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 worked on the arms from the other day (photo above) you can compare it to the arms before (photo below).
 They still aren’t perfect and the shading just doesn’t look as good in these photos as it does when the bracelet is on my wrist. But I find that looking at most pieces of work in a 4″ picture is not how you see it on the bracelet. The actual drawing is only 1″ x 1 1/2″ so a lot of things you see in the photo just don’t show up on the actual drawing.
I also worked on two other bracelets, this one is using one of the face patterns from my pdf. I still have the third side to finish.
This brightly colored face is totally different and was oh so much fun to do. More work needs to be done on this one too, I like to give the ink time to dry completely and rest for awhile before working on the next panel. If I don’t, the colors tend to run a bit even if I heat set them, so usually I’m working on more than one bracelet. That’s why when I cover bracelets with the panels and canes, I do a bunch so that they will all be baked and ready for me when I feel like drawing.
Don’t forget I’ll be teaching my Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay at Creative Journey Studios in Buford, GA on the 21st of April 2012. And on the 22nd I’ll be teaching my profile face cane class, so grab and friend and come stay at the B & B right down the road. It’s going to be a fun weekend for sure.
The I’m off to Lake Yale in FL to do demos at Fandango. Days and days of fabulous classes you won’t want to miss. There is still time to get a late room or day pass. May 3-7th 2012.
June 10th and 11th will find me in Davy, FL with the Southeast Florida Polymer Clay Guild, details to come.
I’ll also be teaching this class at Maureen Carlson’s Center for the Creative Arts in Jordon, MN on Sept. 23, 2012. this is another long weekend with three classes I’ll be teaching. Just imagine what a great time we are going to have at Maureen.
Okay just a quick post this morning, here’s the rest of the legs bracelet. I know, I know, these are arms……….but you can see that they go together can’t you? You can see the other side of the bracelet in this post.
Sometimes when I take a picture of an item, I can see the mistakes better than when I’m looking directly at it. I need to correct the proportions on these arms and hands. Last night they looked pretty good, but this morning by light of day and the camera lens, I can see the mistakes. I’m still learning here too, I haven’t alway been bold enough to put my drawings out there, but have gotten over pleasing anyone but myself.
I draw directly on the baked clay, I don’t transfer a drawing. It would probably work better if I did, but I’m impatient and usually don’t do something twice. So I have to put it down and come back to give it a second look before I finish it up. This is a perfect example.
It’s just one of the things I’ll show you how to do in my Pen and Ink classes.
I’ll work on this again try to correct what I see wrong and repost it. You can’t learn if you don’t try.
I thought I would try something different on a black and white cuff, black and white legs…..
I still have another side to finish and wonder if I should add something in the background on each panel. I’ll have to think about it while I’m playing with the last side.
Have fun today, play with clay!
 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.
 Teia and Mario I received this cutey pie in the mail all the way from Switzerland. She is a Winter Lady and she came in a great little box with her own stash of Swiss chocolates. Speaking of Swiss Sweets, Teia and Mario make the cutest mini baked good, so neat and colorful. Check out these cupcakes.
Teia Fetescu and Mario Hubak are a polymer clay team that own Clay Corner, with a website, a blog, a Facebook page and a Flickr photostream where I saw this sweet little Swiss lady.
 Teia Fetescu and Mario Hubak
I asked Teia if she would be kind enough to trade one of her girls for one of my girls and luckily she said yes. So off to Switzerland went this Stroppel sweater girl and now I have a Teia girl hanging in my studio. What a great trade, just a bit of international exchange and once again, I win. Thank you so much Teia and Mario.
 Stroppel Sweater Girl
I’ve been neglectful in posting the wonderful things that I have received from other polymer clayers in the last couple of months. I’m always delighted when someone thinks enough of me to actually give me something they’ve made, it’s such a welcomed surprise.
 Kathe Keck Kathe Keck gave me this oh so cool Stroppel cane giant bead made with Christine Dumont’s Tutorial. Kathe and I met last year at Fandango and she has attented two of my classes at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota where we shared a room. She’s great fun and I was thrilled when she said I was the lucky owner of this Stroppel bead. Thank you Kathe, I love it.
 Berit Hines Berit Hines came to see me a couple of months ago and we had a great fun clay day. She left me this beautiful little box to keep treasures in. Thank you Berit, I have it right here on my shelf and I’m thrilled to have it. I hope to see you again before you leave to go back north.
 Sydney Carter Sydney Carter must have read my mind and knew how clay coated my hands are all the time. When she attended my sculpting class last month, she brought me this fabulous mixture that she made from a recipe from Polymer Clay Cookbook by Jessica and Susan Partain. Plus she made some of the best snacks to share with us all…..yummm. Sydney is an active (very) memeber of Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild that meets in Palmetto, FL. If you’re in the area, you might want to check it out. Thank you Sydney, you’re the best.
 Tyra Alhgreen Tyra Alhgreen attended the same sculpting class and brought me this oh so funny fish. I just love his crazy self. Ihave him hanging on a stand along with the jelly fish below. Thanks you so much Tyra.
 Charlene Ahlgreen Charline Ahlgreen was in that sculpting class too, in fact you could say she was the reason and cause of the class. She brought everyone together. This is a clever jelly fish that together with Tyra blowfish make the perfect underwater scene. I have really enjoyed it.
Charline is the President of the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild and is very busy about now with the auction for Fandango, their annual retreat. I’m going to be there demo-ing my pen and ink, so come on if you want some great fun claying and visiting and being inspired and claying and etc.
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.
 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.
I’m working on a project purely for the joy of it. Can you guess what this is going to be? Hint, it’s kind of like Appleman but not.
If you are new to my blog and haven’t seen my Stroppel cane video, it’s to your right on this page. Several months ago I share a technique I’d been using for awhile to use up my scrap cane slices and keep them from the mud pile. It kind of took off around the world when Cynthia Tinapple posted it on Polymer Clay Daily.
 Nina
Since then I’ve had the pleasure of seeing polymer clay artists from beginners to professionals give the Stroppel cane a try with some stunning results. Guilds are sharing it, there are swaps and Challenges. This Challenge from Parole de pâte had over 125 entries.
 Nolwen The Challenge was to create a piece using the Stroppel Cane or Julie Picarello’s Lazy River. The entries were about half and half between the two methods. Here’s some really wonderful pieces using the two techniques together.
 Ysseym There are so many pieces to choose from I can’t show them all here so I’ve just post a few.
 Aneliz Thank you to all those who participated and to Parole de pâte for hosting this challenge.
 Anne
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