A New Product & a New Tool - Cosmic Clouds

We, as artists, go through phases where we are driven to take our craft to the next level. Maybe you are working towards more complex canes, improving color mixing OR maybe driven to solve a stumbling block to benefit clayers everywhere? My current challenge is in creating THE Ultimate Faux Batik... I just adore everything Batiks have to offer artistically. And, I keep an eye on a lot of various art forms, because most have at least 1 thing we can bring to our clay studio. 

The above photo is of a piece called Cosmic Clouds, created by woodworker Tim Yoder. Woodworker, who knew, right? The video is a bit long & doesn't pertain to our clay until the 22 minute mark, but watching the 1st 22 minutes is an incredible treat IF you have the time. Tim's lathe work in downright mesmerizing! Check out the video then I'll share a fun trick.

     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOyG2vyBnk4 

Doesn't creating that platter look like so much fun? Made me want to go buy woodworking tools  :D
I fell in love with the Jo Sonja's Iridescent that he used, they are fabulous, aren't they? I raced to Amazon.com  to pick some up... so in demand that Amazon can't keep them in stock! But, hoorah for my beloved Dick Blick's - they carry the Complete Chroma Jo Sonja's line & for an even lower price than the company that makes it. I picked up the Iridescent set of 6, as well as the Metallics set & the Basics colour collection. Also noteworthy... they make their own brand of  mediums for much less than the more 'well known' thinning mediums out there and they work beautifully!  Here is a link to the page for ordering from Dick Blick's. By the by, I Don't get a commission of any type for sharing the link, it was just the best deal out there. Mediums are at the top of the page - a complete list of available colors are at the bottom of the page.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/chromas-jo-sonja-artists-colours/

I used a 50/50 thin (using Jo Sonja's medium) just as the artist above did & Really liked the effect! But, getting the effect created a 'need' for a New tool. As you saw in the video, this product HAS to be moved by air to achieve that 'cloud' look. Now, I'm falling apart like a cheap suit, & my Biggest health issue is that I have breathing problems. I initially thought I could blow through a straw... boy was that a major fail! So, I beckoned my beloved & was able to get him to blow, though he doesn't breathe much better than me. Well, he sweetly 'blew' for me for about 10 seconds... and then informed me - my art by proxy Isn't MY art. Gave me a nice hug & was off. I really do believe even for a person that breathes very well... you couldn't get the cloud effects we want. 

 Yep, time for Liz to start thinking outside the box

As we saw, Tim spent about $50- for the airbrush pot & a few quick snap connectors. But even before that $50- can be spent, we would need the air compressor. I looked into air compressors many moons ago... not only are they very pricey... but they are big clunky tools that need a Lot of space I don't have. I'm chomping at the bit to resolve this stupid dilemma, & grabbed my nebulizer to do a breathing treatment. Then, the light bulb flickers on... a nebulizer IS an air compressor. I'm tearing off the mask so I have just a small tube  - point it at the color & viola... a New tool is born - WooHoo! 

And, nebulizers are a fraction of the price of air compressors. PLUS a nebulizer kicks out the precise amount of air flow needed, so you also eliminate the need for the Extra's to make it fit our need! The cherry on top? You can (or at least I can) go to CraigsList.com  pretty much any day of the week & find a Cadillac of nebulizers for $15 - $25- bucks. I keep 1 for me on each floor & needed a designated 1 just for art, so I went online to Craig's & picked up this one, a real beauty (though they are all pretty much the same) for $19-... how sweet is that, right?

 Another big benefit over traditional air compressors is that nebulizers are very compact.

I have to say, I love ALL the Jo Sonja's products I got. The basic colors are much sharper than many other brands I've used. And, I found that in thinning All the colors instead of just the Iridescent, they layer magnificently 1 atop another to create some really nice Faux Batik patterns. Of course, the Iridescent standing alone really rocks also! Every bit as beautiful as NASA's CGI galaxy photos! Another nice side note, all of the colors are high PVA content, so they can add addition strength to our 'more fragile' pieces. And, you've Got to play in crackle with them IF you do pick some up!
 
I find myself wondering, what are You struggling to overcome today? Do you have an 'Artistic Kryptonite' that wants to steal your fun during studio time? Hahaa, spell check just told me Kryptonite isn't a word... just ask Superman, he'll set you straight on that! I find myself wishing life's troubles & dilemmas could be solved as easily as many of our studio nemesis' can. We are still up to our elbows in alligators under our roof, as I know many of you are fighting your own battles also. So, for anyone struggling with 'whatever'', say a prayer and know there is No truer statement than this...

