Inspiration Coming Down the Line
December 13, 2012
Inspirational Art
We work in a very considerate community. There is much credit given to the artists who inspire us, and on Flickr and various blogs, clayers eagerly list the artists whose techniques they are practicing or who they drew their approach from.
This pendant, by Zuzana (Verundela on Flickr) of the Czech Republic, looks to be a combination of influences as well as materials. I would not call the liberal use of mica powders, embedding watch gears and wire into clay, and topping off a piece with resin unusual, but these approaches all came from somewhere else. Or at least they do not often come to us in a moment of pure, uninfluenced flash of genius. Even when we are not aware of it, other artists bring their influence to us by creative osmosis.
Here, however, we get a glimpse of the influential creative trail. Zuzana gives credit for this piece to Sabine Spiesser of Australia for the rather celestial looking faux enamel and wire work. But if you wander off into Sabine’s Flickr pages (papagodesigns), you’ll find she credits her faux cloisonne work to Eugena Topina of Maryland here in the US. Eugena’s wire bordered faux cloisonne enamel was one of the first tutorials I ever attempted to follow back in the days when I was expanding myself beyond the basics. The technique has been around for a while, but credit is still being considerately passed on. I also really like how global this influence can be … bouncing across the globe from the US to Australia to Eastern Europe. That is the wonderful thing about being an international community and a community very big on sharing and helping each other grow.
More Crackle with Inka Gold
December 12, 2012
Tips and Tricks
I have had a lot of comments about the products we reviewed in the latest issue of The Polymer Arts magazine. Inka Gold by Viva Decor has been of particular interest. Since we didn’t have room in the issue to actually demonstrate some of the techniques, I thought I’d pause here and send you in the right direction should you want to explore the Inka Gold options.
Inka Gold works very much like Gilder’s paste, although it’s water based so there are some different considerations. We have Trish Hodgens of Poly Clay Play to thank for the overview in the magazine. You can get her tips and tricks for highlighting textures on her website here to start you off.
The best tutorial on the crackling possibilities is probably on EJR Beads‘ tutorial pages. Here Emma shows you how to create a nice dense crackle, such as you see in the earrings below.
There is also this video by Barbara at Joggles.com with great tips for applying Inka Gold to a variety of surfaces. She never actually brings up polymer, but the pieces she works on would behave just like baked polymer pieces, so the tips, such as watering down for transparency, burnishing details, and stamping, would all apply. Wendy Orlowski, of The Art of My Clay and CaBezels, also has some nice stamping ideas for Inka Gold on her blog here.
If you don’t have your stash of Inka Gold, go visit Trish at Poly Clay Play to get some play time supplies.
Portraiture in Canes
December 11, 2012
Inspirational Art
Julie Eakes is unique among polymer artists. She works with canes but with an end result far beyond what most of us even dream to attempt. She works at developing realistic images in mosaic like canes.
This piece below is even unusual for Julie. This is an image, completely created with patterned canes, all in black and white and using the eye’s natural tendency to mix tones and merge tiny details into larger imagery; very much the same as is done in pointillism. Our distance from details causes this to happen. You may have noticed this when looking at thumbnails of a piece online only to click on the image and find it is hardly like what you imagined it would be. And that is something to consider. When working on a piece, it might serve you well to step back and observe your work at the distance that it will most often be viewed to get a clear idea of the impression it gives.
The portrait here is of the artist Chuck Close, who is a very apropos subject being he creates portraiture in the very same mosaic like manner. Chuck, however, paints on a grid format, sometimes monochromatic as well as in color, each block of the grid usually being a series of rings, not unlike extruded canes. It’s no wonder Julie was inspired to create his portrait.
Julie created Chuck’s image using a photo that had been printed on the front of New York’s Village Voice, the image actually being a 3D model of Chuck Close that her brother made of the artist. You can see the close up of the canes as well as a video documenting Julie’s creation of the piece on her blog here.
Bright Fabric Finish
December 10, 2012
Inspirational Art
After a dreary, cold weekend here in Colorado, I thought a bright bit of color would be just the thing. These beautifully finished necklaces are by Noelia Contreras of Barcelona, Spain. The simple combination of tinted against saturated colors with contrasting ‘buttons’ make the pieces lively, but I think it’s the precise execution of the shapes, lines, and the surface finish that makes them so appealing.
It can be a bit tricky to make a flat surface look uniformly finished. The use of applied texture can accomplish this with relative ease. There is a little trick to that as well, however … the texture should not draw away from the other elements if it’s not to be a focal point of the piece. Subtlety is key here. Noelia favors what looks to be small weave fabric as her texture–a perfect solution that adds subdued textural interest while giving the work a clean looking and even finish.
