Lentils, Snakes and Extrusions
March 28, 2013
Inspirational Art, Tips and Tricks
Lentils, snakes of clay and extrusions are more than a little common in polymer but how often are they brought together?
I do enjoy discovering new ways to use scrap clay. Below is another option for making something beautiful from leftovers. These wonderful colors–and a new take on the possible definition of a ‘swirl’ lentil–are from Russia’s Tatiana Begacheva. I can’t say for certain that she used scrap (the Google translation makes her sound like an ethereal poet–which she very well may be–but it didn’t help explain her process.) Nonetheless, it is a fantastic idea for scrap and a jumping-off point for using scrap-extruded snakes.
I do wonder what would happen if you actually applied the swirled lentil process to these wrapped beads. As soon as I have time to spend in the studio, I think I’ll try it. If anyone tries it out before me, do send photos or share with us on our Facebook page.
Simple Black Impact
August 14, 2012
Inspirational Art
I wear a lot of black. No, it’s not out of some morbid aesthetic. I just find it to be a fantastic background for anything I add to my attire. And being the klutz with an insatiable curiosity, I know that I am less likely to end up with noticeable stains if I detour through the studio on the way out of the house for dinner after being struck by a random idea or find myself tromping into a field enticed by some color or texture — my wardrobe is determined primarily by the rule that what I wear should not stop me from exploring as situations arise.
But black has a purpose beyond being a background. It can also be a the focus of your ensemble. This stunning lentil bead by Judy Belcher is one such example. Simple, understated but enticing, this piece’s impact comes from the starkness of the predominant black with only the quiet interruption of the lines of brown and the two pearly accents to break it up. In work like this where color is minimal, form and texture take precedence.
It is a piece like this that would get me to pull out one of my few white outfits to give it the simple ‘background’ the piece deserves.
In a medium dominated by tons of color, it is easily forgotten how well polymer can present a limited palette and the non-colors of black and white. We have many, many color options with our material and the ability to create sophisticated and stunning work in a way other jewelry material cannot. But it doesn’t mean we always need to use color. Try working with a piece in all black or all white and see just where form and surface texture can take you.
Timmins Technique in Full Color
June 11, 2012
Technique tutorials
No one makes swirls lentils like Laura Timmins. And I have never seen anyone put together a more concise, accessible and interesting way of explaining such a complex process.
This is really a pretty cool visual of how Laura builds the components that make her gorgeous lentils. She created this quite a few years ago to help explain to her customers how she uses polymer clay to make her work. She has found that the popularity of polymer has made explaining the material and process less necessary than in the past but it’s still a fun and colorful visual to have.
What do you use, if anything, to educate people about your process when at public events?
Lentils, snakes of clay and extrusions are more than a little common in polymer but how often are they brought together?
I do enjoy discovering new ways to use scrap clay. Below is another option for making something beautiful from leftovers. These wonderful colors–and a new take on the possible definition of a ‘swirl’ lentil–are from Russia’s Tatiana Begacheva. I can’t say for certain that she used scrap (the Google translation makes her sound like an ethereal poet–which she very well may be–but it didn’t help explain her process.) Nonetheless, it is a fantastic idea for scrap and a jumping-off point for using scrap-extruded snakes.
I do wonder what would happen if you actually applied the swirled lentil process to these wrapped beads. As soon as I have time to spend in the studio, I think I’ll try it. If anyone tries it out before me, do send photos or share with us on our Facebook page.
Read MoreI wear a lot of black. No, it’s not out of some morbid aesthetic. I just find it to be a fantastic background for anything I add to my attire. And being the klutz with an insatiable curiosity, I know that I am less likely to end up with noticeable stains if I detour through the studio on the way out of the house for dinner after being struck by a random idea or find myself tromping into a field enticed by some color or texture — my wardrobe is determined primarily by the rule that what I wear should not stop me from exploring as situations arise.
But black has a purpose beyond being a background. It can also be a the focus of your ensemble. This stunning lentil bead by Judy Belcher is one such example. Simple, understated but enticing, this piece’s impact comes from the starkness of the predominant black with only the quiet interruption of the lines of brown and the two pearly accents to break it up. In work like this where color is minimal, form and texture take precedence.
It is a piece like this that would get me to pull out one of my few white outfits to give it the simple ‘background’ the piece deserves.
In a medium dominated by tons of color, it is easily forgotten how well polymer can present a limited palette and the non-colors of black and white. We have many, many color options with our material and the ability to create sophisticated and stunning work in a way other jewelry material cannot. But it doesn’t mean we always need to use color. Try working with a piece in all black or all white and see just where form and surface texture can take you.
Read More
No one makes swirls lentils like Laura Timmins. And I have never seen anyone put together a more concise, accessible and interesting way of explaining such a complex process.
This is really a pretty cool visual of how Laura builds the components that make her gorgeous lentils. She created this quite a few years ago to help explain to her customers how she uses polymer clay to make her work. She has found that the popularity of polymer has made explaining the material and process less necessary than in the past but it’s still a fun and colorful visual to have.
What do you use, if anything, to educate people about your process when at public events?
Read More