Of Polymer and Paint

August 25, 2019

Have you ever used paint on polymer? If so, why did you chose to paint it rather than use the inherent color? This question is at the heart of a kind of prejudice against paint that used to be rather prevalent in the polymer community. I think painting on polymer has found its place in our repertoire of techniques but statistically (and I’m just looking at the stats I have available from the blog and the general response to articles) I don’t think it gets quite the regard that other techniques do and it makes me wonder if people still steer away from it, even when it might be the best choice.

Ages ago, I unintentionally incited a heated conversation about painting on polymer through a blog post where all the color and the focal point of the piece was painted. There were many comments about how painting on polymer was not “working in polymer” and therefore I should not be writing about it on a polymer blog. This sentiment was rooted in the thought that since polymer is already colored, painting would be superfluous if not downright heretical. This was also a time when polymer was fighting for its place in the art world and competitions for polymer were being won by pieces that were not wholly polymer which heavily irritated those who strove to create only with polymer clay. With a strong love for the material, those crafters were simply strong proponents of letting the material shine through.

Well, a material can be gorgeous on its own, but what the artist wants out of that material may be other qualities beyond its inherent visual ones. For instance, I prefer woodwork that has been treated with nothing but oil and wax to let the natural beauty shine through but wood that is stained or painted can result in beautiful work as well. It’s not wrong to change or obscure the wood’s natural look. It’s just different. Polymer has other qualities beyond it’s color, primarily its sculptural characteristics including the ability to hold very fine detail. So, if its sculptural qualities are primarily what the artist needs from the material, then why not use whatever kind of treatment gives the surface the color and feel the artist finds most appealing or fitting for the work?

The fact is, the color in polymer clay only pieces tends to be fairly uniform since we are working with a material which is colored throughout making it fairly difficult to achieve an organic variation and imperfect diffusion of color. On the other hand, paint which is applied in layers can so readily be everything from dense and uniform to translucent and feathery to gritty and splattered. The facts are that it is easy to get smooth, uniform color using polymer clay but can be tricky with paint and it is easy to get variation in a field of color with paint but takes more work than it is often worth to get a similar effect in clay. In other words, each material has its strengths and so why not employ them based on those strengths?

As an artist, one should use the material that suits the end result desired if the material and the skills to use them are available to them. We’re not talking just paint here either—this applies to any material. Sometimes real metal, with its strength and shine, will work better than faux polymer metal or real stones will glimmer and give a piece the needed weight that faux polymer stones cannot. I am not saying that the real thing should always be used though. Faux materials in polymer do have distinct advantages such as faux metal being lighter and more flexible than the real thing and faux stones are usually cheaper to produce and can be formed in ways that real stones cannot.

Ideally, you start designing a piece with the idea of what you want to make, then figure out what materials would be best suited to the look, construction, durability, and cost of the work as well as your skillset and interests. With this approach, you can make the best work possible rather than limiting yourself because you feel some sense of loyalty to a single medium or the tribe of artists that identify themselves by that medium. That loyalty, like not painting color onto polymer, can be unnecessarily limiting and you could be missing out on wonderful new ways to express yourself and create.

The fact is you and your work do not need to be defined by your primary medium. You are an artist or a crafter or an artisan. You can choose to tack a medium on to one of these basic labels in order to be identified by a related community or as a way to explain very succinctly what you do, but if one day you get up and decide you want to try working with something else, are you going to feel locked into that label? Because if you do, you may be less inclined to explore and that would be sad. As I see it, every true artist is an explorer and one that should not be limited by any one material if their path of exploration leads them elsewhere. That’s just my humble opinion!

So, if you think paint would look good on your polymer, I think you should go for it. Let’s look at a handful of artists who combine paint and polymer in ways that polymer alone would not readily be able to create.

