New E-book – Encyclopedia of Millefiori Polymer Clay Leaves

I just finished this new tutorial. It is huge! Thirty three pages, eighty six pictures. I have it in my Etsy shop and will list it on my web site by tomorrow.

Here is the list of topics covered in this e-book:

- Materials, Tools, Pasta Machine Settings,
- Basic Skinner Blend (Two Colors),
- Skinner Blend with Three (and More) Colors,
- Bull's Eye Canes,
- Skinner Blend Block,
- Reducing a Skinner Blend Sheet,
- Shaded Leaf Cane 1,
- Reducing a Leaf Cane,
- Using a Leaf Cane for Flat Designs,
- Using a Leaf Cane for 3-Dimensional Designs,
- Shaded Leaf Cane 2,
- Basic Lace Leaf Cane,
- Detailed Lace Leaf Cane,
- Leaf Cane with Shaded Veins,
- Reversed Leaf Cane with Shaded Veins,
- Leaf Cane with Alternating Shaded Areas,
- Ikat Leaf Cane,
- Feather Leaf Cane,
- Spotted Leaf Cane,
- Long Striped Leaf Cane,
- Short Striped Leaf Cane,
- Water-Lily Leaf Cane,
- Monsterra Leaf,
- Oak Leaf Cane,
- Maple Leaf Cane

Added: This tutorial is now available at my web site.

New Tutorial Coming Soon


I am working on a new polymer clay tutorial. Actually, even two – one for millefiori leaves and another for surface leaf designs.

I wanted to make one tutorial first, but there are so many pictures that it would be way too big. I am even concerned that the my millefiori tutorial may need to be broken into parts for sending it by e-mail...

So far I am planning to show how to make TEN or so different leaf canes that may be used both in flat and 3D designs. This is going to be the biggest tutorial I wrote so far. I think it will also have the most generic use, because it will teach not a particular project or even a technique, but some elements that may be adopted as a part of many different styles and techniques.

I hope to have it finished by the end of the month.

Scarlet Sails
Finished!

I am done! The Scarlet Sails faux cloisonne wall piece is finished, framed, and shipped to the customer. I think it was my biggest, most challenging, and probably the best piece so far.

See my previous posts for work-in-progress pictures. Here is the finished piece (click on the picture for a larger version):

The faux cloisonne part is 4 1/2” by 6 ½ “, the size of the the whole picture with frame is 11 1/4” by 13 1/4”. The faux cloisonne part has domed edges showcased by mounting the piece on top of the two mats within the frame, not behind them, as it is usually done for flat artwork.

Taking a photograph of this piece turned out to be an extremely daunting task. Due to its size, I could not fit it in my light box and tried to photograph it by simply hanging on the wall in my studio. I immediately realized that due to its shiny surface (two layers of clear resin), the piece works as a mirror. Well, not a perfect mirror, but a good one enough to reflect me and my camera when I tried to photograph it. Yes, and also all my windows... When placed away from the windows, it did not have enough light, but still acted as a mirror. After a number of unsuccessful shots, I was finally able to capture the one you see here. The trick? I had my kids hold a solid-colored piece of fabric in front of the camera. I made a hole in the middle of this screen just big enough to point my camera through it. I also used two of my OttLite lamps on both sides of the picture, but not in front of it.

I am ready for a new challenge!

Two Etsy Treasuries

I just joined the wonderful team of polymer clay artists on Etsy.com, and right away my work was featured in two treasuries:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=49477
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=50354




I am really looking forward to getting to know more the people in this group, although I am already acquainted with some of them or at least their works.

I am so happy to join such a creative, energetic, and supportive team!

Work in Progress
Scarlet Sails, Day 6

Final version of the wire work:



And now with color: