Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners 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.
Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel
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I’m so happy to tell you that I have uploaded two new workshops to my online school. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you’ll see Cane Mapping and Extrusions.
The extrusion workshop consists of thirteen videos that equal over an hour of instruction.
This workshop will show you how to make small unique canes from extruded polymer clay. You can use these canes to make everything from buttons beads and pendants to cane mapped pieces.
It’s only about the techinque used in making the canes, not the finished pieces.
It’s all part of building your cane inventory so that when you are ready to begin a project you have many canes to choose from.
I use lots of extruded cane in my cane mapping pieces.
The butterfly on the left is made with both extruded canes and traditional canes. The one on the right is all extrusions.
 If you love mosaics, color and polymer clay, if you love the look of complex canes but simply don’t want to create a giant complex cane, if you love one of a kind pieces, and if you have tons of left over canes, this is the can mapping workshop for you!
This is the workshop I teach at my Sebring Studio and around the country at polymer clay guilds and retreats. The difference is you can rewind and watch each step over and over if you want.
In almost 2 hours of videos you’ll learn the basics by cane mapping this fish portrait and the butterfly on the left above. I’ll show you a few unexpected canes and different slices that you can incorporate into your designs.
This is an intermediate class and having some Skinner blended canes in your stash will make your designs pop.
Thanks so much for taking a look .
 After a couple of months of shooting and editing over 27 videos, my polymer clay school is finally open.
The first workshop consists of 27 video that take you through every step of the way I make my canes. The clay I use, the colors I choose the way I make skiner plugs and why I keep such an inventory of canes and plugs are all important steps to my final creations.
I’ll show you how I make thirteen different canes. Some of them simple and a couple a bit more complicated. You’ll see why follow the steps in part 1 of this course make part 2 eazy to accomplish.
This first Workshop, Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners is only the beginning for me too. I hope to add more workshops and show you exactly how I get from A to Z when I’m creating.
Here’s a short welcome video for you to watch.
And for those of you who follow my blog please use this discount code to receive $10 off Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners.
SAVE10
This discount will only be available until the end of the month of Aug. 2016
Here’s the link to Polymer Clay Workshops by Alice Stroppel
And thank you for being part of this incredible polymer community.
I’ve been working hard for the last few months preparing an online workshop to kick off my newest adventure with teaching polymer clay
I’ve started my online school that will feature more than just tutorials. For me it’s a new take on the online video or pdf.
Visit my Blog Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215 for more info.
Here are a few of the workshop available at Studio 215 in Downtown Sebring, FL
Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Weed Pots
Saturday June 4th
10:00am – 4:30pm
$75
Bring your canes or if you don’t have canes
You can use mine for $15 more
Saturday May 7, 2016
and again on
May 28, 2016
Beginner’s Cane Workshop
9pm – 4:00pm
$75
you provide the clay
Or
$90 clay provided
In this class you will learn caning basics. Skinner Blends, plugs, canes and how to slice cane for application.
You’ll leave the workshop with at least one finished piece.
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
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Download application blank for Alice’s workshops here
Thursday June 2, 2016
Build Your Cane Inventory
Prep homework required
$75
9am – 4:00pm
you provide the clay
(available at Studio 215)
Have you put off learning to cane because you believe it’s too hard, complicated, time consuming, precise, uses too much clay _______ fill in the blank? You not alone, but I can help.
If you like my style of work, I want to assure you that my canes are easy, fun and not at all precise. I don’t make large canes and I use every little bit of clay to make some interesting accent canes to use in all sorts of projects.
I firmly believe that you will be delighted at how much more creative and productive you’ll become if you have your cane inventory waiting for you when an idea hits. If you have to stop and make each component cane before you can begin, most times you won’t even start.
This class is for all levels of expertise, the only requirement is that you know how to make a Skinner blend and that you come to class with your Skinner blends and plugs already made. I’ll provide you with the instructions ahead of time.
By taking this workshop before any of my others you have plenty of canes ready to complete the projects we will be making.
Not sure what a “cane” is? Watch this short video explaining the process.
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I’m pretty excited about offering this new cane mapping workshop for furniture at Studio 215 In downtown Sebring, FL .
