARD
44 Point the tips of the wizards
pointy shoes up to give the impression
of better self-esteem. Adding a set of
upper teeth is likely to produce a similar
effect. Add a short snake of glow-in-the-
dark clay right under the moustache,
without covering the whole mouth, and
use a needle to separate the individual
teeth from each other, drawing toward
the moustache.
45 Bake the wizard following the

clay manufacturers instructions, and let it
cool. To be on the safe side, bake the
critter lying on his back. Make cushions of
tin foil to make it more comfortable and to
prevent his posture from changing while in
the oven. For more tips, on baking see
page 27.

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Or How to Make a Horse

THE UNICORNS LESS MAGICAL COUSIN This project provides another armature lesson, in which we will practice
working with larger volumes of clay. The skills you will learn while
making a horse are transferable to any four-legged character. Should
you want to make a unicorn, for instance, all you have to do is make
an emaciated white horse and put a horn in the middle of its forehead.
If you want to make a tall two-legged critter with a tail, just think of it
as a vertical horse.

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M AT E R I A L S
2 blocks light brown clay
TOOLS
Wire cutters
THE UNICORNS LESS MAGICAL COUSIN: HOW TO MAKE A HORSE

1/4 block dark brown clay Needle or safety pin
1/8 block glow-in-the-dark clay Small tapered-point clay shaper
1/4 block white clay Small cup-round clay shaper
391/2" (1m) 0.7 mm copper wire
1 Start with a piece of wire 2 Fold the piece of wire in the center,
approximately 391/2" (1 m) long. As we and twist both ends around each other until
did in when making the dragon, we will you have approximately 4" (10.2 cm) of
make the armature of the creature from a double wire. This structure will be the neck of
single piece of wire. Because a horse our horse. Make sure to leave the loop
should ideally have four legs, making its sufficiently large because it will serve as the
wire skeleton will require a few more armature for the horses head.
steps, but the basic armature principle of
the twisted double wire remains the same.
3 To make a leg, fold one of the

two loose ends and twist it until the base
of the neck. Once again, make sure to
leave a loop at the end, around which
we will build the hoof. You can make this
loop small if you want your horse to be
more graceful, although giving your horse
big hooves will make it more solid,
especially if it has one leg in the air.
Excessively large hooves do not merely
play a functional role; they are also
essential in making the horse funnier. In
this particular project we are going for an
amusing horse that has one leg in the air.
Make another front leg.

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4 Twist the wires perpendicular to the neck and the front legs, working toward the 5 We have left the loose ends
rear legs. When you reach the desired length of this spinal cord, bend the two loose sticking out to illustrate the fact that we do
ends down, fold them it half, and twist them back up to the horses lower back. not use any additional wire for the
armature. The main structure is finished
now; the only remaining bit is the tail. To
make the tail, twist the two ends around
each other for the last time, and snip off
the remaining single wire.
Raise one of the front legs, and bend it at

the knee and at the ankle. This is a typical
horse pose. (This could be a basic dogs
pose, too. Consider making a dog based
on the same armature as a possible
extension of this project.)
6 Once the armature is complete, we need to cover it. We will use just clay to create
the volume of the horse. You can also use tin foil, especially if you are running short of clay
or just want to make your horse lighter.
Using a piece of light brown clay, and proceed as shown.
7 In the same way, proceed with the

other body parts, covering them with a first
layer of clay. Bear in mind that the horses
torso should be somewhat thicker than his
limbs. Repeat with a second, thick layer.
Cover the head, too, using an oblong
piece of clay that is slightly thinner toward
the front and thicker toward the back.

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8 The aspiring horse will look like
an ostrich unless you make his neck
thicker, too.
9 After all this covering with clay, the horse is a little flat
and lacking in volume. To correct this and create the
characteristic horse look, we will use the simplest geometrical
shapethe circle. Out of several balls of clay, squish a few
disksfour big ones for the horses shoulders and hind legs, two
medium ones for his cheeks, and two small ones for his nose.
Stick these disks on both sides of the horse, as shown.
Ideally, these disks should be thicker in the center and thinner

around the edges so that you can more easily blend them with
their surroundings.
10 In this close-up of the head you can see why horses run so fastclearly it is because their heads are apparently made of sports
cars! Whether you find this logic compellingly persuasive or not, you will have to hide the car in the horses head. To do this, gently
smooth the periphery of the disk into the surrounding clay with your fingertip.
Pinch the back of the head with your index finger and thumb to create the impression of ears. We will add real ears later, but sometimes
having a dummy body part on a critter helps you better see the direction in which things are going.

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11 Apply the same smoothing technique to the other

four disks. You will most probably end up with something that
looks like the corner photo.
Notice that the hind legs bend backwardsit is as if this horse is

actually a carnival costume with two men in it, men with huge
knees. To avoid that illusion, just turn the horses knee around.
Now it looks as if it bends forward, which is somewhat closer to
the true anatomy.
12 Here is what the horse looks

13 At this stage, you need to
like from the back. You can clearly see
make the horses knees stand out. Tightly
the shoulder volume and the volume of the
squeeze the clay above and below
buttocks, which was obtained by
the wire inside the knees to make them
wrapping the disks around the previous
more prominent.
thinned version of the horse.

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14 To give the horse hooves,
wrap a chunk of light brown clay around
the wire feet to create a funnel. The
hooves should have a rough, conical
shape, the tip of which merges in the legs.
15 Its time for another round of 16 To ensure the horse is stable, 17 To correct problems, such as
smoothing and blending. The disks you make sure that when you look straight irregular distribution of clay and overthinned
used for the horses buttocks need to make from the back though the hind legs of the legs, use small, flat pieces of clay to create
one whole with the thin leg that was there horse the front supporting leg is more or volume layer by layer. Ideally, you should
before. Use a clay shaper to remove less in the middle. use as few layers as you can, because
seams and smooth the areas that are hard youll run a lower risk of ending up with a
A horse standing on three legs may seem a
to reach. critter that looks like patchwork. The best
little less stable on a level surface, but, in
way to merge additional layers with the
fact, it is more stable because, according
whole is with your fingertips. The finger
to basic geometry, any three points can lie
method also ensures that the shape that you
in one plane, while any four points cannot.
are building on and the shape that you are
This is also why photographers use tripods
adding will have the same texture.
instead of quadripods.
18 Add a new layer to the breast

of the horse to make it look more
powerful. That new layer should also be
thicker in the middle with thinner edges.

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19 A natural way of holding the horse while you work is by the torso (index finger on the back, thumb on the belly, or vice versa).
Unfortunately, this grip is likely to have flattened it excessively. Add another thick layer to the horses belly to make it a bit more swollen.
20 Wrap a piece of dark brown

clay around the protruding wire tail.
Fasten the clay part of this new tail firmly
to the body, and arch it a bit. Hold the
back of the horses neck between your
index finger and thumb, and with a series
of short pinching moves, arch it a bit, too.
21 Use your fingernail to separate 22 Now is the time to make sure

the hoof from the leg. that all of the hooves are the same size.
Cut from the ones that are slightly bigger,
and add to the ones that are smaller.