 

Color on Color

If you are a fan of Doreen Kassel’s work, you’re probably in love with either her whimsy or her exuberant color. But did you know, she only works with white clay? Or at least this is what she told me a few years back. Polymer is a sculptural medium for her. Its potential color possibilities do not come into play. Instead, she paints her polymer work primarily with oil paints. The wash and translucency of the oil paint layers gives a unique depth and glow to the colors that you just wouldn’t get with polymer alone. Her use of white as the base, like oil on canvas, does much to brighten the colors as well.

 

 

Miniature polymer creation is another area where paint seems to be indispensable. Now, I am no expert in this area but after working with and publishing articles and projects with Stephanie Kilgast, I have learned just how important paint can be for creating lifelike miniature objects. The clay does provide a large amount of the color in Stephanie’s work but painting is what punches up the realism and her amazing sculptures. Highlighting and antiquing play a major role in the realistic look of pieces like this fungi and coral inspired piece.

By the way, if you’re wondering why Stephanie sculpted this on a tin can, it is because she is very active in promoting environmental awareness and uses discarded objects to celebrate “the beauty of nature in a dialogue with humanity, questioning the lost balance between human activities and nature”. If you like what she’s doing you should consider supporting her on Patreon, a platform for supporting artists you admire with a monthly donation of just a couple dollars. You are then given access to privileged information and insight on the artist and his or her work as well as, sometimes, demonstrations and tutorials. Check Stephanie’s page on Patreon here then check out the service in general. There are some really cool artists sharing some really exclusive stuff on this platform.

 

Lorraine Vogel applies paint to the surface of textured polymer clay using stencils. Polymer clay allows her to create textures that gives the paint variation and dimension, an approach that softens the sharp edge and graphic effect that stencil painting often has.

By the way, you can learn the technique in the above pendant from Lorraine’s tutorial in The Polymer Arts’ Winter 2016 issue, available in digital or print on our website of course. Or you can go to her Etsy shop and purchase one of her comprehensive digital tutorials.

 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that in the last issue of The Polymer Studio, Debbie Crothers shows the possibilities of acrylic paint and polymer in a very comprehensive, exploratory article with numerous short tutorials to get you exploring as well. Acrylic pours on polymer is the technique on the beads that grace the cover. The resulting mix of color and its visual texture is just flat out yummy.

 

Although I am talking paint here, the idea that other materials can and should be used on polymer where they can add or express your ideas best extends to all colorants including alcohol inks, pastels, mica powders, iron oxides, or glazes. Most of these other colorants have been better accepted in polymer work, probably because they change the clay color but don’t obscure it the way paint can. But even in traditional paintings, the type of substrate the artist uses to paint on greatly effects the feel and look of the work. Polymer can be a wonderful substrate, especially since its sculptural properties allow for such a great interaction with the paint and such creative potential for the form of the piece.

So, if you’ve been curious about the various effects you can get with paint on polymer or have wondered if you can combine some other material interest such as fiber, metal, paper or whatever, try it! Mess around and explore. Search online to see what others might be doing with these combinations and let their ideas motivate you to try stretch your skills and creative interests.

So, what new material will you be trying out this week or in the very near future?

The Sage Chronicles

My so-called break has yet to feel like a break, I have to admit. There have been some family matters and siblings who need my support and getting the house back together (and getting rid of all this dust!) is slow going as I try to take it easy with the one gimpy arm. So, I still have a full schedule between that, the family stuff, my physical therapy, and my efforts to come up with a plan for returning to production without getting in this state again. You know, some day, I just want to know what it’s like to be bored. Yeah … that’s not likely to happen any time soon.

For those following the saga of the broken drain turned into a major renovation, here’s a photo of the kitchen after I laid in the first line of slate on the backsplash last week so we could at least make the kitchen fully functional and I could get to cooking properly again! I can’t wait until I actually get to start putting in the design on the backsplash. I’ve never done a mosaic project this big but I am excited and so glad I am giving myself the break just now so I can enjoy the process and not rush it. Or not take 6 months or more to complete it!

So, I’m off to rest up now. I hope you have had a great, creative, and inspiring weekend. Here’s to a creative and inspiring week as well!