Duty beckons, but I'll return with one of my all time favorite techniques for combing the beautiful cane we built with 'quilting in clay' for a stunning new look.

Until we meet again,

Happy Claying from ClayPlay Liz & Mickey Kitty

THE Most Complex Cane - a NEW Technique

Photo Courtesy of Paul J. Stankard

Isn't this paperweight stunning? Paul J. Stankard is to the blown paperweight community what Jon Stuart Anderson is to the polymer community - the epitome of perfection. IF we had to pick our 'preferred' area of artistic expression... mine would certainly be glass, all forms of artistic glass. Although many polymer artists may not know it... we are all glass enthusiasts. After all, Millefiori means 'thousand flowers' & refers to the glass blowing technique, which is what our caning is styled after. Blown glass millefiore is created when a large number of glass rods are stacked to form a cane & melted together. As with polymer clay caning, it can be very simple or quite complex. One wonderful and unique way millefiore has been used is to create unique and complex Signature Canes. 

There is a large number of independent glass artisans using this technique. Many pc artists such as Jon S. Anderson also create really complex & unique signature canes, embedding just 1 cane within each work so it can be authenticated. Although I did use signature canes, my work doesn't begin to reach the pinnacle of Jons', they were very simplistic. My problem was that I could create an awesome complex large cane, but by the time it was reduced to 1" (inch), all definition was lost & it was a hodge-podge of seriously unimpressive mess  :(   Have you been there? Then came a turning point... a request for a 'Castle' cane. I drew my castle & created a somewhat simple castle cane, but at least it reduced right. When presented, I was met with a poo face and a "I mean CASTLE... fortifications, architecture, surrounding landscape... you know - Castle".

Hmmm, yes, I know Castle, but I'm not Jon Anderson!
Hey wait, maybe I can Look like I am, maybe?

I dug through my most messy memory bank past the gazillion file cabinets of crafts I dabbled in over a life time, and stopped before the cabinet labelled... boring Cross-Stitch. I played in cross-stitch just long enough as a kid to realize that medium Definitely wasn't calling my name, but can it be used for polymer clay and creating the ultimate cane? The cross-stitch idea is simple enough, turn ANY photo into a series of colored dots, where each dot represents a colored thread (OR extruded string). Stack your dots until they create a picture. So, I let the stacking begin & created a beautiful castle, complete in every detail including trees & flower beds on the grounds, excellent! But, how would it reduce? Yes, I introduced you to 'Plugs' a few posts ago for a good reason. My original cane was 9" x 9", but only 2" tall, the plugs were a life saver! Once reduced, it was as clear as any postage stamp or tiny photo. Success, & no more poo faces... yay!

photo courtesy of Kyle Hollingsworth

 

This is an Awesome cross-stitch pattern created by Kyle Hollingsworth. I saw this & although I didn't want the whole picture depicted in a cane, I did want to try a portion of it. Yes, another fun thing we can do with cross-stitch, just use what we want. I fell in love with the Jester Face, he's wonderful!

The steps of the process are quite simple. I conditioned & extruded all of my clay (using a total of 17 colors) into 6" long strings and then stacked the strings to create the original cane. I used the plugs to reduce the cane to prevent cane end loss or lost clarity through the finished length of the cane. This is even better than cross-stitch, because cross-stitch leaves a white thread between each dot of color... in polymer we can stack our 'dots'  (extruded strings) one on another so our finished cane is much cleaner and far more distinct than it would be on cloth.

 Makins Professional Extruder inc discs

I extruded my strings using the Makins Professional Extruder using the disc I labeled #1.
As a rule, I am most comfortable with disc 1 when the cane is very complex and disc #2 when the cane is less complex. Although you may be tempted to extrude 'squared' strings, I have found that rounded extruded 'strings' tend to work much better because they reduce more uniformly, leaving your finished cane much cleaner & the image much sharper. Of course, this technique applies to All canes, not just signature canes, it is but a small step to integrate initials, a year or whatever other customization you might desire. The background can be done in whatever color you may want, although a white, black OR transparent background can make them more easily integrated with pieces not yet started or planned. Because I do Large pieces, huge vases and animal sculptures, I can make 1 really big complex cane and after reducing the cane, it's a perfect fit.

