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.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent more time at my clay table. The problem is, I don’t have many finished things that I can share.
Most of what I’ve been doing is experimenting with techniques and applications. Some of these experiments haven’t made it past the approval stage. I’ve been trying to apply what I stress in all my workshops, that is, play, experiment, stretch, because what’s the worse that can happen? You have to throw something away? So what? We always learn something along the way.
The beads up above are one of those experiments, working with Ultralight. Only the first stage, I can envision the next steps, lets see how it goes.
I’ve also been making slides to exchange on a retreat that is coming in August. I’ve had so much fun, but I can’t show them to you yet.
I’ve been adding to my cane collection, inventing different canes for my workshops. It’s one of my favorite things to do. So my work space is a mess and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In the picture above, amoung all my canes are two new tools that I find I’m using more and more. They are from the Clay Lady, Penny Jo. I’m not using them at all like Penny Jo intended, but I knew that before I ordered them. I love tools. You can order your own in her Etsy shop
I’ve also been working towards being able to give classes and workshops right here on my blog, I’m in the middle of the learning curve, so stay tuned. I just keep thinking how much fun this is going to be.
I was looking forward to my visit to the South East Polymer Clay Guild and I wasn’t dissapointed. The weekend started on a very high note and continued to get better.
I was fortunate to be able to visit with Pamela Carman and her delightful family and spend some time gazing at her bright cheerful birds, fish and all other sorts of other fun polymer clay work. And It’s because of Pamela and Susan Shuraky that I was there…….thank you Pamela and Susan.
The guild is lucky to have such a wonderful place to hold their large get togethers. The Woman’s Club in Davey is just perfect.
What a great group, we created some pen and ink faces and drawings, then got into a bit of caning and contouring. I just love how everyone was able to express their own voice with both techniques. It was so successful and I am tickled with their pieces. I hope to travel back to clay some more with everyone.
Hopefully I’ll remember the tripod so my photos won’t be so blurry.
A big thank you to all the members, you were great and it was so much fun.
Sometimes things appear when you aren’t expecting them. Well, I guess that isn’t entirely true. I wanted to create something new to teach that could incorporate several skills and still have my love of whimsey and pops of color. So I was kind of hoping something would come to me.
I’ve been busy getting ready for my trip to GA to teach at Creative Journey Studios and to have a few things to add to my inventory there when this sunshine piece popped into my mind. I worked on another sun a couple of weeks ago and had thought about teaching that, but it’s complicated and I wanted something I could teach in a day.
The closure on this necklace was a bonus thought that came to me. I was impressed with the closure that Melaine West came up with using magnets. I was having trouble with the closure on my appleman and Jan Montarsi aka Jembox, suggested I use magnets. I haven’t gotten around to playing with them yet and was happy to be able to share in Melaine’s solution on how to use the magnets. She has saved me hours of testing and I think it is so generous of her to share her method. Thanks Melaine, your work is simply stunning.
I thought I might use Melaine’s idea somehow in this necklace that I envisioned, but I hadn’t ordered any magnets so another idea pushed that one right out of my head.
Here’s my answer when you don’t have magnets, not as sophisticated as Melaine’s but this is a different kind of necklace……. cut a channel for your necklace cord to slide into, drill a hole in the back of a small accent piece made from pc and glue in your cord. Easy!
Now, I’d love to teach this class for your guild or group. Complete with a bit of easy to master sculpting… yes you can…..some fun cane work…teaching you to jump out of that box…….(I’ll be working on some new and different canes to include) plus some contouring work. I had so much fun making it that I know it will be a fun class.
Anyway, I’m happy with this guy and wanted to share my new closure with you and show you a bit about how my crazy mind works…jumping from one thing to the next until something just has to spill out.
How one project can lead to another and other artists can spark an idea that ends with an finished product that is my own is an amazing thing and something I hope I never stop doing.
I gather inspiration from everyone and everything, I hope you do too.
I record and watch CBS Sunday Morning every weekend and love the suns that mark each segment. I’ve always dreamed of having a sun featured there someday. Just one of those fantasies that are fun to have. I haven’t made many suns, so how I thought I could have one featured, I’m not sure.
My core belief is this …thought, word and deed. First you have to think of it, then you talk about it, then you do it. So I’ve made my first sun, I’ll just put “Sun Man” next to Apple Man on my shelf and dream.
I still have to finish the inside , but that’s part of the fun.
Surprise, a second post in one day. I just wanted to share what I’ve done today at my clay table.
I’m still working on appleman and the concept. It’s a sweet little cabinet ( Doreen, I just need to figure out how to add a shelf or drawer) or box with a quick surprise inside and room to hold a special treasure or two.
I’ve added canes to the inside with my mosaic technique (modified) and baked him one more time. One of the things I want to work out is fewer baking sessions.
This one will end up on my shelf and I’ll enjoy him for a very long time. I have ideas for more in my head and am looking forward to translating them into clay.
Oh man I’m having a blast. I’ve been wanting to do my own mixed media sculpts and Charlene Ahlgreen has made me get moving towards that very thing. Okay, Charlene doesn’t realised that by asking me to share what I know about sculpting hands etc in a workshop that she was going to unlease this whole new direction for me. Thank you Charlene.
I’m not got to be teaching this exactly, just the sculpting part, but I don’t see any harm is a little side trip for me while I’m getting ready for the class. (see me grinning with a twinkle in my eye?)
