For Your Wish List
November 30, 2013
Technique tutorials, Tips and Tricks
If you’ve ever done any scrapbooking, you may be familiar with the Cricut machine, which cuts out complex shapes loaded into the machine’s little onboard computer. It really saves on the aching hands that comes with trying to make small, intricate cuts in paper. Did you know, though, that you can use it to cut polymer too? Jenny Barnett Rohrs explored this idea on Craft Test Dummies a couple years ago. I’ve been wanting a machine ever since.
Although this post made the rounds back when it was posted, I thought it was worth revisiting. Not only can you cut polymer shapes, you can also cut on a variety of other materials to create templates, stencils, and shapes for impressing in your clay. So if the family is complaining that you’re impossible to shop for because you have everything, maybe you can get this on that list. Unless, of course, you do have everything, including this!
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription to The Polymer Arts magazine, or buy the latest issue. We also encourage you to support our wonderful advertising partners!
Just released! The Winter 2013 issue …
Polymer Clay Workshop Tutorials
The Whimsical Bead–polymer art supplies
Snip, Snip
November 28, 2013
Inspirational Art
There is more than one way to cut into polymer! Yesterday we looked at cutting in to reveal many layers in extruded beads, but here we have a simple yet brilliant technique that requires cutting in with scissors, but not actually cutting away and removing clay as the other examples this week have shown. Here is the snipping portion of this technique by Kazakhstan’s Budanceva Marina (also known as Aquamalinka).
And here is an example of one of her finished pieces using the elements it creates. Wonderfully realistic clover flowers, aren’t they?
Although this technique is specific to creating these flowers, there is no reason why taking scissors to polymer in this manner must stop here. It’s a great texture that can be added as half dome accents, and if you snipped a little longer across the surface you could have small lengths of clay curling back on itself. I wish I had time to do some exploration and show you some possible ideas, but this week, I leave that to those of you who are inspired by this idea.
Go explore more of Budanceva’s predominantly floral work on her Livemaster shop page.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers. I personally am very thankful for having such kind and enthusiastic readers who have allowed me to make publishing and polymer a focus in my life. Now, off to enjoy family while trying not to do myself in with too much turkey and pie.
Cutting In
November 27, 2013
Inspirational Art
Cutting and slicing is part of many different polymer techiques, most commonly to reveal the colors and patterns hidden beneath the layers. Germany’s Vera Kleist accomplishes this reveal with her extruded beads, but the cutting in also creates a tactile texture.
Its amazing what a little slicing can do, don’t you think? Are there pieces you usually leave smooth that might benefit from a little cutting in?
Speaking of cutting … there is cooking to be done for the holiday! If you’ve already done your cooking or have been spared the chore through not being in the US or having someone else to supply your bounty tomorrow, look through Vera’s Etsy shop and Flickr pages for more cutting and textural ideas.
Cut and Carved Polymer
November 25, 2013
Inspirational Art
Maybe it’s the turkey and ham cutting and carving that will be happening all over the US later this week as we celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday (which seems to be more about eating than anything); but in any case, I thought we’d explore some of the ways polymer is cut and carved this week.
I wanted to start with a page link from Celie Fago, who works with a variety of materials; and even when she works with polymer, she manipulates it in a variety of ways. I don’t think she believes in limitations.
So here is one of her stunning bracelets with carved polymer on the bracelet’s base and on the rings that intermix with metal elements. Lovely texture, don’t you think?
This work is carved after the polymer is cured which gives the carved marks a crisp, clean edge. Celie generously outlines the process and tools used to achieve similar effects in a very detailed blog post here.
We’ll look at cutting and carving both in raw and cured forms this week, but perhaps this little bit will whet your curiosity. It’s something to ponder while cooking up delicious food for Thursday or traveling to see family this week in the US.
In the meantime, take a look at Celie’s many wonderful creations on her website.
If you’ve ever done any scrapbooking, you may be familiar with the Cricut machine, which cuts out complex shapes loaded into the machine’s little onboard computer. It really saves on the aching hands that comes with trying to make small, intricate cuts in paper. Did you know, though, that you can use it to cut polymer too? Jenny Barnett Rohrs explored this idea on Craft Test Dummies a couple years ago. I’ve been wanting a machine ever since.
Although this post made the rounds back when it was posted, I thought it was worth revisiting. Not only can you cut polymer shapes, you can also cut on a variety of other materials to create templates, stencils, and shapes for impressing in your clay. So if the family is complaining that you’re impossible to shop for because you have everything, maybe you can get this on that list. Unless, of course, you do have everything, including this!
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription to The Polymer Arts magazine, or buy the latest issue. We also encourage you to support our wonderful advertising partners!
Just released! The Winter 2013 issue …
Polymer Clay Workshop Tutorials
The Whimsical Bead–polymer art supplies
Read More
There is more than one way to cut into polymer! Yesterday we looked at cutting in to reveal many layers in extruded beads, but here we have a simple yet brilliant technique that requires cutting in with scissors, but not actually cutting away and removing clay as the other examples this week have shown. Here is the snipping portion of this technique by Kazakhstan’s Budanceva Marina (also known as Aquamalinka).
And here is an example of one of her finished pieces using the elements it creates. Wonderfully realistic clover flowers, aren’t they?
Although this technique is specific to creating these flowers, there is no reason why taking scissors to polymer in this manner must stop here. It’s a great texture that can be added as half dome accents, and if you snipped a little longer across the surface you could have small lengths of clay curling back on itself. I wish I had time to do some exploration and show you some possible ideas, but this week, I leave that to those of you who are inspired by this idea.
Go explore more of Budanceva’s predominantly floral work on her Livemaster shop page.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers. I personally am very thankful for having such kind and enthusiastic readers who have allowed me to make publishing and polymer a focus in my life. Now, off to enjoy family while trying not to do myself in with too much turkey and pie.
Read MoreCutting and slicing is part of many different polymer techiques, most commonly to reveal the colors and patterns hidden beneath the layers. Germany’s Vera Kleist accomplishes this reveal with her extruded beads, but the cutting in also creates a tactile texture.
Its amazing what a little slicing can do, don’t you think? Are there pieces you usually leave smooth that might benefit from a little cutting in?
Speaking of cutting … there is cooking to be done for the holiday! If you’ve already done your cooking or have been spared the chore through not being in the US or having someone else to supply your bounty tomorrow, look through Vera’s Etsy shop and Flickr pages for more cutting and textural ideas.
Read MoreMaybe it’s the turkey and ham cutting and carving that will be happening all over the US later this week as we celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday (which seems to be more about eating than anything); but in any case, I thought we’d explore some of the ways polymer is cut and carved this week.
I wanted to start with a page link from Celie Fago, who works with a variety of materials; and even when she works with polymer, she manipulates it in a variety of ways. I don’t think she believes in limitations.
So here is one of her stunning bracelets with carved polymer on the bracelet’s base and on the rings that intermix with metal elements. Lovely texture, don’t you think?
This work is carved after the polymer is cured which gives the carved marks a crisp, clean edge. Celie generously outlines the process and tools used to achieve similar effects in a very detailed blog post here.
We’ll look at cutting and carving both in raw and cured forms this week, but perhaps this little bit will whet your curiosity. It’s something to ponder while cooking up delicious food for Thursday or traveling to see family this week in the US.
In the meantime, take a look at Celie’s many wonderful creations on her website.
Read More