Since discovering this fun technique, I have begun collecting cross-stitch patterns. Yard sales & thrift stores all but give them away, and some are soo cool!  So, I may not have the caning skill of Jon S. Anderson, but I Love that I can look like I do!.

So, you don't want to pay all the money to build a collection of cross-stitch patterns? How does FREE sound? I started out doing Free programs online, there are Boodles. You can take ANY image or photo, upload it to website & they give you the cross-stitch pattern for free.Here are a few current links you can play with. They seem to change addresses often, but you can google 'create cross stitch pattern online'  & they will give you a bunch that are current. For today, you can try creating a pattern at:

 http://www.myphotostitch.com

http://www.moulinella.com

 http://www.pixel-stitch.net

As soon as I complete this post, I will be building 2 new links in the left side menu column. The 1st will be building a link to 100's of cross-stitch patterns & books I have... it's time to get these babies off my computer. Nothing is more heart-breaking than having a computer crash & then losing Everything. Life is to short for starting over again! And I've been down that road way to many times. The 2nd link will be to programs I have invested a lot in & don't want risk losing.

I didn't want to be limited to purchasing cross-stitch patterns and wanted a better, cleaner conversion than I could get from free online programs. Free is a great price, but as is often the case, you get what you pay for

I did invest in 2 different pattern creating programs:
1 - Cross Stitch Pattern Maker
2 - P C Stitch Ten   (they were thinking Personal Computer, we are thinking Polymer Clay)

This isn't a pitch to get you to buy these (or any programs), but IF you got curious about these programs under my programs tab, that's why I have them. They customize Every facet of the conversion process - they Rule!  I wanted to convert a Michael Parkes painting to do a caned vase to match a painting I have. Of course, creating the cane pattern only took a few minutes... the vase is still calling  ;)
Now, all I need is a program that will add more hours to a day!

On a final note, as artists there is so much to be learned from other artistic mediums. I never cease to be amazed at how our clay mixes so magically with so many other art forms. I mean... cross stitch - whoda thunk, right? We'll be looking at some other New ways to integrate other mediums into our clay play, mixing old and new in more exciting ways... kind of fun, isn't it?

Happy Claying,
ClayPlay Liz

Ps: To Learn more about paperweights, you should explore Links within this page:
http://exhibits.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/barker/resources.php

I also watch auctions within the International paperweight Society - exquisite eye candy!
http://www.theglassgallery.com

No Loss While Caning - Clean Perfect Cane Ends

Photo courtesy of Desiree McCrorey of Desiree's Desired Creations


The next post is going to be a lot of fun... a New intricate caning technique. But we do have an important issue to address 1st... cane end losses. We reviewed clean angles & seams in the last post, and will now take a peak at how to avoid losing a lot of our beautiful new cane while reducing. With the aide of my favorite tool 'Sculpey White Original' & another (sometimes overlooked) PVA product... good ol' Saran Wrap, you will Always have a clean & perfect cane end with No Loss - WooHoo. IF you haven't read the article on my all-time favorite tool 'White Sculpey Original', you may want to give it a quick read when you have a few minutes. It is important for this technique as well as other new techniques we'll be looking at in upcoming posts.

$ave a Bundle on Clay - Secret Tools Series    

Ok, here is a wonderful easy cheesy trick to avoid cane loss while reducing. Although I mentioned Sculpey Original above,,, any clay can be used. The reason I prefer Sculpey Original is because it is relatively soft so it is Very easy to condition so I can keep creating.

The 1st step is to create your cane. This cane can be any size or shape, it can be big & fat as well as square, round, a triangle, etc. Once your cane is created, create a matching cane of JUST waste clay that matches the shape of your cane. In other words, IF your cane is square, create a 2nd white square cane. This isn't fine art, we are simply creating a clay 'plug', so you don't have to fuss much. We want this new cane to match the shape of our original cane and should be approximately 6" (six inches) long.  Cut this 'waste' cane in half so you now have 2.

Once your 'plugs' are created... you will place Saran Wrap over one end of your plug as well as down the sides, covering about 1/2 of the plug and then repeat the process to cover 1/2 of your second plug also.