I love color don’t you? I like beautiful soft color, sophisticated color, and understated color too, but somehow the bright exuberant colors just make me smile.
I’m still thinking I need to add more cane slices. Here’s where the question, “when do you know it’s time to stop?” comes in.
Should I title it “look up”, “heads up” or…..help me here, leave me a suggestion just for fun!
We had a really wonderful time at Beads F.O.B. last weekend, it was a two day canefest. We all made lots of cane components for a complex cane and to use on our bracelets and pendants.
Some of the classmates decided they might not want to wear one of the crazy new bracelets I showed in the last post and opted to make a cuff or a pendant instead.
The class was about the caning experince and the mission was acomplished. My only regret is that I didn’t get pictures of each piece of work. It seems it always happens that way a the end of class, there is always just too much going on. But some great pieces were made and fun had by all I think.
A special thank you to Marty and Karen at Beads F.O.B. for everything. And to Edgar for taking the shot of us that you see up above. Only Sarah is missing from this shot.
Now on to preparing for my scuplting class next month. Now I’m really excited about this class, can’t wait!
I’ve been creating new fun but easy canes for my newest cane/bracelet workshop I’m teaching at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota this weekend. Many of the students have taken a cane class from me before and I wanted to add new, to them anyway, canes and just gereral tips on working with polymer clay. I’ve had a good time, added considerably to my stock of canes and am packing the car right after this.
My problem is, I get distracted by all the other ideas that come into my head. The bracelet above contains simple yet vibrantly colored canes and I just couldn’t help myself, I had to make this outrageously (choose one of these dictionary definitions……..1. shockingly bad or excessive 2. very bold, unusual, and startling.) fun to wear bracelet.
Naturally, each people can choose their own colors and don’t have to be crazy, so I think we’ll have fun. I have flower canes and several more complicated canes to share as well. There is still room for a couple more people in this class, we have a large space, so if you’re in the area, come join us.
Oh and I’ll be showing the Stroppel cane too. But some of these woman were the first ones I showed it too but it’s grown just a bit since then.
I also got some dies and the new book from Tracy Holmes and Dan Cormier right after Christmas. I have some ideas that I want to try out, but haven’t had time, so my thoughts drifted in that direction for a few minutes. Then the idea of translucent clay being colored and looking like sea glass caught my eye on Polymer Clay Daily, my brain began drifting again. This conversation started on FB as a result, ( I tried to link directly to the conversation but couldn’t figure that one out. So here’s the link to my page, you’ll have to scroll down about half way on the lefthand side.) While you’re there, friend me. lol.
So many patterns and colors on Pintest now that it has my mind jumping all over the place. I have a sculpting workshop here next month and I’m very excited about a couple of ideas I want to add to the workshop, but I have had to keep those ideas simmering until after the workshop this weekend.
Plus….information from artists is starting to pour in for Suzanne Ivestor’s and my new magazine Polymer Portfolio. The work is amazing, the artists sterling and well, the whole project is exciting.
So I’m starting off the new year with a full plate and very excited to be so actively involved in this wonderful world of polymer clay, thanks to you all.
I’ve been blending colors and making tons of Skinner blends for my up coming class at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota, FL. I had such a good time the last time I was there giving a class and I’m delighted to be going back. I’ll be there not this weekend, but next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14th and 15th. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come join us. And if your not in the area, I hope you get out of the cold and take a trip to FL. Call Beads F.O.B. to sign up and reserve a spot. 941-921-0871
The class will be about canes, canes, canes, and how to make this shaped bracelet. You’ll love this bracelet, I get a million compliments when I wear mine. As a bonus, we’ll be looking at color mixing as well.
I am going to expand on the canes I’ll be teaching and this class is for new and relatively new caners. I have been collecting inspirational photos for years and will be spending the next week constructing canes.
Just tapping into the world of geometrics provides a unlimited amount of ideas for canes.
Looking at colorful graphics is enough to get my brain spinning. It doesn’t mean that once I sit down to actually make a new cane that it will end up looking anything like these. Photos of all kinds are just a jumping off point for me, with color, shape and shading.
Just do a google search for say…..circles. click on the “image” link at the top lefthand side of the page and tada…….all the inspiration for circles you could ask for. You can to the same for any shape, color or subject. Just don’t get lost and forget about your clay.
Of course I can’t make Skinner blends without making scraps and scraps always lead to a Stroppel cane. I make this one with orange and blue as my separator colors and the rest of the scraps are just waiting their turn. Naturally, we’ll be making Stroppel canes in this class too.
Come on…join me in beautiful Sarasota, I’ll love to meet you.
In April of 2010, I was experimenting with a different kind of face cane and made 13 bracelets from it. I’ve sold several of them and have but a few left. I started photographing this one to put in my etsy Shop to sell. It has a flower that looks like a poinsettia so I thought it would be perfect for the season and I’d better get it posted.
When I looked through the lens, what did I see but a Stroppel cane that I used for a collar and a hat band. I started to laugh because my memory is so bad. At least about dates and when I did what. I knew I’d been making Stroppel canes for quite awhile, but didn’t realize it’s been almost 2 years.
If you look close at the bottom of the bracelet, you can see the date. Now I’m thinking I’ll keep this one, I have another one that is even more Christmasy. I hope this made you laugh, it sure made me glad that I date things.
I did list another pen and ink face bracelet that I finished last week. It’s in my Etsy Shop.
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