Claire’s Accident
November 8, 2014
Inspirational Art
I thought we’d end this week on depth with an in-depth mini-interview conducted by Randee Ketzel. This time she spoke to Claire Wallis who doesn’t work with illusionary depth, but does explore faux and illustrative techniques quite a bit. Here is what Randee sent to share with us:
Claire Wallis is probably best known as the creator of the faux knit tutorial in polymer clay, which she generously shared with the world, but there is so much more to her work. Caner, sculptor, illustrator, Claire is a self-taught artist from the south of England and came to polymer ‘entirely by accident’. She played with it as a child and became re-engaged with it after viewing the works of other artists on the Internet.
An avid fan of Fantasy/Sci-Fi, she has carved her favorite characters on pumpkins, sketched them on chinaware, and sculpted them in polymer. She also illustrates–this elephant cuff is smashing–and clearly has no fear of color, as evidenced by her eye-popping bangles.
The influence of her other artistic explorations like ceramics, acrylics, pastels, printmaking and pyrography is evident in her work, though she says she had very little formal training. She counts that a blessing, as it leaves her free to approach polymer with no preconceptions as to how it ought to be used. As she puts it, “I find ignorance is not only bliss, but genuinely constructive, particularly in a medium as adaptable as polymer clay.”
Her driving force is a keen desire for craftsmanship, every piece should be the best it can be, and she can’t imagine a day without some artistic endeavor to try her hand. Claire recently gave up her job as an assistant manager for St. Barnabas’ charity shop (which helps support their hospice work) to be a full-time mom and is waiting to see where motherhood leads her creative processes.
She describes herself as ‘a bit of a one-trick pony,’ with which I humbly beg to differ, given her obvious mastery of so many media and techniques. She says of herself, “I love to read and learn, and for me nothing beats the sense of achievement you get when you master a new skill.” We will eagerly await the next chapter in her new adventure. In the meantime, you can certainly glean hints from her Flickr photostream and maybe recognize a kindred soul.
Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals, but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry. Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Variety is the Spice …
July 14, 2014
Inspirational Art
I’ve been seeing a lot of collage and photos of groupings of people’s work. These images are a great idea especially for sales materials and websites–it can show your breadth of work as well as give customers ideas for custom pieces. For us artists, it’s a great way to compare similar pieces side by side and get ideas about how to vary the same forms, techniques, or applications.
These donut focal bead bracelets by Gema Belinchon are a great example of taking a few small changes and recombining them to come up with a wide variety of finished pieces. She had six basic things she’s recombining–color, different canes, two types of leather cord, the number of cords she uses, crystal accents and three types of silver slider beads. I can’t figure out the math, but I know that could be hundreds of combinations.
Can you identify one bracelet as you favorite? Can you say why? Would you make a different combination of elements to create something more to your taste? Why do you think you choose those? Asking these kinds of questions can help you understand your own taste and what kind of look can be derived from a change in combinations.
I like the one with the three crystals, but would prefer it in that wonderful lime green Skinner blend bead next to it, and I’d go for unbraided leather so the cane texture is the only busy texture. The cane would really stand out that way while the rest of the bracelet would appear smooth and subdued, which would add a touch of sophistication versus casual and fun. But, that’s just me. What are your preferences?
Gema goes by Belserart on Flickr where you can find more variations on the same types of pieces. They aren’t all in one image, side by side like this, but they are definitely worth a stroll through them.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
A Delicate Glow
June 3, 2014
Inspirational Art
Even though English Artist Claire Wallis is self taught and is fairly new to polymer, her attention to detail is inspiring and her finishing techniques are immaculate. Take a look at these bracelets pictured here. The designs are fairly simple but strong. Her canes here use an approach that gives the pattern a subtle glow. This kind of technique uses color value and gradation to emulate light in a surface pattern. We actually have an entire article about ways to create the illusion of light in the Summer issue that starts mailing out this coming Friday.
