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.
I have way too many ideas, i just can’t get to them all fast enough. I laid out a wall piece for my older son Brad who is a Master Scuba instructor. It’s lots of my funky fish and I can’t wait to get started on it.
But before that I really wanted to try something new. After I posted my first large wall piece, Wall Flowers, almost everyone that saw it in person commented on the texture in-between the flowers. When more than one person mentions something, I usually pay attention. I called it stippling for lack of a better word and stipple actually describes pretty well.
I wanted to use the artistic cutout filter in Photoshop to change a photo to a graphic picture so I could stipple it in either shades of gray or monochromatic. I decided on shades of gray. So here’s the beginning and I thought I’d share it with you.
This one isn’t as large as the first one, I need to get to Tampa to buy new frames, it’s only 12″ x 16″. But this will work out just fine in case it isn’t a keeper.
To get the photo large enough, I imported into Illustrator, enlarged it and then tiled it to print. I taped it together and then taped it to the back of the glass from the frame I’m going to use.
I’m hoping that when the picture gets completely covered that it will looks like a person….check back, I’ll post more as I get it finished. I promise…even if it isn’t what I expect. Trust me, I’m having way too much fun to care and besides, polymer clay is not precious, there’s more where this came from.
My friend Christine Kaczmarek spent a couple of days in my studio playing with clay. She brought along a project she was working on for her father with a favorite family saying and a pretty fabulous tree. There even is a bit of a Stroppel Cane across the bottom…go figure.
She also tried out the recipe for Premo Sea Green and we both think it’s pretty close. It’s one of the discontinued colors that I really miss. I have two block of it left, so I hope the recipe will work.
Christine has been experimenting with stamps and oil paints with some pretty cool results. I love this one and the saying just makes me laugh. She a true dog and cat lover and sell great doggie and kitty pendants in her Etsy shop.
We had a great time clayin’ and laughing. Thanks for coming to see me Christine, see you again soon.
This is the second large wall art piece made of polymer clay. It’s 9″ x 20″. About half the size of the first picture, Wall Flowers. It’s totally random pops of color that has already been speaking differently to each person. I began working on it with this view as the way it should be hung.
Explorations – Alice Stroppel
But when I posted it on Facebook yesterday, people started telling me they thought it should be hung a different way.
Explorations – Alice Stroppel
Nikolina Otrzan , Orson’s World, said she saw it hanging like below, and I quote, “because those “eyes” look to me like Pink panther in distress. Nik, you’re so funny.
Yvette Macy wants to sing, “We all live in a yellow submarine.”
Explorations – Alice Stroppel
Maybe I should take a vote. voice your opinion, leave a comment. I think it will be interesting to see what ya’ll think and what you see. I’ll tell you what I think in a couple of days.
In the end, my son Jason will decide because this one is going to him.
I was cleaning up my work space after covering the hand in the last post and made this Stroppel Cane Jelly roll Cane.
From my pattern business years ago I still have hundreds of brass button covers that for some reason I still have. Okay I admit, it’s because I’m a keeper of “things I might be able to use in my art projects” kind of person. I also have lots of rubber cording. I decide to combine the two making these “beads” removable and interchangeable.
Of course your cording has to be thin enough and flexible enough for the clasp to close.
The second thing I have a few of are brass button on a shank. I pushed one through each slice of my cane and baked them
All I had to do is run the cord through the button shank and tada. The cord was just tight enough to keep everything in place and keep them from sliding. Both of these necklaces lay well and look very interesting.
There’s a discussion on FaceBook about Buna Cord or Rubber cording. Several people say that years later the cord gets brittle and falls apart. I’ve heard this before, but I haven’t had it happen to me.
You might want to consider a different cording material if you are going to make anything like this and offer it for sale. These are just for me.
I bought two hand molds at a flea market several months ago with the intention of coming right home and covering them with clay. It certainly wasn’t right away but believe it or not, I’m proud I actually got one of them covered before the year was out. Usually projects like this sit around staring at me forever.