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23 Back to the head. Fill the
hollows between the horses cheeks and
under his nose with two small pieces of
clay, using the tapered-point clay shaper
to blend them with the rest of the head.
24 Make a thin, wide sheet of

dark brown clay with which to cover the
hoof. You may ask: But why didnt we
make the hooves out of dark brown clay
in the first place? Because we didnt
think of it at the time. It is often impossible
to plan everything in advance, so you
have to make up things as you go. The
most painless approach here is to cover
the hoof with a thin layer of a different
color, rather than take it out completely
and replace it with a new one.
25 Our horse finally has shoes.

Not horseshoes, thoughonly
domesticated horses have horseshoes,
and ours is a proud wild stallion. Besides,
26 With the tip of your finger, 27 Here is a general rear view of
smudge a little bit of the light-brown clay the horse. Note that his belly should be
making horseshoes would be like nit-
from the leg over the hoof. Make sure visible, as it is in the picture.
picking, so well leave that for the extra-
there are no air bubbles under the thin
zealous readers.
layer of dark brown clay. If there are any,
poke a hole in them with the needle, and
then gently press to flatten the bubble.
Dont forget to cover the little hole.

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28 Add a band of dark brown 29 Open the mouth of the horse 30 Create holes to mark the
clay along the back of the neck to give using a cutter blade or a needle. prospective spots for the nostrils and the
the horse a mane. Squeeze repeatedly eyes. The eyes are usually wider apart
with your index finger and thumb to than the nostrils.
attach it to the neck.
32 Fill these holes with two beads

of glow-in-the-dark clay. We didnt use
eyelids this time, for a change, but you
can always add them. The result is a
horse with a less intense expression.
We also drew a few hairs on the forehead

to experiment, but you wont see them
in later steps.
31 Now, using the back of the

clay shaper handle, make two holes into
the head on top of the marks you created
with the needle in the previous step.
33 Use the needle to underline the

eye of the horse, as shown.
34 Remove the two dummy ears,

and poke two holes in their place where
you will next insert the real ears.

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35 To make an ear, start with a small elliptical shape, and 36 Then insert the new ears in their respective holes, making
fold its ends until it starts looking like a boat. sure they are well attached to the head. Continue the mane all the
way to the forehead. Also widen the upper part of the nostrils, and
make them slightly oblong.
37 Fill the horses mouth with tiny 38 Here is the head at this stage. 39 It's time to give this horse some
balls of clay, similar to the ones you used pizzazz. Create some irregular, extra-thin
for the eyes. They will eventually become patches of white clay (not glow-in-the-
slightly rectangular as you push them. The dark, but the opaque white), and
lines you see going from the eyes down to distribute them here and there on the
the nose are another feature you can add. horses body. Then, with a rolling motion
of the tapered-point clay shaper, level
40 We thought it would be smart to the edges of the white patches. The
put a white spot on the horses forehead. white spots shouldnt stand out above
Be careful not to overuse the small white the surface.
patches, thougha horse is not the
negative of a giraffe, nor does he have
a skin condition.
41 Use the needle to draw some

hairs on the horses tail and on his hair.
Notice the distribution of white patches
we chose for the back of the horse.

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42 Here is your finished beast

of burden, er, I meannoble animal!
Bake the horse a little longer than the clay

manufacturers instructions require at the
appropriate temperature because a lot of
clay went into this critter.

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Variation Ideas

Mythical Unicorn
Making a unicorn is a direct and natural
extension of the horse project, as we said earlier.
Just remember to put a piece of wire in the horn.
Relaxing Giraffe
Four-legged animals need not always be standing up. Here is an example of how to make a giraffe
sitting down in an almost human pose, using minimum armature. Notice how all his legs and tail are
close to the body to minimize the potential risk of breaking.

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What the skeleton we will learn how to make in this project does best is
THE MEDITATING SKELETON meditatethe process of going out into the woods, sitting under a tree
for seven years, and doing nothing but thinking. Our skeletons power
of concentration is so amazing that he even glows at night! Of course,
that might have more to do with the glow-in-the-dark clay we will
exclusively use in this project rather than with the skeletons brainpower.
We will learn first how to make a skull, and then we will explore the
possible ways of combining bones into a body. Skeletons can be
thought of as jigsaw puzzles, made up of hundreds of parts that need
to be put together. Our concern, however, is with a more stylized
skeleton, almost made of flesh and blood, so we will merge many of
these puzzle bits together.

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T H E M E D I TAT I N G S K E L E T O N
M AT E R I A L S
1 block glow-in-the-dark clay
TOOLS
3" (7.6 cm) 0.7 mm copper wire Needle or safety pin
1 miniature straw hat (optional) Wire cutters
1 Make an egg shape or simply a

ball by rolling a piece of clay between
your palms. We used glow-in-the-dark clay
because it has a nice bone color during the
day. When you bake it really well (even if
it turns slightly yellowish), it contributes to
the true bone look of the skeleton.
2 Squeeze half of the ball between 3 Push with your thumb on the back
your index finger and thumb, as shown. of the skull toward where the face will be.
Refer to the picture to see the dents your Exert counterpressure on the future face
fingers are supposed to leave on both with your index or middle finger. You can
sides of the skull. The idea is that a skull use both hands if you find it easier. Just
consists of an upper partthe cranium be sure to push with your thumb in a
which is round with a larger volume and direction perpendicular to the face.
a lower partunder the cheekbones and
down to the lower jawwhich is more
rectangular and generally narrower. We
are now working on separating these
two parts.

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5 After the first couple of steps, the

side and front views indicate that the
lower, square part of the skull should lie
not directly under the upper round one but
aligned on one side.
4 This is a view of the back of the 6 This series of steps is aimed at

skull. Notice the marks that your thumbnail sharpening the distinction between the
left during the previous step. You can also lower box and the upper ball that make
clearly see the two shapes starting to up the skull. With the tips of your index
formthe wider upper part and the finger and thumb, gently squeeze each
smaller, square lower part. edge of the lower jaw to make it sharper.
7 When you turn the skull upside 8 Using the clay shapers handle, 9 Use the tapered-point clay shaper,
down, the general box and ball distinction make two holes in the lower part of the and, with a rotating motion, smooth the
should be more or less visible. Right in ball for the eye sockets. These holes lower edges of the eyes sockets toward
front of you once again is the mark your should be quite deep. the cheekbones.
thumbnail left on the back of the critter.
10 To make the temples, squeeze the

forehead very gently between your index
finger and thumb. Be careful to preserve 11 Push down on the side of the
the volume of the back of the head. eye sockets to make the cheekbones even
more prominent.
This move should have helped the
cheekbones stand out.