Now, simply place the plugs you made on each end of your beautiful cane, making sure the Saran Wrap edges are butted up too your nice cane. As you do your cane reduction, treat it as you would if it were a single cane with no additions. Reduce the scrap clay along with your original & when reduction is complete, your original cane will have a nice, clean flush end with no loss. Plus, your scrap clay is still intact, pull off the Saran Wrap & tuck that clay away to reuse late.

Enjoy your clay play today!
ClayPlay Liz

                                     

Seams Matter - Master Kaleidoscope: Ivy 'iKandi Clay' Niles

                                            Photos Courtesy of Ivy Niles aka iKandi Clay

                                     

Have you ever made a cane that was beautiful, with Awesome color & design elements... but when you began joining your cane sections into the kaleidoscope it was 'wonky'? Sections didn't line up quite right so everything looked askew, a bit off? We should always begin making our elements for our cane using the same brand & type of clay for clay consistency. But IF you have done that and are still a bit off, chances are good you need to pay closer attention to your basic cane angles and then your cane seams.

Because clay is somewhat forgiving, many of us began claying just sort of 'winging it'. Build some elements, squish them into a triangle of sorts & cross your fingers as they are placed together. Hence, we all know about wonky canes. All true clay Masters share a common work habit, planning their cane elements from the onset to be a 3 or 10 or even 24 section kaleidoscope. We should begin with a template for the cane we plan to create. I have a complete selection of templates which I made from heavy poster board that I love, they take up no room at all. You can print any of the photos below & cut out just 1 section from each to make your templates. For kaleidoscopes with straight sides (squares, etc.) simply extend the lines outward & square your pattern off before creating your template.

                                                    3, 4 & 12 section kaleidoscope canes

                                                                   3, 4, 6, 8 & 24 sections

                                                                    3, 5 & 15 sections

                                                                    5 & 10 sections

                                                                     7 & 14 sections

Let's take a peek at Master Caner Ivy 'iKandi Clay' Niles process of building a master kaleidoscope cane. Pay special attention to the care given following the template & maintaining very clean and straight clay angles.

As you can see, she puts a lot of effort into clean lines. By putting extra care into the initial cane lines & angles, as you join the canes to form your kaleidoscope, your design elements will join Much cleaner. You will have a perfect professional kaleidoscope... no more 'wonky'! Now let's see some of Ivy's canes that she has posted in her Etsy store. Ivy couldn't have chosen a better name than iKandiClay, her kaleidoscopes are eye candy indeed!

I find that templates are an essential tool in my creative process. As Ivy has shown, they are important to achieve a genuinely professional kaleidoscope. I will be introducing several new techniques that also utilize templates, used in a very different fashion.  So, hit your studio and begin building your template library. Let's create something beautiful today!

ClayPlay Liz

PDF: Ivy 'iKandi Clay' Niles - Kaleidoscope Cane    Click here for pdf


FAIR USE STATEMENT
This website article may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This material is being made available for the purpose of education, commentary and criticism, it is being distributed without profit, and is believed to be "fair use" in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. 

New Kaleidoscope Technique - Thinking Outside the Box

Before I share this little tidbit, I'm compelled to add a bit of an explanation. When it comes to 'integrating' unusual non clay materials to our clay... the 1st impulse for some may well be 'Blasphemy'. And yet, beautiful Fire Opals are only possible due to 'adds'. Haven't most of us played with stenciling, which leaves our base clay nearly unrecognizable? And I'm sure most of us have played with mylars, foils and countless surface techniques. With that said, PLEASE... no throwing tomatoes at this most humble (and somewhat lovable) artist.

I had a shirt with the most incredible pattern, I loved it! Sadly, my pup tore it, so it was time to tell that beauty farewell. With a heavy heart, I open the trash can, and with a final glance realized that wonderful pattern would make an Awesome kaleidoscope. On a whim, I grabbed my mirrors and was blown away... it was Fantastic! The design and colors worked better than many of the kaleidoscope canes I have assembled over the years. This particular pattern repeated every 6" (inches)... so I was able to get 6 full kaleidoscope 1" sections. Each was similar in color & design, so they all went together perfectly although depending on arrangement - were all quite different. Some had tight busy designs while others were very open designs... and soo pretty! I immediately grabbed a sheet of clay, placed my thin layer of Elmer's White Glue (this clayers best friend), pressed on pieces of fabric to form my kaleidoscope and placed a nice border strip over the top edge. It's kind of funny, I put next to no effort into my experiment since I was busy with other duties at the time, and without any effort at embellishment of the trim or anything, it was truly beautiful! Whoda thunk, right???

