Simple twisted beads : Tutorial : Beginners

Hi !

As a beginner clayer I was never sure what I wanted to do. I wanted to cane but very (very!) often I really screwed it up. The colour combinations would be terrible and since I never had the restraint to control the squishing, I would always end up getting mud colours.
And once I got mud colours, I just never took that chunk seriously and I just played with it (no worry of colour contamination). That's how the previous beads were made and that's how these came into being as well.

In many ways, these beads are even simpler than the beads previous turorial.

Materials Needed :

Polymer Clay
Roller / Pasta Machine
Clay Knife
Tooth pick

Clay Knife , Half a Bar of Premo Gold , Toothpick , Roller

Process :

1. I make 8 beads from one quarter of the 2 ounce Premo! bar. 

2. Condition the clay. I prefer cutting them , and then conditioning them. but this works only if you are using the colors straight out of the pack. 

Since I mostly mix colors, I would say get your clay conditioned well, use a pasta machine or a roller to get them evenly thick , the use a cutter to get equal sized portions of the clay. 

3. After conditioning the clay 

1. Make a small roll of it , a thick snake.
2. Use your hands to taper the end.
3. Then lightly press it , without losing a lot of thickness.
4. It will now look like a narrow diamond.
5. Now slowly twist the ends of the diamond , but in opposite directions.
6. Continue twisting gently , it will begin to have a screw like look.
7. Put the bead between your thumb & forefinger , and slowly the press the ends down onto the bead.
8. Press it down some more , so that it resembles a curvy barrel.
9. Let it rest for a few minutes , then use the tooth pick to pierce the bead.

Now bake them ! Refer to your clay packet for the temperature & time. I have used Premo! , so 130  degree Celsius and I baked them for an hour.

Tada ! You are done !

Thanks for reading ! Have a great day :) 

Tutorial : Super Simple Textured bead : Beginner level

Hi !

I was in a bit of rut for the past few months. Its still supremely hot here ( 42 degree Celsius) , and caning is impossible. Most of the premo I have is super soft , and I was very frustrated claying . I was watching TV and I randomly started making these. It felt so good , because it takes minimum effort & great results.
On thinking about it now , these are based on the paper bead making techniques , I just changed the medium & added texture for interest.
I have tried these with canes and I didn't enjoy them much asthe cane work just gets hidden in the spiral.


Materials needed :

1. Polymer clay 
2. Roller / Pasta machine
3. Texture implements 
4. Tooth pick
5. Cutter

In Anti-clockwise order : Roller,A jar cover with texture, Premo polymer clay , Cutters , hand made texture stamp, wooden texture stamp , toothpick

Process :

1. Condition your clay based on your need.You can make around 8 beads from .5 ounce of P.C or a quarter of the Premo! bar I have used for illustration here.

2. After conditioning your clay , roll it to out to an even thickness. In the pasta machine I used , the fourth thinnest setting is ideal or around 1.5 millimeters ( apprx). I found this was best , not too thick but thick enough to take the texture.

3. After that is done , use your stamp and gently impress the pattern onto the clay. Try using a bit of water or a bit of corn flour on the stamp if your stamp is sticking on the clay and/or tearing it.

Clay with the design stamped on it

4. Now get your cutters and cut them in such a way that they have the design on them. I prefer using the narrow cutter as its easier , but it can be easily substituted with round cutters or oval cutters
(Using an oval cutter or a circle  cutter : Cut out a circle / oval with the pattern on it and re-cut it using the same cutter again , making a crescent shape. Discard the crescent and use the other part.)

5. Take your toothpick , the lightly wrap around an edge over it . Then continue wrapping the bead.

6. Once it looks like as in the picture below , slowly ease it out of the tooth pick.Your bead is ready !

7.Alternatively ,use the toothpick to poke a hole into the bead if you are not interested in using the hole already made.If you do so , it becomes a junction bead. The secondary piercing with the toothpick is not mandatory.

8. Now bake your beads as per the temperature on your clay packet , and for the recommended time.

Here  are some baked beads !!!

Note : I had initially made these beads using cold porcelain , so that's a medium you can easily use.

Have fun making these super easy beads ! I would love you to see what you make if you use this tutorial .
Thanks for reading & have a great day !

#2015PCChallenge : Week 36 : Resist attack!

Hi !

I am back to playing with alcohol inks this week. While I liked the bangles I made a few weeks back using the resist technique , they don't look very batik-y to me. So I have been pretty much experimenting for a bit now.

Clearly I haven't gotten a handle of how to get it right. But this particular experiment may  slightly, very slightly help me progress. At least I haven't traveled backwards this time ( I think ).

I was too tired to photograph them separately , so I just did it together :) .

Thanks for reading !Have a great day !

Also :
 Please pardon my late posts. We are having intermittent rains and frequent power cuts here , and its frustrating to upload and fail multiple times.I am thinking of even posting just once every month with four items , but I wont do it simply because its the next step  to posting once in three months and so on.
Thank you guys who still bother to read :) 

DIY Cuff / bangle form : Inexpensive & Quick

Hi !

When I started making bangles & cuffs , the first obstacle I faced was finding the right form to base my bangle around. I started making them using an empty soda can. I could wear it with a bit of discomfort , but I was finding it difficult to find a measurement that fit me exactly.

One way to find your size is by making a few bangles on different forms , such as tumblers , glass bottles and big sized cookie cutters. The drawback is that if the size is not right , you may have a few unusable bangles in your hand.And of course potentially wasted clay.

Then there are a few of us who find even this quite difficult because we cannot find the right sized form to use, even after much trial . This DIY is particularly for you.


MAKING YOUR OWN BANGLE/ CUFF FORM ( The lazy girl trick )
Please read the notes ( on the bottom of the post) as well before starting this project.

Supplies : Bangle , Caliper, Toilet paper roll & Aluminium foil roll. 

Materials Needed 

1. Aluminium foil
2. Toilet paper roll
3. Circular Bangle that fits you correctly 
                            or

    measuring tape / scale & string / Caliper tool

Time taken : Ten minutes

Measuring 

If you have a bangle that fits you right , measure the diameter of it (1st measurement) . Reduce 2.5 or 3 millimeters from this measurement ( 2nd measurement).

OR

My husbands hand for reference

If you do not have a bangle ,then take the string or measuring tape and keep it ready.

1.Measure around the widest area of your palm.Make note of the measurement.

In my case it is : 21 cm.
2.Divide this measurement by 3. ( 7 cm for me) - 1st measurement.
3.Now minus .5 cm or 5 millimeters from this measurement ( 6.5 cm for me) - 2nd measurement 


                                                                                                   Getting the form ready

Unravel the toilet paper roll , till the diameter of the roll is the 2nd measurement. In my case 6.5 cm.

Tear the aluminium foil to go around the ( now smaller roll) paper 2 to 3 times.

Holding the now aluminium foil wrapped roll, slowly tuck in the excess amount sticking out from either side , into the empty core of the roll.




Also:

• This measurement is for a bangle/cuff that fits snugly over your knuckles and falls to your wrist.If you regularly wear bangles , this would be correct for you.
• If you prefer your bangle to be of a looser fit around the knuckles, deduct .25 cm from your first measurement rather than .5 cm

                                                                                  OR

The truly lazy method ( which I use )

• Measure around your hand as in the picture I have attached.Make a note of the measurement. 
• Start tearing away the paper roll till it starts becoming thinner. periodically measure around it , so that the circumference of the roll is same as that of your hand.
• Tear away a few more sheets so that the roll circumference is a few millimeters less than your hand measurement.
• Tear the aluminium foil to go around the ( now smaller)paper roll 2 to 3 times.
• Holding the now aluminium foil wrapped roll, slowly tuck in the excess amount sticking out from either side , into the empty core of the roll.

That's it ! 

The total cost of purchase I incurred was around Rs. 90/-.
I have only used half a roll of toilet paper + a quarter roll of aluminium foil , thus  I actually utilized materials of about only Rs.40/-

Note : 

• Since the inside is tissue paper , I will not recommend using this more than few times.If you liked making bangles , and would like to do it regularly , it would be wise to invest in a form that is sold commercially. If that is not possible , try making a form similar to this , but only using aluminium foil.
• A kitchen roll could be substituted for the toilet paper roll. You might need to cut it down to size to fit in the oven better.
• The extra tissue can be used for armature building or for wiping down your work space etc.

