So far, I’ve been able to overcome a lot of problems. I wear gloves when working with white clay. I take precautions when baking with tiles and thermometers. I carved out a workspace from virtually nothing.
But I can’t seem to overcome the hair. If anyone has tips, let me know!
Velvet is a Labrador and she’s a lot like a furry Pigpen of ‘Charlie Brown’ fame.
The chickens aren’t allowed in the house, but somehow I still find feathers here and there. And my daughter sheds worse than a cat!:
There’s so much really good information out there, it’s confusing to me where to start. I spend a lot of time ‘looking’ at stuff, with no real clear plan in place. I worry that am not really learning ‘clay’ and just learning techniques and that I spend more time looking at pictures rather than working with clay.
I try to spend some time on places such as Christi’s Neighborhood and a few others like the Polymer Clay Adventure retreat (where Christi is teaching soon). I have a subscription at Cindy Lietz’s Polymer Clay Tutor (http://www.beadsandbeading.com/blog/) and I really love that she focuses on on project at a time.
I’ve joined Katie at Kater’s Acre’s ‘challenge’ to work with clay at least once a week. I’m scoring a little better because I try to work with it several times a week, trying new things, new finishes, etc. But it’s hard to see improvement in just a few weeks. 😦
Here are my weeks ‘projects’. What did you do? Share!
It is Chinese New Year and my daughter is the Captain of a ‘Lion Dance Team’. Katie’s little menagerie of dragons inspired me to make a Chinese New Year’s Lion. I also determined to really get the ‘mica shift’ method, but I think that I sanded off too much of the top. I also tried a tutorial for from Eugenia Topina (http://eugenascreations.com/) that really reminded of a sandstone rock formation that I love called Tafoni. They are the white discs on the light bulbs that aren’t baked yet.I had some problems with the outer covering of the cane slipping under the ‘holes’ in the design when I smoothed the slice on a light bulb. But I see so much potential for the technique and have so many ideas for it when I can perfect it.
Also, there’s a ‘Pinterest’ bracelet that has really inspired me make more botanical themed designs. (I’m seeing a pattern that seems to suggest that I am drawn to using botanicals in my projects.) I went a little crazy this week trying out different molding compounds, everything from a tube of silicon to the more expensive commercial types. Also, I made a beautiful set of earrings that didn’t make my picture, because I ruined them by drilling the hole for the findings too close to the edge. Aargh!
I am still working on the challenge over at Kater’s Acres, (http://katersacres.com/polyclay/2015pcchallenge-polyclay/my-2015-polymer-clay-challenge/). The challenge is to work with clay at least once a week. I’ve made a small, personal change to my end of the challenge by trying to work with clay several times a week. It hasn’t been difficult. I’d probably be doing the same thing even if I hadn’t joined the challenge. I enjoy relaxing in the evening with clay in my hands and the work is helping me to actually find my own process.
What’s not as easy is finding the time to write the blog to accompany the work.
I ‘do’ one really big ‘charity’ thing a year. I am the chair woman for a fundraising dinner for about 500 people. And it is a TON of work. Since the dinner is coming up on March 7th, it’s a really busy time for me and my goal for this year is to raise 100 thousand dollars at that dinner. And yesterday my treasurer quit. (OK. I’ll admit it. It was my fault that he quit. He refused to hold two dinner tickets at the door for a Doctor in town and I called him a prima donna. He got mad and quit. Good riddance.) Ya-da ya-da. You get the picture. My workload increased.
But I still enjoy my clay in the evenings. I’m less enthusiastic about the writing. So I may start to blog just once a week for awhile.
Here are the results from the last few evenings of work:
The light bulb has some scrap clay on it. I’m trying to make some hollow beads. Near the light bulb there are some very bright yellow and red mehndi inspired earrings that I still need to add findings to. Just below the earings there are two attempts at embroider-style claying and I have to admit that I *love* that style. It’s a very relaxing process for me and I think that they turned out nicely, even though they’re made from scrap. Leaning against the light bulb is my second attempt at making cane. This was a simple leaf cane that I will need for another project and I thought it turned out well, compared to my disastrous first snowflake cane attempt a few weeks back.
I’m working on another swap over at the Polymer Clay Adventure Retreat (http://craftylink.ning.com/get-involved/polymer-clay-adventure). The theme for this one is fairy door (or troll doors or gnomes. Some small magical creature. I forget.) The brown thing is the start of one of my doors, but not done yet. On the right side of the picture were two tiles sent to me from my last swap by Kimberly Crick at The Enchanted Gallery. (www.TheEnchantedGallery.com). Her tiles (and her store) are amazing and I hope she understands when she gets my wimpy little inchie in the mail that I am a brand new clayer because well, compared to hers, well, mine just suck.
