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’ve finished the bracelet I was working on the other day. Having three spaces to fill is alway a challenge. On the other hand it mean three blank canvases to have fun with.
I’m teaching this class next at Creative Journey Studios on April 22nd, 2012. I can’t wait.
So there you have the whole bracelet. I’m off now to start on another one, right after I finish filling out the survey to help standardize measurements for polymer clay. thanks to Sage, Maggie and Cynthia for putting this together. Read about it here, on Polymer Clay Daily, or go right to the survey here.
I’ll be hopping a plane in a few weeks to fly to Atlanta and get to spend some time with friends at Creative Journey Studios and a couple of days with a good friend from forever in another little Georgia town
First stop is in Buford, Ga and two classes at Creative Journey Studios. I can’t wait to get back there to see how the gallery has grown. When I was there last year it was just beginning and not everyone had sent their work for display and sale, mine wasn’t even there. So I’m excited to have the chance to spend some time there with Ellen Prophater, Sue Sutherland, and Patricia DiBona.
I’ll be teaching Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay and my Profile Face Cane. Grab a friend and come take one class or both, we’re going to have a great time.
If you need to jump into spring, you might want to seriously consider a trip to this charming little Georgia town. If you want to be inspired by polymer clay artists’ work all in one place, Creative Journey Studios is the ticket. Just take a look at the list of artists that have work that you will see up close and personal and possibly own. What a treat it’s going to be.
Judy Belcher, Jana Roberts Benzon, Leslie Blackford, Carol Blackburn, Kim Cavender, Louise Fischer Cozzi, Heather Cobb, Patricia DiBona, Ann Dillon, Lisa Dunn, Julie Eakes, Christi Friesen, Natalia Garcia de Leaniz, Sue Gentry, Linda Gilcher, Lindly Haunani, Ginny Henley, Stacy Hogue, Lou A. Huppke, Susan Hyde, Debbie Jackson. Jeanette Kandray, Kim Korringa, Judy Kuskin, Sharon Kyser, Loretta Lam, Ron Lehocky, Peggy Martin, Sandra McCaw, Barbara McGuire, Laurie Mika, Ann & Karen Mitchelll, Harvey Moriarty, Mari O’Dell, Mary Pratt, Ellen Prophater, Laurie Prophater, LaTrecia Raffety, Ponsawan Sila, Jan Stephens, Meta Strick, Debra Svitil, Alice Stroppel, Bettina Welker, Melanie West, Lori Wilkes, Elise Winters, Karen Woods
Amazing isn’t it?
Then….I’m off to cental Florida for Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s annual Fandango. I’ll be demonstrating and just hanging out to talk with everyone and show some of my methods.
Today, I’m working on some bracelets like the one above, because I need a donation for the fabulous auction they have each year. Speaking of seeing some of your favorite artists’ from around the country and the world. President Charlene and others from OAPCG have a long list of donated work that attendees can truely buy sometimes for a song. Okay maybe you have to pay, but it’s tons of fun and just getting to see the work is a treat.
Take a look at last year’s auction bounty. I think there is still time to register, but hurry!
I hope to see you somewhere, sometime.
By the time our two day workshop was over, we were all totally into body parts. Feet and lips and noses and HANDS. The picture above is an indication of the fun we had, you can see it was a crazy time with a great group of talented friends. I think they all invited their muses to join us while some pretty impressive face and body parts came to life.
I love teaching, the ah ha moments that produce giant smiles and the looks on faces that say, “got it, I can do that”. It’s so satisfying to watch people step out of their comfort zone and realize how much talent they have.
Just look at these face and body parts that this class made. Everyone made their own sample parts so They’ll have them to look at when they’re ready to make their next character.
Seriously, everyone did a fabulous job and I’m so grateful to be able to share what I know. Thank you ladies.
Finally having time to work on my sculpting for my workshop next weekend. I’m going to leave it here and finish during class.
I want to start an old man next, wrinkles are fun to make if not to have……
It’s cold here. going to be 30 here tonght. We’ve been spoiled this winter, the weather has been in the upper 70s and 80s so I shouldn’t complain, but it’s too cold for me.
I’ve been cleaning up and cleaning out, my studio and my bedroom closet. It’s so hard to let things go, but once you do it is very liberating.
Good bye clothes that no longer fit me and even if I did ever lose enough weight to wear you again you would be so far out of style people would laugh anyway………. feels good.
But my art supplies, that’s a whole other story, those things will never go out of style right? Dry up and become unusable maybe, but hey, even the 70’s crafts are coming back aren’t they? Okay I know, some of it had to go, but I know I’ll be sorry someday when I need that pound of wool fiber for something……..
I’m working on more samples for my sculpting workshop. What’s on your clay table?
I think I might “creep” some people out with this picture of the foot that I did for my sculpting workshop. But hey, we’re doing realistic sculpts in the workshop.
I’ve been racking my brain to figure out what I can make with just the foot without it really being creepy. Not sure I can. I’d like to incorporated it into a mixed media piece instread of just adding it to the collection of polymer clay hands that I made.
It’s not actually a collection, or at least didn’t start out that way. I made a giant mermaid and the first set of hands were too big and then the second set was too small, and one set was just right. (sounds like Goldilocks and the Three Bears). That set went on the mermaid and the other two sets are now “a collection”.
Oh and I forgot the hands I made for the almost life sized santa I have standing here waiting for me to dress him. Those hands are kind of part of the “collection”.
I know….I’m kind of strange, but I always, always, have fun.
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!
 I’ve started working on the samples for the sculpting workshop I’m going to teach in February. We’re going to study hands, feet, heads and armature. We’ll be looking at wrinkles, veins, and fingernails. In other words, we’re going to have a bunch of fun and create some incredible sculpts.
I decided to do a pointing hand because I have some ideas floating around in my head and you know it has to involve color. So stay tuned, it could be 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.
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