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12 Stick the clay shaper handle 13 Drive the needle deep into the 14 Make two balls of glow-in-the-
into the eye sockets again to make them clay, and draw an inverted V to make dark clay small enough to sink to the
roundthe previous procedures have the nose of the meditating skeleton. Think bottom of the eye sockets.
probably distorted them somewhat. Notice of it as writingyou need to go from left
A skull is by definition a scary dead head,
this actions result on the cheekbones. to right, without extracting the needle.
but in this project the objective is to make
We are using only one color of clay for a skull that defies that definition, a skull
this project, so to shape the critter, we that looks alive and funny. Therefore, you
have to rely on the contrasts that occur have to give it real eyeballs to fill the
when we create volume and draw in the hollows in his head. (Think of it as a
clay. This is why we made the eye sockets, biological paradox, just like the belly
a few steps ago, and the nose so deep. button of the bird.)
15 Insert the eyeballs into the 16 Skeletons have a reputation of

sockets, and poke a hole in each one always smiling. No doubt it must be
with the needle. You can also stick the easier for them. To allow our skull live up
ball on the tip of the needle first and then to the conventional standards, draw a
put it into the eye socket. Either way the huge smile on his face, starting from the
result should be the same. side, as shown.
17 Make a mouth corner/cheek,

just like the ones you made for the majority
of the projects so far. This time, the mouth
corner should be quite small to preserve
the ball and box distinction. Add the
corners to the skull.

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19 Make a couple of small grains

of clay, as shown, and randomly add
them to the lower and upper jaws. Our
skull, perfect in every other respect, will
have a couple of missing teeth.
18 Use the pin to open the mouth 20 To give the skull a nicer profile,
a bit, and draw vertical lines on the carefully push with your fingernail above
upper and lower jaws to create the the nose and between the eyes.
impression of teeth.
21 Here is the finished skull after 22 Skeletons are often said to be

the sculpting phase. Notice how the quite skinny. This, however, need not
irregularly positioned teeth, the needle always be the case, and for this project
marks, and the actual clay bits you will learn how to make a fellow with
complement each other to create the a belly. For a start, roll a ball slightly
dental impression. Pinch the skulls chin to larger than the skull.
make it pointier.
23 Rolling the ball between your
fingers to elongate one end until the ball
resembles a bulb. The tapered end will
be the neck of the skeleton and the lower
round end the torso.

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24 To create the armature, bend 3" 25 Stick the armature bit in the 26 Cover the wire with the
(7.6 cm) of wire in two, and twist both skeletons body where the neck starts, and surrounding clay, leaving just the loop and
ends around each other. push it into the clay along the height of the the first twist naked. Carefully push the skull
neck. The loop of the armature bit should onto the wire neck until the wire disappears
be on top; it will go into the skull. and the clay of the neck touches the lower
jaw and the bottom of the cranium. Use the
clay shaper to strengthen the clay joints
between the skull and the neck.
27 Here is the skeletons profile so far.
28 Now that you have the torso 29 Roll the clay back and forth
and the head, you need some limbs. To between your index finger and thumb until
have some limbs, you need some bones. you have a shape with two heads. To
To have some bones, you will need to achieve such a shape, just hold the ball
make them, starting with a small ball of by the equator while rolling. You may find
glow-in-the-dark clay. it easier to roll with the side of your
fingertips rather than the center.

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30 With the tip of your nail, cut 31 Holding the bone vertically, 32 Holding the bone horizontally,
into the oval end, as shown. carefully squeeze the part that was just
push down a bit on one of the joints.
under your nail, not with the intention of
flattening it but to restore the original width
of the shape, which was slightly increased
in the previous step.
33 Here is the finished bone. You

can gently pull on both ends to make it
longer, but be careful because doing this
will make the bone thinner as well.
Proceed similarly with the rest of the bones.
34 The first specimen of this type of skeleton was found after long and reluctant
archaeological excavations somewhere very far away. The pose in which he was found
suggests that he must have had interests other than meditation, for he was found in a
ballet position, making a victory sign with his right hand. Nevertheless, scientists were
able to decipher the map of his body and reconstruct him to the last detail.
We will use that same map to make our skeleton. Apparently, we need, all in all, six
bones, six toes, eight fingers, two balls for the kneecaps, two for the shoulders, and two
for the wrists.

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35 The skeleton will be sitting 36 Repeat the same steps for the
cross-legged in a typical meditative other leg. This time, the front leg bone is
position. Firmly attach two of the bones to attached to the belly and to the front leg
the body, as shown. The back end of the bone of the other leg.
rear leg bone should be sticking to his
At this point we were tempted to give the
bottom. The middle of that bone should
skeleton ribs, a belly button, and a chest,
be attached to the side of his body, and
the other end should be attached to the
as well as eyebrows, using the needle.
This drawing stage can take place at any
37 To add feet to the skeleton, first
front leg bone. The front leg bones connect the three toes of each foot
moment of the critter-building process, together, and then stick them to the lower
middle is attached to the critters belly. Try
although it usually comes last. ends of the front leg bones and under the
to have as much contact surface between
the bones and the body as possible, so knees, as shown. Once again, try to
that the skeleton will be less likely to maximize the contact surface.
break.
38 This is the index finger and

thumb of the skeleton's hand. Stick their
tips and bases firmly together. You will
next attach them to the arms of the
skeleton, for which we have already
made the bones.

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39 The arm of the skeleton is a 40 Turn the critter around, and add 41 Trace the backbone using the
bone that is simply bent in the middle and the other fingers, paying meticulous clay shaper.
attached at shoulder height. It should attention to how well they are attached to
follow the torso, with the forearm resting the bones of the hand and the knees.
on the skeletons thigh. The wrist should Because we do not use any armature for
almost rest on the knee. the arms and legs, it is to be expected that
the fragile skeleton would not survive a
Attach the combination of index finger
nosedive from your work surface to the
and thumb that you just made to the back
floor. However, we still have to ensure that
of the skeletons hand, as shown.
the skeletons parts do not come off in the
morning breeze.
44 The last thing to do when
Add the small balls of clay for the making a skeleton is to turn off the
kneecaps, the foot joints, and one of the lights to see if he has reached the
shoulders. Leaving the other shoulder desired level of enlightenment from
without a small ball makes the skeleton his meditation practices.
appear as if not all of his parts were
Bake the character following the clay
found, which makes a more credible critter.
42 Use the needle to add a cosine

graph on the skeletons skull. Also, outline
his eyebrows again, and draw two fine
lines under his eyes.
43 In this optional step, weave a

miniature straw hat, and place it on the
skeletons head after you have baked him.

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TIP
Regular White Eyeballs
To achieve a different glow-in-the-dark effect, you can make regular
white clay eyeballs. Then two dark holes for the skulls eyes will
appear when you turn off the lights.
Variation Ideas
Bird Skeleton
This chubby bird skeleton is largely made following the bird lesson. The only alterations are the use of
glow-in-the-dark clay, the creation of deep eye sockets, and the use of a structure similar to that of the
skeletons feet for the wings.
Quadruped Animal Skull

Animal skulls are generally more elongated and have other bony bits protruding from their surface, such
as horns. Prominent cheekbones and excessively large teeth are a must. You can also put two holes in the
upper part of the forehead to make ear sockets.
Skeleton with a Ball and Chain

Making a skeleton with a ball and chain is a natural extension of the skeleton project. Creating the ball
and chain is essentially the same process as the one we used to make the knights mace. Be sure that the
leg bone to which the chain is attached is a little thicker, because it will have to host the wire attachment.
Ghoulish Gang

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Whether Santa is an imaginary character or a real one has long been

HOW TO MAKE A SANTA a subject of debate. In my opinion, he is the only real creature I could
not resist including in this book.
The Santa character is made exclusively of clayno armature and no

embedded objects go into him. You will learn how to make a generic
Santa, complete with a red coat, a Christmas tree, and a present, but if
you are creating him in the middle of July, feel free to give him a pair
of shorts and flip-flops.

