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.
Here’s the thing, Laquita Carter is a online friend of mine. She’s order many things from me, bracelets, card holders and my Profile Face Cane tutorial. She came to visit with me yesterday and we made face canes. We talked about my blog, we clayed, we talked about the classes she teaches, we clayed, we talked about clay, we clayed, we both finished a profile face cane. Then she went home. I forgot to take a picture of her, of her work, of us together, I forgot to take any pictures at all for my blog.
What?
So this morning, I want to blog about what a great time we had, but all I have is this picture of my new face cane that I took this morning.
Oh well, that won’t happen again. I was just having too much fun and had taken off my blogger hat. So I’ll just say, I had a great time yesterday, thanks Laquita for making the trip and I’ll be posting about a full face class in a day or two.
Now, I need to make some bracelets for a gallery, I’ve received an order of bracelet blanks, I have a new cane and there is no excuse. I’m changing chairs right now, from computer desk to clay table.
Yesterday, my friend Sunny Fuller and I went to see Alice In Wonderland. We had a great time . We haven’t seen each other all season and she is getting ready to head back north for the summer, so I wanted to see her before she left. We were the only two people in the entire theater, seriously, just Sunny and I. Only in a small town could two friends watch a movie on the big screen and be able to talk to each other through the whole thing as if we were in our own home. And, we enjoyed the movie and each other, so it was a successful afternoon. A big wave and a shout out to Sunny, a fun afternoon!
Later, I went to a reception at my friend Janet King’s studio for her students, the Thursday Girls. These ladies have been going to Janet studio on Thursdays mornings for as long as I can remember. A fun, interesting, talented group of women who each year, at the end of the season, hang their artwork in Janet’s studio for a reception in their honor.
As usual the artwork from all the students was exceptional and appreciated by everyone that attended.
Back row-Alice Hansen, Ellen Reinke, Lois Kunkel, Anna Karamitis, Lucille Ferrigan, Janet King Front row seated - Donna Danielson, Mary Foley
Alice Hansen was also there with her beautiful work that is always on display and for sale in the Janet King Studio. And the night wouldn’t be the same without Janet’s mother Mary Foley and her yummy famous chocolate toffee, thingies. I bet I ate 6 or more.
Janet King Painting Studio
Janet is an incredible artist and a fabulous instructor. She’s lively and funny and it’s just plain fun to be in her class. But what you can learn from her is the prize. She teaches in her studio in Sebring, FL as well as traveling as far away as Italy. She’s such a good friend and I wanted to brag about her and her shop.
In her shop you’ll find original artwork, giclee prints, prints, note cards and much more. Well worth a trip to the main street in downtown Sebring, Ridgewood Dr.
If you know me, you know I love figurative art and Janet is a master at painting the figure, but that’s only the beginning. Below are just two examples of what’s on her easel……
I love the way these flowers and leaves turned out. I had this idea while making the face cane. I can’t wait to use them on something else.
Flowers and Leaves
I made some canes that look like caladium leaves and want to make something for the Caladium Festival Poster contest in Lake Placid. Lake Placid is just south of us and is the caladium capital of the world. They are truly a colorful beautiful plant. Let’s hope I get around to it.
I had a great time at Sebring High School yesterday. It always surprises me that there are so many people that don’t know anything about polymer clay. The number one question is “what is it made of”.
I took the head above , my 3 foot tall tourist man below, my face canes and lots of bracelets, vases and things. The kids were very receptive to the medium and Steve Vandam, one of the art teachers at SHS, asked if I would come demo pc for his classes. I’m excited to be asked and can’t wait.
Tourist - Alice Stroppel
The second thing people ask is “how long did it take you to make that”. Now this one is pretty much impossible to answer usually. Unless you are mass producing something, it’s hard to figure the time, at least for me. I don’t write it down and so it’s soon forgotten. I’ve tried so many different things, who can remember?
Third thing that is so difficult to answer is “What inspires you?”. Everything……………..anything……..
I gave my card to several of the art students and ask them to take a look at both this blog and my other one, The Figurative Artbeat. I wonder how many actually have.
If any students are reading this, please leave me a comment and let me know you stopped by, I’ll be thrilled.
Okay, now I’ve totally lost my focus and plan to stop this and move to Plan B – making another face cane. But before I do, I’ve baked the face then made these flowers, put it all back in the oven again and am waiting for it to cure. I don’t think they go with her at all, not painterly enough, so I might not leave them with her. I don’t think they go with the canvas I painted either. But it’s all about experimenting until I’m happy. Can’t learn if you don’t try.
I am easily distracted today, lots of company this week and last, but it’s been great. Plus I’m going to artists day at the Sebring High School tomorrow. I’ll set up my work beside other local artist and answer questions from the art students. I’m always excited to share what I do with people and the kids are so interested. You should see the work they produce, seriously wonderful. Their teachers deserve a great deal of credit. So I need to gather my things and get ready.
An order from Boston Clay Works came today and included was one of their new eye class cases. I am thinking about what I want to cover it with while I’m still thinking about this face cane. I’m worse than I was when I was a kid and always jumping from one thing to another. so it’s kind of funny that I’m going back to my high school tomorrow.
But the bottom line is…..uh…….I’m sure you don’t want to hear me say I’m having fun one more time…..but I am.
I didn’t have as much time today as I wanted to spend with my face cane. Had to help with some yard work. It felt good to be outside in the wonderful weather. I did have time to paint this canvas and mess around with her neck and blouse. Colors still aren’t right, but I’m just going ahead with her and after she’s baked I’ll shade in under her chin with some wash.
I need to add wings and I want to do some flowers or something. I’m going to cure what I have so far and then add the other elements. I’m finding because I’ve been handling this one so much I need to get it cured.
I have been inspired by several folk artists and am trying to create my own folk angels. One of my favorite artists is Campbell Jane, I just love her work.
I spent hours messing around with this face cane. I finally decided I wanted to move on and start all over again. So I quickly added lips and called it a day. It not exactly what I had in mind. But I learned a lot and will begin experiment #2 on Monday. This is the first slice.
But as usual with my face canes, she has grown on me. So I added hair, a neck and some old pc butterfly wing. Nothing is baked and her shirt is just a piece of skinner blend I threw on there for the picture. With this cane I was trying to get a folk art angel look, it’s almost there, but I’m not finished yet. (that’s funny, I probably will never be finished, what a silly thing to say. )
Face Cane with Hair - Alice Stroppel
Even though I wanted to move on and start another face cane, I couldn’t resist playing around by adding the wings. And possibly tomorrow, a halo. Anyway, I’m good with her, I learned…so on to the next step. Oh by the way, part of the reason what I wanted to achieve didn’t quite happen is she’s just too big. with hair and neck she’s about 7″ long, now that’s big. The next one will start smaller.
I know…you’re wondering why on earth I would post this vase with these kind of scary looking faces on it. Well to tell the truth, they’ve grown on me and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. They remind me of the journey.
I made this first face cane over ten years ago. I didn’t put a date on this vase so I’m guessing. This vase still makes me laugh, in fact the better I get at making face canes, the more I laugh when I see these girls.
I thought they were wonderful. They didn’t turn out anything like I wanted. I wanted this cane to be beautiful, painterly, with gradual color change, but as you can see…………….but it didn’t matter, I actually took colored clay messed around with it and made this face that when I sliced through the cane, I got face after face. I was so excited. Are you kidding me? It was the coolest thing, I was hooked. Even though I was working somewhere else, I continued to work on my face canes.
My friends had to put up with me giving them things with very strange faces on them. My mother who loves beautiful angels was shocked I know, when I gave her a bracelet made of face beads. They were not beautiful angels, but yet another test face cane. But bless her, she smiled and said thank you. So that’s why I made this first “pretty” faced angel for her. I think she’ll like this better and forgive me for giving her the others.
I also didn’t know very much about the clay. The eyes are made with translucent clay and the rest of the face with regular. Today I know it’s better to try to use the same type of clay or a mixture of both.
As you can see by my post from the other day, I’ve been working on another face. Even though I’m very happy with the way I finally figured out to make faces, and I really enjoy sharing the process in my Profile Face Cane Tutorial, I still want to make a face that is painterly, with more color. So I’m experimenting. I haven’t got it right yet, but when I do I’ll post pictures.
I’ll work on it for an hour or two, mixing colors and trying to figure out an easy way to do it so I can make another tutorial, then walk away for awhile.
In the middle of the night I woke up and started thinking about how I could accomplish the look I was trying to achieve and another idea hit me for something not even related to the face. So yesterday I spent time playing with that idea before I forgot it. geez…….
But it’s all good, I’m where I’m suppose to be, doing what I’m suppose to be doing, taking as long as I need, it’s all fun and a great adventure. I ask you, what more could I ask for.
This week is my birthday week, there are parties planned and things to do. I’m thankful! Thank you for stopping by today!
Here’s a new video showing how to attach pc to metal bracelet blanks. Just a quick note, I get my bracelet blanks from The Clay Store. Tell them I sent you.
Okay guys, here’s a peek at what’s on my work table. A new face cane with a new look. I don’t want to show you everything I’ve done yet because I’m still working out colors. I think it looks kind of painterly don’t you?
That’s it for today and I’m going to try to stay away from the net so I can get those colors mixed.
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