Claire is also a talented illustrator and you can see her graphite drawings and painting as well as her polymer work on her website. You may also want to take a look at more of her work, including some delightful polymer birds, on her Flickr page.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Just Dots
May 14, 2014
Inspirational Art
If you ever did petri dish tests in biology class or left the tomato sauce too many weeks in the fridge, you might recognize the patterning of this next piece for our microscopic week. This is a simple but visually high impact bracelet by Mathilde Colas. It’s not often that we think of mold or mildew as inspiring much beyond disgust but all of nature has a beauty to it. The delicate dots and rich colors against a stark white background make for a calm but dramatic beauty here.
It seems obvious, looking at her body of work, that Mathilde Colas is heavily influenced by nature in all its forms, from the color of spring flowers to the decay of late autumn. Take a look at her work and read up on her thoughts on her blog website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Texture in Animal Print
April 17, 2014
Inspirational Art
This animal print bracelet made by Slovenian artist Tina Mežek is another good example of what could be fabric inspired polymer clay. The rich, bold, earthtone color choices are typical of animal print fabrics and the textured surface gives this bangle the feel and look of a base covered in a rich woven cloth.
Tina is a designer who loves to work with mixed media, precious metals, wire, and Swarovski crystals, as well as polymer clay. If you would like to see more of her designs, visit her Flickr pages or her Facebook page. And if you would like to learn how to do this type of design, take one of her classes or workshops. She teaches for CraftArtEdu and there is a list of her workshops on her website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
On the Edge of Fall
March 20, 2014
Inspirational Art
I found this bracelet awhile back but have yet to find the artist who created it. The pin leads to the www.polymerclayfimo.livejournal.com page but after searching posts for far too long, I couldn’t find it. Can our readers help us out?
I know we are so far from Autumn up here in the Northern Hemisphere but our Southern counterparts are entering the season right about now. And who can resist the beauty of rich rusts and glowing earth tones any time of year? I love the way the edges are treated in both layers, one torn and the other scored and worn looking so the feel from imagery to texture has a very soft and natural feel to it.
Ok … so who can get us some answers? We’ll update the post as soon as we find out who created this lovely piece.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Atypical Bracelets
March 19, 2014
Inspirational Art
There is actually a lot of commonality between today’s bracelets and the one’s in yesterday’s post. Like Evgeny, Andrea Zajacová also uses contrast in texture but in a more graphic manner. The concept and approach to design using contrast is similar but with a very different feel. Although obviously handmade and inexact, the bracelet is designed in sections instead of scattering the three-dimensional pieces around the whole of it’s circumference. This gives the bracelet a specific area of focus with that fully tactile texture contrasting the low visual texture of the other areas as well as high contrast in color between the purples and yellows.
Andrea posted variations of this bracelet on this blog post. Great colors palettes. And she has a lot more art to share in her store as well.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Organic Grace
March 18, 2014
Inspirational Art
This combination of organic plant and stone texture comes across as rather luscious and graceful. This creative bracelet by Russian artist, Evgeny Alexandrov, is an ode to the vivacity of natural elements. This bracelet design mirrors the feel of the rocks and the velvety moss that covers them. The succulent looking plants are fashioned with smooth surfaces, while the rock and the moss offer an enticing contrast to the tactile nature of the surfaces.
Evgeny’s work is full of luscious organic forms and the tactile textures. You can admire more of her work in her online shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
The Art of the Bracelet
March 17, 2014
Inspirational Art
I have avoided doing a week with the theme particular to a type of jewelry but we have a list of really amazing bracelets that I just can’t wait to share with you any longer. The reason I wanted to avoid a single form was because it could end up being a week of pieces that only inspire those that work in that form, but these bracelets I’m bringing you this week have surface treatments and textures that can apply to all kinds of polymer–from other forms of jewelry to decor and even sculpture. Even if you don’t create bracelets, much or not at all, look at what the pieces present in terms of techniques and combinations of characteristics. I think many of you will find exciting inspiration everyday this week.
This first bracelet is actually some of DDee Wilder’s older work but I think her combination of techniques, colors and forms still have lessons for us now. The combination of colors vibrate along with the sliced polymer spots stretching out on the inside of the bracelet emphasizing the spin of the curling, rippling form that makes this such a lively bracelet.