With the myriad of fabrics available, there is also a myriad of possible texture to be derived from them. Lint-less fabric such as silk, acetate, nylon and many polyesters can create wonderful textures. Imprint lint laden fabrics into a sheet of polymer, baking then removing lint with a good washing, to create a lint-free texture plate.
Noelia has many other quite colorful and inspiring pieces on her blog and Flickr page, including some artful miniatures which, even with the obvious skill she applies to her jewelry, seems to be her first love when it comes to polymer creations.
Giving Yourself to the World
December 9, 2012
Ponderings
So, who here is making polymer gifts for family and/or friends? Ok … uh … maybe I should ask who isn’t …
I don’t have a lot of time this season, but the one thing I do always put time aside for is making gifts for as many people on my list as might appreciate them. I could just buy all my gifts, which would be tons easier and would take less time, but once you give of yourself, all other gifts just pale. The thing is, what you make is something that would never have existed if you were not on this earth. It is a reminder of who you are as well as being a little part of you that you are giving. How much more precious could a gift be?
Now, not everyone is able to create a little something of their own as gifts. If you have a gift giver who is having a hard time figuring out what to get their favorite creative polymer obsessed person, there is always the gift of inspiration in the form of a magazine. You can send a hint by forwarding this blog post, or send a link such as http://www.thepolymerarts.com/Subscribe.html. Issues and subscriptions also make great gifts for your own polymer friends. *grin* If you need anything special in the way of when to send gifted issues or would like a note included, just write me at sbray@thepolymerarts.com. I’m all for helping spread the holiday cheer in any way I can.
Gift Label Keepsakes
December 8, 2012
Inspirational Art
I am a bit of a tree hugger. I have a strong aversion to things, especially those that have personal significance, that are disposable … those things purchased or made to show someone you care but, having no purpose beyond that, are often thrown away. Gift tags are like that. I have a box of holiday gift tags that I designate the to’s and from’s of gifts with. It’s not a lot of paper stock, but my little personal messages on them aren’t usually kept. Similarly, I always feel so guilty about throwing away the ones I get. I wish I made them more than just a gift marker.
Of course, working in polymer, there is a way. I was searching for ideas online when I found Marjorie Dalgarn’s Flickr page of cute little ornaments. I love the details. Check out the tiny dump trucks and the babies’ adorable little feet and toes! And how nice to honor a couple with an ornament for the both of them.
In an appropriate size for the gift being given, little decorative pieces like these would work as both gift tags and ornaments that can be hung on the tree year after year with the memory of the giver and the personal touch being remembered each time. No additional trash, either!
Outside Inspiration: Surface Design in Glass
December 7, 2012
Inspirational Art
The big struggle with any medium is working reasonably within the limitations of the material as it applies to the end product you are creating. Polymer has such freedom and ease, that it seems nearly limitless. We don’t tend to ask “if” something we see can be replicated with polymer but only “how”.
In other mediums, the limitations are extreme. Glass is one of those mediums with many restricting factors that play into what is possible as well as increasing the necessary skill set to begin to push the limitations at all. Work like that of Cynthia Saari, a glass lampwork artist, plays with the limitations and control over the surface design of glass. Her work on the glass beads below is controlled and quite intentional. With texture and lines that build beautiful landscape-like compositions, she sets aside the serendipitous opportunities that can be the fun and wonder of working on this kind of lampwork in order to assert her intentions and vision.
How does this translate for polymer artists? Well, first of all, we also have a lot of techniques whose end results are allowed to emerge from random or fairly uncontrolled applications of materials and tools. Even though it’s common in mokume gane or alcohol ink applications to allow the visual design to emerge from a random process, you might try your hand at asserting control. For instance you can control the application of inks using brushes, stencils, and resists such as wax or tape. Instead of randomly punching and puncturing an mg stack, why not lay out the alteration of the clay in a precise, predetermined pattern?
Obviously, there is nothing wrong with randomness. It’s endlessly delightful to see what appears from an uncontrolled approach, but sometimes putting limitations or structure in your process can also produce wonderful results you hadn’t imagined before.
Eyes as Big as Saucers
December 6, 2012
Inspirational Art
Having a cutesy moment today. There’s just something about the big-eyed innocent look that seems to go along with the holiday season. So I thought I’d let you all get that soft and fuzzy feeling admiring the very talented Ana Salvador. Born in Portugal but now living in The Netherlands she has a degree in Communication Design but these days dedicates her creativity primarily to sculpture and primarily in polymer clay.