 

 

The Flow of Dotillism

October 12, 2018

Did you know there’s this thing called Dotillism? It is like pointillism but it’s more about pattern than imagery. I heard the term a few years back when I blogged about Elspeth McLean’s painted mandala rocks and I have since heard that she is the one that coined the phrase. It is used as a categorical label for pattern-based decorative paintings made up of dots. Unlike pointillism, dotillism does not create imagery, just pattern, and, for now, it usually refers to dimensional painted dots so it’s not just a visual pattern but a tactile texture.

The dotillism piece seen here involves the time-consuming, tedious, but Zen-like process of creating a specific pattern, one small element at a time. As dreadful as that might initially sound, such processes are actually both enjoyable and rather healthy for you. This type of work can readily put you into what is referred to as a “flow state.” It works somewhat like meditation in that a flow state creates a sense of serenity, increases mental clarity, and reduces stress but it also has the advantage of enhancing concentration and increasing one’s sense of joy and accomplishment.

This plate by Maryam Khuchbarova probably took hours to create but what enjoyable hours they must have been! We often find this type of work impressive because we know what an incredible amount of time and patience must have gone into it. I, personally, find this plate even more impressive than the more common mandala dotillism because the painting is so well-balanced and the patterns have been so consistently applied, even without the central set of radiating guidelines commonly used in mandala painting.

I guess the takeaway here is that if you are looking at doing work that seems to have a time-consuming or tedious repetitive process, don’t shy away from it or dread it. Not only is that kind of work impressive, the process of creating in that way can make you feel pretty darn good!

If you like this kind of work, take a look at Maryam’s Instagram page and check out Elspeth’s work and her new book here.

Exploration in the New Year

First of all …. a very happy New Year and all the best to you this coming year! I am very excited to welcome 2018 and see what it has in store for us all. 2017 was a bit rough for so many of us, personally and globally, within our community and without. Every year has its challenges, of course, but I like to greet the new year with optimism and enthusiasm because it does represent so many new possibilities.

New possibilities may be about looking forward but it can be helpful to look back in order to create new and exciting futures. I’ve dug up a few interesting techniques from the past in order to, hopefully, spark some new ideas and encourage you to find new ways to use older techniques.

Let me tie into some of last week’s subjects. If you didn’t see the post about the silkscreen stencils on Friday, do check that company out. That would provide you with new designs, pre-made or custom, to try a new approach with. Then try a little something different, using multiple colors and controlled placement. I believe that is what Kleio Tsaliki was doing with these gorgeous sheets she created back in 2015.  I am thinking she used stencils and pearlescent paints and, in the top two, taped off sections as she applied colors. Or maybe she is using a stencil sponge to control where the color goes, which would work for the more random placement seen in the bottom sheet.

It doesn’t matter that we don’t know how she did this as the ideas we are guessing at are quite worthy of a bit of exploration regardless. I have found some really cool, unintended effects when I have just been guessing at how other people have done the work. It just pushed me to think of new ways to approach familiar techniques.

A quick click on this link to her Flickr pages will show you the variety of sheets she created. And if you are not into guessing how she did it, she also has a tutorial on this stencil technique available in her Etsy shop.

Carve and Reveal

November 26, 2013

As I mentioned yesterday, we’ll look at ways to cut and carve polymer both in a raw and cured state this week. Today we’ll actually look at both from a single artist.

Rebecca Geoffery works in metal, enamel, and semi-precious stones as well polymer, usually mixing them. The possibility of  carved polymer has a lot to do with what it will reveal beneath the surface. I thought that was the case with these pendants, until I read that the contrast is not revealed clay but paint. The paint makes it look like the carved portions were just scooped out, but it seems that they were actually solid black clay that was carved to provide a space for the paint.

RGeoffery Cut Pendants

But what of cutting away clay to reveal a layer below? Rebecca does this as well. With these pieces, shapes are cut out of raw clay and then laid over another layer so the contrasting color peeks out from beneath it. I love that she adds additional hand-tooled accents in the layer below as well as on the top layer.

