The Holiday Craft Fair is fast approaching, and I need some new stock! I have several ideas for some pendants and bracelets, but I am looking to learn some new finishing techniques. Hence the tutorial I have chosen for this round: the Faux Ceramic look found on Polymer Clay Web, here.
The look that is achieved with this is so pretty and delicate. I am a real fan! I envision using my own textures with this technique. We will see how that goes...
If you want your version posted along with mine and/or if you want to be added to the email list to be sent reminders, please email me (and a small caption with the photo of your project if you so desire) no later than Friday October 22nd at 6:00pm PST.
Pages
Finding my way through polymer clay!
I am a polymer clay artist on the coast of California. I am inspired by the shapes and colors of nature, especially the beauty you find in or near the ocean.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Results!! Maggie Maggio's Split Ring Chains
I haven't been feeling to terribly creative lately, so this was the perfect project. I didn't even need to mix colors as I had a palette leftover and sitting in a baggie doing nothing that I decided to use.
The tutorial is perfectly done. And the addition of the worksheet is simply brilliant! No need for a ruler or anything.
I made 1 of each size rings just so I could see how each turned out (the are the red ones you can barely see in the image below), but then did all the rest in the medium size. I took the time to make striped skinner blends and use them on a mud core... but of course I made the stripes too small and it all ended up being rolled and I lost the effect entirely =( You can't even tell in these pics! When I realized that happened, I just mushed my remaining clay and did a simple twist.
And here they are made into quite the bulky bracelet.
My impressions of this technique: it's really cool. The rings are a little springier then what I was expecting, though. Maybe if I baked longer or used a harder clay like Kato (I use Premo) they would feel sturdier. They are not my style, but I am really glad that I learned how to do it, as I can forsee using one of these split rings as an element in a design, just not the entirety of the design.
And finally, we need more tutorials like this one! Maggie Maggio has done a great thing by providing this free tutorial. I do have her book too and it's fantastic!
Stay tuned for the next tutorial post! I am trying to do my monthly PCGOE challenge just now, so it may be a few days before I put up my next post.
Until then...
The tutorial is perfectly done. And the addition of the worksheet is simply brilliant! No need for a ruler or anything.
I made 1 of each size rings just so I could see how each turned out (the are the red ones you can barely see in the image below), but then did all the rest in the medium size. I took the time to make striped skinner blends and use them on a mud core... but of course I made the stripes too small and it all ended up being rolled and I lost the effect entirely =( You can't even tell in these pics! When I realized that happened, I just mushed my remaining clay and did a simple twist.
And here they are made into quite the bulky bracelet.
My impressions of this technique: it's really cool. The rings are a little springier then what I was expecting, though. Maybe if I baked longer or used a harder clay like Kato (I use Premo) they would feel sturdier. They are not my style, but I am really glad that I learned how to do it, as I can forsee using one of these split rings as an element in a design, just not the entirety of the design.
And finally, we need more tutorials like this one! Maggie Maggio has done a great thing by providing this free tutorial. I do have her book too and it's fantastic!
Stay tuned for the next tutorial post! I am trying to do my monthly PCGOE challenge just now, so it may be a few days before I put up my next post.
Until then...
Friday, September 3, 2010
Maggie Maggio's Split Ring Chains - Due Monday September 20
This project just came through my reader today and I am in LOOOOOOOVE. How fun are these split rings! It seems like you can make so many things with them. And how lucky are we that not only is there a VIDEO tutorial, but a downloadable worksheet that Maggie is supplying to her readers?
The tutorial and the spreadsheet are both available on Maggie's blog, here.
Here is a picture of the finished project as posted on Polymer Clay Daily which is where I saw the project in the first place.
This should be a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing what everyone does with this.
If you want your version posted along with mine and/or if you want to be added to the email list to be sent reminders, please email me (and a small caption with the photo of your project if you so desire) no later than Monday September 20th at 6:00pm PST.
The tutorial and the spreadsheet are both available on Maggie's blog, here.
Here is a picture of the finished project as posted on Polymer Clay Daily which is where I saw the project in the first place.
This should be a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing what everyone does with this.
If you want your version posted along with mine and/or if you want to be added to the email list to be sent reminders, please email me (and a small caption with the photo of your project if you so desire) no later than Monday September 20th at 6:00pm PST.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
PCAGOE September Challenge Voting - win beatiful prizes!
I entered my piece from the "Donna Kato Transfers" craft-a-long in the September Challenge for the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, which I recently joined.
I want to encourage my readers to go and vote! The coolest part, YOU the voters get entered into a pool to win prizes, just for casting your vote! Look at the pool of prize items, made by other PCAGOE members:
Pretty neat, huh?
Please go now and visit http://www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com/ and cast your vote. You can also read about the rules of the challenge, and have a closer look at the prize pool. As you will see, my entry is down at the bottom, #20!
Thanks!
I want to encourage my readers to go and vote! The coolest part, YOU the voters get entered into a pool to win prizes, just for casting your vote! Look at the pool of prize items, made by other PCAGOE members:
Pretty neat, huh?
Please go now and visit http://www.pcagoechallenge.blogspot.com/ and cast your vote. You can also read about the rules of the challenge, and have a closer look at the prize pool. As you will see, my entry is down at the bottom, #20!
Thanks!
Results: Image Transfers by Donna Kato
Well, image transfers are really fun, and I can see how they can be used to really spruce up items, or can be used as the jumping off point for a larger design, which is what I did.
I ended up using 4 different tutorials I found on the web, and 1 tutorial that was given to me as part of the PCAGOE Challenge. I did a combination of all of the different ways to do transfers. I ended up ruining a LOT of clay. I think I did about 20 transfers before my frustration level went through the roof and I just "settled" on the one I used, which thankfully also was the best of the bunch as it turns out.
One big lesson I learned... don't make a bunch of transfers and then leave it overnight. It becomes a sticky ugly mess!
Here is my final piece:
And, here is a close up of the details on the transfer itself:
When you look at the full size all the way blown up, you can see I get each dot of ink. I seriously took ages sloooowly and gently getting the paper off of this transfer. And I HATE pruny fingers so this was really a labor of love.
Sadly, once again I was alone on the craft-along. Come on people! This is good times!
Now, as I mentioned, I chose this tutorial craft along to work in conjunction with a challenge I was entering as part of the September Challenge at PCAGOE. I will be making another post shortly with more details, but if you just can't wait, go here to vote! I bet #20 looks familiar...
I ended up using 4 different tutorials I found on the web, and 1 tutorial that was given to me as part of the PCAGOE Challenge. I did a combination of all of the different ways to do transfers. I ended up ruining a LOT of clay. I think I did about 20 transfers before my frustration level went through the roof and I just "settled" on the one I used, which thankfully also was the best of the bunch as it turns out.
One big lesson I learned... don't make a bunch of transfers and then leave it overnight. It becomes a sticky ugly mess!
Here is my final piece:
And, here is a close up of the details on the transfer itself:
When you look at the full size all the way blown up, you can see I get each dot of ink. I seriously took ages sloooowly and gently getting the paper off of this transfer. And I HATE pruny fingers so this was really a labor of love.
Sadly, once again I was alone on the craft-along. Come on people! This is good times!
Now, as I mentioned, I chose this tutorial craft along to work in conjunction with a challenge I was entering as part of the September Challenge at PCAGOE. I will be making another post shortly with more details, but if you just can't wait, go here to vote! I bet #20 looks familiar...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)