If you have any questions , I would be happy to answer them.
Thanks for reading ! have a great day !

#2015PCChallenge : Week 28

Hi !

For this week's challenge , I made a mix of floral themed pieces.
I rather forgot about the challenge this week , so these were made quite quickly. They are made with a flower mold I rediscovered. They are quite simple to make , but the results are quite rewarding :)

I am trying to make a few more pieces for some experiments. I will try to post them here.

Thanks for reading this quick post :)

Have a great day !

Some common questions about polymer clay : Before baking stage

Hi !

Now that Polymer Clay ( from now referred to as PC) is quite easily available in India , I see a lot of people who are beginning to play with PC. Even though I am newbie as well , having the virtue of being a slightly older newbie , I get quite a few questions about PC. For the most part they are recurring , so I have decided to answer most questions here.

1. Is PC an air dry clay ? 
: No. It needs to baked.

2. What temperature do we need to bake the clay at ?
: The temperature is mentioned on the cover of your clay.
Sculpey3/ Premo/souffle at 130 degree celcius , Kato at 135 degree celcius.

3. My clay packet does not have baking instructions. What can I do ?
: Most good quality clay's come with baking instructions as the baking temperature varies from brand to brand. If the baking temperature is not mentioned , you will have to experiment on your own and see which is the baking temperature.
 A word of caution : Polymer clay burns if the temperature is too high , but it will be under-baked if the temperature is too low. The baking temperature may even vary from packet to packet of the same brand of clay where the temperature is not mentioned.

4. Can I bake my home made PC ?
No. Cold porcelain is also called as home made PC and that is an air dry clay.Their chemical composition is quite different , Cold porcelain being a PVA based clay and PC being a PVC based clay.

5. What can I do if I don't have an oven ? 
To work with PC you need an oven. There are many brands of toaster ovens available in the market.

6. Can I use microwaves to bake PC ?
No. It is mentioned on most of the packs as well.
Here is a Video of what happens when you microwave clay , by claycupcakes4 on YouTube. If you go through the comments there are some who recommend using a bowl of water to cure clay in the microwave. I have not tried it this and I don't know if the clay was cooked through.

7. Can I use the pressure cooker or water in some form to cook PC ?

I would say no, Water evaporates at a 100 degree Celsius , and most clay brands need at least a temperature of 130 degree Celsius for it be correctly baked.

8. What oven should I buy ?

As long as the oven has a temperature control feature ( such as knobs) , you can buy any oven in your budget.
 There are pros and cons to every oven out there. Go online and check out the various offers available along with the reviews. Speak to people have baking experience ( not necessarily clay) . Speak to electronic stores , check out guarantee / warranty offers.
Another thing to keep in mind are the projects you plan to do. For example if you intend to make large figurine's at some point in the future , ensure you buy an oven big enough to accommodate it.

9. What else do you use regularly while baking PC ?

I use an oven thermometer every time I bake.
Many , if not all ovens have temperature spikes, My oven spikes anywhere from 30 degree Celsius to 80 degree Celsius.If I don't use a thermometer , I will only know about burned projects once I smell them on opening the oven.
I need 2 aluminium containers to bake my projects in , and 2 Binder clips to keep it closed.

10. Do you burn projects ?

Yes. All of us burn projects at least once in a while.We may burn things due carelessness ( did not notice wrong temperature on the dial ) , or forgetfulness ( forgot to put the second aluminium cover on) , or because oven temperature suddenly spiked more than normal.Just like how a baby falls when they take first steps , we may burn things on the way to becoming artists. Don't let that stop you from loving clay :)

My very first project : BURNED !

Hope this was useful to you . Please comment to give feedback or to add the other questions you commonly recieve , question will be added with due credit.
Thanks for reading have a good day !

#2015PCChallenge , Week 25 : Calla lilies

Hi !

Whew , its finally the fourth week of my floral month.I love flowers , I really do , but this was a very tough week. I normally make imaginary flowers, realism is not really what I do , so trying to keep the 'real' part was tough.

To add to everything , my oven is slightly mad this week. I burned everything for two days.Now it seems ok , but I am going to listen to the advice I got and get it checked up as soon as possible.

Primary Piece : Simple floral danglers

And the secondary piece : Simple floral pendant

I am not too happy how this week turned out , I did not learn as much as I planned to.Hopefully next month is better.
Thanks for reading , and have a great day!

#2015PCChallenge : Week 19 : Neck pieces , mirrored style !

Hi !

It is already week 19 for the #2015PCChallenge! Wow ! That's a lot of learning for me :)

I have accumulated a lot of scrap clay during this process , as I tend to experiment as much as I can.This particular pieces were made from a recent cane experiment.

I recently joined the 52 weekly cane projects group on Facebook.The theme of the week when I joined was homestead. A little hobbit home immediately came into my mind.This picture by Ted Nasmith is what I was thinking of.
I did not know of the artist before I searched it out , even though the picture has been a favorite for years.I feel really terrible about that.

Anyway , my cane looks nothing like I planned ( LOL) , it was pretty fun never the less. I think I should proceed like a sane person from week 1 and THEN go into the second year :)

I used up the spare pieces from making the cane and also the pieces left over after reducing it,

Both the pieces are made using the Natasha bead technique. Even though it is an easy technique on paper , I found it takes some restraint from me to form these pieces.

The primary piece reminds me of a bubbling brook ( as the saying goes) , the plants in it swaying to a rhythm unknown to us.It is finished with silver colored chain.

The secondary piece reminds me of wahat I think plants on a ice would look like.It is finished with cotton cord and some rainbow beads , I still have plenty left over :)
I had cut a rather unlikely piece for the secondary piece. I cleaned it up a bit , but I left the trailing "tail" pieces as it is.If you notice , it has two separate Natasha pieces joined together.

In case any of you were wondering , here is my cane and "the idea". They definitely don't match! I sure have a long way to go!Please ignore the spelling comedies , if you can read my handwriting.

Thanks for reading through ! Have a good day !

#2015PCChallenge : Week 18 : scrap clay trials!

Hi !

For my personal May challenge , I am trying to utilize my time by using all the left over components and clay sheets to assemble a few pieces.

 I always have a few left over pieces / sheets of clay that were too pretty to throw away. I keep these separately so that I may use it later.This pile has been steadily increasing , so here are somethings I made with  them :)

Primary piece : Choker with rainbow beads , cotton cord and sliding knot closure

These beads are the results of the very first alcohol experiment. I wasn't sure what to do with them exactly , so I made a few tube-ish beads and some small round beads.This week I put them together.

I can just see someone lounging in a free flowing gorgette saree , playing with these beads as she sips something cold from a tall glass.

Companion piece : Square sunburst necklace , with gold colored chain and closure.

This is directly from my last week entry. I had a few left over pieces and they were just so pretty I did not want to ball it up or mush it up.I don't generally use chains to complete my pieces , however it went well with the theme.
I find this a very calming piece , just like the dawn :)

Thanks for taking a look. Have a good day !

In the garden : Week 12 #2015PCChallenge

Hi !

Its week three of the jungle challenge and I realized one thing , that  I love my jungle leaf cane. I am almost finished with it though , hope I can make another one just as awesome :)

The plan for this week has kind of turned towards home , towards the garden in our Kochi house. Kochi , like much of Kerala is a humid place , which makes it  very green. I never quite realized what an incredibly green state I lived till I moved onto college. Kerala has a lushness that Ihave never seen anywhere else. Green is certainly the predominant natural color,the various shades of green that pop up during the year are uncountable.

We haven't lived in the Kochi house for years , but I still remember the garden and my parents' constant struggle to keep it weed free. It could have been a house build in the rain-forests , ok probably not, but there was a small pond right next to us, and beside it grew huge towering bamboos , tall cotton trees ( teeming with little orange warrior insects) , wild cashew, wild almonds ,cassava plants and  yam plants with giant leaves.This bounty also meant , varieties of birds and snakes (hanging very picturesquely from the branches of some tree)  came to visit, and mongooses too.It was a tiny spot , but I could have spent the whole day studying it and the designs and patterns it presented to me,
This tendency meant we had a lot of Anthuriums and orchids growing aplenty in our garden. Roses never took too well.

This pendant was meant to be  jungly one , but somewhere along the way it went home :)

That was my primary piece , and here is my companion piece. This is an attempt to make Jhumkas.
Lots to fix in that prototype , but I am happy my idea worked out , so presenting it as my companion piece.

Thanks for reading ! Have a good day !

The Dremel Trial

Hi !

I finally received my Dremel around 2 days back. I was very very excited to try it out. I had tried using a manicure drill previously for buffing the jewelry pieces , however the RPM was too low and I didn't get any particular result from it.

While I was very excited about the Dremel , I was also quite worried about it. I have never ever worked with power tools , and it frankly scared me quite a lot.

The only thing I learnt because of the manicure drill episode was not to use the felt buffing wheel provided. While I think the buffing wheel can be used ( very carefully ) to perhaps even out the texture , it does not help in any way with the polishing.

I read this article on Desired Creations , about how to rig your own Dremel wheel for polymer clay
and I have followed the tutorial for unstitched rig.This site has lots of other interesting topics too.

 So , I did make my own rig by cutting up a very fine and soft cotton dupatta , ( A shawl worn with a churidar) which has been lying around since I snagged it on a nail, a few years ago. The next question was what would be the right RPM. I tried 5000 ( the minimum) , then 10000  ( not enough ) , then 15000. I was comfortable with 15000, however I tried to check with 20,000 , and the pieces just kept getting flung around. I believe 15,000 is my optimal RPM.

Lots of trial left , anyway first pics of my trial.The top picture is before the dremel buff , the second after. They have been sanded from 320grit to 1000 grit.

This pic was shot on different days , one cloudy and the other quite sunny. The banded ones are shinier than in the pic.

Thanks for reading :)
Have a good day !

Wide Bangle attempt : Tape base

Hi !

I wanted to share a mishap that I had a few weeks back.I had a large cello tape ( also called a scotch tape ) base, around the width of 3 inches. I was eager to tackle it , seeing it is such a huge base.I don't have a pic of it before my experiment.

I happily covered it with a clay film , and I proceeded to put all the clay slices and I was finally done. And completed baking. What I did later was quite stupid. As soon as it came out of the oven , I dunked in Ice water , which is a standard procedure for me.

What I did not take into consideration was the fact that there is  a cardboard base inside. The base got water logged .As soon as I began to sand , the cracks appeared. Then more appeared. I gave up all semblance of  trying a save and I have kept these aside as a warning.

In case anyone was wondering , there are a few complex canes in there , a few bullseye canes reduced by the extruder.

Thank for reading ,hope my mishaps help you out from doing the same :)
Have a good day !

Week 9 : Sunset in Lakshadweep & Bitter gourd earring

Hi !

My entry for #2015PCChallenge , week 9 is a simple chunky bracelet. Its based on the organic beads tutorial by  Ginger Davis Allman , from the Blue bottle tree. The primary piece : Sunset at Lakshadweep.

Lakshadweep is a group of islands in India. I had the good luck to travel there a few years back. The water is turquoise blue and the sunsets are a vibrant orange.I tried to take pictures showing the beauty of the sunset , but I only had a lousy 2 mp phone camera , and I could not capture all the colors.

The colour combination for this bracelet reminded me of those magical sunsets I saw.

My companion piece is the Bitter gourd earring. Its a simple ,rustic , bumpy earring .

Thanks for reading , have a good day :)

Some trials and failures

Hi !

This was a rather strange week. A lot of excitement on the shopping front and a lot of disappointment from the results front.
Last week , I finally splurged and a bought a lot of supplies for my polymer clay addiction. I bought six shades of Adirondack alcohol inks (6 !!! ) , a booklet each of imitation copper leaf and gold leaf ( I couldnt find any in silver ) ,a few tutorials , a few polymer clay books ( through Kindle for PC ), amazing mold putty and a Dremel , which hasn't been delivered yet.

What I did not count on was my natural tendency to spaz out. I went mad. I was trying to do everything , all together , my brain coming up with  new ideas every other second.I could not keep a track of it. I could not sleep , my brain was spamming me with strangest possibilities. AAArgh! I do appreciate my spontaneous brain , but it was very tiring.I have a been a mute person more less , this whole week. If talked it was only of polymer clay gobble de gook.

So in effect , I had a lot of trial pieces and a fair bit of learning.For one , dont always start sanding with lower grits.Sometimes its just not needed. Turns I needed  a experiment to finally keep this is in mind.

This is my first time trial of copper imitation foil and alcohol inks , which apparently leads to crackling technique. That was a pleasant surprise. I liked how this turned out. However , I sanded it a
bit too much and I thus sanded out the foil. There is a thin layer of translucent clay on top of it , then I applied Acrylic gloss varnish. This is the first time I have used any sealer / gloss on polymer clay. I ended up with brush strokes ,not easily visible to others , but glaring enough for me . To see if I can rectify it , I baked it again.The acrylic does seem smoother.

Another thing that I experimented with was my photography technique. I have a Fujifilm S 3300 , one of my most favorite possessions. People make fun of me a bit , because I tend to shoot pictures of tiny flowers and play of light rather than people.I don't like my photos being taken either , I am too fidgety, standing still is a total trial.My camera is fabulous for outdoor photography , which is what I do best.
 After shifting to Hyderabad a few months back , I discovered something I deeply disliked. There are no light spots. I always keep a few spots around the house as designated light spots , where the natural light is most ample , where my dog would fight me for it , if I had a dog.I  These light spots are my temples and my new house does not have any save one.That one light spot is on the tiny side grill of the entrance to my apartment. There is a stone there , on which I place my jewelry and shoot. I have taken all the PCChallenge photographs to date , on that circular - ish stone , maybe around 7-10 inches across. If I miss something , my jewelry would fall down 3 floors and break. Thankfully this has not happened yet , but I worry.

When I tried to take the photos of the blue-green ( earth ) cabochon outside, it took me forever to get the copper glints.On some half baked memory of reading  how to set up a jewelry photo booth , I improvised and shot these.I am not a big fan , but hey, practice right.

Remember the weekly challenge ? Well , I could not do anything. I had to try all the toys , all at once. Now I have basically nothing to show as a completed piece for my weekly challenge.I am thinking of  sanding and polishing my sister color bangles to submit.I made it last week , right after the jungle flower cuffs and bangles  , week 8 challenge. While the base idea is complete , it still has some work left.

Thanks for reading this lengthy post :)
Have a good day !

New toys

Hi !

Its incredible that somehow during the  past six months I am almost only working with polymer clay.I  have totally abandoned all other experiments.I might have to  change the description of the blog also, considering I am not doing a whole lot of experiments other than with polymer clay.

I am on a shopping spree this month ! Polymer clay related of course. I bought some Adirondack alcohol inks , the amazing mold putty and Imitation copper and gold foil. Yaay ! I am very excited.And I put in an order for my Dremel :)

Lets see what experiments I can do :)

Have a good day !

New toys and Skinner blends !

Yaaay !
 I finally got my pasta machine and I am soooo happy that I bought it .Frankly,I did not think it was a requirement at all as I was quite happy with my rollers.The pasta machine has definitely reduced the physical effort I needed to soften and  condition my clay.I  am finally getting sheets of even thickness , without wayward angles ( as long as I am careful of course ! ) which has really helped me with making my bangles more even , requiring much less sanding from me.

I also bought a silicon covered roller , but it hasn't matched up to my expectations yet.
I got a replacement Makins extruer as well , mine had broken down a few weeks back.This was bad as I needed them to make the base for my bangles and cuffs.I also use the extruder for reducing a lot of my canes. Did I mention I love making retro canes ?

One of the greatest gifts my pasta maker gave me is the ability to make Skinner blends.I have made them before,using regular rollers.A very labour intensive process , with no assured returns. I mean It was exhausting , and I never did get around to doing anything very satisfying with it as the quantities I made were very less.
The pasta machine has finally changed that. I am able to finally make blended canes ! I haven't yet learned the best color combinations out there , so that's something I have to work on.

