27 videos, step by step, beginner cane workshop
What people are saying about this tutorial.
jennifer rose
Just finished this first workshop on how to make canes, and I must say I learned so much. This is exactly what I have been looking for, someone who could explain cane making in a step by step that process that I could replicate. I watched the videos, went into my studio and began to create all of the canes Alice showed. I finally have results I can be proud of, and I say thank you so much for doing this workshop. My only question now is when do we get more workshops. If you are only going to take one online class let it be this workshop. Thank you Alice for your hard work, and your dedication to helping others learn the joys of polymer clay.
Cynthia Tinapple’s new book, Polymer Clay Global Perspectives arrived at my home yesterday, exciting news, the problem was, I wasn’t home. But thanks to Linda Mosley’s post I saw that I could download it to my ipad. So while I was visiting my mother, I was able to take a look at the book and my place in it right away.
It’s a beautiful book, but what makes it special for me is that so many of the artists I know personally, many of them are my friends, I consider myself so lucky to have had the opportunity to become apart of this fascinating polymer clay world and to share a small part of the stage with such talented people. And it is such a world wide stage thanks to the internet.
I am amazed to be including at the beginning of this book along with Meisha Barbee, Donna Kato, Maureen Carlson, Gwen Gibson and Bettina Welker. To have my name listed in on the same pages as these ladies, as well as other well known names, is a dream. My Stroppel Cane has truly become a part of the history of polymer clay and it’s incredibly exciting.
Cynthia takes a closer look at 13 artists and each of them share a project with you. You’ll be tempted to put the book down and get started right away creating your own version of each project. I enjoy ed getting to know the artists I haven’t met and felt even closer to the ones I consider friends.
One of my Stroppel Sweater Girls is pictured as well, right on a page with some of my favorite people. I can’t ask for more. in all over 125 artists are included in this global look at polymer clay today.
So this is another special publication for me, but I’ll be willing to bet you’d love it too. You can take a quick peak at some of the pages on Amazon and of course place your order there as well.
This is my newest adventure, I pushed myself to create something large and more complicated than in the past. I used my Cane Mapping technique with an added twist.
It’s a large piece, 19″ x 27″, framed it’s 20 1/2″ x 28 1/2″. I bake my polymer clay in a regular kitchen oven, but even so I had to construct it in pieces like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
After baking a pieces, I constructed the next piece on a piece of glass and by fitting it to the last piece. I placed a roughly drawn pattern behind the glass, but as you can see by this picture, I didn’t follow it exactly.
I continued this way until all were pieces were baked and then glued them to a back board. Actually this board came with a frame I bought. Here’s a look at each step as it was completed.
After completing and taking a picture of this step, I realized how disjointed some of the yellow flower petals looked. So before I baked it, I made some corrections.
Not completely satisfied, but knowing this was as good as it was going to get, I baked it and moved to the next section. Once again I used my and for size reference.
And once again the finished piece. I certainly learned a lot and look forward to making many more.
I was cleaning up my work space after covering the hand in the last post and made this Stroppel Cane Jelly roll Cane.
From my pattern business years ago I still have hundreds of brass button covers that for some reason I still have. Okay I admit, it’s because I’m a keeper of “things I might be able to use in my art projects” kind of person. I also have lots of rubber cording. I decide to combine the two making these “beads” removable and interchangeable.
Of course your cording has to be thin enough and flexible enough for the clasp to close.
The second thing I have a few of are brass button on a shank. I pushed one through each slice of my cane and baked them
All I had to do is run the cord through the button shank and tada. The cord was just tight enough to keep everything in place and keep them from sliding. Both of these necklaces lay well and look very interesting.
There’s a discussion on FaceBook about Buna Cord or Rubber cording. Several people say that years later the cord gets brittle and falls apart. I’ve heard this before, but I haven’t had it happen to me.
You might want to consider a different cording material if you are going to make anything like this and offer it for sale. These are just for me.
I bought two hand molds at a flea market several months ago with the intention of coming right home and covering them with clay. It certainly wasn’t right away but believe it or not, I’m proud I actually got one of them covered before the year was out. Usually projects like this sit around staring at me forever.
This is one hand, I’m just showing you both sides at the same time. I still have some work to do on it before I begin on the second one. I have a bit of ……*choke, cough, choke* ………sanding to do and buffing it up. You see how much I wanted these, I do not like to sand or buff. but it will be worth it.
These are colorful, funky and a perfect sampler of many of my canes. I’ll be happy to have it to remind me of them all.
These hand are molds for rubber gloves. The flea market vendor had about 20 of them and I wanted to buy them all. I know, I know, I’m having trouble finishing two so what would I do with 20? Anyway, I’m glad I bought the two. You can find plenty of these glove molds online should you be so inclined to cover one.