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H O W T O M A K E A S A N TA
M AT E R I A L S
1 block red clay
TOOLS
1/2 block flesh or beige clay Small cup-round clay shaper
1/8 block glow-in-the-dark clay Needle or safety pin
1 block white clay
1/4 block dark green clay
1/8 block brown clay
1/8 block pink clay
1 Red polymer clay is the messiest 3 Make three conical shapes of

red clay. Two of them, the arms, should
color of them all. The pigment in the red
have a smaller base, be slightly higher,
clay tends to color your fingers when
and be bent in the middle. The third one,
knead it, and unless you are working next
for the hat, should be straight and
to the sink and washing your hands every
somewhat shorter, with a larger base.
two seconds, you are likely to leave red
fingerprints all over the other light-colored
polymer clays you use. It is strongly 2 With your thumb, press on the
recommended that you first complete the upper end of the ball to create a shape
red bits of the character and then move on like the one in the photograph. The head
to all the rest. will soon lie here; the thin, elongated
upper end will be the collar of Santas
Start with a ball of red clay that will form
coat. The round part will be his belly.
the body of Santa.
4 With a rotating movement, use

the tapered-point clay shaper to make
holes in the bases of the arms. We will
insert the fingers in these holes later.
You can wash your hands now; we are

done with the red clay for the moment.

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5 Roll a ball of flesh or beige clay 6 This is roughly the shape you
a little bit smaller than the one you made should have obtained after the last step.
for the body. Then, holding it with the The round part will be the head, and the
fingers of your left hand, as shown, pull long, narrow part will be the neck, which
on one of the ends to elongate it. will serve two functionsfirst, it will
provide a holding place while you are
working on the face, and second it will
connect the critters body to the head. 7 Perform an index-finger-and-thumb
squeeze on the head to start extracting
the nose. Make sure there is a fair
8 After the vertical squeeze, make a horizontal one. Then, using the nose as an axis,
amount of clay between your fingers,
because Santa should ideally have a big
rotate the head, making a series of short squeezes, until you get a shape like this one. nose. The line going from the end of the
nose that you see in the picture is
unintended, but we will not bother to
remove it.
10 Push horizontally until your

thumbnail defines the lower end of the nose.
9 Clearly, if the nose keeps up

its expansion, our critter will look more
like Pinocchio than Santa. Push the nose
back to make it rounder and bulkier.

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12 Add a finishing touch on the
outside of the nose with the tip of the cup-
round clay shaper, making the nostrils
more prominent. Consider the nose done.
11 A nose, as we have seen

before, traditionally consists of a
protruding bit, the holes of the nostrils,
and the outer nostrils. Here, as usual, we
take care of the nostrils in one step. Stab
the protruding bit with the tip of the
tapered-point clay shaper, as shown, to
generate the inner and outer nostrils.
13 Using the round-cup clay shaper, prepare the ground for the eyes, as shown.
Repeat this action to make the ripples of clay for the bags under the eyes.
15 A beard is actually made of a

white croissant. To make the croissant, use
off-white clay rather than sparkling white
14 Using the clay shapers handle, open wide the critters mouth. Dont worry, he to minimize the risk of red fingerprints
wont be screaming the whole timejust until we give him a beard and moustache. showing (see tip on page 266 for
Make two eyes of glow-in-the-dark polymer clay wrapped in flesh or beige clay, and directions on making off-white clay). The
insert them in their appropriate places. croissant should have some volume.

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16 To make the moustache, roll a 17 Attach the beard to the head, 18 Then add the moustache,
snake of clay, making the middle thinner with the ends of the croissant pointing up. curving the ends around the cheeks. You
than the rest. This part will go under the may have to adjust the thinness of it.
nose, and we want Santa to be able
to breathe.
19 With the tips of your index finger and thumb, gently squeeze, as shown, to
create the pointy ends of the moustache. Then push with your thumb on the sides of the
face to make the cheeks stand out. The moustache and beard are just hair that covers the
face and should, therefore, follow some general facial features, which is why we still
need to create a volume that can be interpreted as cheeks. Finally, push the croissant 20 To make the ears, take a small
toward the nose to close the mouth. bit of clay, as shown, and fold it in half.
21 Attach the ear to the head, and

using the tapered-point clay shaper, blend
the upper part of the ear into the side of
the head. The head is mostly done now,
and we will return to the costume.

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22 Using the clay shapers handle, 23 Using your right hand, roll a 24 Wrap the white snake around
make a hole in the body where you will snake of white clay with round ends to the lower edge of the coat, as shown,
put the head. Hold the body with your left decorate the lower part of the coat. All until the two ends meet at the front. If the
hand while making the hole with your these right hand/left hand instructions can white touches the working surface, Santa
right one. help you avoid leaving red fingerprints will appear to be wearing a long coat. If
and making fewer trips to the sink. If the white snake is at the equator of the
you are left-handed, just do the reverse, belly, it will seem as if he is wearing
making sure to use different hands for the some sort of pants.
red and white clays.
27 Now for the Christmas tree.

Using dark green polymer clay, make a
big disk, a medium disk, and a small
base cone. The two little green balls will
be the stairs between the different
floors of the Christmas tree.
26 Attach the head to the body,

putting the neck into the hole you made. If
the neck is too long to fit, you may have
to shorten it. So far, we have a Santa
with a body and a head. We just need
to give him arms. He needs arms to hold
stuff, but we need to put that stuff on first
25 Make two loaves of brown and then put the hands around it.
clay for the feet, and attach them to the
body, as shown. The feet should be
apart, because they will serve as props
for the objects Santa will be holding.

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28 Squeeze the two disks 30 To complete the tree, make a

repeatedly while rotating them, as shown, hole on the bottom of the big disk, and
to give them an irregular shape. Your insert a small brown polymer clay peg in
squeezes should not overlap each other. it. The trunk of the tree has a purely
Do the same to the base of the cone. functional role to playit will not be too
visible on the outside, but it will help
fasten the tree to the body.
29 The idea, as you have

probably already guessed, is to build the
Christmas tree layer by layer: layer one,
the big disk; layer two, the medium disk;
layer three, the small base cone. To
connect the layers, add one of the small
green balls between each layer.
31 Stick the lowest layer of the tree 32 Use the clay shapers handle to 33 Wrap a flat, rectangular
above the white snake on Santas coat, make a hole at shoulder height where you white sheet of clay around one of the
making sure to achieve maximum contact will soon put the arm holding the tree. prefabricated arms to make a cuff. Make
surface. The trunk should end up at the sure that the two ends of the white cuff
corner where the foot joins Santas bottom. are close to each other.

