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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Thanks to Pamela Carman, I’m looking forward to next week-end! I’ll be spending two days with the South East Florida Polymer Clay Guild. One day of Pen and Ink on polymer clay and one day of Contours in Clay.
Pen and Ink on polymer is very interesting and everyone can experience exciting results no matter what your drawing talent.
 Pen and Ink Class
And this bracelet class.
This week, I’ll prepare lots of Skinner Blends…thank you Judith Skinner.. and get ready to play with some great clayers down south. Look out South Florida….I”m on my way.
I’ve worked on the arms from the other day (photo above) you can compare it to the arms before (photo below).
 They still aren’t perfect and the shading just doesn’t look as good in these photos as it does when the bracelet is on my wrist. But I find that looking at most pieces of work in a 4″ picture is not how you see it on the bracelet. The actual drawing is only 1″ x 1 1/2″ so a lot of things you see in the photo just don’t show up on the actual drawing.
I also worked on two other bracelets, this one is using one of the face patterns from my pdf. I still have the third side to finish.
This brightly colored face is totally different and was oh so much fun to do. More work needs to be done on this one too, I like to give the ink time to dry completely and rest for awhile before working on the next panel. If I don’t, the colors tend to run a bit even if I heat set them, so usually I’m working on more than one bracelet. That’s why when I cover bracelets with the panels and canes, I do a bunch so that they will all be baked and ready for me when I feel like drawing.
Don’t forget I’ll be teaching my Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay at Creative Journey Studios in Buford, GA on the 21st of April 2012. And on the 22nd I’ll be teaching my profile face cane class, so grab and friend and come stay at the B & B right down the road. It’s going to be a fun weekend for sure.
The I’m off to Lake Yale in FL to do demos at Fandango. Days and days of fabulous classes you won’t want to miss. There is still time to get a late room or day pass. May 3-7th 2012.
June 10th and 11th will find me in Davy, FL with the Southeast Florida Polymer Clay Guild, details to come.
I’ll also be teaching this class at Maureen Carlson’s Center for the Creative Arts in Jordon, MN on Sept. 23, 2012. this is another long weekend with three classes I’ll be teaching. Just imagine what a great time we are going to have at Maureen.
By the time our two day workshop was over, we were all totally into body parts. Feet and lips and noses and HANDS. The picture above is an indication of the fun we had, you can see it was a crazy time with a great group of talented friends. I think they all invited their muses to join us while some pretty impressive face and body parts came to life.
I love teaching, the ah ha moments that produce giant smiles and the looks on faces that say, “got it, I can do that”. It’s so satisfying to watch people step out of their comfort zone and realize how much talent they have.
Just look at these face and body parts that this class made. Everyone made their own sample parts so They’ll have them to look at when they’re ready to make their next character.
Seriously, everyone did a fabulous job and I’m so grateful to be able to share what I know. Thank you ladies.
Finally having time to work on my sculpting for my workshop next weekend. I’m going to leave it here and finish during class.
I want to start an old man next, wrinkles are fun to make if not to have……
It’s cold here. going to be 30 here tonght. We’ve been spoiled this winter, the weather has been in the upper 70s and 80s so I shouldn’t complain, but it’s too cold for me.
I’ve been cleaning up and cleaning out, my studio and my bedroom closet. It’s so hard to let things go, but once you do it is very liberating.
Good bye clothes that no longer fit me and even if I did ever lose enough weight to wear you again you would be so far out of style people would laugh anyway………. feels good.
But my art supplies, that’s a whole other story, those things will never go out of style right? Dry up and become unusable maybe, but hey, even the 70’s crafts are coming back aren’t they? Okay I know, some of it had to go, but I know I’ll be sorry someday when I need that pound of wool fiber for something……..
I’m working on more samples for my sculpting workshop. What’s on your clay table?
I think I might “creep” some people out with this picture of the foot that I did for my sculpting workshop. But hey, we’re doing realistic sculpts in the workshop.
I’ve been racking my brain to figure out what I can make with just the foot without it really being creepy. Not sure I can. I’d like to incorporated it into a mixed media piece instread of just adding it to the collection of polymer clay hands that I made.
It’s not actually a collection, or at least didn’t start out that way. I made a giant mermaid and the first set of hands were too big and then the second set was too small, and one set was just right. (sounds like Goldilocks and the Three Bears). That set went on the mermaid and the other two sets are now “a collection”.
Oh and I forgot the hands I made for the almost life sized santa I have standing here waiting for me to dress him. Those hands are kind of part of the “collection”.
I know….I’m kind of strange, but I always, always, have fun.
Oh man I’m having a blast. I’ve been wanting to do my own mixed media sculpts and Charlene Ahlgreen has made me get moving towards that very thing. Okay, Charlene doesn’t realised that by asking me to share what I know about sculpting hands etc in a workshop that she was going to unlease this whole new direction for me. Thank you Charlene.