Although cutesy is usually relegated to not-so-serious work, there is something about this work that is both adorable and austere. The bulldog and doll seem so utterly sad but the girl’s sadness seems resigned and angelic … with the most subtle hint of a smile in her eyes, almost Mona Lisa like. I get the feeling she could break out in a teeny tiny grin if given the chance. Makes the piece heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.
See more of Ana’s work on her website here.
Air-filled beads
December 5, 2012
Tips and Tricks
I’ve made a few donut beads in my day. I have molds and use up scrap clay to fill the form. But I really like this air-filled technique as posted by Page McNall of Palo Alto, California. A little patience and a light touch seem to be the main ingredients needed to create the nice pillowy curves using this technique.
Page actually shows several approaches to making these on her Flickr page. Here is her technique summary, though:
Leave the large air-filled bead inside the metal cutter and select the location you want to cut the small circle. Slowly depress the cutter until you have sliced through all the layers of clay and remove the small cutter. Clean up the edges using an X-acto knife and a rounded smooth tool like a large knitting needle to smooth any rough edges. Carefully remove the air-filled bead and doctor up and outside edges. Now you are ready to bake your masterpiece. Again, thanks to Cate van Alphen for your ideas to improve on this technique.
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With the New Year now upon us, I thought I’d take a moment to share a blog I’ve found rather enlightening over the last few years.
When one gets serious about art, that business aspect almost always creeps in. To sustain our art (or obsession as it often is), selling our work becomes a necessity. Artists are usually business minded so it is very helpful to have a helping hand in that area.
The Craft Business Biz blog written by Terri Belford covers that one area of arts and crafts that most of us would prefer to think about as little as possible. It can be a bit heavy on the dramatic marketing in the way the blog is set up, but the advice is generally pretty good. For example, his post earlier this month on making your business stand out is just a short list of common sense things you can do to help boost your business. Terri only posts a few times each month so it’s not stuff you’ll be getting hit over the head with. But it is great to get those little reminders to think about improving your business on a regular basis.
The New Year should not be the only time you work on improving what you do, but it is a good place to start.
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When I first saw this array, I thought it was polymer and ingenuous work at that. But no … it turns out to be leaves. Beautifully painted details on dead leaves by Elena Nuez of Spain. But its not the painting of each leaf that is so enticing, rather it is the arrangement, the collective impact that gives this image it’s impact.
Even more wonderful is the variety of ways Elena photographs these. On her web post she has several different arrangements and angles from which she photographs them. The photos–the compostition and view–are the art.
In terms of how we can translate this into polymer, there are several things you can take from this. One, the shapes and colors are perfect for polymer and these patterns could be easily reproduced. It also might give you ideas for making a batches of forms and then playing with the arrangement of them until you either find an arrangement you like for a brooch or wall piece or as a collection you can continue to play with for your own enjoyment. Also, consider that the photography of your work can in itself be art with polymer the subject that helps create the images rather than the polymer being the end product alone. Just a lot to ponder. And enjoy.
Read MoreI couldn’t let the last days of the year go by without stopping to admire a little crackle. These sumptuous discs here are the work of Barbara Fajardo. She developed a technique that layers alcohol inks to get a multi-dimensional texture with, of course, lots of fine crackle.
In this case, the polymer is a carrier rather than visual element, but even without knowing the particulars of Barbara’s technique, it’s unlikely that there is another material that could be paired with the inks and manipulated so as to develop the light crackling effect. These are some of the most magical aspects of our medium–the plasticity and ability of polymer to take on a wide variety of other mediums.
Even though color is what often draws us to polymer, it’s the physical characteristics of the material that make it so versatile. One of these days I’m going to count how many ways we can use it just for crackling.
In the meantime, we hope Barbara has the opportunity to develop a class for CraftArtEdu on this beautiful technique. She has four other classes available there right now. If you want to see more applications of Barbara’s crackly goodness, take some time to look through her Flickr page.
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Have you ever wondered why certain colors become favorites for a period and then are abandoned almost overnight? The predominance of colors is often a result of social or global circumstances. I found this chart below and the accompanying post highlighting the change in fashionable colors over the decades quite interesting.
I don’t know that anyone can actually guess what colors will come from a change in global or local circumstances, but a historical view could give you a direction if you are looking to change up your line this coming year. Even if not, it is rather fun to see where we have been and where we’ve come to over the years in our society’s color preferences.
