Polymer Clay How To

Hi and welcome.  This article on polymer clay will discuss what polymer clay is and how to work with it. Show you some basic tools to get started. And give you some design ideas too!

 Our journey. I first used polymer clay in 2007. Little did I know that this clay would start a new adventure in my artistic career. I scoured the Internet researching how to work with it and trying to decide what to make. I made a few pens to give to friends and coworkers, who loved them and kept asking for more. My husband jumped into the fun, and came up with more ideas. We've designed pen set holders, light switch covers, and other items that have become very popular. We started selling at local summer markets and holiday bazaars. Thus Starky Art was born, having designed hundreds of products later.

 Whether you are looking for a fun hobby, gifts to give others, or possibly wanting to start your own handcrafted art business, I hope you find this article helpful to get you going.

So what exactly is polymer clay, you might ask. Technically it's a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based material. Simply put: plastic. Its mesmerizing colors are what make it so unique. Unlike paint or any material you've used before.

 There are many brands available. You can research which is the best brand for you. We work with Kato Polyclay, as we like its durability and the option to purchase it in large blocks.

Tools and materials you'll need to get started: clay; glass mat or glass cutting board for shaping and cutting the clay on; exacto knife for trimming edges; stiff blade to cut the clay; toaster oven to cook clay in; spray varnish if you choose, spray after clay's cooked and cooled; and a pasta machine.

 Once you've designated your tools for working with clay, you won't want to use them in the kitchen for cooking with. You can purchase a pasta machine if you like. I've found most pasta machines last around six months to a year. The secret is putting thin slices into the machine and not forcing large amounts, as this can break the gears. You'll also need to occasionally clean it, get the excess clay out from under the rollers. Unplug the machine, and I use a knitting needle to scrape out clay.

If you're using Sculpey or a softer clay that can be softened by hand or a few turns through the pasta machine, that's great. If you are going to use a stiffer clay such as Kato Polyclay, we use a motor on our pasta machine, to speed the conditioning time up. (I've found pasta machines and motors on the internet that worked great).

Slice the clay thin, insert into pasta machine and turn the handle to move through, or turn on the motor and let it crank it for you. We mount our pasta machine to the edge of a table with brackets to hold it. Children should be supervised. And make sure you don't have dangling jewelry or other items that could get caught.

Cooking times vary depending on the brand of clay used. And further adjustments may need to be made for your items. Run test samples to find what works best for you. You'll also want to cook the clay preferably outside or in a well-ventilated area, as it emits fumes that aren't good for you. You don't want to cook it too hot, your item could burn. You'll want to monitor it.

A tip on mixing your colors: you might want to use a large circle cookie cutter to measure out your clay. Put the clay through the pasta machine and work in sheets. For example, if you are going to mix a nice lime green, you could use one circle of yellow and add in ¼ circle green. Mix the color you like. Then bake your sample and write the color formula on the back. You could start building your color swatches that way, to assist you in further projects. The internet is a good research tool for you to obtain how to mix colors, such as How to mix peach color, would be white with a little orange.

Not sure what colors work best together? I've found that magazines are great for that. Look at advertisements for examples. Do you like fuchsia and turquoise? Notice ads, clothing, etc. Colors that work harmoniously. Cutting out ads and making a collage for future reference will help.

What to make and how to design it? Give some thought to what interests you. Do you want to make a necklace, earrings, pen, trinket box, ornament? The internet is again a great resource for you. Research polymer clay items to look at, as well as gift items, etc. I usually draw out my designs first, after doing my research. I research polymer clay animals, cartoon animals, look at images of animals, etc. (Each of my designs is my unique style, never copying anyone's work).

As with any new artistic project, it will take practice. Once you get your shapes and colors correct, you're on your way! Watch some videos on polymer clay on YouTube and/or purchase some instructional books on working with polymer clay. (I've done plenty of both).

Most of all, have fun.

We invite you to view our art http://www.starkyart.com

Thank you, Starky Art.