DDee has a whole series of these bracelets you can enjoy on her Flickr pages, but don’t stop there. She has many other lovely forms, textures and palettes to inspire you, no matter what forms you prefer to work in.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I thought we’d end this week on depth with an in-depth mini-interview conducted by Randee Ketzel. This time she spoke to Claire Wallis who doesn’t work with illusionary depth, but does explore faux and illustrative techniques quite a bit. Here is what Randee sent to share with us:
Claire Wallis is probably best known as the creator of the faux knit tutorial in polymer clay, which she generously shared with the world, but there is so much more to her work. Caner, sculptor, illustrator, Claire is a self-taught artist from the south of England and came to polymer ‘entirely by accident’. She played with it as a child and became re-engaged with it after viewing the works of other artists on the Internet.
An avid fan of Fantasy/Sci-Fi, she has carved her favorite characters on pumpkins, sketched them on chinaware, and sculpted them in polymer. She also illustrates–this elephant cuff is smashing–and clearly has no fear of color, as evidenced by her eye-popping bangles.
The influence of her other artistic explorations like ceramics, acrylics, pastels, printmaking and pyrography is evident in her work, though she says she had very little formal training. She counts that a blessing, as it leaves her free to approach polymer with no preconceptions as to how it ought to be used. As she puts it, “I find ignorance is not only bliss, but genuinely constructive, particularly in a medium as adaptable as polymer clay.”
Her driving force is a keen desire for craftsmanship, every piece should be the best it can be, and she can’t imagine a day without some artistic endeavor to try her hand. Claire recently gave up her job as an assistant manager for St. Barnabas’ charity shop (which helps support their hospice work) to be a full-time mom and is waiting to see where motherhood leads her creative processes.
She describes herself as ‘a bit of a one-trick pony,’ with which I humbly beg to differ, given her obvious mastery of so many media and techniques. She says of herself, “I love to read and learn, and for me nothing beats the sense of achievement you get when you master a new skill.” We will eagerly await the next chapter in her new adventure. In the meantime, you can certainly glean hints from her Flickr photostream and maybe recognize a kindred soul.
Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals, but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry. Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I’ve been seeing a lot of collage and photos of groupings of people’s work. These images are a great idea especially for sales materials and websites–it can show your breadth of work as well as give customers ideas for custom pieces. For us artists, it’s a great way to compare similar pieces side by side and get ideas about how to vary the same forms, techniques, or applications.
These donut focal bead bracelets by Gema Belinchon are a great example of taking a few small changes and recombining them to come up with a wide variety of finished pieces. She had six basic things she’s recombining–color, different canes, two types of leather cord, the number of cords she uses, crystal accents and three types of silver slider beads. I can’t figure out the math, but I know that could be hundreds of combinations.
Can you identify one bracelet as you favorite? Can you say why? Would you make a different combination of elements to create something more to your taste? Why do you think you choose those? Asking these kinds of questions can help you understand your own taste and what kind of look can be derived from a change in combinations.
I like the one with the three crystals, but would prefer it in that wonderful lime green Skinner blend bead next to it, and I’d go for unbraided leather so the cane texture is the only busy texture. The cane would really stand out that way while the rest of the bracelet would appear smooth and subdued, which would add a touch of sophistication versus casual and fun. But, that’s just me. What are your preferences?
Gema goes by Belserart on Flickr where you can find more variations on the same types of pieces. They aren’t all in one image, side by side like this, but they are definitely worth a stroll through them.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Even though English Artist Claire Wallis is self taught and is fairly new to polymer, her attention to detail is inspiring and her finishing techniques are immaculate. Take a look at these bracelets pictured here. The designs are fairly simple but strong. Her canes here use an approach that gives the pattern a subtle glow. This kind of technique uses color value and gradation to emulate light in a surface pattern. We actually have an entire article about ways to create the illusion of light in the Summer issue that starts mailing out this coming Friday.