I have a full size kitchen stove that is just waiting to be filled with student’s work.
Class size is limited to 6 students, I hope you can be one of them.
Download application here
Cane Mapping Furniture
Cane Mapping Furniture
3 1/2 days
Thursday – Sunday
June 23 – 26, 2016
Limited to 6 students
$250.00
$100 deposit required”
Learn how to cane map on a large scale. We’ll be covering a small table (you provide) with colorful polymer canes.
Tables should not be larger than 20” in any direction. You should have your table completely ready to accept your artwork. Sanded, painted etc. If you are painting it yourself, don’t paint the surface where your artwork will be attached.
Bring your favorite canes and create your person piece of art-furniture.
Once you learn how to cane map for furniture, you’ll be able to apply that knowledge to large wall pieces and other items.
Day one – plan your design, make skinner blends and canes.
Day two – begin mapping your design.
Day three – Continue with your design and do final prep to your table.
Last day – Apply finished art to your table.
This is a little cart saved by my sister Sheryl. Her neighbor was throwing in out. A bit of paint and some polymer and it’s taken on a new life.
This table is special to me, it was our first telephone table in our first apartment. I won’t be teaching faces canes in this workshop, but you could bring your own.
Here’s another thrift store find. But there is no reason why you can’t can’t bring a new table.
It’s been over a month since I’ve posted here on Polymer Clay Etc. and so much has happened. All good, exciting and fun. You might have seen these images and heard all this before on Facebook etc. but this is for my friends who aren’t on those other social media sites.
First of all I had a private Pen and Ink workshop with Mary Jane Reinhart and she created a great bracelet that day. You should see the work she’s doing now, fabulous! Plus she’s so much fun, I love having her in the Studio.
I was over the moon when I received the newest addition of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, just before I left town for a retreat.
Laurie Prophater wrote a wonderful article about a challenge she proposed to Meisha Barbee, Julie Eakes and me when they were all staying at my house and playing at Studio 215 while Meisha was teaching. (Read about the fun we had here.) I’m thrilled to be published along with these talented women. Thank you Laurie for thinking of such a enjoyable project.
Next I met up with several claying friends in Denver, Syndee Holt, Julie Eakes, Meisha Barbee, Libby Mills, and Emily Levine, we had a great time. Crazy but oh so much fun!
Then it was on to the retreat where we exchanged bowls. 25 incredible bowls came home with me and this exchange started me on my bird obsession. I posted about my bird bowls and my larger bird wall piece here.
I came home with many wonderful things from an auction we have every year and I purchased some lovely pieces from my friends to sell at Studio 215 with more to come. I can wait to share some of them with you. I’ll be posting them on my Studio 215 blog and on my Studio 215 Facebook page. If you’d like to see what I’m up to at the Studio, sign up to receive a notice each time I post, my newsletter, and like my Facebook page.
I can be found on Instagram , Twitter, and Tumbr too. Whew.
Last week I was featured by Cynthia Tinapple on Polymer Clay Daily and that is always treat and a compliment. Thank you Cynthia.
I was featured with my newest face that I created for the auction at the retreat. I was flattered that there was many bids on it.
I made this cool graphic using an app called Canva. My friend Meredith Arnold shared this with me and I can’t stop using it. Very cool, thanks Meredith.
Here’s another graphic made with Canva showing off my newest bird weed pot prototypes that I worked on while on retreat. I hope to get more of these done showcasing different critters and characters. I’m smiling and that is always my goal, to create things that make me smile.
The beginning of September brought more laughter and fun at Studio 215 when several of my favorite people came to take a Profile Face cane class with me. We had a great time for sure.
Dottie, Kathryn, Barbara, AnnaMarie, Majel, and Mary Jane are new converts to polymer and I believe they aren’t getting away without clay sticking in they brains. They’re having as much fun as I did with I first started, but they’re lucky to have others to share the experience. Thanks, ya’ll are making me so happy to see you having so much fun and making such cool things.
Then to top it all off, Kathryn Obidzinski has been my apprentice for several months now and before I went on retreat she started a palette knife polymer clay self portrait. I think she created a wonderful piece. I know she had fun, learned a lot and I hope I can reel her in to explore polymer clay a bit more.
I’m spending the rest of the day prepping for the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat. I’ll be teaching along with Randee Ketzel and Sarah Shriver. Next month it’s Sandy Camp in San Diego. Just too much fun!!!
Thanks for stopping in, Alice
I’m really looking forward to syndee holt’s visit this month. When I saw her at Sandy Camp in San Diego last year I invited her to come stay a day or two with me before she went to Orlando Clay Fandango.
Then when Studio 215 happened I asked her if she want to teach. Always one to share her knowledge she said yes. She’ll be here to teach Mokume Gane on Tuesday April 28, 2015 from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Download the flyer and application here.
By the way, I’m thrill to tell you I will be teaching a master class at Sandy Camp this year, such a fun group.
I just started a Facebook business page for Studio 215, if you are on Facebook, I’d love it if you’d like the page, I’m at 464, 500 would be so nice. Thanks in advance.
https://www.facebook.com/alicestroppelsstudio215
Deciding what to sell at Studio 215 is turning into a interesting adventure. Of course my main reason to be there is to teach polymer to more people. And just so you know, I really want to hold small live online classes and that’s what I will be working on this summer. Sebring is a winter town for many people and most of our visitors have gone home for the summer leaving downtown quiet and a perfect time for new things to developed. Stay tuned.
It’s truly fun to be in the studio and see what people respond to. I am really having fun just putting all my fun bright canes on things people are taking to their homes or giving as gifts. Very satisfying indeed.
I have been surprised and pleased at the response to these fun wine glasses. Seems like I’m having to restock often but it’s great fun and I love making new canes.
My Salt and Pepper girls are finding new homes as well. Earrings and pendents are waving goodbye too.
I’ve not neglected my larger work though. Here’s a piece that I’m working on that will be 39 x 28 when finished.
No small task, pun intended, but one that I can truly lose myself in and extremely satisfying to say the least. So if I don’t post here as often as I use to, I’m creating, teaching, inventing and selling. See you somewhere.
I’ve been looking forward to this week for about six months. The four of us, Julie Eakes, Meisha Barbee, and Laurie Prophater planned to meet at my home studio and just sit and clay for a week. Then Studio 215 happened and the timing was right for one of this talented group of artists to teach a class at my new studio. Polyform Products provided Premo clay and we were set. Thank you Iris Weiss and Polyform Products
Meisha said yes and taught a full house this past week-end and Julie and Laurie have agreed to teach in the future. Happily that means another trip to Florida.
In the photo above you see us in my studio at home claying away. We didn’t leave the house that day.
But it was on to Studio 215 the next day to get ready for Meisha’s workshop.
These were just some of the beautiful samples Meisha had on display, forgive the photography, I’m responsible.
Below are the finished piece created by a very talented group of students.
Everyone had a great time, learned a lot and went home ready to explore these skills a bit more. Just take a look at these happy faces. Meisha is an excellent teacher, everyone agreed.
Can you tell that we laughed quite a bit? I just loved having everyone here.
I’m happy to say that I now have work for purchase at Studio 215 from Meisha, Julie, and Laurie. Here are just a few samples. I don’t think they’ll last long.
 Meisha Barbee
 Laurie Prophater  Julie Eakes
The next day found Julie, Meisha and me at the Ringling Museum of Art. We toured Ca’d’Zan the mansion and the museum and then jumped over to St. Armands Key to put our feet in the sand. Laurie had left us by then and we missed her smiling face.
We had a great time but we weren’t very popular on Facebook when Julie posted this picture. (notice the people in bathing suits in the back ground) Cold times up north…sorry guys.
Thanks to everyone for making this a happy week at Studio 215 and beyond.
Texas artist Randee M. Ketzel is Studio 215 on June 13th and 14th and bringing with her a ton of fun with this Beachcomber bracelet. I can’t wait for this workshop and to spend some time with Randee. I haven’t meet her in person yet, but I know I’m in for a treat. I’ve heard rumors that she’s kind of fun to be around. Okay not just kind of!
Plus I know for a fact she’s extremely generous. She sent me almost the first bracelets she made using Stroppel canes. See my post about it here. Thanks again Randee, they are still so special.
