Polymer Clay Chameleon:

Intricate

The works of this artist is the reason why I got interested in millefiori technique, and, as a result of it, in selling my own works.

The name of this artist is Barbara Sperling. I came across her web site when I just started working with polymer clay, and was mesmerized by the beauty and complexity of her canes. I must have spent hours studying her designs!  Barbara's works always have a very polished, high-end look.  I especially like how she constructs her pendants using one central cane surrounded by borders and other decorative elements made of smaller canes complementing the main design. I never had a pleasure of conversing with Barbara, but I respect her as one of my virtual teachers in the art of polymer clay.

New Free Tutorial

Snowflake Cane

New polymer clay tutorial for a snowflake cane is now available on my youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_5qrri6U58

New Technique for Reducing Irregularly Shaped Polymer Clay Canes

I love when people think outside the box.

Here is a new and clever idea I just read about at Polymer Clay Daily. Idit Fischer Katz (Idit Zoota) developed this technique, and Naama Zamir translated it to English.

Many polymer clay artists create complex flower canes, which are really difficult to reduce. Usually such a cane is wrapped in a layer of translucent polymer clay to obtain a cylindrical shape, which is then reduced easily. However, the layer of translucent clay presents a new challenge when the cane slices are assembled into a final piece. The translucent parts have to be made nearly invisible, which is not easy. It shows up on your design if the slices are too thick, if the backing temperature is not just right, if the finished piece is not sanded hard enough, and also for no particular reason as well... In other words, this step is tricky and requires a lot of practice, patience, and luck.

Idit took a completely different approach. Instead of fighting the translucent clay, she replaced it with Play-Doh. She says, Play-Doh works well during the cane reduction step, and then it can be simply peeled off and washed away. The cane slices used for the final design are nice and clean! No more fuzzing around the translucent clay in your final design! Wonderful idea, isn't it?!

Naama's post gives step by step instructions for this new technique.

While this idea is being discussed on the Internet, people with Celiacs Desiase remind us that they are sensitive to wheat in any form, even when they touch it. Play-Doh contains wheat. Here is a recipe for a home-made wheat-free equivalent:

Ingredients:
½ cup rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cooking oil

Thank you, Kate from Organic Odysseys for sharing the recipe.

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.

New Free Tutorial, Simple Canes

A new tutorial for polymer clay is finished as promised. It is available on my web site.

http://www.eugenascreations.com/tutorial-polymer-clay-leaf-cane.html

This tutorial shows how to make bull's eye cane and how to turn it into a leaf cane. There are lots of pictures and the explanations are very detailed, as always.