3833066603_c902a1e744_o

 

What I think we can really take away from these examples is the variety of shapes the carved and cut clay can take on. The spaces revealed can also be just patterned or can be stylized or graphic or rough. Cutting and carving can help fulfill any mood, message or aesthetic, and adds instant complexity even when it’s not so complex.

Although this kind of work is not a major part of Rebecca’s posted collections, these pieces are making the rounds. Soon after I found and decided to write on these pieces, I found the same two photos in Cynthia Tinapple’s book Polymer Clay Global Perspectives. They are eye-catching. Most of her work is. You can see more of her polymer as well as her other work on her Flickr photostream and on her website.

Outside Inspiration: Delicate Tendrils

October 11, 2013

Wait a minute … isn’t this Friday? The day we look at some non-polymer? So what, then, is this piece made from? It sure looks like it could be polymer. It could be said to be a bit Dustin or Dever-esque even. But it’s not polymer at all.

6275724_orig

This piece is by artist Tania Radda. She works in wood. That’s right–those tendrils spinning off the stem of this bud-like form are wood, brightly painted with automotive paint. I would not have thought of using wood to create such delicate lines and forms, but until Nan Roche started knitting with extruded polymer, I never thought of polymer as something to create loose, independent lines from either. It can be quite wonderful to see how far a material can be pushed and still fulfill the intention of the work created. Could polymer hold up the weight from this kind of form leaning on it? I can imagine that yes, it would with wire or other stiff reinforcement. It’s got me thinking about just how thin our lines could go. It may be nothing but a mental exercise, but that’s the kind of questioning of limitations that new techniques and improved approaches come from. Never accept that the way most things are done is the right or only way. Half of being an artist is exploring and half of exploring is failing and making mistakes. But that is how we learn and grow and discover the really cool stuff.

Of Polymer and Paint

August 25, 2019
Posted in

Have you ever used paint on polymer? If so, why did you chose to paint it rather than use the inherent color? This question is at the heart of a kind of prejudice against paint that used to be rather prevalent in the polymer community. I think painting on polymer has found its place in our repertoire of techniques but statistically (and I’m just looking at the stats I have available from the blog and the general response to articles) I don’t think it gets quite the regard that other techniques do and it makes me wonder if people still steer away from it, even when it might be the best choice.

Ages ago, I unintentionally incited a heated conversation about painting on polymer through a blog post where all the color and the focal point of the piece was painted. There were many comments about how painting on polymer was not “working in polymer” and therefore I should not be writing about it on a polymer blog. This sentiment was rooted in the thought that since polymer is already colored, painting would be superfluous if not downright heretical. This was also a time when polymer was fighting for its place in the art world and competitions for polymer were being won by pieces that were not wholly polymer which heavily irritated those who strove to create only with polymer clay. With a strong love for the material, those crafters were simply strong proponents of letting the material shine through.

Well, a material can be gorgeous on its own, but what the artist wants out of that material may be other qualities beyond its inherent visual ones. For instance, I prefer woodwork that has been treated with nothing but oil and wax to let the natural beauty shine through but wood that is stained or painted can result in beautiful work as well. It’s not wrong to change or obscure the wood’s natural look. It’s just different. Polymer has other qualities beyond it’s color, primarily its sculptural characteristics including the ability to hold very fine detail. So, if its sculptural qualities are primarily what the artist needs from the material, then why not use whatever kind of treatment gives the surface the color and feel the artist finds most appealing or fitting for the work?

The fact is, the color in polymer clay only pieces tends to be fairly uniform since we are working with a material which is colored throughout making it fairly difficult to achieve an organic variation and imperfect diffusion of color. On the other hand, paint which is applied in layers can so readily be everything from dense and uniform to translucent and feathery to gritty and splattered. The facts are that it is easy to get smooth, uniform color using polymer clay but can be tricky with paint and it is easy to get variation in a field of color with paint but takes more work than it is often worth to get a similar effect in clay. In other words, each material has its strengths and so why not employ them based on those strengths?