Caused when UTEE flowed under and stuck the tile to the substrate.
When you try new things, everything doesn’t always go as planned.
I made new pair of earrings, mehndi inspired and very colorful. I checked to make sure that I had jewelry finding before I started. And when I went to assemble everything I found that although I DID have findings, they were too small. It’s so frustrating to be ready to finish a piece and have to stop for supplies.
On another piece, I wanted to try UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) for a finish. It was sort of bumpy and uneven, but what was worse, the liquid flowed under my work and my piece stuck fast to the card stock substrate. When I tried to separate them, my tiny piece broke. And the finish is not really very ‘enamel-like’. It seems to scratch easily, although it does look thick and glossy and I can see some potential uses for it.
Several of the techniques that I see on Pinterest seem to not be reproducible, no matter how careful I am. In fact, after really looking and studying a few of the pins, I’m convinced that they aren’t polymer clay at all, but are instead real glass or some other types of clay.
And a few of the YouTube videos that I’ve been watching require supplies that simply are not available in local stores or on-line, which is frustrating. I’m learning how I can substitute some things or just do without others.
I need to find another toaster oven, this small one simply isn’t adequate (but heck, I only paid 5 bucks for it) and I’m back to cooking in my big stove. But dang, it really does a wonderful job. Once it reaches temperature (which does take awhile), it STAYS there with nary a hot spot in the place. Really, if I didn’t have my propane trucked in, I would just use it all the time. But tanks full of propane don’t grow on trees and using a small toaster oven is much more economical…if I can find the magic one that works well.
Mokume gane is one of those effects that really fascinates me and I wanted to nail down the technique. I had seen a pair of black, white and red earrings and although I loved the colors, I really wasn’t keen on the shape of the earrings.
So I made my own. I started by looking at a few tutorials for the technique. A google search turned up an overwhelming number of choices, each slightly different from the next. It seems everyone has their own opinion on how many stacks the cane should go through.
So I took an average of what the majority of the tutorials suggested, and ended up with a final stack of 24 sheets. You can see it at the top of the picture. Honestly, I wasn’t happy with it. The colors seemed to ‘muddy-up’ and the shapes lost definition.
So I backed up and did some revisions. I remade the cane and set aside slices at certain points. I had a 3 layer cane, a 6 and a 12 layer. For the look that I wanted, a simple 6 stack cane gave me the clearest, purest color and shape. I liked the more modern arrangement and delineation of the colors and the sharp definition of the pattern.
Yes, there are times when the more subdued pattern would be used, but it’s nice to know that there are other options.
Continuing with the task of trying to carve out more workspace, I watched Katie’s (from Kater’s Acres http://katersacres.com/) Youtube video on clay storage and I loved the idea. It beats my Lazy Susan rack any day. You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NovG9hh1Bfs
I know it seems as if I’m obsessing, but actually space is a pretty important issue for me. Right now, I’m working on a desk and I have to squeeze my elbows together to fit in to roll clay. But I looked at my area and I actually think that I have a lot of space available…if I can organize it better.
I’ve been trying out mehndi designs on clay. The Sutton slice is really nice for that. I did have a problem when I used light clay on the base and a dark, vibrant clay on top. The darker color bled a little bit. I’ll remember that. And I’m experimenting a bit with designs on the mica shift, but I really haven’t been successful.
My 5 swap partners have been given to me for the ‘Polymer Clay Adventure Retreat’ monthly swap and it’s just a tad disappointing to have two of them ask ‘what’s an inchie?’ I didn’t know what an inchie was either, but when I signed up (over a month ago) I made sure to learn what one is and work on it, learning as I went. It was a great idea from the ladies that run the retreat but I guess some folks didn’t really recognize the opportunity.
The local clay guild has their meeting onn the first Saturday of the month (how can a meeting last from noon to 8 pm?) so I’m off to see what that’s all about. I know for sure there will be a demonstration of a ‘neverknead’ machine. It should be fun!
Still working on Christi Friesen’s symmetry exercise (http://christisneighborhood.com/) and and actually I really like how this one turned out. I used one of the techniques from the book ‘The Polymer Clay Artist’s Guide‘ by Marie Segal, (a wash of acrylic paint in the cracks and a little bit of gold embellishment) and it reminds me of cinnabar.
I was probably a bit too cautious with the Aztec Gold, but I was too liberal the last time so I’m looking for a happy medium.