Needless to say, my husband looked at me like I was a wee bit deranged as I grabbed item after item from my closet to examine with my mirrors. Oh wait, I'm an Artist... he knows to expect pretty much anything. Now he patiently trots with me to the Fabric store once a week to play with my mirrors (they travel well  :D)  I have found my personal favorite is Tapestry material, so we also hit a thrift store or 2 to look at throw pillows & quilts. I haven't begun to make a good dent in a quilt yet... so I believe it's safe to say I can get a few 100 kaleidoscopes out of 1 $5.00 quilt - WooHoo! Stunning art at a give away price, compared to the cost of clays.

I don't have photographs of any of the kaleidoscopes I've made to share with you and couldn't find 1 clay OR mixed media artist online using fabric in this way. But, I did find several quilt artists using fabric for kaleidoscopes. As a matter of fact, when you look into quilt show award winners, quite often Kaleidoscopes net their talented creators Blue Ribbons and accolades galore. 

The photos in the video above were all the creations of Dawn White, the owner of
FirstLightDesigns.com  She has been published & is well known within the quilting community. I encourage you to visit her site, you'll be amazed by her use of color as well as design, her work is breath-taking! She offers a nice selection of available patterns, should you decide (as I have) to make a beautiful quilt to match the 3' tall vase covered in a matching quilt design. Fabulous inspiration awaits you!

In closing, I do have a final treat for you. Here is another presentation of kaleidoscopes done in fabric by Master Quilter Marylin Foreman. She is renowned within the quilting community for her incredible talent. We, as clayers, will find working in fabric ultra easy. Not much more involved than cutting a few pieces of paper. Quilters work in large  pieces & have to add more fabric for seams, etc. But, Craftsy is offering a special Sale on a package of not 1, but 5... yes Five complete Marylin Foreman Kaleidoscope Quilt projects for $29.99 at the time of this writing. I'm thinking it's been ages since I've made a quilt, I may just may hop on this deal. This can be found at:
https://www.craftsy.com/quilting/classes/quilted-kaleidoscopes/35597

Wow, enlarge this photo... it Rocks!

IF you have at some point heard of or are aware of a polymer clay artist that is utilizing fabric kaleidoscopes in their repertoire, please leave the info in the 'comments'... I would love to see their work.

In the meantime, grab your mirrors & go play in your closet  :D
Happy Claying....  ClayPlay Liz

Mandalas, Etch N Pearl Magic & Syndee Holt - Secret Tools Series: Pt 6

                  Who doesn't love the magic of a Mandala?

Although we all have our favorite tools & techniques, one of the tools at the Top of my favorites list is the Etch N Pearl 3 piece set brought to us by Sculpey products. They are so versatile & can create the look of Master Art pieces even by novice polymer clay artists. So, what are some of the easy Awesome ways we can play with these lovely ditties? Let's take a closer peak.

Place a center-piece pearl to finish your design

Fill a created space with different sized pearls for a cool dimensional look

Add circles & lines for surface design - quick & easy

Use the smooth sides to clean up rough edges

Create wonderful unique frames for your cabochons

Set includes 3 different sized hole makers 

Easily create home-made texture sheets

Create fun pearl dangles & the holes they peak out from

Turn a simple skinner blend into beautiful jewelry & scarf pins

Create Steampunk, Sea Urchins & Tentacles 

Use the needle tool ends for petite filigree surface work 

Perfect tool for adding findings

Create Polka Dot sheets + Ornate Endcaps

Detailed surface carving decoration

How EASY is it to master these 3 marvels? Here are some great tips & tricks from 

Master Artist Syndee Holt that will have you creating like a pro in no time!

10 Tricks for Etch-N-Pearls

1: Use the widest setting on your Clay Conditioning Machine to make a nice fat pearl.

2: Make your pearls on a smooth ceramic tile so that the pearls will stick to the tile and not in the tool. Then just peel up the remaining sheet of clay to expose your pearls.

3:  Dip the Etch n’ Pearl in water every couple of pearls – again so that they stick to the tile and not the tool. A small bottle cap works great.

Etch n’ Pearls are a great way to add color accents, create frames, cover seams.  They are also easy to get carried away with, like I did with the cutter bracelets.