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34 Roll three short, chubby clay 35 Attach the arm to the body, as 36 Lets give Santa a white collar.
worms for the fingers and one for the shown. Each finger should rest on the Roll a white snake with two pointy ends
thumb, and insert them in the sleeve, as tree, and the upper part of the arm should long enough to wrap around the critters
shown, fastening them to the white and stick to the torso. neck. Add it to the neck, starting from the
the red clay simultaneously. front, as shown.
38 Roll a very thin snake of pink

polymer clay, and wrap it around the
box, as shown. Press on it lightly until it
flattens. Do the same in the perpendicular
direction, so that the pink ribbon forms a
cross on the top of the present.
37 Santa usually carries a big bag

full of presents for everyone, but our
Santa will have a more personal 40 Proceed with the right arm,
similar to the way you did the left one, and

approachhell be carrying just one
present, for you. Make a cube of yellow 39 Attach the packed present to wrap it around the present as well as you
polymer clay. If your cube does not have the body and the foot. can, without covering too much of it.
straight lines, dont bother to straighten
them; you can always blame it on the
wrapping paper.

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41 The making of the hat is very much like the making of

the arms. Wrap a piece of white clay around the wide end and
set it on the head. In the picture you can see we played with the
position of the tip of the hat. Give Santa a nice big white pom-
pom on the end.
This is also the step in which you add the buttons to Santas coat.
Draw a line with the needle to indicate where the coat is
buttoned. Then put several white disks of clay along that line. Push
lightly with the clay shapers handle in the center of each disk to
form a small circular dent, and poke four buttonholes in a square
formation in the center of each button.
42 Use the tip of the needle to draw hairs on the beard and the moustache. You can draw the hairs on the
edges of the beard to create a fuzzy impression.
This is also the time to draw wrinkles near the bottom-outer corners of the eyes. Add corners to the mouth and
eyebrows on the white band of the hat. Draw a pocket on the coat, next to the present, and put a white bit on top
of it to create the impression of an elaborate costume. Make some vertical marks on the Christmas tree, and draw
a patch in the very center of the hat.
You are almost finished. The last thing to do is to decorate the Christmas treejust put small, multicolored clay
balls all over it. Bake Santa following the clay manufacturers instructions, and let him cool. For more tips on
baking, see page 27.
TIP
Off-White and Sparkling White
To make an off-white color for the beard, you can mix some flesh or beige clay with some sparkling white clay. The flesh or
beige clays do not have enough pigment to drastically change the white color, but they can mute it a little bit.
The Universal Hat of Santa

This is probably obvious, but you can put small red-and-white Santa hats on all the ordinary critters you didnt give away
before the start of the Christmas season to turn them into very appropriate Christmas gifts.

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Variation Ideas
The Christmas Tree Has Had Enough
Now that you know how to make a Christmas tree, you just need to
give it a face, some arms, and an ax to make it come to life. When
making the trunk, use a cone with a wider base rather than a
cylindrical shape so that your tree can stand firmly on its feet. We
use short pin as armature for the axs handle.
A More Earthly Santa

To make a Santa with some real purchasing power, place a coin in
one of his hands and a bag with a patch in the other. The pom-pom
is bigger this time, and we used a short piece of wire to connect it
to the hat. You can also put a dollar sign on the sack instead of a
patch to emphasize the point you are making.
Santa Imposter?

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AFTERWORD FOR FIGURE CREATION How Far Can and Should Critter-Making Go?
Working on Details and Making Stories with Your Characters
Critter-making can go very far; one is either tempted to go into the most minute details of
a critter or get caught up in making an intricate set to provide a context for the character
they have created. Putting your italicized initials on every gray hair on your goblins head
would be an example of the former, and making a highway that leads to the castle where
your knight dwells in the middle of a forest, on an island, in a sea, on a planet, in a
universe in a parallel polymer-clay dimension would be an example of the latter. As you
can see, even the very sentence that describes the process of going to these two extremes is
long and confusing.
Of course, going to extremes can be a lot of fun and is

definitely worth trying at some point, but do not forget
that there is a middle road you should explore:
When the random passerby looks at

your creation, the characters highlights
should be more or less apparent, and only
then should there be enough detail to keep the
viewers interest for a while. It is better, for example,
to spend more time giving a creature a big crooked
nose and a huge unibrow than to meticulously put all
the 365 stitches that it usually takes to fasten a patch
on a sleeve.
By analogy, a finished character should be expressive

enough on its own to stimulate the onlookers imagination.
Making an auxiliary setting may provide the context, but
that context should be first and foremost suggested in the
character itself.
If you followed all the lessons in this book you may have
built a whole cast of characters with which to stage your
own fairy tale. Take advantage of the fact that many of the
characters are compatibleyou can make a knight on a horse fighting a dragon, a
wizard with a raven (the generic bird, in black) perched on his shoulder, a Santa with a
helper elf and a reindeer (using the horse lesson and the armature technique for the antlers),
a clumsy troll with a bird on his headyou get the idea. Here is an example:

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Sir George Tickles the Dragon

To build this scene we used the horse and
dragon lessons as they appear in this
book. The only new character is the
knight. To make a rider out of the knight,
we used simple armaturean inverted
Y of wireto provide support for the
legs. For the spear, we attached a feather
to one end of a wooden stick with the
help of some very thin red wire.

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Gallery
Ice cream served with this beautifully decorated scoop can only taste sweeter. You can make a scoop
like it by following the project directions.
Artist: Mona Kissel

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These elegant bracelets illustrate how effectively Mona Kissel uses the
acrylic floor wax technique.
GALLERY 271

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Gallery
Tearing effects give an aged look the lozenge beads in this necklace.
Artist : Ellen Marshall

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These necklaces feature paint and pastel applications.

Artist : Ellen Marshall
GALLERY 273

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Gallery
This necklace is a marriage of metal-wire wrapping and textured clay
highlighted with mica powder. The clay was textured with stamps from
Era Graphics.

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Subtle applications of ink and pastel color soften the hard contour of this
necklace.
GALLERY 275

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Gallery
Vibrant colored clay-on-clay is featured in this pin.

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Acrylic media and metallic paint combine to create the quilted effect on
this pin.
GALLERY 277

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Gallery
These pins are miniature collages of decorated sheets of clay.

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Exquisite seed-bead fringe and polymer clay ornaments (by the author)
combine beautifully in this necklace.
Artist: Leslie Pope
GALLERY 279

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Gallery
This artist pioneered the application of silk-screening on polymer clay and
introduced methods for building Japanese-style inro.
Artist: Gwen Gibson

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GALLERY 281

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Gallery
This artist works with both polymer clay and fiber. She uses surface design
in her mixed-media artwork.
Artist: Andi McDowell

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GALLERY 283

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Gallery
Stamping and caning applications are featured in this necklace.