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I know, I know … many of you are resting up after a long, well-fought holiday season. The rest is certainly deserved. But there is no rest for the wicked. Especially if you or your customers have big New Year’s plans!
I actually look forward to dressing up for New Year’s more than for Christmas gatherings. New Year’s is a time for pizzazz, a time for glamor and glitz (without over doing it of course!) and a time to shine.
The first day of the year is a day of hope and high energy, so why not dress to reflect the sentiment of a new start? It doesn’t have to be all jewels and gold, either. Certain color combinations, not to mention visual textures, can really add energy to an outfit. This piece by Two Good Claymates (Carolyn and Dave Good) has a little bit of all of this. Purple and green, a very energetic color combination, set off with the hypnotic look of Damascus canes and faceted beads. That’s dressing it up.
I haven’t decided what to do for this New Year’s eve, so I need to get myself into the studio and whip up something for myself … for a change. Why not put some time aside in the studio to make yourself something wonderful for the new year?
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Perhaps you are all a bit tired of Christmas, but I only just found this beautiful set late last night and thought one more holiday piece could be shared.
Leah Hagen of LeeLee Beads is a polymer filigree fanatic. She seems to have explored every possible approach for winding thin snakes of clay about a bead. These “Vintage Christmas” beads are a charming example of Leah’s varied filigree approach.
If you have an interest in polymer filigree, embroidery, or lace like applications take a look at Leah’s Flickr page.
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… I already had.
I am blessed with the most wonderful family anyone could ever wish for. We all actually really get along, respect each other, and encourage each other’s dreams. I also have many amazing, dear, and caring friends, some that I’ve known for ages, some quite new, not to mention the wonderful network of acquaintances and colleagues I can always count on to keep me on track and make me feel useful and needed by coming to me for help, as well.
And on top of all that–already more than any one person could possibly hope for–I have the most supportive, generous, and helpful readers, both here on the blog and at The Polymer Arts magazine. What more could a girl ask for?
I do hope all of you, whether you celebrate Christmas today or not, are surrounded by your dearest ones and are able to take time to truly enjoy and appreciate the season with all it’s many blessings.
Our cute little Christmas tree trio was created by Afsaneh Tajvidi of JooJooLand and was her Christmas blog greeting a couple years back. Thanks to her and all of you who share your gifts with all of us.
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I know I usually do outside inspirations on Fridays, but let’s face it … most of us are probably not in the studio today. Many of us are in the kitchen. So here’s a thought. Where I usually stop to point out how something made in another medium can be translated into polymer, how about we take our skills and creativity we hone in our studios to the kitchen with us?
There are many culinary items that can be made more appealing and get you that desired “wow” factor by applying techniques and design ideas you already employ in polymer. Design elements like color, balance, line, texture, etc are all applicable to food. The area with the widest opportunities are in the sweets. Just look at these adorable cookies. Cut and stacked shapes, small dots and lines of detail … you’ve probably done something very similar with polymer. So you can see how simple it would be to do the same with frosting or fondant? These fun cookies are by Naomi of HelloNaomi.com.au of New Castle, Australia. (Could you even eat these?! They’re so cute!)
Cookies and cakes have an easy and direct translation for polymer art, but don’t hold back when it comes to be creative and colorful in the kitchen. Appetizers can be so much fun, too. For instance, arrange that ubiquitous veggie tray into something more enticing by making a Christmas tree shape out of the broccoli with carrot chips and cherry tomato ‘ornaments’ and sliced sweet pepper ‘garlands’. Wrap that soft cheese block with a peeled celery bow (or real ribbon … I’m sure no one will try to eat it … right?) Or instead of a nut and cheese log, how about a nut and cheese wreath?
I just think we, as creative people, should never limit ourselves by putting all of our creative energy into our primary material. There are all kinds of materials and moments your skills can be applied, where you can be creative and delight the people around you, not to mention the fun you can have yourself. There is no better time (or excuse) to do so than during the holiday season.
Now go ahead, go get crazy creative in the kitchen today!
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I have somehow managed to avoid most of the trials and tribulations that are usually a part of the holiday season. Not that there aren’t other non-holiday tribulations putting up hurdles before me but I am very grateful for being an artist and for being able to make, with tons of love and caring, gifts for the people on my list. I am also so grateful for the internet … for letting me shop from home for all those things on my list that just can’t–for some silly reason–be made from polymer clay!
But I do see the hectic lines in the face of my friends and family. I’m sure many of you have or are having those kind of moments. So here is a holiday thought for you. Just remember why you go through all you go through during the holiday season. And who benefits from all you do.
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