• Molding a Good Design

Molding a Good Design

What is polymer clay? Well, simply put, it is plastic clay. Polymer clay is a soft, pliable medium that hardens after it's been heated or cured. It can be used to create many items like vessels, home decor items, jewelry, beads and much more. Polymer clay can also cover items like wood, clay, plastic and plastic foam to decorate their surfaces. These designs can be as simple or as intricate as the designer wants them to be. Many jewelry makers use polymer clay to make their own beads.

One aspect that helps great polymer clay projects stand out from the rest is an artist's use of color. The color combination used could land a clay piece on either the cover of the latest beading magazine or in next year's yard sale.

Another aspect is the design itself. In the jewelry world, some buyers are drawn to the mass-produced polymer cane beads with little pictures in them, while others are attracted to the less mass-produced beads and custom-designed pendants of artisans.

Polymer clay beads have a certain aspect of durability that a lot of other beads don't have. These beads can be dropped, stepped on and smashed without displaying much damage. And finally, they are very lightweight. A strand of these beauties won't be weighing you down by the end of the day. (Please ... forgive the pun!)

Finding a new resurgence in clay's popularity lately, many manufacturers have upped the ante on tools, colors and supplies to reach the broad market being cultivated by polymer clay. Many artists are using it in scrapbooking and fiber arts, and it's always been a must in miniature modeling. Books, craft-store classes and Internet resources have soared for this "new" art form.

So, how can you incorporate polymer clay into your beading world? Well, one bead at a time. Start with the basics:

• Five colors: red, blue, yellow, black and white (Any color can be made from these five.)
• Acrylic rod (You'll be glad you can see through it.)
• Deck of cards (Trust me, I'll explain below.)
• Clay mat (You could use waxed paper, but this sleek mat will lead to a better experience.)
• Resealable plastic sandwich bags (These are the cheapest and best storage option for polymer clay.)

There are other tools and items that you could buy, but if you are just testing the waters with this technique, this simple setup is your best bet.

Five basic colors: These five colors can make any and every color. You'll only need these colors to determine if you like what you're making and if you're going to stick with this new craft. Here are a few recipes that will help you with your mixing.

Acrylic rod: This clear rod is perfect for making sure clay layers stick to each other and to stamp your clay. The clear acrylic stamps that you find in the scrapbooking section adhere nicely to this 1-inch rod, and the rod's transparency allows you to see just where and how deep you're stamping.

Deck of cards: These thin, coated cards are perfect for cutting clay, for rolling clay on and for gently scraping clay off a surface, plus about a hundred other uses. These flexible multitaskers can cut your clay straight or curved to almost any degree.

Clay mat: This mat sticks to your work surface, doesn't move and leaves no residue. It allows you to roll your clay without it sticking, and the mat can go straight into the oven!

Now that you have your supplies, what do you do with them? This issue's free project, of course! Also, feel free to explore on your own. Do a search on the Internet or the library, and find simple projects you think you can accomplish on your own.