January « 2010 « Polymer Clay Etc.

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.

Maureen Carlson Featured on The Figurative Artbeat

Storybox #15

I have another blog that is just for my pleasure and the entertainment of whoever wants to stop by. It’s called The Figurative Artbeat. It’s loaded with figurative artists in every medium.

I don’t usually post here every time I add another artist there. I do however let my polymer clay friends that visit me here know when I’ve posted about a polymer clay artist on The Figurative Artbeat.

I’m pleased to tell you that I’m featuring Maureen Carlson on The Figurative Artbeat. She has new work on her site and Storybox #15 (above) is probably my favorite.

Family and Friends

After Maureen read her feature, she said it was funny that I should mention her book Family and Friends as it was about to go out of print. If you don’t have this book and would like really easy to follow instructions for making pc figures, you should make sure you pick up this book before it’s gone.

Polymer Clay Flamingo Cuff Bracelet and Card Holder

Flamingo Bracelet

I’ve almost used all of my flamingo canes. I make my flamimgo in parts and then put them together as I go. I just like doing it that way.

I’ve made many things out of these canes. Dozens of salt and pepper shakers, business card holders, and now bracelets added to the list.

I still have just a little bit left of the canes, these are some of the last items until I make another set of canes. I have a special order to make before it’s all gone.

Flamingo Business Card Holder

Both of these items are going to my Etsy Shop.

An Interview on Clay Lessons.com

ClayLessons-interview

I was delighted to be featured in an article on ClayLessons.com. It is a sister site to JewelryLessons.com which is the brain child of artist Eni Oken. Both sites offer tutorials by a wide range of artists, for free and for purchase. There are tons of tips and lots of helpful articles. I wish Eni and all the artists lots of luck with this new site. You can learn more at www.claylessons.com. Thank you Eni for the article.

New Bracelets In My Etsy Store

Another couple of bracelets going to my Etsy Store. Trying to get some stock in my store so I can concentrate on my Face Cane Tutorial.

Black and white still sells really well. I love a crisp white blouse with jeans and black and white jewelry.

I’m also working on more bracelets for The Creative Native, the gallery in Tampa that carries my work. They have been selling quite well there. Pam, the owner is very nice and works hard for the artists. She has some wonderful artists there and she is a ceramics artist herself. Stop by if you’re ever near there or visit the gallery artists here.

I need to take some time and find more galleries close by. The gallery in Matlacha, Florida closed and I went down to pick up my work. There is this fabulous funky gallery across the street called Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens. It will take a second for the images to load, but ya gotta see, so hang on.

Leoma took some of my work, so we’ll see what happens. If you are ever in the area, you have to go see this gallery. Just too much fun. Take a look at her website and you’ll see what I mean.

Back to work…..

Pen and Ink and Polymer Clay – How To

Pen and Ink Repaired

I’ve been playing around with this technique and I’d like to share with you. The picture above is the bracelet from yesterday’s post. I’ve fixed her face.

The picture below is my daddy’s prototype for a hair color box. I didn’t realize until this morning that I was copying my father. It’s signed on the bottom of the box, E. Lamar Simpson, 1950, the year I was born.

E. Lamar Simpson. 1950 prototype Hair coloring box

It sits on one of my book shelves in my studio. I love it when it draws my attention like it did this morning. People always ask an artist where they get their inspiration. I’d have to say, everything I have ever seen. I think it is all stored and show itself when you are ready.

My Dad did a weekly cartoon for our local paper and I’d spend time watching him as he drew.

I wasn’t thinking of this box when I drew my girls. I wasn’t looking at it, but the technique is amazingly the same.

I began covering my bracelet with black clay. I layered the black with three rectangles of white equal distances apart. On the first bracelet I made, ( Can You Guess?) that was all I did. This one I added pieces of my zentangle canes.

Next step is to bake them. When they were completely cooled, I drew on the white clay. I used a black Micron Pigma pen. Size 01. For the lips I used red.

I always use this pen to sign my work and heat set it with a heat gun, being careful not to burn the clay. There was too much surface to cover with the heat gun (or maybe the truth is I just don’t have the patience) and when I wore it for a test run, the girl in the picture above had her lips smear. I sanded the bottom half of her face and redrew it with the pen.

This time I preheated the oven and put it back in for 5 or 6 minutes. That should take care of heat setting it evenly.

However, I would suggest, if you are happy with a part of a drawing, go ahead and heat set it with your heat gun. If you don’t, you run the risk of smearing it as you move on the the next section.

That’s it. It you use this technique, I’d love to see what you come up with. Leave me link in the comments.

Polymer Clay with Pen and Ink

Polymer Clay Pen and Ink

This is my second polymer clay with pen and ink. The first was the other day in this post, Can You Guess? This one I combined some of my Zentangle canes with my drawings.

I finished it last night and wore it all day today. My husband and I went to visit our son in Orlando, so it was in and out of the car, out to lunch and etc. By the end of the day all was well except with the lips of one of the side girls, they had smeared. I should have taken a picture of her before I sanded her mouth off.

That sounds pretty funny actually, looks pretty funny too.

Correction

I sanded way the ink and I’ll start again. I think I simply didn’t heat it enough with my heat gun. I think the answer is to pop it back into the oven for a few minutes. That way I will be sure that everything gets heated. Then I’m going to test wear it again.

I have some other things I want to try too. Some layering techniques. I’ll post more later.

Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet Added to Etsy Shop

Girl Night Out - Polymer Clay Bracelet

I’m happy to be working with clay again today. I have so many face canes in so many sizes, I wanted to continue to use all of them. So today I went from the very large pins I was doing to these small girls on one bracelet.

Girls Night Out - side view

I’ve posted it for sale on my Etsy site.

Girls Night Out - side view 2

I also baked another bracelet with white space waiting for pen and ink. Fun for tonight. Plus an experiment with glitter that I’ll share with you next week.

It’s good to get back to play…I mean work.

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