This is one hand, I’m just showing you both sides at the same time. I still have some work to do on it before I begin on the second one. I have a bit of ……*choke, cough, choke* ………sanding to do and buffing it up. You see how much I wanted these, I do not like to sand or buff. but it will be worth it.
These are colorful, funky and a perfect sampler of many of my canes. I’ll be happy to have it to remind me of them all.
These hand are molds for rubber gloves. The flea market vendor had about 20 of them and I wanted to buy them all. I know, I know, I’m having trouble finishing two so what would I do with 20? Anyway, I’m glad I bought the two. You can find plenty of these glove molds online should you be so inclined to cover one.
Even if you didn’t cover them, they would make great display pieces just like they are. Hang your necklaces or bracelets from the fingers.
now…..what should I do with the second one. Black and white? more color? hmmmmmm.
Isn’t this beautiful cover? Marie Segal’s new book the Polymer Clay Artist’s Guide will be released in August You can preorder it from Amazon today.
I’m delighted to say that one of my pen and ink pieces is included, thank you Marie. I can’t wait to see what yummy techniques you’re going to share with us.
Just so you know what to look for if you aren’t on the side of the world, this book is also being release in the UK at the same time and this is the cover for that printing.
You can follow Marie’s adventures on her blog, Art from my Heart. Or you can be friends with her on Facebook.
Just a quick picture of a new pen and ink pendant. I’m getting ready to go spend some time with the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild. A little bit of ink and a little bit of clay……The main shape is a stamp by Barbara McGuire
These are talented people and I look forward to sharing some of their work next week. Have a get weekend and a fun 4th of July.
My Circles and Squares necklace was featured yesterday by Sage Bray on The Polymer Arts blog. I do enjoy this piece very much and always have one or two people tell me how fun it is! When I’m told that my work makes people smile of makes them happy, I consider my job accomplish!
I’m always so excited to see my work featured in The Polymer Art magazine or blog, I appreciate the fine work that Sage is doing for our polymer clay community and feel privileged to included with the vast array of talented artists working in polymer clay. Thank you Sage.
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West Coast Polymer Clay Guild
No picture here! I can not believe that I spent the whole day with this lovely, funny group and didn’t take one picture. I blame the guild member actually, I asked them to remind me and to not leave without a group picture. But every single one of them forgot to remind me. 🙂
I really apologize ladies, it was my fault after all. Next time I won’t forget.
All of us at this workshop want to send a giant thank you to Polyform’s Education Manager Iris Weiss and Polyform Products for supplying all the clay and then some.
We had a really great time though, what a talented group of women. I hope to get back to New Port Richey again soon.
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Art Deco
I’ve been drawn to Art Deco all my life. Maybe it was visiting Miami when I was a kid and seeing all those fabulous art deco buildings, or just the clean lines of the jewelry or the advertisements and art work created in that style. I think it might be the romanic vision of the ’20s that draws me in. Such large changes taking place in clothing, hair styles, woman’s rights…the world was changing dramatically.
Right now I’m working on this bracelet using my pen and ink technique. I wanted something new with pen and ink to take to the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild when I teach there next week. Working on slides in this style as well.
Having a ball actually, one more panel on this one and I’m finished.
But these funky faces aren’t just for bracelets, I’ve used them on all kinds of things.
A cocktail shaker, or
salt and pepper skakers, or
a canister, just to name a few.
I always have the best time at this guild, they’re fun and really enjoy the clay. And they always have the greatest pot luck! Thanks ladies and a special thank you to Sydney Carter for asking me and making the arrangements.
Everyone was delighted to the Premo clay for this project donated by Polyform. That you Iris Weiss.
Next week I’m teaching at the West Coast Polymer Clay Guild in New Port Richey, FL. It’s a great class to teach and I’m looking forward to seeing friends I made at Orlando Clay Fandango and making new ones. And making more great faces……..
I’ve always love fairytales and Alice in Wonderland, ( I wonder why) so I’m playing with some of the characters.
I tried some Sculpey original white clay for the rabbit. It takes the alcohol ink differently than the white Premo. I need to play with it more to see which I like better. There are pros and cons to both it seems.
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