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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Yesterday a friend of mine who is fish crazy, in a good way, asked me a couple of questions about my fish and if I had any for sale. Not for her, but for something else. The truth is I really don’t. the ones I have I use as demos in my cane mapping class, I have hanging on my walls or have given away.
I started this fish with just part of the tail when my friend Chrissie Baker was here in my studio. I wanted to show her how I did my big wall pieces.
So when I came to the studio this morning and was beginning to clean up my work table after my Stroppel Cane #2 video. I actually started cleaning the day before but got side tracked making hearts plant stakes out of the Stroppel #2’s that may for the film. Can’t throw them away of course…see.
Sorry, back to the fish. before I put all my canes away, I decided to use some of them to finish the fish. What fun it was, really lost myself in it. But what I wanted to show you was how thin these designs are and how easy they are to frame. So now I can say I have one for sale at least.
Oh and you can see how I used some more of my Stroppel cane #2 across the back of the fish. (first photo)
I call this technique cane mapping and it’s how I’ve done my large wall piece and this table.
If you are near Palmetto, I’m teaching a one day cane mapping workshop on June 7th. You must have lots of pre-made canes to bring with you. We won’t have time in class to make many if any. Skinner blends work best for me. Message me on Facebook, or leave a comment here.
Step one on the table top is finished. I’m going to love having this table around with samples of my faces. Lots of fun here, great therapy for sure.
I’m constructing and baking everything right on the glass. When it’s cool I’ll pop it off and glue it to the table top. I think I might have a piece of glass cut to fit to protect it.
See ya’ back here soon.
 This is a silly little table that my husband and I used as a telephone table when we were first married. Most of you can relate to a telephone table, but some of you may not remember a time when you had an actual phone connected to the wall.
We had a cord that could reach all the way into the living room. That was the only way you could talk for more than 5 minutes, I could cook, fold clothes, and watch the kids playing.
When we moved to our new house we didn’t need the table anymore. My Mother, Father, sister and brother-in-law bought a three story victorian house together and they had tons of room. The table went to stay with them and now it’s come back to live with me.
I’ve painted it lots of fun colors and have covered the bottom shelf in polymer clay with one of my faces and some of my colorful canes. I’m starting to work on the top when I have time and I’ll also be adding bits of PC on the legs.
It’s a piece that has been touched by every member of my family at one time or the other. No hurry on this piece it’s just something that will capture a lovely memory in time and link it to the present.
Okay, I’ve been working on an idea using white polymer clay and alcohol inks in both liquid and marker form. I wanted them to be free standing and collectable. Tallest one, the guy, is about 4 1/2″ tall. The small singing head is about 2 1/4″ high and has a removable, exchangeable saying bubble.,
The girl was the first one I made and I wanted the white face with black wash and color for the hair and clothes. 
I think the black wash was a bit too much, so I made this guy and didn’t use as much black, I like it better. Looks more like ceramic or stone.
The dots in the background are from a new technique design block by Sculpey.
Both of the larger figures are made with scrap clay, (yes I do have real scrap clay that looks like mud, some scraps are just not Stroppel Cane material hehe) covered with white Premo. But even I will run out of muddy scraps at some point, so I made a smaller one made entirely from new white clay. Needless to say I’ve ordered more white clay.
 I thought how much fun it would be to be able to use these as little greetings. Happy Birthday, Mother’s Day, etc, etc. I even make it so that you can remove the saying and replace it with another. (no it’s not my birthday). How about crazy funny off the wall humor?
This one I decided to try a little bit of color on her face, and it’s okay, but I like the other finish better, for a signature “look”.
I’m still playing and wondering if it would make a good class. I think most of the people that took my Sun class at Fandango made some great faces and I know these faces would be just as successful. I’m having a blast and my head is full of all kinds of new ideas with these stand alone, Stand Up, characters.
More later.
Come over ….or up …….or down to Maureen Carlson’s Center for Creative Arts in Jordan, MN. Join me at Maureen’s for three full days of fun filled classes, take one class or all three, spend the night or just come for the day.
Check out the dormitory rooms at the Center. How could we not have fun? Just like at school except everything you do here is fun, even the homework. Watch this video and see how peaceful it is at Maureen’s.
Isn’t this the coolest thing you can think of to actually own? Your very own shop where you have a fabulous studio to create in, you can teach classes and week long workshops, have guest instructors visit and on top of that students get to sleep upstairs. Slumber party!! Retreat time for sure.
Well this is exactly what Maureen Carlson has and I’m lucky enough to be a guest instructor on September 21 – 23 2012. I’ll tell you more about the three classes I’m going to teach in a minute.
I have been a fan of Maureen and her work for years. One of the first polymer clay books I bought was her book Family and Friends in Polymer Clay. Then I watched her on the Carol Duval show and loved her more.
When I finally was able to concentrate on polymer clay alone, I started two blogs, this one and The Figurative Artbeat. Maureen was kind enough to allow me to do an post on her and her fabulous work. It was the first time I actually contacted Maureen and then we met at Fandango that year were she was demonstrating her new face bead molds, she is just as fun and warm and inspiring in person. We’ve been friends ever since.
I’ve have wanted to visit her Center for Creative Arts for years, so this year is it. If you’re a fan of Maureen’s and want to experience the fun of her center, come on and explore it with me, we’ll have the best time, I know we will. Plus I’ll be sharing some of my favorite techniques, tips and ideas with you.
Now… I’ll be teaching three of my favorite things. Profile Face Canes, Cane Mapping/Contouring, and Pen and Ink. Each class is filled with as much information as I can fit into one day. August 21st is the reserve – by date for all three classes so be sure to follow the links below and let Maureen know you want a reservation.
Sept. 21 – The Profile Face Cane – reserve your spot here
Making this profile cane is surprisingly easy and we’ll spend some time making hair canes too. We can make bracelets, pins, or slides. I promise you we’ll giggle. Plus you’ll get a pdf file and a video link for later reference.
You can make pins from your face canes, put them on vessels or glass vases.
Or a cocktail shaker, how funny is that. Here’s three side of the same shaker.
Sept. 22 – Cane Mapping/Contouring – reserve your place here
This class is super fun and so far everyone that has taken this class with me has produced some wonderful pieces and had many “ah ha” moments. It’s a class about opening your mind to the possibilities that await you with all those canes you love to make.
These fairy dresses were made using my cane mapping technique, so was the design on the necklace below. Tracery tied for second place with the judges and won first place members choice in the IPCA’s Progress and Possibilities 2011. I’ll even show you how to display some of your work when you’re not wearing it. The fairy dresses above are actually pendants.
 Tracery - Alice Stroppel As you can see it’s a technique that can be used in many ways, big and small. Be sure to bring lots of your old canes, plus we can make some new ones.
Sept 23 – Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay – reserve you table here – With this class you’ll receive a pdf of face patterns and a link to a video for future reference.
Now this class is a blast. Again…you can use this technique on polymer clay bracelets, pendants, buttons, plaques, canvas, or whatever you can think of.
You can use just black and white or you can go full color. You don’t have to do a face, you can do simple graphics and produce fabulous pieces.
I created this cat and mouse pendant for a friends, fun I think.
This one is a favorite too. I’ll demonstrate how to construct these windows for your drawings and how to cover a bracelet.
There are endless ways to use this pen and ink technique, your imagination will run wild. And you won’t be able to leave until we’ve all made a Stroppel Cane.
So do not delay, Maureen and I would love to see you there. Reserve-by date of August 21st.
“The planet doesn’t need more ‘successful’ people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every shape and form. It needs people who will live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these needs have little to do with success as our culture has defined it.”
– David Orr in Earth in Mind
Dear Readers,
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the world and don’t know how to help. Things sometimes feel so much bigger than me and so far from my life I can’t imagine anything I can do would make a difference.
I want you to meet an amazing person, Kopila Basnet, who has entered the polymer clay world in a large way. By large, I mean the impact her guidance has made on the lives of the Samunnat Ladies of Nepal. Kopila has three daughters and has been trained in law and worked in the media and government organisations. She is the Program Coordinator of Samunnat and also provides much of the legal assistance in property and, less often, criminal cases.
I asked Kopila to share her story and she was kind enough send me the following;
I am Kopila living in Eastern part of Nepal it is called Jhapa. We have started Samunnat for some very good reasons. I want to add that we started Samunnat because I was working in one anti-corruption project as a journalist where I saw the corruption in our government office that made people suffer. I got some relief that I could at least publish the corruption news where people would aware of the fact.