As an artist, one should use the material that suits the end result desired if the material and the skills to use them are available to them. We’re not talking just paint here either—this applies to any material. Sometimes real metal, with its strength and shine, will work better than faux polymer metal or real stones will glimmer and give a piece the needed weight that faux polymer stones cannot. I am not saying that the real thing should always be used though. Faux materials in polymer do have distinct advantages such as faux metal being lighter and more flexible than the real thing and faux stones are usually cheaper to produce and can be formed in ways that real stones cannot.

Ideally, you start designing a piece with the idea of what you want to make, then figure out what materials would be best suited to the look, construction, durability, and cost of the work as well as your skillset and interests. With this approach, you can make the best work possible rather than limiting yourself because you feel some sense of loyalty to a single medium or the tribe of artists that identify themselves by that medium. That loyalty, like not painting color onto polymer, can be unnecessarily limiting and you could be missing out on wonderful new ways to express yourself and create.

The fact is you and your work do not need to be defined by your primary medium. You are an artist or a crafter or an artisan. You can choose to tack a medium on to one of these basic labels in order to be identified by a related community or as a way to explain very succinctly what you do, but if one day you get up and decide you want to try working with something else, are you going to feel locked into that label? Because if you do, you may be less inclined to explore and that would be sad. As I see it, every true artist is an explorer and one that should not be limited by any one material if their path of exploration leads them elsewhere. That’s just my humble opinion!

So, if you think paint would look good on your polymer, I think you should go for it. Let’s look at a handful of artists who combine paint and polymer in ways that polymer alone would not readily be able to create.

 

Color on Color

If you are a fan of Doreen Kassel’s work, you’re probably in love with either her whimsy or her exuberant color. But did you know, she only works with white clay? Or at least this is what she told me a few years back. Polymer is a sculptural medium for her. Its potential color possibilities do not come into play. Instead, she paints her polymer work primarily with oil paints. The wash and translucency of the oil paint layers gives a unique depth and glow to the colors that you just wouldn’t get with polymer alone. Her use of white as the base, like oil on canvas, does much to brighten the colors as well.

 

 

Miniature polymer creation is another area where paint seems to be indispensable. Now, I am no expert in this area but after working with and publishing articles and projects with Stephanie Kilgast, I have learned just how important paint can be for creating lifelike miniature objects. The clay does provide a large amount of the color in Stephanie’s work but painting is what punches up the realism and her amazing sculptures. Highlighting and antiquing play a major role in the realistic look of pieces like this fungi and coral inspired piece.

By the way, if you’re wondering why Stephanie sculpted this on a tin can, it is because she is very active in promoting environmental awareness and uses discarded objects to celebrate “the beauty of nature in a dialogue with humanity, questioning the lost balance between human activities and nature”. If you like what she’s doing you should consider supporting her on Patreon, a platform for supporting artists you admire with a monthly donation of just a couple dollars. You are then given access to privileged information and insight on the artist and his or her work as well as, sometimes, demonstrations and tutorials. Check Stephanie’s page on Patreon here then check out the service in general. There are some really cool artists sharing some really exclusive stuff on this platform.

 

Lorraine Vogel applies paint to the surface of textured polymer clay using stencils. Polymer clay allows her to create textures that gives the paint variation and dimension, an approach that softens the sharp edge and graphic effect that stencil painting often has.

By the way, you can learn the technique in the above pendant from Lorraine’s tutorial in The Polymer Arts’ Winter 2016 issue, available in digital or print on our website of course. Or you can go to her Etsy shop and purchase one of her comprehensive digital tutorials.

 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that in the last issue of The Polymer Studio, Debbie Crothers shows the possibilities of acrylic paint and polymer in a very comprehensive, exploratory article with numerous short tutorials to get you exploring as well. Acrylic pours on polymer is the technique on the beads that grace the cover. The resulting mix of color and its visual texture is just flat out yummy.

