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.
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.
I’m happy to be working with clay again today. I have so many face canes in so many sizes, I wanted to continue to use all of them. So today I went from the very large pins I was doing to these small girls on one bracelet.
I also baked another bracelet with white space waiting for pen and ink. Fun for tonight. Plus an experiment with glitter that I’ll share with you next week.
I’m posting this bracelet again today and pictures of the bracelet side because I had a problem and figured out how to fix it and wanted to share with you.
Before
The center of the two heart shapes are made with a translucent clay mix. Sometimes a translucent clay will darken during curing. Sometimes it doesn’t. Go figure.
This time both centers darkened. and when I took pictures to put in my Etsy store, I could really see how bad they looked. There were little burn spots in the translucent centers, I guess they are burn spots. But whatever they are, they weren’t nice.
I didn’t want to sell this bracelet that way, but I also didn’t want to trash it either. The rest of the bracelet was just fine.
Redheaded Bracelet side
I used my Micron Pigma pen, 01 nib, to make a grid on the hearts. I’ve used the pens for years on everything from wood to cloth. I’ve been signing my claywork with them for a long time now.
If you have been reading my posts, you’ll know I’ve been playing around with Zentangles, so I thought to use one of the patterns here.
I think it added another element to the design, it saved my bracelet and gave me a bunch of ideas for new things.
I must finish things I’ve started before starting another project based on another new idea.
I must finish things I’ve started before starting another project based on another new idea.
I must finish things I’ve started before starting another project based on another new idea.
I must finish things I’ve started before starting another project based on another new idea.
I feel like I should have a blackboard and write this 100 times.
As promised, Dora from Dora’s Explorations posted a tutorial for her canes that make up her Zentangle picture shown above. We have both been having fun with the Zentangle canes. I love what she’s done. View her tutorial here.
Here’s yet another cuff bracelet I made with my zentangle canes today.
The Girl and Zen
The Girl and Zen from the side
And here’s another Redheaded girl with a bright green background.
Redhead Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet
I know you don’t believe me, but I am almost finished with my profile face cane tutorial. It should be ready sometime next week. It’s going to be in pdf form as well as a full video showing you step by step how to construct a profile face cane. It will be available on my Etsy site. If you are signed up for my newsletter, you will know as soon as I have it ready. If not, stop back often or sign up for the RSS feed.
A funny thing happened. I was so happy that the shop I stopped in while I was in Tampa wanted to buy some of my pieces. So happy I shared it with you. Now I have to tell you that I emailed the shop and haven’t heard a word since.
Because of that shop, I realized that there were so many other possibilities out there that I wasn’t looking at. So It’s okay!
I began to look at dress boutiques and other speciality shops. I found quite a few and have emailed several. I’ve heard back from one, but she only carries local artists. she still was a bit interested and asked for some time to think about it.
As you can see, I am still stuck on Zentangle canes. I really have had fun with them.
I did my emailing on Friday and this week end was Halloween, so I’m not discouraged yet. Besides, I still have the whole United States and Canada left….and I’ve started receiving commission checks from Julia’s Art Gallery on Pine Island. I told you about that trip in September.
So all of these items are now listed in my Etsy Shop with more to come. Life is sweet.
Getting ready to take tons of artwork to a gallery. Been working to get my stock up. I’m taking bracelets and bottle stoppers, perfume pens and face pins. Salt and pepper shakers, letter openers, and card cases. I am trying some different things, I show you when I get them finished.
I also made smaller tags for my items. 1″ x 1 1/2″, half the size of the ones I use for direct sales to customers. They really look better on most items for galleries. I can’t use my information anyway, so I don’t need as much room.
Still having fun after all these years! I’m still amazed that there are so many people that don’t know anything about polymer clay. Have never even heard of it. But I guess there are hundreds of things I know nothing about. Okay thousands……Millions? But polymer clay is such apart of my life and has been for the last 15 years, with it the main focus for at least 10, that it’s hard to imagine that there are people that haven’t heard of it.
Even when I wasn’t “into” pc, I had tried my hand at it. In the ’80 I made fruit ring candle holders. I know I have them somewhere and I’m going to look for them and see if they are anything like I remember them.
Anyway, I’m always so happy to hear from people who have found my blog and say they want to find out more about pc. The more interest we have the more related product there will be. Besides, it’s such a satisfying art form. Anyone can do just about anything with pc. So if you’re new to pc, go get yourself a few ounces and just play. Find a class near you or online. Do a search online and you’ll find hundreds of free tutorials for you to try.
The bracelet in the photo is a Skinner blend, roller into a plug flatten out and cut into two equal parts and formed into a cane. I cut this cane into four equal part to form the final cane (shown below). I covered a bracelet with a thin layer of black clay, then cut and place slices of the finished cane on top of the black, covering the whole bracelet.
Skinner Blend Cane
Okay, cheerleading over. Go forth and have fun! Christmas is coming, gifts to be made. But if you want, I have bracelets for sale on my Etsy site. Just in case you run out of time…….
Another girl bracelet going to AliceStroppel.etsy.com. I’ve been spending too much time away from my clay table. But it’s all good. Coming up . . . . . birthdays and visits and kids coming home, my mother coming to visit. Nothing could be sweeter.
I’m working on my tutorial for the profile face cane, but it takes quiet and large blocks of time. I haven’t had much of either lately, but I’m not complaining. Okay, one complaint! I have all these other ideas in my head and I haven’t finished with what I’ve already started. Anyone else other there like me? Come on I know you’re there.
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. 
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