I’m not got to be teaching this exactly, just the sculpting part, but I don’t see any harm is a little side trip for me while I’m getting ready for the class. (see me grinning with a twinkle in my eye?)
I love color don’t you? I like beautiful soft color, sophisticated color, and understated color too, but somehow the bright exuberant colors just make me smile.
I’m still thinking I need to add more cane slices. Here’s where the question, “when do you know it’s time to stop?” comes in.
Should I title it “look up”, “heads up” or…..help me here, leave me a suggestion just for fun!
 I’ve started working on the samples for the sculpting workshop I’m going to teach in February. We’re going to study hands, feet, heads and armature. We’ll be looking at wrinkles, veins, and fingernails. In other words, we’re going to have a bunch of fun and create some incredible sculpts.
I decided to do a pointing hand because I have some ideas floating around in my head and you know it has to involve color. So stay tuned, it could be fun.
 I’ve been creating new fun but easy canes for my newest cane/bracelet workshop I’m teaching at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota this weekend. Many of the students have taken a cane class from me before and I wanted to add new, to them anyway, canes and just gereral tips on working with polymer clay. I’ve had a good time, added considerably to my stock of canes and am packing the car right after this.
My problem is, I get distracted by all the other ideas that come into my head. The bracelet above contains simple yet vibrantly colored canes and I just couldn’t help myself, I had to make this outrageously (choose one of these dictionary definitions……..1. shockingly bad or excessive 2. very bold, unusual, and startling.) fun to wear bracelet.
Naturally, each people can choose their own colors and don’t have to be crazy, so I think we’ll have fun. I have flower canes and several more complicated canes to share as well. There is still room for a couple more people in this class, we have a large space, so if you’re in the area, come join us.
Oh and I’ll be showing the Stroppel cane too. But some of these woman were the first ones I showed it too but it’s grown just a bit since then.
I also got some dies and the new book from Tracy Holmes and Dan Cormier right after Christmas. I have some ideas that I want to try out, but haven’t had time, so my thoughts drifted in that direction for a few minutes. Then the idea of translucent clay being colored and looking like sea glass caught my eye on Polymer Clay Daily, my brain began drifting again. This conversation started on FB as a result, ( I tried to link directly to the conversation but couldn’t figure that one out. So here’s the link to my page, you’ll have to scroll down about half way on the lefthand side.) While you’re there, friend me. lol.
So many patterns and colors on Pintest now that it has my mind jumping all over the place. I have a sculpting workshop here next month and I’m very excited about a couple of ideas I want to add to the workshop, but I have had to keep those ideas simmering until after the workshop this weekend.
Plus….information from artists is starting to pour in for Suzanne Ivestor’s and my new magazine Polymer Portfolio. The work is amazing, the artists sterling and well, the whole project is exciting.
So I’m starting off the new year with a full plate and very excited to be so actively involved in this wonderful world of polymer clay, thanks to you all.
I just have to tell you …. I love teaching …. and …….. I love teaching new caners. The smiles and looks on the faces of the ladies in my class this weekend at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota just put me in a good mood for the next month at least.
Thanks to Karen at Beads F. O. B. for keeping all the paperwork straight and Marty for all her work and for letting me come join the fun. Looks like I’ll be going back to teach again soon so check back to see when you might be able to come join us.
We made so many canes and turned some of them into beads and some into pendants, I’m only showing the pendants here.
Joan was having a great time and already had plans for a volunteer project and began working on it before class was over.
 Marlene I heard this high little yell from Marlene and wondered what was wrong. It was all excitement at her table, she had just successfully reduced that little leaf cane and was tickled with herself. It reminded me of the first time I reduced a cane and all the possibilities that were running through my head.
 Marty Marty made earrings and enjoyed the whole creative process. She is one fun polymer clayer.
 Lois I looked up one time to see the biggest grin on Lois’ face. She had just made several successful canes in a great combo of colors and I could see the wheels turning behind those smiling bright eyes.
 Christine Christine said she couldn’t go to sleep the first night and couldn’t wait to get back to work on her canes on Sunday. Her enthusiasm shows in her work.
 Cathe Cathe’s work is big and bold. Her color combinations are bright and work so well together.
I’m so sorry that Marina had to leave early and I didn’t get a picture of her work.
(two days later, update) Marina sent me a picture of her work, I’m so happy to be able to include it. I just didn’t feel right for her pieces to be missing. Thanks Marina!
 Marina Montagut I love how everyone created their own colors and Marina loves to do mini piece. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.
I also didn’t take a class picture. We ran over time, we were having so much fun, and people started to leave before I remembered the group photo. Thanks to all my student, I really appreciate how easy you made it to show you what I know, it was great fun.
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