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This artist applied her considerable talent as a fiber artist toward designing
and making this roll bag. The bag is ornamented with hand-dyed fabric
triangles and the authors heart-shaped polymer ornaments.
Artist: Judith Rose Lapato
GALLERY 285

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Gallery
The light weight of this bracelet belies its marble-like finish.
Artist: Sue Springer

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This artist has created ancient-looking, Asian-style boxes with fitted lids.
The surface treatment is translucent clay combined with embossing
powder and acrylic paint heated with an embossing gun.
Artist: Martha Aleo
GALLERY 287

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Gallery
Celie Fago
Exploring a new material, in this case Precious Metal Clay, can produce
strikingly original work. The malleability of the clay contrasts with crisp
carved textures and complex forms in these distinctive bracelets and
pendants. The polymer clay elements were produced with related and
visually harmonious techniques, including photo transfers and carving.
Photos: Robert Diamante

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Jacqueline Lee
Love for ancient and exotic art pervades these pins and pendants. Using
acrylic paint, metallic powders, and handmade molds, Lee has developed
meticulous techniques to produce work that evokes the ancient Far East
lacquer and wood pieces in modern clay. Elements are molded in clay, as-
sembled and adhered with glue or TLS. Photos: Jacqueline Lee
Nan Roche
Mokum gan is a versatile technique. The effects vary depending on the
color, transparency, and pearlescence of the clays used. For the pieces
below, a sheet made of contrasting layers of opaque clay was pressed into
shallow molds and later carved or sanded away, revealing dramatic graphic
patterns. A weathered look was achieved by applying a metal patina as the
last step of construction. Photos: Chris Roche
GALLERY 289

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Dayle Doroshow
When is a book not a book? When its a dream. Doroshows evocative fig-
urines, boxes, and plaques hold secret messages, treasures, and wishes in
hidden compartments. Techniques combine sculpture, caning, doll making,
and book arts. Photos: Don Felton
Elise Winters
This master of form and color explores new ways to combine polymer clay
with other materials. The screen holds a thin sheet of tinted translucent
clay embellished with gold leaf. In the cinched pin, a ring of vermeil
encircles a core of subtly color-blended polymer clay and a skin crazed
iridescent acrylic paint.

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Barbara Morrison
Energy and sprit are embodied here. Wirework and beading embellish
these colorful figures. Photos: Patrick Clark
Liz Mitchell
Polymer clay, transfer images, and paint were used to produce these dis-
tinctive books and frames. Photos: Ralph Gabriner
GALLERY 291

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Dorothy Greynolds
These streamlined pieces make the most of the luster of pearl clays. In the
pendants and earrings, paper-thin cut-out shapes in contrasting colors are
applied to pearl or black bases and rolled in. Photos: Dorothy Greynolds
Dotty McMillan
How many decorative techniques can you spot in these Oriental looking
pieces? Just for starters, the kaleidoscope employs image transfers, molded
pieces, and antiquing, while the lively figures (concealing recycled prescrip-
tion vials) are clothed in mokum gan and chrysanthemum cane slices.

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Patricia Klamser
Large, beautifully crafted evening purses bring the small traditional
Japanese inro boxes into the world of modern fashion. They are formed
over wooden shapes and ornamented with hand-painted and silk-screened
imagery, as well as veneers featuring metallic clay effects, carving, and
texturing. Photos: Rob Vinnedge
GALLERY 293

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Judy Kuskin
In these unusual mixed-media necklaces and wall pieces, found objects like
driftwood, shells, and feathers contrast with polymer clay design elements.
These diverse pieces employ many techniques, including carving, backfill-
ing with contrasting-colored clay, molding, texturing, mokum gan,
canework, crackling, patinas, and antiquing. Photos: Roger Schrieber

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Liz Tamayo
Voyages of imagination, discovery, and delight are memorialized in these
complex hinged albums. The postcards are polymer clay, too, and made
with transfers as well as paint and patinas. Photos: Don Felder
GALLERY 295

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Gwen Gibson
Innovation is Gibsons hallmark, from the Tear-Away technique cave art
brooch to the silk-screened lentil beads, bracelet, and pendant. The trans-
fer image on the pendant (lower left) was made on the back of a paper-
thin sheet of translucent clay, tinted, laid over crackled metal leaf on clay,
baked, and highly polished. Photos: Robert Diamonte

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Maj-Britt Cawthon
Polymer clay adapts just as easily to bold, geometric modern designs as it
does to traditional imagery and imitating ancient artifacts. Mokum gan
and simple canes are used to decorate the big, bold, elegant beads in these
necklaces. Photos: John Bonath
GALLERY 297

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Standard PMC Frame Project Templates
Textured Silver Frame with Inset

(see page 188)
These templates show the before and after
firing sizes of five sample rectangles. The larger
size in each set (left) represents the before
firing size. The smaller size in each set (right)
shows the 28% shrinkage of standard PMC.
If you roll standard PMC out to a height of 3
cards, youll use approximately the portion of
an ounce listed under each before firing size.
4 of an oz.
3
4 of an oz.
1
between 14 and 13 oz.
1
8 of an oz. 2 of an oz.
1

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Diagram for Cutting Accurate Frame Windows
Bird Box Pendant (see page 192)

Use a diagram like the one shown here to help cut
the window accurately. Cut the rectangle for the
front of the box and place it on a scrap of plastic.
Position it precisely on the diagram and follow the
arrow lines in at each corner to find the spot to
poke the four holes. Then, using a craft knife, cut
the window out using the four holes as guides.
T E M P L AT E S 299

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Template
Triangle Bracelet (page 98)