Claire is also a talented illustrator and you can see her graphite drawings and painting as well as her polymer work on her website. You may also want to take a look at more of her work, including some delightful polymer birds, on her Flickr page.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Read More
If you ever did petri dish tests in biology class or left the tomato sauce too many weeks in the fridge, you might recognize the patterning of this next piece for our microscopic week. This is a simple but visually high impact bracelet by Mathilde Colas. It’s not often that we think of mold or mildew as inspiring much beyond disgust but all of nature has a beauty to it. The delicate dots and rich colors against a stark white background make for a calm but dramatic beauty here.
It seems obvious, looking at her body of work, that Mathilde Colas is heavily influenced by nature in all its forms, from the color of spring flowers to the decay of late autumn. Take a look at her work and read up on her thoughts on her blog website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
This animal print bracelet made by Slovenian artist Tina Mežek is another good example of what could be fabric inspired polymer clay. The rich, bold, earthtone color choices are typical of animal print fabrics and the textured surface gives this bangle the feel and look of a base covered in a rich woven cloth.
Tina is a designer who loves to work with mixed media, precious metals, wire, and Swarovski crystals, as well as polymer clay. If you would like to see more of her designs, visit her Flickr pages or her Facebook page. And if you would like to learn how to do this type of design, take one of her classes or workshops. She teaches for CraftArtEdu and there is a list of her workshops on her website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I found this bracelet awhile back but have yet to find the artist who created it. The pin leads to the www.polymerclayfimo.livejournal.com page but after searching posts for far too long, I couldn’t find it. Can our readers help us out?
I know we are so far from Autumn up here in the Northern Hemisphere but our Southern counterparts are entering the season right about now. And who can resist the beauty of rich rusts and glowing earth tones any time of year? I love the way the edges are treated in both layers, one torn and the other scored and worn looking so the feel from imagery to texture has a very soft and natural feel to it.
Ok … so who can get us some answers? We’ll update the post as soon as we find out who created this lovely piece.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
There is actually a lot of commonality between today’s bracelets and the one’s in yesterday’s post. Like Evgeny, Andrea Zajacová also uses contrast in texture but in a more graphic manner. The concept and approach to design using contrast is similar but with a very different feel. Although obviously handmade and inexact, the bracelet is designed in sections instead of scattering the three-dimensional pieces around the whole of it’s circumference. This gives the bracelet a specific area of focus with that fully tactile texture contrasting the low visual texture of the other areas as well as high contrast in color between the purples and yellows.
Andrea posted variations of this bracelet on this blog post. Great colors palettes. And she has a lot more art to share in her store as well.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
This combination of organic plant and stone texture comes across as rather luscious and graceful. This creative bracelet by Russian artist, Evgeny Alexandrov, is an ode to the vivacity of natural elements. This bracelet design mirrors the feel of the rocks and the velvety moss that covers them. The succulent looking plants are fashioned with smooth surfaces, while the rock and the moss offer an enticing contrast to the tactile nature of the surfaces.
Evgeny’s work is full of luscious organic forms and the tactile textures. You can admire more of her work in her online shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I have avoided doing a week with the theme particular to a type of jewelry but we have a list of really amazing bracelets that I just can’t wait to share with you any longer. The reason I wanted to avoid a single form was because it could end up being a week of pieces that only inspire those that work in that form, but these bracelets I’m bringing you this week have surface treatments and textures that can apply to all kinds of polymer–from other forms of jewelry to decor and even sculpture. Even if you don’t create bracelets, much or not at all, look at what the pieces present in terms of techniques and combinations of characteristics. I think many of you will find exciting inspiration everyday this week.
This first bracelet is actually some of DDee Wilder’s older work but I think her combination of techniques, colors and forms still have lessons for us now. The combination of colors vibrate along with the sliced polymer spots stretching out on the inside of the bracelet emphasizing the spin of the curling, rippling form that makes this such a lively bracelet.
DDee has a whole series of these bracelets you can enjoy on her Flickr pages, but don’t stop there. She has many other lovely forms, textures and palettes to inspire you, no matter what forms you prefer to work in.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