4:  An empty clay wrapper with a little Sculpey Bake n’ Bond in it, a toothpick and you can securely attach your pearls  (** Note from Liz in Vegas,,, get out your white glue  :-)

5: Use the pokey end of the tool to not only press a hole in the pearl for more texture, but to help secure it to the clay surface below. See how it changes the whole look of the pearl?

6:  Try using other tools to create a texture.  For instance the rubber chisel end of the medium ball tool in the Sculpey Essential Tool Kit or the Style and Details kit makes a great phillips head screw look.  These are great for covering seams in clay like on these faux leather bracelets.
7: The pokey end of the tool makes a great scrap cleaner around the edge of the pearl.

8: Make the large pearl, use the medium ball tool to make a dent in it and add a small pearl of a different color to make a elegant decoration.

9:  Use the pearls to create a bezel for a cabochon. 

10:  Use thinner layers of clay to create polka dots that can be used alone or layered.  I prefer to make the thinner layers on paper so that the clay sticks in the tool until I lightly press it into place.  If the clay sticks to the paper, put the tool back over it and swipe the tool towards you to scoop up the polka dot.

BONUS:  The sheet of clay with the polka dots can be run through the clay conditioning machine to make ovals too! Here are some great examples of how you can use the Etch n’ Pearl tool in my recent creative map

 

Some other great links to Sculpey projects using Etch n’ Pearls include Amy Koranek’s bracelet where she used the pearls to hold the hardware         

http://www.sculpey.com/project/sculpey-souffle-spumoni-swirl-bracelet/

Final Syndee Holt Photo:

Mandala Landscapes - Easy No Fail Perfection

What is it about Mandalas that seems to call to so many of us? The flow of perfect symmetry? The way the colors intertwine, so different & yet perfectly fitted like notes that compose that tune that touches us deep within? Maybe it's that they follow All the rules... & yet seem to break the rules at the same time? 

Maybe it's as simple as... they are just so freakin cool?

I LOVE Mandala Landscape art the same way I Love Natasha's, & adore doing them both for the same reason. Very simply, you really can't screw them up. Once you have a palette that works, the landscapes write themselves! Over the next week or 2 (best laid optimistic plans) I will begin posting my books - TONS of books. They will include boodles of Mandalas, Landscapes & Zentangle art. I'll be sharing the step by steps on how I create the different landscapes. Meanwhile, you can add a set of Etch N Pearl tools to your repertory for under $15.00 & begin having fun mastering the little dynamos.

For today, be well & Happy Claying!

    

FAIR USE STATEMENT
This website article may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This material is being made available for the purpose of education, commentary and criticism, it is being distributed without profit, and is believed to be "fair use" in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.

Save a Bundle on Clay - Secret Tools Series: Pt 5

I Adore Polymer Clay.What a fantastic versatile medium. IF we can dream it, polymer clay can make it reality! But, it sure can be a costly. I'm always looking for ways to increase my skill & productivity while cutting costs.

So, How do I Save a Bundle creating Masterpieces? 

Here's my Secret Weapon #5

Card

I use Premo as my clay of choice for all my caning & primary color work & translucents, but Sculpey Original is THE weapon you must keep on hand (& in large supply)! It is essential because ...

# 1 - It costs a fraction of what the other higher quality clays cost

Higher quality should of course, be defined. Original Sculpey is extremely strong when compared to Premo, very similar. But, because it is a softer clay it is Horrid (useless) for caning. But because Sculpey White (Original Sculpey) IS very strong & can be yours for under $4.00 a pound (depending on the quantity you purchase) it should be explored. It has a LOT of uses beyond caning & for many techniques is a much better clay.  

# 2 - It is essential to create the type of landscape works you see above

The 'Landscape Techniques' you see above are so easy to do & so beautiful completed... & they can't be done without Sculpey Original. This is true for several reasons. Landscape pieces are created by putting a medium thick layer of Softer quality clay & then placing your 'cutouts' on top of that. Soft is essential so your top artwork layer adheres firmly without any distortion. And, if you do large pieces as I do, or you can only play in your clay for short periods of time, you are going to need a clay that doesn't have to be reworked after the initial condition & rolling. You can do a bit here & there without starting over every time you return.

