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.
More bracelets. The crazy one is made from scrap slices that I cut and didn’t use on other projects. Maybe I cut too many or maybe I decided that cane just didn’t work.
I can never bear to smash perfectly good slices of cane, so I just put them on a piece of deli paper in one of my clay drawers. (See this video for clay drawer ideas)
When I have enough, I make something crazy out of them. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have an adventurous spirit, maybe you should try it. If nothing else it’s kind of a record of your canes.
He’s been bugging me. “When will I get more exposure? When will I be noticed?” All I could tell him was to continue to be his pink self and someone would come along a recognize his inner beauty. Here’s hoping that like his brothers before him, he’ll go live with someone else soon.
I’m thrilled that my flamingo has be chosen by Alison Kurek for an Etsy Treasury. Thanks Alison, I’m honored! I enjoyed all the other fabulous work by so many talented Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy members.
Today I made more canes using the Skinner Blend method. Judith Skinner invented this way of blending polymer clay in 1996 and is working on a book with Sarajane Helm. I can’t wait for it to come out.
It is one of my favorite techniques. If you don’t know what a skinner blend is or have just never tried to make one, there are many sites out there with instructions. I think the best written tutorial is by Desiree from Desired Creations. She has some wonderful information on her site. You should spend some time there. I learned how to clean my pasta machine from Desiree’s site. Eugena from Eugena’s Creations also has clear picture instructions.
I’m working fast and furious on all kinds of bracelets for the galleries that show my work and to stock my Etsy Shop. thanks for stopping by today.
I had a favorite cane, like the coral leaf on the bracelet above. I made it a long time ago and have used it on many of my projects. It’s a simple cane using the Skinner Blend method for both the coral and the silver of turquoise in the middle. I wasn’t sure if I would remember what colors I used, but it was simple. Cadmium Red and white and turquoise and white. They make quick and easy, beautiful, tropical blends.
Color Chart
This time I’ll make a record of the color. For the last year or so, I’ve been making color records of my blends. I mix my color and then run a piece through the pasta machine at about #6 (very thin). I cut a small circle from that and heat set it with my heat gun, then glue it in my color book. Then I make Skinner blends from it and do the same thing with bits of the blend. I like being able to write on the pages and make notes if I want to.
Color Rings
I’ve tried lots of other ways to record my color experiments like the color rings above. On the one on the right, I carved the recipe on the back. The one on the left, (I must have been out of my mind) I made these little circles with the recipe typed on the computer. I had to set them up on the computer, print them, cut them out and then glue them to the samples. After a couple of years, some of the recipes fell off!!!
Today, I like my book the best.
There’s lots of information out there about color charts, the most recent is by Maggie Maggio on her blog Smashing Color. The Article Documenting Your Color Mixes is very informative.
Oh, by the way, the bracelet is going to my Etsy shop.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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