Here is my first Skinner blend with the pasta machine :)

Thanks for reading , have  a great day !

Week 1 : Polymer Clay Challenge : Back to back entry !

Hi !

 I entered the #2015PCChallenge quite late , as in the 5 th week. This leaves me for 4 weeks to catch up on.
I had a few completed pieces , but I don't think its fair to enter those , as most had been completed before January.I did not want to come up with brand new pieces either , because my competency level has certainly increased during this month , thanks to the challenge. While this is an excellent change , it does not show progression correctly.

What I have done is , I have a stash of half completed projects, components that needed sanding and buffing and trial canes. My plan for the back to back is to bring some life into them.


These were very first complex canes I made.I still remember how happy I was to be progressing from bulls eye canes and jelly rolls :) .

So Week 1 : Kaleidoscopic floral earrings : Primary piece

Week 1 : Kaleidoscopic Cell earrings : Companion piece 

I could not really bring out the translucency of these canes even after a lot of sanding. I think I might have to get a Dremel soon !

So what I did it was this :

1. I provided a thicker base. ( important learning bit for me  : make the base before hand instead ) 

2.Attached the stud base

3.Sanded from 320 grit to 1500. ( lost a few finger tips)

4.Buffed manually

5.Drilled using a drill vise

6.Made the jump rings

7.Put it together

I can see all the flaws , the finger print I cant sand away because it is in a groove , the browning in one of the studs , uneven application of cane slices.Even then I am happy , because all those flaws have taught me.

Thanks for reading. :)

Comments are always welcome !

Polymer Clay : Experiment 2 : Simple canes : Bulls eye

One of the most fascinating things about polymer clay is the ability to make canes.There are many types of polymer clay canes , however for my trial here I have chosen to start off with the bulls eye cane.This seems to be the easiest cane to make.

Items I have used: Detailed explanation here.

1.Polymer clay : I have used purple,gold,black and white colors from Premo! by Sculpey.
2.Dedicated cutter
3.Dedicated blades
4.Rolling pins
5.Plastic sheets
6.Tooth picks
7.Aluminium foil trays : 2
8.Binder clips : 2
9.Oven Thermometer
10.Toaster oven
11.Wire : I have used 20 gauge
12.Cornflour
13.Zip Loc bags


Process : These are very simple to make.I have not followed any tutorial here.I have made some bulls eye canes then just cut them and rejoined them.In two places I have wrapped them again in other colors such as black and white.
It does take a bit of time , but its fun :)

1. I cut equal sized pieces of purple and gold clay.Just mash them with your fingers to soften them , then roll it in your palm to make little globes.Once they are merging seamlessly , the clay is conditioned.Store unused clay in separate Ziploc bags.

2. I made snakes with all the separate colors.Then I used the rolling pin to flatten them.Do this till you have two identical pieces of flattened clay. I cut both the flattened snakes into half.

3.I took one half of both the flattened pieces and rolled it again into equal sized snakes.Wrap the purple snake with the gold piece and gold snake with the purple piece.Ensure it gets covered completely,only leaving the ends free and then cut off the extra from the sheet.

4.This is a bulls eye cane.But I didnt like the look of it a whole lot , soI then rolled them into longer but equal sized snakes.I cut of the ends.

5.You can see how the cane has turned out. I got through the very first step when it comes to making polymer clay canes , not very neatly I am afraid.

So that's the bulls eye cane !

Now that the boring bit was done , I had lots of fun re-arranging them,putting on different colored layers and squishing them to different shaped canes.And this is the fun part , this also takes time though.I used basic colors because I dont really how colors combine in polymer clay and these were safe options.

I made a base of scrap clay, thinly sliced the canes I made , stuck them on the base , used slight pressure on the rolling pin to blend it.I then used cutters to make them into even sized bits and baked them.

Baking

I have baked the items between two aluminum foil pans.I pre-heated the oven for ten minutes for 130 degree Celsius, then baked them for 45 minutes. 

Thankfully , nothing got burned and I was a happy girl !

The very first one is lightly sanded and polished by hand , the other two are quite raw.They do not look professional by any standards yet.

Thanks for reading.Your comments are always welcome :)