After the anti-corruption project I joined another anti-trafficking project in Jhapa. I got to know that our district is only 17 kilometers away from India so it is the one border among 20 border to India where the most girls were trafficked.
When girls were rescued I heard their story why and how they were trafficked and even when I was in the project they come for their rights but they do not have financial support. So we start to think about giving them skill and the legal support. Now I love to spent my time with our Bahiniharu (little sisters) and do some new design. I love polymer creative work. We are very grateful to Wendy Didi who have given this wonderful polymer world friends.
When we were in initial stage in Samunnat we were just few members but now we have extended and have strong belief that one day Samunnat could be the platform for the vulnerable women and they will be united for their rights.
My wish is may our ladies could be independent, strong and empowered. That they know their rights.
The first basic requirement is resources which is their skills and ability to earn a living and be independent. As long as my dear friends wear our jewelry you can think you have purchased a right thing and thank yourself for the right choice.
Kopila
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and from the Sammunat website:
About “A Colourful Journey” and the Sammunat Nepal project
Sammunat Nepal grew from the desire of a group of Nepalese friends to help the many women they met whose lives have been damaged by violence. These people live in the troubled Jhapa district of Eastern Nepal. The friends were aware of the many women who are the victims of domestic violence, physical and psychological abuse or who had been trafficked into India for work in the tragically burgeoning sex industry there.
Most of these women are extremely vulnerable to further violence and exploitation. Simply providing financial assistance is only a short term and ultimately short-sighted solution. Instead, Sammunat Nepal seeks to work with the women to provide:
- Legal assistance for no charge or at affordable fees;
- Training in advocacy and about human rights;
- Specific income-generating skill training (as shown on “A Colorful Journey” web site);
- Counselling for the women as required; and
- Support as the women re-establish themselves and their families in new communities. Particularly important as they are sometimes unwelcome in their home towns.
______________________________________________________________
I’ve been so touched by these woman and their stories, I encourage you to read about them and their individual journeys. A recent post by Wendy Moore titled A typical day – getting to know us will surely brighten your day. I love that each of these women are smiling the most beautiful smiles.
“When our life was covered with darkness we always look at others life and want life the same as them. Now we are living with brightness and people are surprised and curious about what made this change.”
I want to be a part of that change, if only in a small way, I hope you will to. There are several ways you can help these ladies. You can buy their jewelry from this Etsy Shop or you can donate as much or as little as you want right from your Paypal account. It is amazing how quickly $5.00 here and $20.00 there turns into $1,000s. I know from my friend and theirs, Wendy Moore, that they would love to sell you their jewelry but will be delight to know you care in anyway. Find your way to their paypal button here A Colorful Journey blog.
These beautiful bracelets are just one of the products that these ladies of Samunnat are producing for sale. I just received my second set of bracelets from this Etsy Shop and they are lovelier in person than they are in a picture. I can’t think of a better purchase for myself or a friend, can you?
The pattern on the bracelets was taught to the ladies by Cynthia Tinapple during her trip to Nepal. You can read about that trip in this A Colorful Journey blog post You’ll experience a bit of the excitement the woman felt to be given a skill that could aid them on their road to independence. Many people in the polymer clay community have been generous with donations of all kinds.
I’ve added the Craftcult widget for their shop on the right side of my blog so you’ll always be able to find them.
I wanted to mention that Wendy Moore sent me the opening quote. “Wendy is an Australian woman living in eastern Nepal. A brain injury rehabilitation therapist in Australia, she is currently working as an artist. She is leader of the Samunnat cheer squad and provides some specific skills training and a sounding board!” We’ve been exchanging emails and I’m so happy to call her friend.
The quote by David Orr was posted on a website that I know I will be going back to visit again and again. Here’s the link to marianne elliot. Thanks Wendy!
Today I’ve had exactly an hour at my clay table and computer, I had some database work to do for our business and I was watching a tutorial at the same time. shh don’t tell my husband.
Anyway…I have been looking at the beads from yesterday and don’t have the time today to jump into the ideas in my head, but did decide to add a color wash to bring out the valleys. Can you see the difference?
Now I’m going to…shudder….buff them. I’ll be back.
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.
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.
I’m working on more samples for my sculpting workshop. What’s on your clay table?
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