 

Although I am talking paint here, the idea that other materials can and should be used on polymer where they can add or express your ideas best extends to all colorants including alcohol inks, pastels, mica powders, iron oxides, or glazes. Most of these other colorants have been better accepted in polymer work, probably because they change the clay color but don’t obscure it the way paint can. But even in traditional paintings, the type of substrate the artist uses to paint on greatly effects the feel and look of the work. Polymer can be a wonderful substrate, especially since its sculptural properties allow for such a great interaction with the paint and such creative potential for the form of the piece.

So, if you’ve been curious about the various effects you can get with paint on polymer or have wondered if you can combine some other material interest such as fiber, metal, paper or whatever, try it! Mess around and explore. Search online to see what others might be doing with these combinations and let their ideas motivate you to try stretch your skills and creative interests.

So, what new material will you be trying out this week or in the very near future?

The Sage Chronicles

My so-called break has yet to feel like a break, I have to admit. There have been some family matters and siblings who need my support and getting the house back together (and getting rid of all this dust!) is slow going as I try to take it easy with the one gimpy arm. So, I still have a full schedule between that, the family stuff, my physical therapy, and my efforts to come up with a plan for returning to production without getting in this state again. You know, some day, I just want to know what it’s like to be bored. Yeah … that’s not likely to happen any time soon.

For those following the saga of the broken drain turned into a major renovation, here’s a photo of the kitchen after I laid in the first line of slate on the backsplash last week so we could at least make the kitchen fully functional and I could get to cooking properly again! I can’t wait until I actually get to start putting in the design on the backsplash. I’ve never done a mosaic project this big but I am excited and so glad I am giving myself the break just now so I can enjoy the process and not rush it. Or not take 6 months or more to complete it!

So, I’m off to rest up now. I hope you have had a great, creative, and inspiring weekend. Here’s to a creative and inspiring week as well!

 

 

Read More

The Flow of Dotillism

October 12, 2018
Posted in

Did you know there’s this thing called Dotillism? It is like pointillism but it’s more about pattern than imagery. I heard the term a few years back when I blogged about Elspeth McLean’s painted mandala rocks and I have since heard that she is the one that coined the phrase. It is used as a categorical label for pattern-based decorative paintings made up of dots. Unlike pointillism, dotillism does not create imagery, just pattern, and, for now, it usually refers to dimensional painted dots so it’s not just a visual pattern but a tactile texture.

The dotillism piece seen here involves the time-consuming, tedious, but Zen-like process of creating a specific pattern, one small element at a time. As dreadful as that might initially sound, such processes are actually both enjoyable and rather healthy for you. This type of work can readily put you into what is referred to as a “flow state.” It works somewhat like meditation in that a flow state creates a sense of serenity, increases mental clarity, and reduces stress but it also has the advantage of enhancing concentration and increasing one’s sense of joy and accomplishment.

This plate by Maryam Khuchbarova probably took hours to create but what enjoyable hours they must have been! We often find this type of work impressive because we know what an incredible amount of time and patience must have gone into it. I, personally, find this plate even more impressive than the more common mandala dotillism because the painting is so well-balanced and the patterns have been so consistently applied, even without the central set of radiating guidelines commonly used in mandala painting.

I guess the takeaway here is that if you are looking at doing work that seems to have a time-consuming or tedious repetitive process, don’t shy away from it or dread it. Not only is that kind of work impressive, the process of creating in that way can make you feel pretty darn good!

If you like this kind of work, take a look at Maryam’s Instagram page and check out Elspeth’s work and her new book here.

Read More

Exploration in the New Year

January 2, 2018
Posted in ,

First of all …. a very happy New Year and all the best to you this coming year! I am very excited to welcome 2018 and see what it has in store for us all. 2017 was a bit rough for so many of us, personally and globally, within our community and without. Every year has its challenges, of course, but I like to greet the new year with optimism and enthusiasm because it does represent so many new possibilities.