Randee will be incorporating a wealth of faux techniques in this beachcomber workshop. Students will learn how to create realistic driftwood twigs with fungal embellishments, fossil limestone with opal inclusions in a variety of styles, including miniature cycladic goddess figures, faux sea glass, and jade artifacts–scarabs and cicadas.
Students will create at least one bracelet, and have an abundance of elements left over for more projects..necklaces, pendants. earrings and more!
Lessons on seamless stringing and use of a power drill will be included. All materials and tools provided.
Join us for a trunk show featuring Randee work on Friday evening June 12th 5-8 pm. Also for sale will be autographed copies of Randee’s recent book Polymer Clay Gemstones: The Art of Deception.
Randee M. Ketzel came to polymer clay by way of a youthful career as a bench jeweler; when impending motherhood frowned upon such diversions, she turned to alternative materials, and in decent middle age, discovered–or was discovered by–polymer clay. She has happily immersed herself in its wonders ever since. She currently lives, breathes, and teaches the exquisite art of polymer clay in Austin TX with her beautiful children, wonderful husband and an impossibly fluffy little dog.
Her work may be viewed on Flickr , and on Etsy, at RMKdesign. Her work has been featured on Polymer Clay Daily, in national magazines, and art museum stores.
Download the Beachcomber Bracelet workshop application, and save your spot for this workshop.
Extruder Bootcamp
Mari O’Dell
Seed Pod and Tassel Blossom earrings
Overcoming the “Fear of Flying” or
How a tool saved my creative life and what it can do for you !
2 day Workshop – March 28th and 29th 2015
I first met Mari at a retreat and marveled at her talent with so many mediums. Her Idea books are to die for and what’s she is doing with polymer clay and the extruder is incredible.
This from Mari’s website;
“A teacher with thirty years experience, I became addicted to polymer clay in the late 1980’s when I needed an inexpensive way to teach a jewelry design unit to my at-risk high school students. I was hooked! Over the years, I have had the occasion to teach at guild retreats, two Ravensdale Conferences and other venues both in the U.S. and abroad. I have designed tools and have made instructional DVDs for the Artway at Polymer Clay Express. These include: Boxes, Bangles, &Beautiful Beads, Marriage of Materials, and Triple Treat. My fascination with their wonderful extrusion tool has led to the design of detailed discs and development of the patterned plug extrusion technique.”
Mari is coming to visit me and teach a two day workshop at Studio 215 on March 28th and 29th 2015. I’m thrilled.
Here’s what Mari has to say about this inspiring workshop
“I will jump-start the folks who have never or seldom used this wonderful tool.
I will introduce my technique for saving your hands. How to adapt all kinds of disks for use with the A.C.E. and P.C.E. extruders (my extruder of choice, although we will also work with other extruders) Other bits and bobs I use with my extruder.
Participants will create petal support stands , paddle accents and use a blossom cheat sheet to form the earring form.
We will create two patterned plugs for extrusion. Various disk designs will be available for use in class.
Participants should expect to complete one set of earrings of each design during the workshop.
This workshop just touches on all the wonderful things the extruder can do…you are only limited by your imagination.”
Samples of these earrings were featured August 25, 2014 on Polymer Clay Daily”
See more of Mari’s work on her Facebook page and on her web site www.mari-odell.com
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Mari O’Dell lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her sax-playing poet husband, mellow black lab, Sachi and silver -Tabby kitten,Marlowe. Avoiding housework by lots of studio time and gardening. Mari has been a long time studio artist, teacher, author and innovator. In the later role she has expanded the use of the extruder in ways no one else has. She has designed detailed disks for the Artway extruder and developed the patterned plug extrusion technique. Her design work extends to impression plates, silk screen designs and mixed media tools.
To sign up for this inspiring workshop, download an application form, Extruder Bootcamp with Mari O’Dell
Plus… Don’t miss Meisha Barbee at Studio 215 on Feb. 21 & 22, 2015. Download her application form Mica Shift with Appliqué’ Pendant
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If you love mosaics, color and polymer clay, if you love the look of complex canes but simply don’t want to create a giant complex cane, if you love one of a kind pieces, and if you have tons of left over canes, this is the can mapping workshop for you!
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