Even if you didn’t cover them, they would make great display pieces just like they are. Hang your necklaces or bracelets from the fingers.
now…..what should I do with the second one. Black and white? more color? hmmmmmm.
Isn’t this beautiful cover? Marie Segal’s new book the Polymer Clay Artist’s Guide will be released in August You can preorder it from Amazon today.
I’m delighted to say that one of my pen and ink pieces is included, thank you Marie. I can’t wait to see what yummy techniques you’re going to share with us.
Just so you know what to look for if you aren’t on the side of the world, this book is also being release in the UK at the same time and this is the cover for that printing.
You can follow Marie’s adventures on her blog, Art from my Heart. Or you can be friends with her on Facebook.
I always enjoy spending time with the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild. Their group has so much fun together and there are always new members to meet and old friends to greet.
Once again I want to thanks Polyform Products and Iris Weiss for sponsoring this class with a generous amount of Premo clay.
Many thanks to Kem Eid for all the bookwork, manning the ovens and help, Eva for sending out notices….and all the rest of the group for making the day a delight.
And because of Crazy Nancy we have a group picture. I reminded and she remembered. It takes two….:-) I also managed to get a photo or two of some of the work, thanks guys for reminding me before you left.
It sounds like I have a really bad memory, okay I do, but…I’m also busy at the end of class and before I know it, people are gone. Forgive me if I don’t show your work here, we had some great pieces and lots of fun as always. Send me your Pictures and I’ll update this post.
Just a quick picture of a new pen and ink pendant. I’m getting ready to go spend some time with the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild. A little bit of ink and a little bit of clay……The main shape is a stamp by Barbara McGuire
These are talented people and I look forward to sharing some of their work next week. Have a get weekend and a fun 4th of July.
My Circles and Squares necklace was featured yesterday by Sage Bray on The Polymer Arts blog. I do enjoy this piece very much and always have one or two people tell me how fun it is! When I’m told that my work makes people smile of makes them happy, I consider my job accomplish!
I’m always so excited to see my work featured in The Polymer Art magazine or blog, I appreciate the fine work that Sage is doing for our polymer clay community and feel privileged to included with the vast array of talented artists working in polymer clay. Thank you Sage.
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West Coast Polymer Clay Guild
No picture here! I can not believe that I spent the whole day with this lovely, funny group and didn’t take one picture. I blame the guild member actually, I asked them to remind me and to not leave without a group picture. But every single one of them forgot to remind me. 🙂
I really apologize ladies, it was my fault after all. Next time I won’t forget.
All of us at this workshop want to send a giant thank you to Polyform’s Education Manager Iris Weiss and Polyform Products for supplying all the clay and then some.
We had a really great time though, what a talented group of women. I hope to get back to New Port Richey again soon.
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Art Deco
I’ve been drawn to Art Deco all my life. Maybe it was visiting Miami when I was a kid and seeing all those fabulous art deco buildings, or just the clean lines of the jewelry or the advertisements and art work created in that style. I think it might be the romanic vision of the ’20s that draws me in. Such large changes taking place in clothing, hair styles, woman’s rights…the world was changing dramatically.
Right now I’m working on this bracelet using my pen and ink technique. I wanted something new with pen and ink to take to the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild when I teach there next week. Working on slides in this style as well.
Having a ball actually, one more panel on this one and I’m finished.
But these funky faces aren’t just for bracelets, I’ve used them on all kinds of things.
A cocktail shaker, or
salt and pepper skakers, or
a canister, just to name a few.
I always have the best time at this guild, they’re fun and really enjoy the clay. And they always have the greatest pot luck! Thanks ladies and a special thank you to Sydney Carter for asking me and making the arrangements.
Everyone was delighted to the Premo clay for this project donated by Polyform. That you Iris Weiss.
Next week I’m teaching at the West Coast Polymer Clay Guild in New Port Richey, FL. It’s a great class to teach and I’m looking forward to seeing friends I made at Orlando Clay Fandango and making new ones. And making more great faces……..
I have a slide exchange coming up and I have been experimenting with different designs. They have to be black and white with one color. The exchange is with a very talented group of polymer clay artists and I want to make something new and different. Different for me anyway.
This was the first idea that I had and I made a bracelet to go with it. I saw a pendent like this except instead of my dot-dot-dot cane there were real diamonds draped around. I like this one and got several compliments when I wore it.
Next I made these three, once again using my dot, dot, dot, cane in each one. I like the one in the middle the best.
Yesterday I made these hoping they look a bit like ceramic bisque.
And then this “just a bit crazy” one that uses… what else but the dot, dot, dot, cane again.
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