# 3 - It can be used for bead cores & other areas you would use 'mud'

I think many of us have assumed that our wasted clay, those horrible color blends - & even worse, MUD, serves no purpose other than bead cores or a pendant back that won't be seen. We've all mixed that ugly 'muddy brown' or bland gray that seems to have no other use. Now you can put that 'inexpensive clay' where you may have used your mud before & I'll be showing you truly wonderful & easy techniques to show off that mud in it's best light! Did you know mud could be this beautiful?

Click HERE for PDF of All the Slideshow Photos Above

# 4 - It makes petite filigree, embroidery & other surface techniques a breeze

Having a 'soft clay' base to build your surface techniques on makes strong & secure adhesion easy without investing extra money in liquid clay additives. It colors easily with chalks, paints & other colorants when you need a deeper colored base. And, I mix it with Premo quite often for petite surface work when I need a clay that's a bit more pliable & easier to work.

# 5 - Place your thin canes on sheet of Sculpey Original to make canes go farther.

Placing our cane slices solely on top of sheets of our higher priced clay can really add up price wise & most of the time is unnecessary. Of course, there will be times that it makes more sense to build your sheets on the 'firmer' clays, but you will find many times a Sculpey Original White base is just as good at a fraction of the cost. And it is soft enough, you can add, for example, a pretty good amount of chalk as a colorant & still have a fairly pliable base. 

#6 - IF you work in larger piece work... Sculpey Original is a must!

I do larger piece work, & the process is simple, quick & affordable if you follow this simple procedure...Coat your piece with your white glue as a base to work off of. Cover you entire work surface with an even thickness coat of Sculpey Original, either white OR after tinting. Then cover with your sheets, canes, etc. IF you have an 'add' that is very fragile & you don't want to risk 'altering' or damaging it - simply place another coat of white glue between the layers. 

I'm going to be posting just a few more articles on this 'Must Have Tools Series' & then will be starting a section on 'Unique Techniques' like the Landscapes shown above where I'll walk you step by step through the entire process. I wanted to finish with tools 1st so I don't have to stop in the middle of a technique to explain the logic of steps like this. Granted, many clayers are blessed to be sitting pretty on a nice nest of bucks... they can enjoy the luxury of claying without a 2nd thought to the 'investment' side of our passion. But, for those like myself that have to make the hard choices, say... buy clay or pay all those pesky bills - there ARE ways to cut corners without sacrificing the quality of our work.  This 1 is a Win Win!

On a Final Note

Many artists ask about the 'best' places to buy their clays & materials. I can only speak for myself & my location. Also bare in mind, quantity will greatly affect your prices. As with just about everything you buy, the more you buy the cheaper it is. I built my initial stock up & now only buy in bulk. I live in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, but buy predominantly online for the savings.

1: MunroCrafts.com   

• Orders $50.00 to $100.00 discount is 25% off retail prices
• Order over $100.00 discount is 40% off retail prices
• Order over $200.00 discount is 50% off retail prices.

$200.00 is a lot, but you are actually Only spending $100.00 + shipping. Plus they sell ALL accessories you may need, so it adds up quick. They do quick shipping & their clays are fresh. Make certain the items you are purchasing are qualifying purchases.

2: PolymerClaySuperstore.com  

They run fantastic sales, including small quantities of clay & accessories. They also offer 'flat rate' shipping deals so whether you are buying a little or a lot, you'll get a great deal on shipping. They also offer a few products MunroCrafts doesn't carry. For example, they carry a 3.75 lb of Original Sculpey White, that may be perfect for your needs. As an awesome extra perk, they have a 'Rewards' program, so Every purchase, even sale priced items earn credits for FREE certificates. 

Accumulate Rewards Points and use them to earn Gift Certificates to be used on anything in the store!

• -- First create an account by clicking the My Account link at the top of the page.
• -- Then make purchases to accumulate points, one point for each dollar you spend.
• -- When you log into your account, scroll down to the Rewards section and click "Redeem."
• -- You'll be able to redeem 250 points for a $10 Gift Certificate, 500 points for a $25 Gift Certificate, or 1000 points for a $50 Gift Certificate. 

I click the items desired to put in my 'shopping cart', but Don't hit pay... instead I finalize by phone. IF you complete order online, be Certain to type 'Flat Rate' Shipping' in the comments box.

