Saturday 25 February 2012

Playing/experimenting with polymer clay

I am still desperate to get some polymer clay lessons - but just can't find any in Norfolk.  There is a class with Sue in Suffolk where I did the Silver Clay, but it's on 1st April - when I'll be recovering from an eye operation all being well - so I can't go to that.

The bead shop outside the village is no longer listing Silver Clay and Polymer Clay as future courses which is a shame. I did find a place  via Google, in Dereham, but am not getting any response to emails or phone messages - despite the advert for lessons starting again in February 2012 so perhaps circumstance have changed or something has gone amiss there.

So I am just messing about experimenting really - but I'd much rather have a proper lesson or two.  I can't seem to get a good photo today - nothing unusal there  On my computer screen the samples look more like a cork colour rather than the lovely rich burnt umber and raw sienna colour with a nice dark bronze subtle sheen and just like leather in 'real life'.  I used Premo Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna and Bronze Accents,
It looks like a lovely rich leather - which I could capture it on here.

 I scrunched up some paper and pushed it into the polymer clay (after conditioning and rolling it)
I pushed a key stamp into the above
I used A Jo Capper Sandon large bumble bee stamp which I pushed into this one.

One of my all time favourite quote stamps - again from Jo into this one.
You can get the stamps from Happy Daze    and all sorts of lovely arty crafty goodies.
I painted each example  all over with with Burnt Umber acrylic paint, then rubbed off the excess with a soft rag.  When the paint had dried naturally, I rubbed on some Cosmic Shimmer  - it's called dark copper but after baking it shimmered like bumble wings do.  It looks a bit 'clumpy' in the photos but in natural light wtih the naked eye it doesn't - and you can see the wing veins through it.  
Not bad for a first attempt - I got better as I went along - but have not perfected it yet.

I desperately want a lesson on making canes with polymer clay.   I now there are books and on line videos - but it's not the same as having someone by my side showing me.

So if anyone fancies giving me a lesson - please email me.