I do need to think about the jewelry findings in advance. I made a hole in the heart (you can’t see it in this image) but it’s too small to put a cord through which is what the plan was and too far from the edge to use a jump ring.
The “inchie” struggle carries on. I needed 6 for the January swap over at the Polymer Clay Adventure Retreat (If you haven’t checked it out, you should: http://craftylink.ning.com/ ) And even though it’s a bit frustrating (I’ve thrown out the first several dozen ‘inchies’ that I made), I am showing improvement. But, oh, you should hear me curse while I make them! One square inch of clay is a very small canvas. Especially with my thick cornbread fingers. I think that I’ve finally finished, with some nice ones to choose from. I was really able to explore a lot of new techniques and finishes without wasting a lot of clay. I practiced the Sutton slice, mica shifts, mokume gane, staining, molding, blending, alcohol inks and silver leaf and the work really helped me learn new methods, even if I still need a lot more practice doing them.
The February swap at Polymer Clay Adventure is ‘fairy doors’. We only need to produce 3 and they are a little larger (about 2″) so it will be a nice change of pace. Teresa Pandora Salgado will be teaching a class on canes on Friday, I’m really looking forward to that too. My only attempt at a cane was a dismal failure.
Over at Christi Freiden’s Creative ‘Community’, (http://christisneighborhood.com/) I’ve been working on asymmetry, specifically in hearts. I should have my symmetrical heart done by tomorrow. There’s also a monthly project that I’m gathering materials for, which is full of crystals and and curls and golden goodness. She’s so encouraging and has a really strong art background which is nice to be exposed to.
All of this work fits in nicely with Katie (at Kater’s Acre’s http://katersacres.com/polyclay/hints/2015-polymer-clay-challenge/) 2015 Challenge to work at least once a week with clay. I’ve actually been able to work almost every day. Katie asked (and answered) this: “What happens when you dedicate just one year to your craft? As a general rule of thumb, not only do you become more proficient & skilled as an artist, but you learn what you like and what you don’t like, as well as what makes you happy!”
Because I live in the middle of no-craft-store-land, I have to buy quite a lot of my supplies on-line. To get the best price, you often have to order more than you need, such as the bracelet blanks pictured above.
Bracelet blanks are reusable. How many could I possibly need? I may open a little Etsy shop to get rid of my surplus purchases.
I’m swimming in ‘stuff’, trying to get (and keep) everything organized. It’s been an uphill battle. Uphill battle? Where on earth did that expression come from? Is fighting a battle any easier going downhill than it is uphill? Who fights battles anyway? (See how easy it is for me to get off-track? I seem to…oh, look! A squirrel!)
Back to the topic.
I’ve made several other ‘unwise’ purchases. I bought extra bottles of ‘Bake & Bond’ and Sculpey Gloss Glaze, forgetting that I already had some.
And some molds that really weren’t suitable for polymer clay. (Ah, the hopeful innocence of a beginner clay-er. You see something, get a great idea, and upon implementation, you realize that it’s not gonna work. But still, you are learning. So there’s that.)
So yeah. An Etsy shop. I need one more thing to agonize over and take up my time to avoid doing the dishes.
So yes, I’m a beginner. And I’m working on learning technique and form and how to color inside the lines.
But once in awhile, I just want to have fun. What other reason would anyone have for wanting to work with clay?
I’m a part of Christi Friesen’s ‘Neigborhood’ (http://christisneighborhood.com/) and this month she spends a lot of time discussing symmetry (or lack of). Part of the discussion is about asymmetrical hearts, so I thought I’d make one.
I thought I’d incorporate a technique that I’ve seen pinned to about a thousand Pinterest boards, that’s all glitter and color and brilliance. I have never found a tutorial for the techniques, so I just devised a method myself. My method worked pretty well, but I found some things that I can fine tune next time.
So the whole project was quite a leap for a beginner, but I like it, mostly. I put a little Aztec gold on the left side and I just used my fingertip. Not crazy about that.
But on the whole, I’m happy about it. I am a child of the ’60’s. Orange shag carpet. Dried flower arrangements with artichokes that were painted brown. Avocado green appliances. My mother telling me to never wear bright colors because it ‘makes you look cheap’. Yeah. I’ve got a pretty severe case of color repression and I’m trying to let it out. This project challenged me and I need to get out of my comfort zone more often.
And it’s also made me ask: What is beauty? The last few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time looking at polymer art. I love some of it. Others not so much. But what takes it beyond the realm of someone’s ‘hobby’, and turning it into gallery-worthy sort of art? Is it form and design? Colors? Perfect technique and a flawless finish? Expert lighting and photography and a little help from photoshop?
perimedeearth 