3: Michael's Hobby & Craft Store 
I guess they offer mail order, but I've never used that. They offer a coupon online that you can print any time for 40% off 1 item, so if you are making a larger purchase single item... that's great savings. They also have several sales a year where they offer 2 oz clays for .99 cents. That's $8.00 for a pound of clay - sweet! I try to keep a little 'Michaels nest egg' set back for just these occasions.

I did try EBay & Amazon for clay purchases in the past. I found that neither was an 'earth moving' great deal & both times the clay were old & very hard. Beware IF you decide to go that route.

Time to trot here.
Happy Claying... and Saving!

EZ Clay Conditioning, Finally - Secret Tools Series: Pt 4

What a cute opening photo, & I Promise he actually plays a role in my latest clay conditioning discovery. But, before I give you the 3 ULTIMATE clay conditioning tricks, let's take a quick peak at what you DON'T have to do ever again, shall we?

DON'T sit on your clay - Life's to short

DON'T stick your clay in your bra or pants waistline

DON'T add mineral oil to your clay in the name of conditioning

DON'T walk on the packages OR hit unopened packages with a mallet

(Although the mallet is still Awesome for OLD age hardened clay)

Definitely NEVER EVER put in a food processor that you'll spend hours cleaning

Those are at least a few of the silly, time consuming tricks I tried in those early years. We clayers have come a long way - WooHoo!  In this article I will give you the 3 EZ conditioning tools, based on cost. 

Tool #1 = FREE

An astounding price & a tool you already have - your pasta / clay machine. Simply cut your clay into strips & feed those strips into your clay / pasta machine. It will be workable in a few passes. Start on your thickest setting & decrease it as it begins to relax by 1 click. I have a Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine which I understand has sturdier construction than many of the machines designed specifically for 'Clay'. I cut my bars into sections approximately 1/4" thick. Now, it's the only type of clay machine I've used so you should definitely try thinner slices until you know what your polymer clay machine is comfortable with, ok? 

Tool #2 = Very Inexpensive ($10 - $25)

I had my heat gun out sealing a baked piece with UTEE embossing powder & just for giggles, hit some nearby unconditioned clay for a few seconds. Hence, tool #2 was born! You can use your blade to cut a 2 oz bar in half, & then cut a 't' into each half - creating 8 separate pieces. 

  

Give the pile a little 'bump' to knock them away from each other & open the spaces between them & then hit them with your Heat Gun for 6-8 seconds, easy cheesy done. You will be ready to work comfortably by hand in no time flat! I leave my heat gun standing on end out of a mason jar to keep it handy because the little wire stand isn't sturdy. IF you don't have a 'heat gun', they really are inexpensive & most will last for years. Extra added perk - embossing on polymer clay Rocks! Here is the 1 I always used...

Darice Embossing Multi-Purpose Heat Tool - $11.43 + FREE Shipping

Behold, tragedy ensues & I must devise a New Way
Tragedy, in this case, refers to Mickey...
AKA "the Terrorist'

How I can adore something so rotten defies logic, but I do! So... when his terrorist activities hinder my clay play time, I adjust. In this particular case, he developed a strange passion for chewing through my heat gun wires. I haven't got the slightest idea what that's about, but after he ate through my 5th heat gun in a matter of  2 months - it was time to try a new thing. I didn't want my sweet innocent baby fried (yes - I live in a world of denial  :-)  & I was sick of buying heat guns, So, I treated myself to...

Tool #3 - Never Knead

What an awesome dandy tool this beauty is! I'm a bit slow to invest in the slightly higher priced tools (ok, we can say it, I'm Cheap!) My NeverKnead is the BEST clay investment I've ever made, what an awesome tool... & also a toy because it has made conditioning my clay fun. I do 6 pound canes & slabs & simply conditioning my clay was an all day chore before. Now I breeze right through it.

Deb, the creator of NeverKnead, also provided me with a gorgeous 'Lime Green' NeverKnead that is cheery & bright & color coordinates with my workspace perfectly!

   

IF your Budget allows, you'll NEVER be sorry for buying a NeverKnead... 

they are Awesome!!!

We don't know what tomorrow holds, but at the time of this writing, IF you are at

NeverKnead.com 

& spend a bit of time looking around, 

there will be a pop-up offering a 20% discount - WOW!!!

I suggest you act quickly, that's an Amazing deal!

With that said, I'm off & running.

Hugs & Happy Claying from Liz & Micky in Las Vegas