New possibilities may be about looking forward but it can be helpful to look back in order to create new and exciting futures. I’ve dug up a few interesting techniques from the past in order to, hopefully, spark some new ideas and encourage you to find new ways to use older techniques.

Let me tie into some of last week’s subjects. If you didn’t see the post about the silkscreen stencils on Friday, do check that company out. That would provide you with new designs, pre-made or custom, to try a new approach with. Then try a little something different, using multiple colors and controlled placement. I believe that is what Kleio Tsaliki was doing with these gorgeous sheets she created back in 2015.  I am thinking she used stencils and pearlescent paints and, in the top two, taped off sections as she applied colors. Or maybe she is using a stencil sponge to control where the color goes, which would work for the more random placement seen in the bottom sheet.

It doesn’t matter that we don’t know how she did this as the ideas we are guessing at are quite worthy of a bit of exploration regardless. I have found some really cool, unintended effects when I have just been guessing at how other people have done the work. It just pushed me to think of new ways to approach familiar techniques.

A quick click on this link to her Flickr pages will show you the variety of sheets she created. And if you are not into guessing how she did it, she also has a tutorial on this stencil technique available in her Etsy shop.

Read More

Carve and Reveal

November 26, 2013
Posted in

As I mentioned yesterday, we’ll look at ways to cut and carve polymer both in a raw and cured state this week. Today we’ll actually look at both from a single artist.

Rebecca Geoffery works in metal, enamel, and semi-precious stones as well polymer, usually mixing them. The possibility of  carved polymer has a lot to do with what it will reveal beneath the surface. I thought that was the case with these pendants, until I read that the contrast is not revealed clay but paint. The paint makes it look like the carved portions were just scooped out, but it seems that they were actually solid black clay that was carved to provide a space for the paint.

RGeoffery Cut Pendants

But what of cutting away clay to reveal a layer below? Rebecca does this as well. With these pieces, shapes are cut out of raw clay and then laid over another layer so the contrasting color peeks out from beneath it. I love that she adds additional hand-tooled accents in the layer below as well as on the top layer.

3833066603_c902a1e744_o

 

What I think we can really take away from these examples is the variety of shapes the carved and cut clay can take on. The spaces revealed can also be just patterned or can be stylized or graphic or rough. Cutting and carving can help fulfill any mood, message or aesthetic, and adds instant complexity even when it’s not so complex.

Although this kind of work is not a major part of Rebecca’s posted collections, these pieces are making the rounds. Soon after I found and decided to write on these pieces, I found the same two photos in Cynthia Tinapple’s book Polymer Clay Global Perspectives. They are eye-catching. Most of her work is. You can see more of her polymer as well as her other work on her Flickr photostream and on her website.

Read More

Outside Inspiration: Delicate Tendrils

October 11, 2013
Posted in

Wait a minute … isn’t this Friday? The day we look at some non-polymer? So what, then, is this piece made from? It sure looks like it could be polymer. It could be said to be a bit Dustin or Dever-esque even. But it’s not polymer at all.

6275724_orig

This piece is by artist Tania Radda. She works in wood. That’s right–those tendrils spinning off the stem of this bud-like form are wood, brightly painted with automotive paint. I would not have thought of using wood to create such delicate lines and forms, but until Nan Roche started knitting with extruded polymer, I never thought of polymer as something to create loose, independent lines from either. It can be quite wonderful to see how far a material can be pushed and still fulfill the intention of the work created. Could polymer hold up the weight from this kind of form leaning on it? I can imagine that yes, it would with wire or other stiff reinforcement. It’s got me thinking about just how thin our lines could go. It may be nothing but a mental exercise, but that’s the kind of questioning of limitations that new techniques and improved approaches come from. Never accept that the way most things are done is the right or only way. Half of being an artist is exploring and half of exploring is failing and making mistakes. But that is how we learn and grow and discover the really cool stuff.

Read More
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