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Contributing Artists/Resources
Martha Aleo Linda Goff Ellen Marshall
817 South 10th St. 1204 S. Fir 2420 Montrose St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147 Olympia, WA 98501 Philadelphia, PA 19146
marthaaleo@yahoo.com Wire4Clay2@aol.com 215.752.0360
larrine@msn.com
Meredith Arnold Dorothy Greynolds
Moonenstars Unlimited 5678 Eldridge Dr. Andi McDowell
110 N. 201 St. Waterford, MI 48327 5664 Vantage Point Rd.
Shoreline, WA 98133-3012 248.683.1107 Columbia, MD 21044
206.542.3405 claywear@yahoo.com andi_mcdowell@yahoo.com
marnold@nwlink.com
Susan Hyde Dotty McMillan
Jody Bishel Susan Hyde Designs 7060 Fireside Dr.
548 Wakelee Ave. 3920 Sunnyside Ave. N. Riverside, CA 92506
Ansonia, CT 06401-1226 Seattle,WA 98103 909.780.4056
203.735.5879 206.281.1559 dcmcmillan01@earthlink.net
jbishel@aol.com shd2clay@aol.com
Livia McRee
Maj-Britt Cawthon Mona Kissel livia@liviamcree.com
11715 West 18th Ave. 749 Nadenbousch Lane
Lakewood, CO 80215 Martinsburg, WV 25401 Liz Mitchell
303.274.7565 monak@airphotographics.com 101 Upper Kingtown Rd.
mbcawthon@att.net Pittstown, NJ 08867
Patricia Klamser 908.735.5710
Dan Cormier 308 20th Ave. S. lizzez@ptd.net
RR1, Site 24, C67 Seattle, WA 98144
Gabriola Island, BC V0R1X0 206.322.8819 Barbara Morrison
CANADA pklamser@hotmail.com 717 Hiberta St.
hoco@island.net Missoula, MT 59804
Judy Kuskin 406.721.6159
Dayle Doroshow 2527 32nd Ave. S. tmw717@hotmail.com
Zingaro Seattle, WA 9814
P.O. Box 354 206.725.2725 Leslie Pope
Fort Bragg, CA 95437 jkuskin@hotmail.com LesliePope@yahoo.com
707.962.9419
dayledoroshow@hotmail.com Judith Rose Lapato Elissa Powell
3104 Addison Court Elissahearts
Celie Fago Bensalem, PA 19020 1731 Santa Cruz Ave.
RR 1 Box 376 jslapato@aol.com Santa Clara, CA 95051
Bethel, VT 05032 elissahearts@yahoo.com
806.234.5428 Jaqueline Lee
celie@adelphia.net 1645 S. 350 E. Margaret F.H. Reid
Springville, UT 84663 2 Stone House
Gwen Gibson 801.489.6226 Howey
216 Bayview St. jaquelinelee@mail.com Llandrindod Wells
San Rafael, CA 94901 Powys LD1 5PL
gwen@gwengibson.com UNITED KINGDOM
(44) 1597 825517
mfhreid@polyopol.kc3ltd.co.uk
301

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Nan Roche AATRICECO Clearsnap Inc

4511 Amherst Rd. 12244 N. 84th Place P.O. Box 98
College Park, MD 20740 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Anacortes, WA 98221
301.864.1805 phone: 888.484.1999 phone: 800.448.4862
nan@nanroche.com www.atriceco.com www.clearsnap.com
Airbrush supplies and accessories Fluid chalk pigment inks and other products
Leigh S. Ross
Polymer Clay Central Accent Import Export, Inc. Create An Impression
610 5th Ave. 1501 Loveridge Rd. 56 E. Lancaster Ave.
Bradley Beach, NJ 07720 Box 16 Ardmore, PA 19003
732.776.6576 Pittsburg, CA 94565 phone: 215.645.6500
sincereleigh@polymerclaycentral.com phone: 800.989.2889 www.createanimpression.net
sean@fimozone.com Earthtone rubberstamps, other
Georgia Sargeant www.fimozone.com rubberstamping and paper arts materials
2400 Virginia Ave. NW, #C-1017 general supplies, Magic Leaf patterned leaf,
Washington, DC 20037 molds, stamps, books, crackle finishes, and Diane Maurer
202.223.0777 adhesives P.O. Box 78
georgiapeach@erols.com Spring Mills, PA 16875
Airbrush City, Inc phone: 814.422.8651
Sue Springer 24 S. Jarom Lane www.dianemaurer.com
69 Hamilton St. Nampa, ID 83687 Wood graining combs, paste paper and
Chalfont, PA 18914 phone: 208.461.9191 marbling supplies
suespringer@comcast.net www.airbrushcity.com
Airbrush equipment, accessories, technical Dick Blick
Liz Tamayo assistance P.O. Box 1267
2926 Holyrood Dr. Galesburg, IL 61402
Oakland, CA 94611 American Art Clay Co. Inc. phone: 800.828.4548
510.530.7249 4717 West 16th St. www.dickblick.com
LizzeeT@aol.com Indianapolis, IN 46222 Lascaux acrylic paints (see www.lascaux.com
phone: 800.374.1600 for international sources) and other artist
Elise Winters fax: 317.248.9300 supplies
56 Adams Ave. catalog@amaco.com
Haworth, NJ 07641 www.amaco.com Golden Artist Colors, Inc
201.501.0520 general supplies, push molds, and tools 188 Bell Road
winterse@aol.com New Berlin, NY 13411
Valerie Wright Angelwings Enterprises phone: 607.847.6154
4370 Hickory Wood Dr. 3065 N. Sunnyside Ave www.goldenpaints.com
Columbus, OH 43228 Fresno, CA 93727 Acrylic paints and media
valkatdesigns@hotmail.com phone: 800.400.3717
www.radiantpearls.com Gwen Gibson Designs
Valerie Wright Primary Elements Coloring System- Polished 216 Bayview Street
4370 Hickory Wood Dr. Pigments and other products San Rafael, CA 94901
Columbus, OH 43228 phone: 415.454.3246
valkatdesigns@hotmail.com Clay Factory, Inc. www.gwengibson.com
P.O. Box 460598 Photo-EZ stencils- ready-made and stencil-
Escondido, CA 92046-0598 making kits. Online tutorials
phone: 877.728.5739
clayfactoryinc@clayfactoryinc.com
www.clayfactoryinc.com
general supplies, Cernit, and ripple blades

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Heart in Hand Studio PMC Tool and Supply Raydec Creations

9825 Tarzana Lane 1 Feeder St. Warkworth, Ontario, Canada
Las Vegas, NV 89129 Lambertville, NJ 08530 phone: 705.924.3903
www.heartinhandstudio.com phone: 609.397.9550 fax: 705.924.3872
Poly Bonder and other tools for polymer clay Precious metal clay Arts, Crafts and Hobby Services
Craft Supplies and Equipment Hobby
Homecrafts Direct Polymer Clay Central Products and Supplies
P.O. Box 247 website: www.polymerclaycentral.com
Leicester, LE1 9QS UK The biggest Internet portal dedicated to Red Castle Inc.
phone: 44.0116 251.0405 polymer clay art: A great online resource for Phill Schloss
post@speccrafts.co.uk beginners and advanced clayers alikea P.O. Box 39-8001
www.speccrafts.co.uk treasury of all kinds of polymer clay-related Edina, MN 55439-8001
general supplies, Formello, tools, and cold information. PCCs forum is a meeting place phone: 877.733.2278
enamels for many artists of the international polymer www.red-castle.com
clay community.
Letraset Limited Rio Grande
Kingsnorth Industrial Estate Polymer Clay Express 7500 Bluewater Rd. N.W.
Wotton Road 13017 Wisteria Drive Albuquerque, NM87121
Ashford Kent, TN23 UK Box 275 phone: 800.545.6566
44-(0) 1233 624421 Germantown, MD 20874 Precious metal clay
www.letraset.com phone: 800.844.0138
Promarkers, Tria markers, other products fax: 301.482.0610 Rossdale Pty Ltd.
www.polymerclayexpress.com 137 Noone Street, Clifton Hills
Metalliferous Inc. general supplies, all brands of clay, and hard- VIC 3068, Australia
34 West 46th St. to-find items Premo, Sculpey
New York, NY 10036
phone: 888-944-0909 The Polymer Clay Pit Staedtler (Pacific) Pty Ltd.
Precious metal clay British Polymer Clay Guild P.O. Box 576, 1 Inman Road
Meadow Rise, Low Road Dee Why, NSW 2099, Australia
Mindstorm Productions, Inc. Wortham, Diss phone: 2-9982-4555
2625 Alcatraz Ave., Suite 241 Norfolk, IP22 1SQ UK Fimo
Berkeley, CA 94705 phone: 44.01379.646019
phone: 510.644.1952 fax: 44.0139.646016 Stewart Gill, LTD
fax: 510.644.3910 claypit@heaser.demon.co.uk Unit 13, Elgin Industrial Estate
burt@mindstorm-inc.com www.heaser.demon.co.uk/claypit.htm 40 Dickson St.
www.mindstorm-inc.com general supplies and Creall-therm Fife, KY12 7SN Scotland, UK
Instructional videos www.stewartgill.com
Prairie Craft Company Byantia Cloisonne and other paints and
Over the Rainbow P.O. Box 209 materials. USA sources:
ABN: 37 212 817 463 Florissant, CO 80816-0209 www.meinketoy.com, www.puffinalia.com
PO Box 495 phone: 800.779.0615
Ascot Vale, Victoria fax: 719.748.5112 Royal Sovereign Ltd
Australia 3032 vernon@pcisys.net 7 St.Georges Industrial Estate
phone: 03.9376.0545 www.prairiecraft.com White Hart Lane
fax: 03.9376.4489 general supplies, Kato clay, NuBlade Kato London, N22 5QL
Heather.Richmond@overtherainbow.com.au and Marxit Kato tools info@royal-sovereign.com
www.overtherainbow.com.au Magic color inks USA source:
A full range of polymer clay products, tools, www.jerrysartarama.com
Lumiere paints, and Pinata inks
RESOURCES 303

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About the Authors

Ellen Marshall has worked with polymer clay for more than a decade. She
is a past cochair of the Philadelphia Area Polymer Clay Guild, which she
cofounded, and a past president of the National Polymer Clay Guild. Ellen
has been teaching polymer-clay craft for several years and has been
published in the magazines Polymer Caf and Step-by-Step Beads.
Georgia Sargeant started drawing, sewing, and building things as a child

and never stopped. After studying studio arts in college, she became a
graphic artist, reporter, and editor. From 1997 to 2001 she was the editor of
the quarterly newsletter of the National Polymer Clay Guild, where she
featured and wrote about leading polymer clay artists from around the
world. She has been working with polymer clay for more than a decade and
loves to learn and teach new techniques.
Celie Fago began working in polymer clay in 1991 after years of working as
a painter and sculptor. Her jewelry combines polymer clay with precious
metal clay. Shes a highly regarded, generous, and innovative teacher who
has done groundbreaking work combining these materials. Shes one of six
senor instructors of precious metal clay worldwide and was invited by
master metalsmith Tim McCreight to be Mitsubishis PMC liasion to the
polymer clay community in 1999. Celie and Tims intermediate video, Push
Play for PMC, is available from the author or whereever craft videos are sold.
Livia McRee is a craft designer and writer, and a former editor at Handcraft
Illustrated magazine. Shes author of Easy Transfers for Any Surface, Quick
Crafts, and Instant Fabric, among others. Her work has been published
online, and she has contributed to several how-to craft books.
Dinko Tilov has been creating amazing 3 to 5 inch (8 to 13 cm) creatures

using polymer clay and mixed media ever since he was a child. His unique
characters have been featured on polymer clay websites, in newsletters,
galleries, and in a calendar. He has lived and studied in Bulgaria (where he is
from), France, and the United States. Much of his prolific work can be
viewed at his website: www.dinkos.com.

CD1206-32 / 4271
Polymer Clay cover_111606/_ 1/9/07 5:31 PM Page 1
P
T
his special collection of projects culled from Quarrys most popular books about polymer clay
offers a spectrum of inspired ideas and techniques for polymer clay enthusiasts with all levels
of experience. Learn from some of the most talented artists in the field how to make every-
thing from jewelry to fun clay figures.
A complete and comprehensive section teaches the basics of working in the medium of poly-
mer clay. Artists including Georgia Sargeant, Celie Fago, Ellen Marshall, Dinko Tilov, and Livia
O
L
POLYMER CLAY ART
McRee then provide step-by-step instruction for beautiful projects, special effects, patterns, tex-
tures, surface embellishments, and working with special materials, including Precious Metal Clay. Y
INCLUDED ARE :
M
Projects ranging from inspired gifts and clay Step-by-step instructions covering the basics E
figures to unique jewelry and beads of working with polymer clay, special tech-
niques for surface embellishments, and a R
Advice and insight from seasoned polymer
clay artists into their own techniques and
processes
wide range of distinctive projects for boxes,
pendants, vases, wind chimes, book covers,
jewelry, and more

C
L
A
Y

A
Also available from Quarry Books: Making Designer Mixed-Media
and Memory Jewelry
ISBN: 1-59253-314-0
R Celie Fago, Ellen Marshall, Livia McRee, Georgia Sargeant, and Dinko Tilov
Crafts
Making Designer Seed Bead, Stone,
and Crystal Jewelry
ISBN: 1-592523-245-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-357-2
ISBN-10: 1-59253-357-4
T
$25.00 US
UPC
EAN
16.99 UK
$29.95 CAN
www.quarrybooks.com

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Polymer Clay cover_111606/_ 1/9/07 5:31 PM Page 1

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

POLYMER CLAY ART

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

2007 by Quarry Books

First published in the United States of America by

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

Design: Bobs Your Uncle

Grateful acknowledgment is given to Ellen Marshall for her work from

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

POLYMER CLAY ART

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

8 Polymer Clay Basic Techniques

9 A Helpful Note to Readers

10 Chapter 1: Getting Started

28 Chapter 2: Surface Techniques and Applications

102 Chapter 3: Transforming the Clay

116 Chapter 4: Creating the Structure

134 Chapter 5: Enhancing the Surface

158 Chapter 6: Precious Metal Clay Basic Techniques

170 Chapter 7: Creating with Precious Metal Clay

196 Chapter 8: Creating Fantasy Figures

301 Contributing Artists/Resources

304 About the Authors

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

Exploring Polymer Clay

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

The basic ingredient of polymer clay is polyvinyl

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

A Helpful Note to Readers

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

mixed-media pieces of art.

and project instructions.

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

About Polymer Clay

everyones reach. vide a shimmery luster. There are clays that

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

Polymer Clay Basics

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

Polymer Clay Equipment and Supplies

Rolling tools (B) An acrylic pipe or rod, a

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

Finishing materials Sanding with wet/dry Intermediate Kit

at auto-supply stores. personalized kit.

Working With Polymer Clay

able. (Some artists say that conditioning also

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

PROVISION Polymer Clay Art

If your oven has an overhead heating element, Cleaning Up

touched a polished glass or metal baking sur- should do the trick.

face, its a good idea to lay the clay on a piece of

After baking, most projects should be allowed effective up to 300F (149C).

to cool slowly to room temperature. But translu-

Safety Tip: Bake polymer clay with the best venti-